No. 9 Purdue gets past Michigan State 75-70, into title game

Associated PressMar 13, 2022, 12:15 AM EST

Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS – Jaden Ivey gave No. 9 Purdue the production and energy it needed to reach the Big Ten Tournament title game.

Now he’s in position to lead the third-seeded Boilermakers to a championship that’s already eluded them once this season.

Ivey finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Eric Hunter Jr. made two back-breaking 3-pointers late in Saturday’s second semifinal game to give Purdue a 75-70 victory over seventh-seeded Michigan State.

“Tomorrow’s a big game for us,” Ivey said. “We didn’t win a regular-season championship. That was a goal of ours and we fell short. Tomorrow we have a chance to win a championship and take it home.”

The Boilermakers will make their first title game appearance since 2018 on Sunday against No. 24 Iowa (25-9).

For Ivey, it was a sensational day inside the building his mother, Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey, once called home as a member of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. He went 7 of 14 from the field, made two 3s and six of eight from the free-throw line while frequently converting nifty drives into points. The result: Purdue (27-6) has won three straight to reach its first Big Ten title game since 2018.

Ivey also provided gasps from a noticeably favorable crowd when he fell hard to the ground, off-balance on the game-sealing breakaway layup that made it 69-59 with 1:50 left. He stayed down briefly and appeared to be rubbing his tailbone before getting up and finishing the game.

But the Spartans (22-12) fared far worse in the injury department. Starting point guard Tyson Walker left in the first half with what appeared to be a sprained ankle and did not return. His replacement, sophomore A.J. Hoggard, turned his ankle on the next possession. Hoggard also left but did return and finished with 17 points and 10 assists, though the injuries left Michigan State precariously thin.

“The doctor told me we lost two point guards in 23 seconds or something like that,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. Tyson, the one thing he would have given us, was the way they play ball screens, he could have really helped us. I don’t know how bad it is. It’s not broken or anything, but it’s bad enough it’s going to be some time.”

It wasn’t just Ivey making a difference against the Spartans, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Michigan State last played in the conference title game in 2019, and when the Spartans cut the deficit to 57-56 on Hoggard’s jumper with 5:45 to go, it looked like the drought might end.

Instead, Hunter knocked down consecutive 3s, and after Williams made one of two free throws, Hunter scored on a layup to give the Boilermakers a 66-56 lead with 3:31 remaining. They were the only 3s for Hunter in the game and he finished with 11 points.

Michigan State spent the rest of the game futilely playing catch-up in a close contest featuring two of the conference’s perennial powers and the league’s longest-tenured coaches.

“When they cut it to one right there, they showed some grit really to make some plays,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “I thought that was the decisive stretch.”

BIG PICTURE

Michigan State: After losing five of their last seven regular-season games, the Spartans rebuilt their confidence and should take some momentum into the NCAA Tournament. They fended off Maryland on Thursday, beat regular-season co-champ Wisconsin on Friday and challenged perhaps the league’s top team until late on Saturday. But the injuries could impact Michigan State’s seeding.

Purdue: The Boilermakers now have a second chance to win a league title. While two wins in two days may have locked up a No. 2 seed in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field, a win Sunday would almost make it a certainty.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Boilermakers have been the highest-ranked Big Ten team most of this season, and that’s not likely to change now. They’ve been in the top 10 for a school-record 18 consecutive weeks. A win Sunday would extend that record in Monday’s rankings.

STAT PACK

Michigan State: Gabe Brown scored 16 for the Spartans. … Marcus Bingham Jr., Max Christie and Malik Hall each finished with nine points. … Bingham and Christie also each had six rebounds. Brown had four. .. The Spartans were 7 of 25 on 3s in their third game in three days.

Purdue: Williams finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. … Zach Edey had 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Mason Gillis added 10 points and seven rebounds. … Purdue had a 43-35 rebounding advantage and outscored Michigan State 22-9 in second-chance points.

UP NEXT

Michigan State: Waits for the NCAA Tournament selection committee to announce the field Sunday. Purdue: Will chase its first conference tourney crown since 2009 on Sunday.

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.