Late Night Snacks: Minnesota wins at Michigan State, No. 7 Arizona and No. 13 Utah roll

By Raphielle JohnsonFeb 27, 2015, 1:31 AM EST

GAME OF THE NIGHT: Idaho 92, Montana 87 (2OT)

While Idaho is playing to lock up a spot in the eight-team Big Sky tournament, Montana entered Thursday’s game locked in a three-way tie for first place. The two teams staged a thriller in Moscow, with Don Verlin’s Vandals managing to hang on in double overtime despite the efforts of Montana senior guard Jordan Gregory. Gregory scored a career-high 36 points, and his three-pointer in the final seconds of the first overtime forced a second extra session. Idaho was more balanced offensively, with Connor Hill leading five Vandals in double figures with 23 points. As a result of their loss, Montana (12-4 Big Sky) drops a game behind Eastern Washington and Sacramento State (both 12-3) in the loss column.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

1. Minnesota 96, Michigan State 90 (OT)

The “foul or defend” debate has been a popular one in recent years, with East Lansing (Michigan) HS head coach Steve Finamore having nearly three years of data on the debate. Michigan State prefers to defend when up three, but on two separate cases in regulation the Spartans committed the cardinal sin of fouling a three-point shooter. The second of those situations was on a Carlos Morris three-pointer that tied the game with 1.9 seconds remaining. Morris missed the free throw, but the Golden Gophers remained focused in the extra session and ended Michigan State’s four-game win streak. Morris scored 20 points off the bench and Joey King and Andre Hollins added 17 apiece for Minnesota, which finished the game with five players in double figures.

2. No. 3 Gonzaga 59, San Diego 39

The Bulldogs didn’t shoot as well as they’re capable of in Spokane, but they were able to buckle down defensively against the Toreros. Gonzaga ended the game on a 19-4 run, producing a somewhat deceptive final margin, and they limited USD to 29.6% shooting from the field and 1-for-11 from beyond the arc. Przemek Karnowski led four Bulldogs in double figures with 14 points, with Gary Bell Jr. adding 12 points, Byron Wesley 12 and Domantas Sabonis 11. Kevin Pangos scored three points on 1-for-7 shooting, but he contributed five rebounds and four assists. With the win Gonzaga remains in the conversation for a one-seed in the NCAA tournament.

3. No. 7 Arizona 82, Colorado 54

This one wasn’t close at all, but the takeaway is the performance put forth by Kaleb Tarczewski. On his 22nd birthday Tarczewski scored 14 points, one of five Wildcats to reach double figures (Stanley Johnson scored a team-high 15), and for a player who’s had confidence issues this season this recent stretch has been a good one. Arizona’s starting center has scored at least 14 points in three of the last four games, averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. If Arizona is to make a run at the Final Four (and more), they need a confident Tarczewski in the middle. For their sake, the hope is that this recent run helps in that regard.

STARRED

1. Green Bay’s Keifer Sykes

Sykes surpassed the 2,000-point mark in the Phoenix’s win over UIC, scoring 36 points on 13-for-23 shooting from the field while also accounting for six rebounds, four steals and three assists.

2. Oral Roberts’ Obi Egemano

Egemano shot 12-for-17 from the field, scoring 34 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the Golden Eagles’ 74-58 win over North Dakota State.

3. Montana’s Jordan Gregory

It came in a losing effort, but Gregory scored a career-high 36 points and dished out five assists in Montana’s 92-87 double overtime loss at Idaho.

STRUGGLED

1. Western Carolina’s James Sinclair and Rhett Harrelson

Both players struggled in the Catamounts’ 53-49 loss at Furman, with Sinclair scoring 13 points on 4-for-23 shooting and Harrelson three points on 1-for-11 shooting.

2. Colorado’s Xavier Johnson

Johnson scored just three points in the Buffaloes’ 82-54 loss at No. 7 Arizona, shooting 1-for-3 from the field and 1-for-5 from the foul line.

3. San Diego’s Johnny Dee and Christopher Anderson

The Toreros’ starting backcourt combined to score 12 points on 5-for-17 shooting in their 59-39 loss at No. 3 Gonzaga.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

Nic Moore scored 16 points and dished out five assists as No. 21 SMU moved back into first place in the American with a 66-54 win at Memphis. The Mustangs have won 14 of their last 15 games.
No. 13 Utah closed the first half of their game on an 18-0 run, taking a 41-9 lead into the locker room. The Runnin’ Utes would go on to win 83-41, setting up their showdown with No. 7 Arizona Saturday night in Salt Lake City.

NOTABLES

High Point won 75-71 at UNC Asheville, and thanks to some other upsets the Panthers are in sole possession of first place in the Big South with one game remaining. The only team that can catch Scott Cherry’s squad is Charleston Southern, and the two teams meet Saturday in Charleston.
Wofford clinched the top seed in the SoCon tournament with a 76-72 win at Mercer. Mike Young’s Terriers can wrap up the outright regular season title with a win at Furman on Saturday.
Temple erased a five-point halftime deficit in beating Houston 66-54, avoiding what would have been a bad loss as the Owls look to earn an NCAA tournament bid.
Dan Garvin scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as Bryant won 77-69 at Central Connecticut State, clinching the right to host at least one game in next week’s NEC tournament. The Bulldogs can grab the two-seed with a win Saturday combined with a Robert Morris loss.
Jae’Sean Tate scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Ohio State’s 81-57 win over Nebraska.
Rider locked up the two-seed in the MAAC tournament with a 60-53 win at Monmouth. Kevin Baggett’s Broncs were picked to finish seventh in the preseason coaches poll.
Louisiana Tech moved into sole possession of first place in Conference USA with a 77-60 win over UTEP, with Raheem Appleby and Kenneth Smith scoring 17 points apiece to lead the way.
Murray State won its 23rd consecutive game, moving to 15-0 in the OVC with a 65-57 win over Eastern Illinois.
With Georgia State’s loss at UALR, there’s a two-way tie atop the Sun Belt between Georgia Southern and ULM. The Eagles moved to 13-4 with a win at Appalachian State, with the Warhawks matching that record with a win at South Alabama.
Saint Mary’s moved to 13-4 in WCC play with an 84-53 win at San Francisco. The Gaels are in a position where they can ill-afford a “bad loss” ahead of the WCC tournament.
Stanford finds itself in a similar spot, and Thursday night the Cardinal outscored Oregon State 47-18 in the second half to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 75-48 win.
UC Davis’ lead in the Big West is down to a game, as they lost 74-60 at UCSB. Michael Bryson led the Gauchos with 20 points, and Alan Williams added 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.
BYU came back from an eight-point halftime deficit to win 82-69 at Portland. Also of note in the win is the fact that Tyler Haws (21 points, 2,614 for his career) is now the program’s all-time leading scorer, passing Jimmer Fredette.

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.”