LATE NIGHT SNACKS: No. 3 Michigan State comes back, No. 7 Duke rolls

By Raphielle JohnsonDec 3, 2015, 12:00 AM EST

Associated Press

GAME OF THE DAY: Butler 78, No. 24 Cincinnati 76

Roosevelt Jones’ basket with one tenth of a second remaining proved to be the difference in a very competitive game in Cincinnati. His game-winner followed up an Octavius Ellis three-point play with 4.7 seconds remaining that tied the score at 76. Kellen Dunham led the way for Butler with 24 points, while Ellis was one of two Bearcats to score 16 points.

Video of Jones’ game-winning basket can be seen here.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

No. 3 Michigan State 71, No. 24 Louisville 67: Denzel Valentine scored 25 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists as the Spartans moved to 8-0 on the season. But another key for Michigan State was Bryn Forbes, who scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half. The Cardinals were disruptive defensively for most of the first half, and senior guard Damion Lee hit some big shots on the other end. In their first significant test of the season, Rick Pitino’s team looked good despite the final result.

This would be one of the Big Ten’s four Big Ten/ACC Challenge wins on Wednesday, meaning that they win the event by a final tally of eight wins to six.

Wisconsin 66, No. 14 Syracuse 58 (OT): If the Badgers find themselves on the bubble come March, their overtime win at the Carrier Dome could come in handy. Ethan Happ and Nigel Hayes both posted double-doubles, with Happ going for 18 points and 15 rebounds and Hayes added 15 and 12. Michael Gbinije scored 19 points to lead the way for the Orange, who went cold and scored just five points in the extra session.

No. 7 Duke 94, Indiana 74: The Blue Devils were clicking on all cylinders offensively, which was to be expected against an Indiana team that has struggled on defense. Brandon Ingram scored 24 points and Matt Jones added 23, with Amile Jefferson accounting for eight points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Troy Williams led the Hoosiers with 17 points.

Our Rob Dauster was in Durham, and he wrote more on this game here.

STARRED

Ben Simmons, LSU: Simmons racked up 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, five steals, three blocks and just two turnovers in the Tigers’ 119-108 win over North Florida.

Kris Dunn, Providence: 16 points, ten rebounds and 14 assists in the Friars’ convincing win over Hartford. Dunn tallied 11 of those assists before the first half under-4 media timeout.

Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State: 23 points, 24 rebounds and five blocks in the Aggies’ 73-59 win over I-10 rival UTEP.

STRUGGLED

Indiana’s defense: The Hoosiers allowed No. 7 Duke to average a staggering 1.492 points per possession, losing 94-74.

Jaire Grayer, George Mason: Grayer shot -for-11 from the field in the Patriots’ 75-54 loss at Towson.

Cane Broome, Sacred Heart: One of the NEC’s best players had a tough night in the Pioneers’ loss at UConn, shooting 3-for-16 from the field and finishing with seven points and two assists.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

Kyle Wiltjer scored 20 points in the first ten minutes of the game and was quiet from that point on, but others stepped forward in No. 13 Gonzaga’s 69-60 win at Washington State. Guards Silas Melson and Josh Perkins combined to score 28 points and grab 11 rebounds, and Domas Sabonis added nine points and 14 rebounds.
Wade Baldwin IV scored 20 points to lead No. 16 Vanderbilt to a 102-52 win over Detroit. The Commodores reached the 100-point mark for the first time since February 2012.
No. 18 Texas A&M moved to 7-1 on the season with a ten-point win over FGCU. Jalen Jones led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Nic Moore scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half to lead No. 22 to a 75-70 win at TCU. Moore also accounted for three rebounds and six assists.
In addition to Kris Dunn’s triple-double, Ben Bentil scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds and Jalen Lindsey added 15, eight rebounds and three assists in No. 23 Providence’s 89-66 win over Hartford.

OTHER NOTABLE OUTCOMES

Tyler Harris led six Tigers in double figures with 21 points while also grabbing 12 rebounds as Auburn held on to win 81-78 at Coastal Carolina.
Tyler Cavanaugh and Joe McDonald scored 16 apiece as George Washington beat Seton Hall 72-64 in D.C. Khadeen Carrington led the Pirates with 21, but no other Seton Hall player scored in double figures.
Rodney Purvis scored 19 points and Daniel Hamilton racked up 14 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists as UConn rebounded from a slow start to beat Sacred Heart 82-49.
Ryan Rhoomes scored 26 as Fordham beat St. John’s 73-57, giving the Rams their first five-game win streak since the 2006-07 season. And their 5-1 start is the program’s best since 2001.
Shep Garner went off in Penn State’s 67-58 win at Boston College, scoring 30 on 10-for-16 shooting (8-for-12 3PT).
Jordan Price scored 37 points but it wasn’t enough for La Salle, which lost 84-80 to Hofstra in Philadelphia. Brian Bernardi led six Hofstra players in double figures with 22 points.
Morehead State won 60-46 at Saint Louis, a game they led 38-15 at the halftime break. The Billikens shot just 37.8 percent from the field.
Tulsa went on the road and beat Oklahoma State by ten (66-56) in Stillwater, with James Woodard and Shaquille Harrison combining to score 29 points.
Once again playing without forward Quinton Chievous, Hampton won 98-94 in double overtime at Northern Arizona. Reginald Johnson scored 36 points for the victorious Pirates.
Arizona State picked up a 79-77 win at Creighton, becoming the first team to beat the Bluejays in a game in which they scored 75 points or more at home. Creighton is now 89-1 all-time in such games.
Notre Dame became the eighth Division I program to win 1,800 games, as they beat Illinois 84-79 in Champaign.
A Peter Jok corner three gave Iowa the lead for good late in overtime as they beat Florida State 78-75. The Hawkeye victory means that the Big Ten wins the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and they’ve either won or tied each of the last seven Challenges.
Utah scored 51 first-half points and held on for a 83-75 win over rival BYU. Jakob Poeltl led the way for the Runnin’ Utes with 26 points and 13 rebounds, and BYU’s Nick Emery was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul committed on Utah’s Brandon Taylor.

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.”

Clemson leading scorer Hall withdraws from NBA draft, returns to Tigers

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:15 PM EDT

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson leading scorer PJ Hall is returning to college after withdrawing from the NBA draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10 forward took part in the NBA combine and posted his decision to put off the pros on social media.

Hall led the Tigers with 15.3 points per game this past season. He also led the Tigers with 37 blocks, along with 5.7 rebounds. Hall helped Clemson finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference while posting a program-record 14 league wins.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Hall gained experience from going through the NBA’s combine that will help the team next season. “I’m counting on him and others to help lead a very talented group,” he said.

Hall was named to the all-ACC third team last season as the Tigers went 23-10.

George Washington adopts new name ‘Revolutionaries’ to replace ‘Colonials’

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 7:12 PM EDT

Getty Images

WASHINGTON — George Washington University’s sports teams will now be known as the Revolutionaries, the school announced.

Revolutionaries replaces Colonials, which had been GW’s name since 1926. Officials made the decision last year to drop the old name after determining it no longer unified the community.

GW said 8,000 different names were suggested and 47,000 points of feedback made during the 12-month process. Revolutionaries won out over the other final choices of Ambassadors, Blue Fog and Sentinels.

“I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker,” president Mark S. Wrighton said. “This process was truly driven by our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the result is a moniker that broadly reflects our community – and our distinguished and distinguishable GW spirit.”

George the mascot will stay and a new logo developed soon for the Revolutionaries name that takes effect for the 2023-24 school year. The university is part of the Atlantic 10 Conference.