Georgetown’s heralded freshmen paying dividends as Hoyas top No. 4 Villanova

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Georgetown has spent much of the season’s first two months with the look and the feel of a team that deserved a spot somewhere in the Top 25 this season.

The only problem?

The wins to back it up. The Hoyas lost close games to Wisconsin and Butler in the Bahamas. They were beaten by Kansas in D.C. in December. They lost to both Xavier and Providence on the road in Big East play, and while wins over Indiana and Florida look nice to the casual observer, the fact of the matter is that neither of those two programs are as good this season as their reputation would indicate.

That all changed on Monday night, as No. 4 Villanova waltzed into the Verizon Center sitting in first place in the Big East … and promptly took a beating at the hands of the Hoyas, losing 78-58. Isaac Copeland led the way with 17 points off the bench. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera added 17 as well, although he did most of his damage from the free throw line during an off-night.

Eight of Copeland’s 17 points came during Georgetown’s 17-0 run in the first half to open up a 30-11 lead on the Wildcats, and Villanova was never able to get back into it. Georgetown pushed that lead to 26 points early in the second half, and while Villanova made a run down the stretch, they were never able to get closer than 12.

It was the second straight game where Copeland was the difference-maker for the Hoyas. In Georgetown’s win over Butler on Saturday, Copeland hit a three from the corner with 4.7 seconds left for a 61-59 win. His 17 points on Monday was was a career-high, and in his last three games — all Georgetown wins — Copeland is averaging 11.7 points.

“Isaac’s doing his job,” head coach John Thompson III said after the game. “He’s a good basketball player and he’s playing well.”

He wasn’t always playing well, though, as his numbers the last three games become all the more impressive when you consider how little JT III trusted him early in the season. Copeland played a total of just seven minutes against Wisconsin and Florida back in November, and this recent three-game stretch came on the heels of a five-game stretch where Copeland scored a total of just four points.

For Copeland, it’s seems to be all about confidence.

“The Princeton offense is different than a lot of other schools’ so just more repetition and getting the experience is what’s been helping me out so far,” he said after Saturday’s win. “Just remembering what to do, when to do it and how to do it.”

“It’s not like everyone in the locker room is going to say, ‘Ooh, Isaac is pretty good,'” Thompson added after the Butler game. “They know that. That’s something that has happened through weeks and months of workouts and watching and playing with him. The trust has been there.”

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Copeland isn’t the only freshman that has had an impact for the Hoyas this season. L.J. Peak has come back to earth a bit after his scorching start to the season, but he’s still provided the Hoyas with some real scoring pop along side Smith-Rivera in the back court. He’s Georgetown’s most dangerous weapon in transition, which, according to Villanova head coach Jay Wright, is a huge part of what makes the Hoyas so good.

And then there’s Paul White, a 6-foot-8 Chicago native that has consistently been a valuable weapon for Thompson off the bench. White finished with nine points and hit a big three on Monday that ended a 16-5 Villanova run which cut Georgetown’s lead to 14 points early in the second half.

It’s exactly the kind of play that Georgetown fans should have expected from a recruiting class that ranked as one of the top ten in the country, according to Rivals.

And it’s also going to be the difference between this Georgetown team being good enough to make the NCAA tournament and good enough to make a run to the second weekend, if not farther.

Smith-Rivera is this team’s star and go-to guy. Josh Smith is their anchor on the low-block and a good enough passer to allow the Hoyas to run offense through him. Mikael Hopkins has turned into a valuable defender and energy guy, while Jabril Trawick’s development from an athlete to an effective all-around basketball player has been impressive.

Those are the guys that get — and deserve — the headlines for the Hoyas.

But it’s the freshmen that not only give Thompson the depth to be able to play an eight-man rotation, but they allow him the kinda of lineup versatility that keeps Georgetown from running into too may mismatches. Copeland, when he’s playing well, can be used at either forward spot thanks to his length, athleticism and skill on the perimeter, while White can guard the two or the three. If Thompson needs to go big, he can use Copeland or White on the perimeter with Hopkins and Smith up front. If he needs to go small — like he did against Villanova — he can play White and Copeland at the forward spot alongside Hopkins, a lineup that proved very effective for Georgetown on Monday.

“They had really good individual, one-on-one defenders,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said.

Georgetown’s scorching-hot first half shooting is what will get the credit for the lead they opened up in the first half, but the truth is that smothering, half-court defense is what set the tone early.

“Our defensive effort was outstanding,” Thompson said. “I thought our guys did a very good job of being aggressive without fouling [or] overextending.”

“[Villanova] had an off-night; we had a lot to do with their off-night.”

This was the first time all season that the Wildcats were thoroughly beat down like this. They’ve had a couple of slow starts of late — and those are killer on the road in league play — but that shouldn’t change just how impressive the Hoyas were in the first 25 minutes on Monday.

And it also should drive home just how big this win was. For starters, it moved them into sole possession of first place in the Big East, which likely won’t last in this league. But that resume win over the Wildcats is not going away, and neither is the impression that a nationally televised beatdown of a top five team will provide.

It wouldn’t have happened without Georgetown’s freshman.

“This was expected out of them as soon as they got on campus,” Trawick said. “I told everyone that they were capable of being big for us, and that’s what they’re doing right now.”

Charlotte head coach Ron Sanchez resigns after winning CBI title

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.