Saturday’s Snacks: No. 18 North Carolina comes back to beat No. 5 Louisville, and No. 1 Kentucky survives

By Scott PhillipsJan 10, 2015, 11:55 PM EST

GAME OF THE DAY: No. 18 North Carolina 72, No. 5 Louisville 71

A Marcus Paige layup with eight seconds remaining was the difference for the Tar Heels, who bounced back from a tough loss to No. 13 Notre Dame on Monday. The shot capped an afternoon for Paige that included his leaving the game with a right ankle injury, only to return and help spark North Carolina’s comeback from a 12-point deficit in the final 8:23. Six Tar Heels scored at least eight points, with Kennedy Meeks leading the way with 13, and Terry Rozier paced the Cardinals with 25.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

1. No. 1 Kentucky 70, Texas A&M 64 (2OT)

For the second consecutive game the Wildcats were taken to overtime by a conference opponent, this time outlasting the Aggies in College Station. Devin Booker scored 18 off the bench, which helped the Wildcats navigate a game in which starting guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison combined to shoot 5-for-30 from the field. Add in Dakari Johnson hitting some key free throws in double overtime, and Kentucky managed to remain undefeated. Danuel House led all scorers with 25 points, but off days from the foul line (16-for-30) and from three (2-for-15) kept A&M from winning the game in regulation and that came back to haunt them in the end.

2. No. 3 Virginia 62, No. 13 Notre Dame 56

Virginia moved to 15-0 on the season with a six-point win in South Bend, and a big reason for their success was Malcolm Brogdon’s defending of Jerian Grant. Grant finished the game with just six points, and as a team Notre Dame shot just 10-for-35 inside of the arc. Virginia was balanced offensively, with Darion Atkins (14 points), Brogdon (13) and Justin Anderson (11) all reaching double figures and freshman Marial Shayok adding seven off the bench. Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton led all scorers with 21 points to go along with eight rebounds.

3. Kansas State 66, No. 16 Oklahoma 63 (OT): A Marcus Foster three-pointer with just over four seconds remaining in overtime was the difference as the Wildcats won in Norman. Foster finished the game with 13 points, and Stephen Hurt led the way offensively with 15 to go along with seven rebounds. Buddy Hield scored a game-high 31 for Oklahoma, but 20 of those points came in the first half. Oklahoma shot just 39.7% from the field in the loss, with Kansas State making 47.6% of its field goals.

4. Indiana 69, No. 22 Ohio State 66

Playing some great defense for stretches of the second half and getting a big lift from Troy Williams, Indiana held off No. 22 Ohio State. Williams had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds and James Blackmon Jr. had 18 points to lead the cold-shooting Hoosiers. Indiana was 4-for-18 from 3-point range but got a lift from two triples from Nick Zeisloft (eight points) and Ohio State was even worse (3-for-21). Four Buckeyes finished in double-figures led by Shannon Scott’s 16 points, but D’Angelo Russell (12 points) struggled to a 3-for-15 game shooting from the floor.

STARRED

1. Devin Thomas, Wake Forest

The junior had 17 points and 14 rebounds in the Demon Deacons’ win over Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds in three ACC games this season and two of those games came against Louisville and Duke.

2. J.J. Avila, Colorado State

In the Rams’ 92-87 win at Air Force the senior forward accounted for 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.

3. Marvelle Harris, Fresno State

Harris scored 40 points in the Bulldogs’ 69-66 win at Nevada, shooting 14-for-23 from the field. His teammates combined to shoot 8-for-34.

4. Rico Gathers, Baylor

17 points and 18 rebounds (ten offensive) in Baylor’s 66-59 overtime win at TCU.

STRUGGLED

1. Pitt’s shooting

Pitt lost an ACC home contest to Clemson in a very bad loss for a mediocre team. The Panthers only committed three turnovers on the offensive end but shot 39 percent (21-for-53) from the field and 30 percent (4-for-13) from 3-point range.

2. Kentucky’s Harrison twins

The Wildcats won, beating Texas A&M 70-64 in double overtime, but they’re going to need more production from their starting guards than they received today (5-for-30 FG combined).

3. Jesse Morgan, Temple

With Will Cummings injured during the second half, the UMass transfer needed to step up if the Owls were to hang on against Tulsa. Morgan finished the game 1-for-17 from the field, and Tulsa was able to come back and win 63-56.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

Melvin Johnson and Treveon Graham combined to score 39 points in No. 20 VCU’s 89-74 win over Saint Joseph’s.
No. 8 Villanova handed DePaul its first Big East loss Saturday, beating the Blue Demons 81-64 in Philadelphia.
Sterling Gibbs’ three-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining was the difference as No. 19 Seton Hall won 68-67 at Creighton.
Jake Layman scored 14 points to help lead No. 11 Maryland to a 69-60 win at Purdue, bouncing back from a loss at Illinois on Wednesday.
Perry Ellis led a balanced effort with 15 points as No. 12 Kansas whipped Texas Tech, 86-54.
Rico Gathers scored 17 ponts and grabbed 18 rebounds in No. 21 Baylor’s 66-59 overtime win at TCU.
Bobby Portis accounted for 32 points and ten rebounds in No. 23 Arkansas’ 82-70 win over Vanderbilt.
No. 25 Old Dominion’s short stay in the Top 25 will likely come to an end Monday, as they fell 72-65 at Western Kentucky. George Fant led the Hilltoppers with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Oklahoma State handed No. 10 Texas its second straight Big 12 loss, 69-58, with Phil Forte IV scoring a game-high 20 points.
Przemek Karnowski scored 18 points to lead four Bulldogs in double figures as No. 6 Gonzaga beat Santa Clara 79-57.
Abdel Nader scored 19 points off the bench as No. 17 Iowa State won 74-72 at No. 14 West Virginia.

NOTABLES

UConn’s now won five of its last six games, as they beat Cincinnati 62-56 in Hartford.
LaDontae Henton scored 19 points to help lead Providence to a 60-57 overtime win over Georgetown.
Kendall Knorr led four Navy starters in double figures with 17 points as the Midshipmen topped Army.
Vermont moved to 3-0 in America East play with a 71-57 win over Stony Brook, holding the Seawolves without a point over the final 4:09.
La Salle scored 19 of the game’s first 21 points in their 63-50 win over George Washington, and they held Kevin Larsen scoreless in doing so.
Tulsa moved to 3-0 in the American with a 63-56 win at Temple. This one turned when Temple senior guard Will Cummings went down with an injury during the second half, and the Golden Hurricane took advantage and erased an 11-point deficit.
Since starting the season 11-0 Washington’s lost four straight, the most recent of which being an 80-77 home loss to in-state rival Washington State. Ernie Kent’s Cougars are now 2-1 in Pac-12 play.
Northern Iowa beat Drake 64-40, limiting the Bulldogs to just 11 second-half points.
Incarnate Word and Northwestern State combined to score 204 points in their game, with the Demons winning 103-101. Incarnate Word’s Denzel Livingston scored 37 in a losing effort, with Jalan West (33 points) and Zikiteran Woodley (28) leading the way for Northwestern State.
Indiana State moved to 4-0 in Missouri Valley play with a 59-56 win at Southern Illinois.
Eli Carter scored 20 points in Florida’s 72-47 win over Mississippi State, and the Gators have now won 20 consecutive SEC regular season games.
Dayton’s now won six straight since they lost their two biggest players, with the Flyers winning 76-58 at Fordham.
Jordan Bell blocked eight shots in Oregon’s 59-56 win over Arizona State, establishing a new school record for blocks in a season with 56.
UC Davis moved to 12-3 on the season with a 73-67 overtime win over Long Beach State, their first over the 49ers since 2009. Corey Hawkins scored 28 and grabbed ten rebounds for the Aggies, with Mike Caffey countering with 29, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

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NCAA tweaks rules on block/charge calls in men’s basketball

Associated PressJun 8, 2023, 9:14 PM EDT

Jordan Prather/USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA is tweaking how block/charge calls are made in men’s basketball.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved rule changes on Thursday that require a defender to be in position to draw a charge at the time the offensive player plants a foot to go airborne for a shot. If the defender arrives after the player has planted a foot, officials have been instructed to call a block when there’s contact.

Defenders had to be in position to draw a charge before the offensive player went airborne under previous rules.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee members made the proposal after NCAA members complained that too many charges were being called on those types of plays.

The panel also approved reviews of basket interference calls during the next media timeout – if the official called it on the floor – a shot clock reset to 20 seconds on an offensive rebound that hits the rim, and players being allowed to wear any number between 0 and 99.

A timeout also will be granted to an airborne player with possession of the ball, and non-student bench personnel will be allowed to serve as peacekeepers on the floor if an altercation occurs.

Charlotte head coach Ron Sanchez resigns after winning CBI title

Associated PressJun 7, 2023, 1:39 PM EDT

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ron Sanchez resigned as head coach of the Charlotte 49ers.

Sanchez took over the 49ers on March 19, 2018, inheriting a team coming off a 6-23 campaign. In five years Charlotte went 72-78 under Sanchez, highlighted by winning the College Basketball Invitational championship this past season, the Niners’ first post-season tournament title in school history.

The 22 wins this past season are the most for Charlotte since 2001.

“Ron took over a proud but struggling program and carefully rebuilt it into a 22-game winner. He has led with class, dignity and devotion to our young men,” Charlotte director of athletics Mike Hill said. “His decision to step down from Charlotte was a difficult one for him and everyone associated with our program. We wish him and his family every happiness.”

Hill said the team has already begun a national search for a replacement.

“This is a bittersweet day for me and my family as I step down to pursue other opportunities,” said Sanchez, who came the 49ers after working as an assistant coach at Virginia under Tony Bennett. “It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the 49ers basketball program over the past five years and I want to thank Niner Nation for its support. I will be forever grateful to my staff, players and the university.”

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.