Wednesday’s Snacks: No. 1 Kentucky moves to 28-0, Northwestern knocks off Indiana

By Raphielle JohnsonFeb 26, 2015, 12:38 AM EST

GAME OF THE NIGHT: Richmond 67, No. 22 VCU 63 (2OT)

Richmond now has a two-game win streak in this series for the first time since 2001, and as a result of the Spiders’ win there’s now a four-way tie atop the Atlantic 10. Terry Allen’s block of a Treveon Graham shot in the final seconds of double overtime sealed the game for Richmond, which forced a second overtime on a T.J. Cline layup with 2.8 seconds remaining in the first extra session. ShawnDre’ Jones scored 22 points off the bench for Richmond, while Graham led all scorers with 25 points while also grabbing ten rebounds.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

1. No. 1 Kentucky 74, Mississippi State 56

John Calipari’s Wildcats didn’t play their best basketball in the first half, and that carried over into the early stages of the second. Then Kentucky went on a 24-4 run and removed any doubt. Trey Lyles scored 18 points and Aaron Harrison added 16 for the Wildcats, who host No. 18 Arkansas on Saturday. Kentucky wraps up at least a share of their record 46th SEC regular season title.

2. Northwestern 72, Indiana 65

Chris Collins’ young Wildcats continued to build on their recent momentum, winning their fourth straight conference game for the first time since 1967. Tre Demps scored a game-high 23 points and freshman Victor Law IV added 14 and eight rebounds. As for Indiana, they went more than ten minutes without a point in the second half and that stretch proved costly. Troy Williams scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Hoosiers.

3. No. 19 Baylor 79, No. 12 Iowa State 70

Thanks to an 18-4 second half run the Bears turned an eight-point deficit into a six-point lead, and from there they were able to do enough to wrap up their first-ever win at Iowa State. Taurean Prince scored 20 points off the bench to lead five players in double figures for Baylor, which shot 14-for-26 from three. By comparison, Iowa State shot 6-for-24 from beyond the arc.

Wednesday’s Bubble Banter

STARRED

1. Saint Joseph’s DeAndre Bembry

Even with his team’s struggles, Bembry has been one of the best players in the Atlantic 10. Bembry led the Hawks to an 82-71 win at UMass with 33 points, 14 rebounds and four assists.

2. North Florida’s Beau Beech

Beech scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Ospreys’ 76-62 win at FGCU. Matthew Driscoll’s team is one win away from clinching home court throughout the A-Sun tournament.

3. Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes

The Seminoles’ comeback at Miami fell short, but Rathan-Mayes (35 points, five assists, four rebounds) did his best to make it happen. The redshirt freshman scored 30 points over the final 4:39 of the 81-77 loss.

STRUGGLED

1. Indiana’s James Blackmon Jr.

Blackmon Jr. shot 1-for-10 from the field, scoring six points, in the Hoosiers’ loss at Northwestern.

2. La Salle’s Cleon Roberts and Steve Zack

Robert and Zack combined to shoot 0-for-14 from the field and score two points (two Roberts free throws) in the Explorers’ 63-48 loss at Fordham.

3. Iowa State’s Naz Long and Bryce Dejean-Jones

The two guards combined to score nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in the Cyclones’ 79-70 loss to Baylor.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

No. 2 Virginia whipped Wake Forest 70-34, and they were playing without both Justin Anderson and London Perrantes. The Cavaliers limited the Demon Deacons to 21.8% shooting from the field.
No. 11 Wichita State took care of business on the road, beating Indiana State 63-53. The Shockers led by four at the half, with Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet both going scoreless during the stanza.
No. 23 Butler moved to 10-5 in Big East play with a 21-point win over Marquette. Chris Holtmann’s Bulldogs are now tied for second with Georgetown, and the two teams meet March 3 in Indianapolis.
No. 4 Duke needed overtime to leave Blacksburg with a 91-86 win over Virginia Tech. Jahlil Okafor made his return, tallying 30 points and nine rebounds, and Quinn Cook added 26 for the Blue Devils. However Duke needs to get better defensively, as Virginia Tech shot 53.4% from the field.
No. 10 Northern Iowa avenged its lone conference loss, beating Evansville 68-57. The Panthers visit Wichita State on Saturday, with the winner earning the outright Missouri Valley Conference title.

NOTABLES

North Florida won 76-62 at FGCU, moving into a first-place tie atop the Atlantic Sun with the Eagles as a result. Beau Beech went for 22 points and 13 rebounds for UNF, which will earn the top seed in the conference tournament with a win over Stetson (or FGCU loss to Jacksonville) on Saturday.
Valparaiso failed to wrap up the Horizon League regular season title, losing 63-60 at Detroit. The Crusaders can still clinch the outright title with a win over Cleveland State on Friday.
Vermont clinched the two-seed in the America East tournament as they beat New Hampshire 64-49. All tournament games will be played on the home floor of the higher seed this year (Albany is the top seed).
In a matchup of Atlantic 10 teams looking to play their way into the NCAA tournament discussion, Davidson won 60-59 at Rhode Island on a Jack Gibbs three with 13 seconds remaining. Both teams are now 11-4 in league play.
In a matchup of two of the four teams tied for first in the CAA, UNCW took care of James Madison 74-54. The Dukes (11-6 CAA) have lost all six of their games against UNCW (12-5), William & Mary (12-5) and Northeastern (11-5).
Bucknell will have to wait a couple days to wrap up the Patriot League, as they lost 84-65 at Lehigh. The defeat gives Colgate some hope, as the Raiders pulled to within a game of first with a win at Lafayette.
Larry Nance Jr. made his return to the court for Wyoming, playing 37 minutes in the Cowboys’ 64-59 home loss to Fresno State. Fresno State’s Marvelle Harris led all scorers with 23 points.
Aaron White scored 29 points and corralled nine rebounds to lead Iowa to a 68-60 win over Illinois in Iowa City.
Georgia picked up a solid road victory, winning 76-72 at Ole Miss. Kenny Gaines scored 22 points and Marcus Thornton added 18 and 13 boards for the Bulldogs, who need to get hot down the stretch if they’re to get into the NCAA tournament conversation.
Oregon and UCLA both avoided losses that would not have looked good on their respective resumes, with the Ducks winning 80-69 at Cal and UCLA blowing out Washington in Los Angeles.

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.

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.