Late Night Snacks: No. 7 Arizona, No. 11 Wichita State and No. 19 Baylor among Saturday’s big winners

By Scott PhillipsMar 1, 2015, 2:11 AM EST

GAME OF THE DAY: BYU 73, No. 3 Gonzaga 70

Not only did the Cougars end Gonzaga’s 41-game home win streak, but they also added a much-needed signature win to their NCAA tournament resume. Kyle Collinsworth scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and with Tyler Haws (ten points) held in check Skyler Halford provided 14 key points off the bench. Corbin Kaufusi (seven points, six rebounds and three blocks) was also effective for BYU, which did a good job of neutralizing Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer as he made just two of his 11 shots from the field and finished with four points. As a result of the win BYU will be the two-seed at next week’s WCC tournament.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

1. No. 7 Arizona 63, No. 13 Utah 57

In their eight Pac-12 home games prior to Saturday night, Utah beat its opponents by an average of nearly 25 points per game. No one expected a similar result with Arizona visiting the Huntsman Center, and the Wildcats scored the final eight points of the game to win by six and clinch a share of the Pac-12 title. Kaleb Tarczewski scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds and Gabe York added 12 points off the bench for Arizona. Delon Wright led all scorers with 17 points, but in a game that saw both teams defend exceptionally well the Runnin’ Utes shot 30.9% from the field.

2. No. 11 Wichita State 74, No. 10 Northern Iowa 60

The Shockers moved to the top of the Valley with a convincing home win over the Panthers, who beat them earlier in 2015 in conference play. Ron Baker had 17 points and seven assists to pace five Wichita State players with at least 11 points. Fred Van Vleet also added 13 points and seven assists and the Shockers had 19 assists to only three turnovers on Saturday afternoon.

3. No. 19 Baylor 78, No. 20 West Virginia 66

The Mountaineers began the game without Juwan Staten (knee) and lost Gary Browne (ankle) early in the first half, and that did not help their cause in Waco. But even with those injuries the Bears’ performance should not be overlooked, as four players scored in double figures and as a team Baylor shot 51.1% from the field and 8-for-15 from three. Taurean Prince scored 20 points and Royce O’Neale added 18 and seven assists for Scott Drew’s team, which has won four straight and seven of its last nine games. Freshman guard Jevon Carter led West Virginia with a career-high 25 points.

4. Boise State 56, No. 24 San Diego State 46

Leon Rice’s team is now two wins away from the top seed in the Mountain West thanks to their ten-point win at Viejas Arena. Derrick Marks shot just 6-for-22 from the field in scoring his 18 points, but James Webb III added 16 and 12 rebounds and Rob Heyer made some big plays on both ends of the floor in the second half. Winston Shepard was San Diego State’s lone double-digit scorer, as he tallied 16 points, but as a team the Aztecs made just 32.7% of their field goal attempts. Both teams are now 12-4 in conference play, but Boise State has the tiebreaker since they’ve swept the season series. And beyond that, this is a big win for the Broncos’ tournament resume.

RELATED: Saturday’s Bubble Banter

STARRED

1. LSU’s Tim Quarterman

Quarterman became the first Tiger since Shaquille O’Neal in the 1992 NCAA tournament to post a triple-double, accounting for 18 points, ten rebounds, ten assists and two blocks in LSU’s 73-63 win over Ole Miss.

2. Charleston Southern’s Saah Nimley

In Charleston Southern’s triple-overtime win over High Point, Nimley scored 38 points (8-for-20 3PT). As a result of the win, the Bucs will be the top seed in the Big South tournament.

3. Stony Brook’s Jameel Warney

Warney scored 32 points on 13-for-17 shooting from the field and grabbed 18 rebounds in the Seawolves’ 74-59 win at Hartford.

4. Murray State’s Cameron Payne

Payne’s name is one casual college basketball fans need to get to know ahead of conference tournament play. He racked up 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Racers’ 73-67 win at UT-Martin. Murray State has now won 24 straight games.

STRUGGLED

1. NC State’s perimeter

The trio of Cat Barber, Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner struggled to shoot against Boston College as the three combined to go 11-for-39 in a bad ACC loss. The trio was also 6-for-22 from 3-point range.

2. Texas’ Jonathan Holmes

Holmes finished the Longhorns’ 69-64 loss at Kansas with two points on 1-for-7 shooting. Texas needs more from their senior forward down the stretch.

3. Saint Mary’s forward Brad Waldow

Waldow was thoroughly neutralized by Santa Clara, as he scored just five points on 1-for-7 shooting in a one-point loss to the Broncos.

4. Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer

In the Bulldogs’ 73-70 loss to BYU, Wiltjer scored four points on 2-for-11 shooting from the field.

OTHER TOP 25 RESULTS

No. 1 Kentucky moved to 29-0 on the season with an 84-67 win over No. 18 Arkansas, and the Wildcats led by as many as 31 points in the second half. The Wildcats have now won 46 SEC regular season titles.
No. 6 Villanova picked off Xavier on the road in the Big East behind a big second-half effort. The Wildcats shot 13-for-29 from 3-point range and Dylan Ennis led the scoring with 16 points.
Earning a Big Ten home win was No. 14 Maryland with a victory over Michigan. Melo Trimble had 19 points and five assists to pace the Terps.
No. 15 North Carolina bested Miami on the road in the ACC as Brice Johnson had 22 points and
Oklahoma overcame and eight-point halftime deficit to defeat TCU at home as Buddy Hield had 21 points.
No. 17 Louisville cruised past Florida State as Wayne Blackshear had 18 points and Montrezl Harrell added 16 and a ridiculous alley-oop.
In the Big East, No. 23 Butler outlasted DePaul on the road as Kellen Dunham had 24 points.
No. 22 VCU shot just 34 percent from the field as they lost 59-55 to Dayton in Richmond. The victorious Flyers are now tied with Rhode Island and Davidson atop the Atlantic 10 standings.
Wesley Iwundu made two big defensive plays in the game’s final minute to help propel Kansas State to a 70-69 win over No. 12 Iowa State. But even with the Cyclones having lost two straight, there’s no need for their fans to panic.
London Perrantes made his return to the court for No. 2 Virginia, which beat Virginia Tech by 12 in Blacksburg. Perrantes finished with 11 points and six assists for the Cavaliers, who have clinched at least a share of the ACC regular season title.
Perry Ellis went for 28 points and 13 rebounds as No. 8 Kansas moved one step closer to yet another Big 12 title with a 69-64 win over Texas.
No. 4 Duke coasted to a 73-54 win over Syracuse, with Justise Winslow scoring 23 points and grabbing nine rebounds and Jahlil Okafor (13 points, 14 rebounds) posting another double-double.

NOTABLES

Georgia did what they could to improve its NCAA Tournament standing with a home win over Missouri. The Bulldogs have now won three straight entering this week’s clash with No. 1 Kentucky.
St. John’s earned a quality home win over Georgetown in the Big East as Phil Greene had 26 points, 6 rebounds and Sir’Dominic Pointer had 24 points and 8 rebounds.
Rhode Island escaped with a road win over La Salle as E.C. Matthews had 21 points.
Two games went to triple overtime on Saturday: Charleston Southern’s 97-93 win over High Point and UAB’s 100-95 win over Middle Tennessee.
Clemson got past Georgia Tech in overtime as Jaron Blossomgame had 19 points to lead the Tigers. After blowing a 19-point lead to force the extra frame, Clemson regrouped in the final five minutes.
Bucknell held off American 71-69 to wrap up the outright Patriot League title. The Bison will be the top seed in the conference tournament, meaning that they’ll have home court for as long as they remain alive.
North Carolina Central moved to 14-0 in the MEAC with a win over Bethune-Cookman, wrapping up their second consecutive outright regular season conference title.
Wofford wrapped up the outright SoCon regular season title with a 62-60 win at Furman.
Green Bay wrapped up the two-seed in the Horizon League tournament with an 83-63 win over Oakland, with Keifer Sykes and Greg Mays scoring 21 points apiece. The win earns the Phoenix a bye into the semifinals.
Jacksonville upset FGCU 75-67, meaning that North Florida will be the top seed (and outright regular season champ) in the Atlantic Sun tournament (this gives them home court throughout the tournament).
Montana rebounded from a triple-overtime loss at Idaho Thursday night, as they won 77-76 at Eastern Washington. Montana, EWU and Sacramento State are locked in a race to see who will win the Big Sky and host the conference tournament as a result with the Hornets currently in first place.
The CAA has a four-way tie atop the conference standings, with William & Mary, UNCW, Northeastern and James Madison being the four teams. And that’s your order for the seeds in next week’s conference tournament in Baltimore, with the Tribe being the top seed.
Saint Mary’s fell by a point at Santa Clara, and given their overall resume the Gaels may need to run the table at the WCC tournament in Las Vegas next weekend.
Harvard and Yale both picked up wins on Saturday, setting up a showdown of 10-2 teams Friday night at Harvard. The winner would be one win away from earning the Ivy League’s NCAA tournament bid.
Even without the suspended Tim Floyd, UTEP’s game against Southern Miss seemed relatively harmless. Well the Golden Eagles pulled off the 63-60 upset, dropping the Miners into a three-way tie for third in Conference USA two games behind Louisiana Tech in the loss column.
Tulsa erased a nine-point second half deficit and went on to win 74-72 in overtime at Memphis, avoiding a loss that would not have helped their chances of getting into the NCAA tournament. The Golden Hurricane are now tied with SMU atop the American (14-2 records for both).
Two days after they beat first-place UC Davis, UCSB held off UC Irvine at home. As a result of the Gauchos’ win over the Anteaters, UC Davis has clinched at least a share of the Big West title.

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UConn adds former Rutgers guard Cam Spencer from transfer portal

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 10:17 PM EDT

Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports

STORRS, Conn. — National champion UConn added some shooting depth to its roster Friday, announcing the signing of former Rutgers guard Cam Spencer from the transfer portal.

Spencer, who graduated last month with a year of eligibility remaining, averaged 13.2 points in his only season in New Jersey. The 6-foot-4 guard, who played his first three seasons at Loyola of Maryland, shot 44.4% from the floor, including 43.4% from 3-point range.

“Cam is the perfect addition to our basketball program,” UConn Coach Dan Hurley said. “He brings a unique combination of high-level skill and feel for the game, with a fierce competitiveness that has allowed him to enjoy a terrific college basketball career thus far.”

The Huskies lost their top 3-point scoring threat, sophomore Jordan Hawkins, to the NBA draft, along with wing Andre Jackson Jr. and post Adama Sanogo.

Guard Tristen Newtown gave the Huskies a boost last month when he withdrew his name from the draft pool and returned to Storrs.

The Huskies began summer workouts this week, welcoming a top recruiting class led by 6-6 point guard Stephon Castle, a McDonald’s All-American from Georgia. The class also includes 6-7 wing Jayden Ross and 6-4 guard Solomon Ball from Virginia, 6-7 wing Jaylin Stewart from Seattle, Washington, and 7-foot center Youssouf Singare from New York.

“I think that some of my strengths will stand out in UConn’s style of play,” Spencer said. “They have a lot of great movement and they play so well together, with great chemistry. I think that I can come in and hopefully contribute to that.”

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.