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Grizzlies

Similar to when we discussed <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-draft-combine-takeaways-from-anthro-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anthro testing</a>, the NBA Draft Combine provides opportunities for both fans and scouts alike to overreact. Some around the league put lots of stock into agility and strength testing, while others do not. The eye of the beholder takes each test into account in his or her own way.&nbsp;
Our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock, weighs in: &ldquo;I can't say I put a ton of stock into the physical testing, but I certainly look at them. I'm usually not too surprised at the results, as I think a decently experienced scout can generally judge a player's athleticism relatively well by watching them play in person. However, seeing results like Kennedy Chandler jumping an impressive 41.5 inches on his max vertical and Patrick Baldwin Jr. jumping a Combine-worst 26.5 inches does sway my opinion of them some.&rdquo;
Here are a few of my takeaways from agility testing:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, Baylor
Kendall Brown leaped to a 41-inch max vertical in Chicago. This explosiveness, paired with being 6-foot, 7.5 inches and 201 pounds, gives insight into the physical athlete he really is. While there are concerns about some of Brown&rsquo;s perimeter skills, his athleticism and ability to impact the game on both ends will translate. He&rsquo;ll be a coveted player in next month&rsquo;s draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>, Tennessee
Although only measuring in at 5-foot, 11.5 inches without shoes, Kennedy Chandler posted the highest vertical leap of the day at 41.5 inches. Scouts and media alike were impressed with the athleticism, as he makes a strong case for himself as a first-round pick.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jalen-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Williams</a>, Santa Clara
After registering tremendous numbers in the anthro testing, Jalen Williams then posted a 39-inch max vertical, giving real promise to how he'll fit on an NBA floor. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but his shooting, offensive skill set and obvious athleticism may lead to a rise in his draft value.&nbsp;
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Terquavion Smith, NC State
It&rsquo;s been a solid week of measurements for Terquavion Smith as he continues to consider whether he'll stay in the 2022 NBA Draft. After measuring in at 6-foot, 2.25 inches without shoes, he then posted a 10.63 lane agility time and a 38.5-inch max vertical. He&rsquo;s twitchy and explosive, and has a chance to be a reliable guard in the NBA regardless of when he declares.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/david-roddy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Roddy</a>, Colorado State
Roddy is 6-foot-6 in his shoes, 260 pounds, has a 6-foot, 11.5-inch wingspan and registers a 35.5-inch max vertical. Not only would these be strong at an NFL Combine, they were in a solid tier in Chicago as well. Roddy has a real chance to be a first-round pick next month and has helped himself this week.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/patrick-baldwin-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Baldwin Jr.</a>, UW-Milwaukee
Baldwin Jr. recorded a 23.5-inch standing vert and 26.5-inch max vert. The 26.5-inch mark is the fourth-lowest number at the Combine since 2011, ahead of only Dakari Johnson, Dedric Lawson and Nikola Vucevic. While he shows incredible potential as a shooter at the NBA level, these numbers will likely be taken into heavy consideration around the league.
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Derek Murray highlights key observations from the agility testing portion of the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.

2022 NBA Draft Combine: Takeaways from agility testing

The NBA announced the 76 players who are expected to attend the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, which is scheduled for May 18-20 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
The 2022 NBA Draft Combine is an important step in the draft process for NBA prospects, leading up to 2022 NBA Draft on June 23.&nbsp;
Players will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five games, shooting drills and strength-and-agility drills from May 18-20. Coverage of the 2022 NBA Draft Combine begins Thursday, May 19 on ESPNews from 3-5 p.m. ET and transitions to ESPN2 from 5-7 p.m. ET. The coverage continues on Friday, May 20 from 1-2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and 2-5 p.m. ET on ESPNews.
Additionally, a select number of standout players from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-announces-field-of-44-draft-prospects-for-g-league-elite-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA G League Elite Camp</a>, which takes place May 16-17 at Wintrust Arena, will be invited to participate in the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.
Here is the complete list of expected attendees for this year's NBA Draft Combine (and check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> to see where each player is projected to go):&nbsp;
<table style="font-weight: 400;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" width="832">
Player (College/Club)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee)
</td>
<td width="442">
Justin Lewis (Marquette)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Paolo Banchero (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
E.J. Liddell (Ohio State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Dominick Barlow (Overtime Elite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Marjon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Matthew Mayer (Baylor)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Hugo Besson (New Zealand Breakers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Bryce McGowens (Nebraska)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Leonard Miller (Fort Erie Intl. Academy [Canada] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Christian Braun (Kansas)
</td>
<td width="442">
Josh Minott (Memphis)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kendall Brown (Baylor)
</td>
<td width="442">
Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
John Butler Jr. (Florida State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Iverson Molinar (Mississippi State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jean Montero (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee)
</td>
<td width="442">
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Max Christie (Michigan State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Keegan Murray (Iowa)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kofi Cockburn (Illinois)
</td>
<td width="442">
Andrew Nembhard (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
</td>
<td width="442">
Gabriele Procida (Fortitudo Bologna [Italy] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
JD Davison (Alabama)
</td>
<td width="442">
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Moussa Diabate (Michigan)
</td>
<td width="442">
David Roddy (Colorado State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand Breakers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Ryan Rollins (Toledo)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria [Spain] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Dereon Seabron (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jalen Duren (Memphis)
</td>
<td width="442">
Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Tari Eason (LSU)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jabari Smith (Auburn)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Keon Ellis (Alabama)
</td>
<td width="442">
Terquavion Smith (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Michael Foster Jr. (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Collin Gillespie (Villanova)
</td>
<td width="442">
Matteo Spagnolo (Cremona [Italy] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
AJ Griffin (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
Julian Strawther (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jaden Hardy (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Dalen Terry (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Drew Timme (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jabari Walker (Colorado)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Harrison Ingram (Stanford)
</td>
<td width="442">
TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jaden Ivey (Purdue)
</td>
<td width="442">
Peyton Watson (UCLA)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)
</td>
<td width="442">
Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Nikola Jovic (Mega [Serbia] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Alondes Williams (Wake Forest)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Johnny Juzang (UCLA)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ismael Kamagate (Paris [France] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Jaylin Williams (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Trevor Keels (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
Mark Williams (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Walker Kessler (Auburn)
</td>
<td width="442">
Trevion Williams (Purdue)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Christian Koloko (Arizona)
</td>
<td width="442">
Fanbo Zeng (G League Ignite)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

The NBA announced the 76 players who are expected to attend the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, which takes place May 18-20 in Chicago.

NBA announces 76 prospects who will attend 2022 NBA Draft Combine

Prior this year's trade deadline, the Indiana Pacers were one of the NBA's busiest teams. When all was said and done, Indiana traded Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, shifting their focus to building around their young core.
While Myles Turner's name was popping up in trade rumors quite a bit leading up to Feb. 10, the front office ultimately decided to keep Turner past the deadline. Initially, it was unclear if the Pacers planned to resume trade talks involving Turner over the offseason or if they truly wanted to hold onto him.
Now, we have an answer. According to <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/whats-next-for-nash-and-the-nets?s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA insider Marc Stein</a>, the Pacers are no longer interested in moving Turner and want to keep him long-term.
On Monday, Turner <a href="https://twitter.com/Original_Turner/status/1518602463401627650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> that he "can't wait for next season." Privately, he has also expressed excitement about the chance to play with Tyrese Haliburton, whom the Pacers acquired from the Sacramento Kings as part of the Sabonis trade.
Turner has one year remaining on his current contract, and he'll earn $18,000,000 next season. He'll be extension-eligible this summer, so perhaps the two sides can come to an agreement on a new deal.
While Turner has been in the NBA for seven seasons, he just turned 26 years old last month, so he's not much older than Chris Duarte (who turns 25 in June) or Oshae Brissett (who turns 24 in June).
Turner's season ended in mid-January due to a stress reaction in his left foot. Prior to the injury, he averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 threes in 42 games, while shooting 50.9% from the field, 33.3% from three and 75.2% from the free-throw line. Turner was on pace to lead the NBA in blocks per game for the second-straight season (and the third time in four years).
The Pacers finished the season 25-57, which was the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. In <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's latest 2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>, Indiana is projected to draft Keegan Murray with the No. 5 overall pick and David Roddy with the No. 31 overall pick.

The Pacers shopped Myles Turner prior to this year's NBA trade deadline, but now Indiana wants to keep Turner long-term.

Despite trade talks, the Pacers want to keep Myles Turner long-term

With March Madness behind us and the NBA Draft lottery odds set, we're now into the next phase of the scouting season.
BasketballNews.com Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock transitioned our 2022 NBA Draft Big Board into <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our first NBA Mock Draft of the year</a>. As teams, scouts and analysts gather intel, this mock serves as an early peek into what draft night could look like in June.
Babcock discussed his latest projections, some early storylines to monitor in the spring, prospects who shined in the NCAA Tournament, and more in the following Q&amp;A.
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What makes Jabari Smith the pick for the Rockets at No. 1?
The Houston Rockets only won 20 games this season, but it's not all doom and gloom. They're in rebuild mode, and they've already gotten a good group of young players together. In last year's NBA Draft, they selected Jalen Green with the second pick, and it looks as if he could emerge into a primetime scorer who they can build around. 
They also drafted Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher,&nbsp; selected KJ Martin with a late second-round pick the year before, and added Kevin Porter Jr. via trade. All of the players mentioned above are younger than 21 years old. They've struggled to win games up to this point, but they have a young nucleus to work with as they look to build for the future.
Regarding this year's draft, it's pretty close among the top prospects, and it seems as if everyone has their unique argument as to who are the top prospects and why &mdash; which I appreciate, as I think there usually tends to be too much groupthink in the draft space. Anyway, Jabari Smith Jr. is my No. 1 guy, and he has been for a while now. At 6-foot-10, Smith is an absolute sniper from the perimeter as a stretch four, and with time I think he will also prove that he has much more in his bag as a scorer. 
On the defensive end, Smith has a chance to be special. He's about as switchable as it gets, and he's tough. His versatility on both ends of the ball will provide a lot of lineup flexibility to whatever team selects him. In addition to possessing perhaps the most upside of any player projected to be in the 2022 NBA Draft, he can essentially co-exist with just about any group of players. Therefore, I believe that Jabari Smith Jr. would be the right pick for the Rockets if they indeed win the NBA Draft Lottery.&nbsp;
Which teams could shake up the draft selections if lottery luck lands them in the top-3?
My first tier includes Jabari Smith Jr., Jaden Ivey, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero this year. Of that group, Jaden Ivey is the only guard. Due to his style of play, I'm not sure he's a great fit with several teams potentially selecting towards the top, including Houston, Orlando, Indiana and San Antonio -- they're all pretty guard-heavy at the moment. If any combination of these teams lands in the top-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ivey sliding back a touch. 
Another thing worth noting is that I'm also not sure Paolo Banchero would fit well with teams like New York or New Orleans. On the flip side, Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren fit in pretty seamlessly with most teams. I think these are a few elements that could potentially dictate how the first few picks unfold.
What inspired Mark Williams' rapid rise to the No. 12 overall pick?
I'll admit the 12th pick is on the high side for Mark Williams, but I like the fit, and I don't think it's too much of a stretch. Williams had a terrific season at Duke this year, and he's continued to grow on me. His performance versus Gonzaga in Las Vegas in November was one of the best showings I saw in-person all season. I think he has a chance to develop into becoming a solid starting center as a rim running and rim-protecting 5-man. I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a long and productive NBA career. 
In our most recent simulated mock draft, Oklahoma City selected Paolo Banchero with the fourth pick and Mark Williams with the 12th pick, coincidentally Duke's frontcourt this past season. The Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander locked up on a long-term deal and Sam Presti's lottery selection last year, Josh Giddey, looks like a star in the making. So it seems their backcourt of the future is solid. Adding Bancero and Williams would bolster their frontcourt, giving OKC's roster shape moving forward.
Which other prospects benefited most from their March Madness performances?
He was already rated super high, but I think Paolo Banchero finished strong. Ochai Agbaji was terrific versus Villanova in Kansas' Final Four game. Benedict Mathurin had a couple of outstanding games in the tournament, and Kennedy Chandler was good for Tennessee. I think all of those players helped themselves in March.
What is one of your favorite later-round team-player fits?
A few picks in the second round that stand out are David Roddy from Colorado State to the Pacers, Jake LaRavia from Wake Forest to the Hawks, and Colin Gillespie from Villanova to the Pelicans. None of those players necessarily blow me away with their talent or tools, but I think all three could become excellent complementary players.
What makes G League Ignite prospects Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp and Jaden Hardy worthy of first-round status?
They're all very different players from one another, but they're all talented in their own right. Daniels and Beauchamp showed well this season and have moved up the ranks. Hardy came into the season projected to be a high pick and the highest of this group, but he didn't do quite as well as most people had hoped, myself included.&nbsp;
Daniels has terrific size and versatility on both ends of the ball, Beauchamp is very athletic, plays with a great pace, and makes a lot happen. Hardy might have struggled a bit this season, however, he still has a lot of raw talent as a scorer and shot-maker with deep range. I expect all three to be selected in the first round.
While many of us were focused on March Madness, have any draft-eligible international players made waves recently?
Ousmane Dieng, a player from France currently playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian League, is the player that comes to mind in regards to someone who has been making waves recently on the international scene. Dieng has terrific size for an on-ball playmaker, and I think he possesses a lot of upside as a versatile point forward. He has a good chance of becoming a first-round pick.
After the success of last year's first Tampa Bay Pro Combine, what should we expect from the event this spring?
It's been great to see some of our guys who participated in the Tampa Bay Pro Combine last year find success quickly in their careers. I mean, Terry Taylor and Brandon Williams signed NBA contracts, but they also played significant minutes for their teams. Jordan Goodwin and Micah Potter had opportunities with NBA teams too. It was incredible to see!&nbsp;
We've changed the format this year. First, we cut the number of invited players from nearly 50 to 24 this year. Instead of just playing five-on-five games all week, we decided to host simulated NBA pre-draft workouts the first two days, where we'll have six players on the court at a time and 12 per day. The main reason for this change was to comply with NBA guidelines so that NBA scouts could attend. Anyway, we have another great group of guys set to fly out and compete. It should be a great week!
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Ethan Fuller checks in with Matt Babcock after the unveiling of his first 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on first mock, notable risers

Who are the notable prospects to keep an eye on during the 2022 NCAA Tournament? Here's a complete guide with scouting reports.

NBA Draft guide to March Madness: Notable prospects to watch

March Madness is underway!
Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is almost here, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday.
If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down on Thursday.
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Games of the Day
Indiana def. Michigan 74-69 &mdash; B1G Second Round
With 11:03 remaining, Michigan led 60-43 and appeared to be in complete control. The Hoosiers would go on a 20-2 run and took the life right out of the Wolverines, completing the comeback by winning 74-69. Trayce Jackson-Davis led all players with 24 points and 4 blocks in a stunner. Indiana faces No. 1 Illinois next.
Texas A&amp;M def. Florida 83-80 in OT &mdash; SEC Second Round
This one was wild. The Aggies dominated all afternoon and held a 9-point lead with 1:07 to play, but the Gators went on a 12-3 run of the next 50 seconds to tie it at 70-70, forcing the game into overtime. They stayed deadlocked at 78-78 with 1:10 left in overtime when Hassan Diarra hit a triple with one second on the clock to win 83-80. A huge win for a true Bubble Team in A&amp;M.
Arizona def. Stanford 84-80 &mdash; Pac-12 Quarterfinals
The largest lead either way today was 7 points &mdash; in a game where Stanford was given a whopping 5% chance of victory. The Cardinal took a 75-74 lead with just over three minutes to go, but the Wildcats had answers. Kerr Kriisa exiting with injury is important to monitor, but Christian Koloko led the team with 24 points as Arizona survives and advances.
Miami (FL) def. Boston College 71-69 in OT &mdash; ACC Quarterfinals
Kam McGusty led the Canes with 16 points in the nail-biter, as they avoided the upset in overtime. Only one basket was scored in the final 2:30 of the contest &mdash; a Jordan Miller layup that sealed the deal. A big save by Miami.&nbsp;
Villanova def. St. John&rsquo;s 66-65 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
The Red Storm let a 17-point second half lead slip away to end their season. Villanova was carried by its starting five, with only 7 points coming from the bench unit. Caleb Daniels led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Justin Moore added 15 points of his own.&nbsp;
Toledo def. Central Michigan 72-71 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
In a game where the largest lead was 7 points for each team, Toledo held on for the 1-point win. Harrison Henderson scored with 20 seconds remaining to make it 71-70 Central Michigan, but a RayJ Dennis layup with 10 seconds left would seal the deal. Setric Milner Jr. led the way with 22 points for the Rockets. It's a big win for Toledo who currently projects a No. 13 seed.
Providence def. Butler 65-61 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
This one was back-and-forth from the tip, as the teams traded leads the entire contest. Tied at 55 with 3:06 remaining, Simas Lukosius hit a big pair of free throws for Butler to take the lead, but Al Durham hit a huge triple with 43 seconds to go for the Friars to take a 61-59 lead. Durham would follow with a dunk at the end of the game to seal the deal at 65-61. Despite the loss, it was a hard-fought game by the Bulldogs.&nbsp;
Wyoming def. UNLV 59-56 &mdash; Mountain West Quarterfinals
The Cowboys held a 9-point lead in the second half, but allowed the Rebels to fight their way back into it. Xavier DuSell hit a huge three with 30 seconds, and then, Brendan Wenzel iced the game with a pair of free throws. A great game from UNLV&rsquo;s Bryce Hamilton comes up just short.&nbsp;
Akron def. Buffalo 70-68 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
This was a fight from start to finish. Led by Ali Ali&rsquo;s 19-point effort and a pair of Greg Tribble free throws with four seconds remaining, the Zips survive and advance. They will face No. 1 seed Toledo on Friday afternoon in the MAC semis.
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The Upsets, the Madness
Oklahoma def. Baylor 72-67 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Sooners took the lead with 11:51 to play and never gave it back. With a balanced offensive attack of five players in double-digits, Oklahoma shocked the Bears. Jacob Groves led the way with 15 points, while Marvin Johnson provided 12 off the bench.&nbsp;
Vanderbilt def. Alabama 82-76 &mdash; SEC Second Round
Bama led by 10 points at the break but Scotty Pippen Jr. and Co. had other plans. Vandy roared back to take a 68-67 lead with 4:26 to play, and was able to hold the Crimson Tide off the rest of the way. Jordan Wright hit a pair of free throws late to ice the game, and the Commodores advance. Pippen Jr. ended with 26 points and 7 assists.
TCU def. Texas 65-60 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Horned Frogs had a win probability of 29.3% entering this one, and that&rsquo;s all they needed. After being down 40-20 in the first half, TCU did a complete 180 and outscored the Longhorns 45-20 the rest of the way. Mike Miles and Co. are setting themselves up well, and will take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 semis.
Penn State def. Ohio State 71-68 &mdash; Big Ten Second Round
The Nittany Lions were given a 24.2% chance of winning today, and they did just that behind Sam Sessoms' 18 points off the bench. Jalen Pickett also had a huge game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Penn State moves on to play No. 3 Purdue.&nbsp;
Grambling def. Southern 60-58 &mdash; SWAC Quarterfinals
Led by Tra&rsquo;Michael Moton&rsquo;s 12 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, Grambling took the lead with 10 minutes left in the game and never gave it back. The Tigers will face Texas Southern next.&nbsp;
Tulsa def. Wichita State 73-67 &mdash; American First Round
The Golden Hurricane had four players with 10 or more points, including two with at least 20. After an 11-19 season, this was a nice win for Tulsa as it tries to make a late push in the conference. Tulsa will move on to face No. 2 SMU.&nbsp;
Portland State def. Southern Utah 77-65 &mdash; Big Sky Quarterfinals
The Vikings entered this game under .500 on the season, but put up 77 points on 51.9% shooting from the floor. They held Southern Utah to a lowly 36.8% from the floor and are able to advance.
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Standout Performers
Noah Fernandes (UMass): 29 points, 7 assists
Spencer Jones (Stanford): 28 points, 8 rebounds
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse): 28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Grant Sherfield (Nevada): 25 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Joel Murray (Long Beach State): 25 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 10-17 FG
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
Nate Watson (Providence): 26 points, 7 rebounds, 9-14 FG
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt): 26 points, 7 assists
Tristen Newton (East Carolina): 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Jordan Walker (UAB): 26 points, 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Dillon Jones (Weber State): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Prentiss Hubb (Notre Dame): 23 points, 5 assists
Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside):&nbsp;23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Amadou Sow (UC Santa Barbara): 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Bryce Hamilton (UNLV): 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Mahki Morris (Abilene Christian): 22 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Chuba Ohams (Fordham): 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals
Darien Jackson (Tulsa): 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Brady Manek (UNC): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Malique Jacobs (Kent State): 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Kowacie Reeves (Florida): 21 points, 6 rebounds
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2022 NBA Draft: Prospect Watch&nbsp;
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Tari Eason (LSU): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Justin Lewis (Marquette): 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Trevor Keels (Duke): 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Jabari Walker (Colorado): 18 points, 16 rebounds
Iverson Molinar (Miss. State): 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Collin Gillespie (Villanova): 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
David Roddy (Colorado State): 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
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March Madness is underway! If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down during Thursday's games.

March Madness: Conference tournament Thursday recap

Fort Collins, CO&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; In a game that had Colorado State favored by 14 points, UNLV went in and stole the show with a 88-74 victory on the road. Senior Bryce Hamilton had a phenomenal night, leading all players with 45 points on 8 of 14 from behind the arc. Isaiah Stevens played well for the Rams in a losing effort, posting 35 points on 12 of 21 from the floor.
The Rams (16-2, 6-2 Mountain West) have been one of the best stories in college basketball this season, as they are projected a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. Led by David Roddy&rsquo;s 18.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting from deep, they currently rank 20th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the country. Stevens has also been sensational. The Allen, Texas native is averaging 15.1 points and 5.2 assists per game.
Although it has been an up and down year, UNLV's (12-9, 4-4 Mountain West) Hamilton has been reliable. The 6-foot-4 guard averages 19.8 points per game, leading the team. Texas transfer Royce Hamm Jr. brings stability to the inside with 8.6 points and 9.9 rebounds.&nbsp;
Hamilton came out firing on all cylinders. By the 10-minute mark the lead was 19-11 for UNLV, and by the four-minute mark it was 32-18. Suffice to say it wasn&rsquo;t the start that many saw coming for the Rams.&nbsp;
The Rebels took a 43-25 lead into the break behind Hamilton's 21 points. Stevens led the Rams with 10, doing all he could to keep it competitive. Roddy was held in check early with only 3 points at half.&nbsp;
Stevens got to work quickly in the second period, scoring seven points in the first three minutes and forcing UNLV to take a timeout, hoping to kill some momentum. It worked. The Rebels would extend the lead to 60-39 and never look back, winning 88-74.
David Muoka posted 11 points and 6 rebounds for the Rebels. Roddy had an off-night shooting, posting 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Royce Hamm Jr., Jordan McCabe, Jalen Lake, and John Tonje each had 7 points.&nbsp;
UNLV grabbed a much-needed conference win.
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UPCOMING
UNLV will host Nevada on Tuesday.
Colorado State visits Wyoming on Monday night.
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In a game that had Colorado State favored by 14 points, UNLV went in and stole the show with a 88-74 victory on the road.

UNLV beats Colorado State 88-74, Hamilton scores career high 45

In a primetime, Saturday afternoon matchup, the No. 2 Tigers hosted No. 12 Kentucky. The energy in the sold-out arena was palpable. Auburn students camped out overnight in order to get the best seats in the house, and the building was absolutely rocking at the start.
The Kentucky Wildcats (15-4, 5-2 SEC) put together four consecutive victories coming in and are doing well in conference play. Freshman TyTy Washington and junior Oscar Tshiebwe continue to play at a high level and solidify their places in the 2022 NBA draft. Davidson transfer Kellan Grady is one of the best shooters in the conference, connecting on 43% of his attempts from deep.&nbsp;
The Tigers (18-1, 7-0 SEC) have solidified themselves as one of the premier teams in the nation. Freshman Jabari Smith is making a strong case to be the first overall pick in this year&rsquo;s NBA Draft, while transfers Wendell Green Jr. and K.D. Johnson have total command of the backcourt, combining to average over 25.0 points per game.
Walker Kessler led all scorers with 19 points while shooting 8-of-10 from the field. Smith posted 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Sahvir Wheeler led Kentucky with 17 points and 4 assists.
Washington picked Smith&rsquo;s pocket which led to a Tshiebwe transition alley-oop right off the bat, but Allen Flanigan answered immediately. Kentucky proceeded to go on an 13-0 run to stretch the lead to 10 behind multiple buckets from Georgia transfer Wheeler. The teams traded points for a while until Washington went out with an ankle injury just before the eight minute mark.&nbsp;
Kentucky took a 33-29 lead into the break with a balanced scoring attack on offense. The teams had combined to shoot a 3-of-13 from behind the arc.
Johnson went on a personal 5-0 run for Auburn to tie the game at 38 just before the under 16-minute timeout, and the roof just about came off the building. It was already a rowdy environment, but after cutting the lead the fans felt the tide shifting. Smith made some big plays soon after and the No. 2 Tigers had a 45-40 lead.&nbsp;
Pandemonium.&nbsp;
Wheeler and Green Jr. started trading three-pointers as Auburn held onto a slight lead, 51-47, at the 11:30 mark. Wheeler then exited after taking a huge hit &mdash; without him and Washington, life became difficult for the Wildcats. Auburn extended the lead to eight before Wheeler was able to return.&nbsp;
Kentucky&rsquo;s Kellan Grady hit a big corner three to cut the lead to four, but Johnson, Green Jr., Kessler and company were able to outlast and hold the lead down the stretch, securing the 80-71 victory.&nbsp;
Tshiebwe had a strong outing for Kentucky, posting 16 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals. Grady scored 17 while shooting 4-of-7 from deep. K.D. Johnson finished with 17 points including some big-time shots in huge moments.
Amid the madness in the arena, coach Bruce Pearl said, "Look at our kids, our students, our players &mdash; this is what it's all about. We're a football school, but we're also an everything school." With this win, the No. 2 Tigers have a tremendous opportunity to earn the school&rsquo;s very first No. 1 AP ranking in basketball.
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UPCOMING
Auburn visits Mizzou on Tuesday.
Kentucky hosts Mississippi State on Tuesday night.
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The Tigers (18-1, 7-0 SEC) have solidified themselves as one of the premier teams in the nation.

Auburn defeats Kentucky 80-71, eyes top ranking

All-Star guard Chris Paul was grimacing in pain early in the fourth quarter, playing essentially with one shoulder. Cameron Payne had just been ejected. Players had to be separated and emotions were heated.
Phoenix coach Monty Williams had warned his young Suns there would be moments like this in the NBA playoffs, especially against the defending champion Los Angels Lakers.
It&rsquo;s safe to say they passed the first test.
Devin Booker scored 34 points, Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 16 rebounds and the Suns won their first playoff game in 11 years, beating the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday. For Booker, his long awaited appearance in the postseason lived up to the hype.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Devin Booker showed UP and showed OUT in his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> debut! 😤 34 PTS - 7 REB - 8 AST - 51.4 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/xLOz3UxvVG">pic.twitter.com/xLOz3UxvVG</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1396588939172061186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

&ldquo;The intensity&rsquo;s different, the physicality is different,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;And it&rsquo;s only one game.&rdquo;
It was the first playoff appearance for several Suns players, including Booker, Ayton and Mikal Bridges, but they didn&rsquo;t look like postseason rookies against LeBron James and the Lakers. They helped Phoenix offset a tough game for Paul, who didn&rsquo;t look healthy after a right shoulder injury in the second quarter.
The Suns led 86-70 early in the fourth, but the Lakers quickly cut it to 86-77 with 9:02 left.
That&rsquo;s about the time things got a little rowdy. L.A.&lsquo;s Alex Caruso and Payne got into an altercation near the sideline after Payne knocked Caruso to the ground. L.A.&rsquo;s Montrezl Harrell jumped into the fray and both teams had to be separated. Caruso and Harrell were each given a technical foul, and Payne was given two technicals and ejected.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;ve been talking about as a team and a staff,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s going to be a moment in the game where you&rsquo;re going to have to regulate your emotions.&rdquo;
Added Bridges: &ldquo;Times get tough, we don&rsquo;t separate. We&rsquo;re going to fight through it together.&rdquo;
The Suns did. Booker kept making shots and Ayton was a force on the glass, finishing with eight offense rebounds and shooting 10 of 11 from the field. The Lakers never got within striking distance in the final minutes.
&ldquo;(Booker) is a scoring machine, puts a lot of pressure on our defense to cover him in a lot of ways,&rdquo; Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. &ldquo;When we double team him, he&rsquo;s got Ayton in there. We didn&rsquo;t do a good enough job but if we hold this team to 99 points in Game 2, I feel good about our chances.&rdquo;
James finished with 18 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Anthony Davis shot just 5 of 16 from the field and had 13 points. The Lakers shot 7 of 26 (27%) from 3-point range.
&ldquo;I missed a ton of shots. We missed a ton of shots as a team,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;There is no way we are winning a game, let alone a series, with the way I played. This is on me.&rdquo;
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Phoenix. The Lakers have been in this spot before &mdash; they lost Game 1 in the first two series last season before rallying to win and eventually becoming NBA champion.
It was an eventful first half that saw the Suns take a 53-45 lead.
Phoenix had a 32-25 lead after the first. But the festive atmosphere in Phoenix turned to a stunned silence early in the second quarter when Paul bumped into teammate Cameron Johnson and fell to the floor in obvious pain while holding his right shoulder. He was down for a couple minutes &mdash; surrounded by players from both teams &mdash; before slowly walking off the floor with a towel over his head.
The 36-year-old star returned a few minutes later to a huge roar from the crowd, but didn&rsquo;t look right. He was dribbling mostly with his left hand and missed the only shot he took before halftime.
Booker had 17 points before the break on 8-of-14 shooting and Ayton added 14.
The Lakers needed to beat Golden State on Wednesday in the play-in tournament just to earn the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. But they still came into the series as the&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/sports/navigation/830.1/10107.3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">slight betting favorites</a>&nbsp;over the second-seeded Suns, according to FanDuel.
PAUL&rsquo;S SHOULDER
Paul said he &ldquo;heard a crack&rdquo; when he suffered his shoulder injury but is confident he&rsquo;ll be good for Game 2.
Williams said he talked with Paul for a minute after the game about his shoulder. The coach said the point guard assured him that he&rsquo;d be OK going forward.
&ldquo;He was OK and he&rsquo;ll be OK going forward, but he was pretty sore when he came back,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;Him playing today gave us a lot of juice, lot of energy. It was inspirational.&rdquo;
GETTING VAXXED
Vogel said his team expects to reach the 85% COVID-19 vaccination threshold Monday. He added that he didn&rsquo;t expect much to change other than the team&rsquo;s restaurant options might be expanded.
LOTS OF FOLKS
The Suns announced capacity for Sunday&rsquo;s game was 11,000, but it felt like more were in an arena that holds a little more than 18,000. It was the first time there was more than 10,000 allowed in the newly-renovated arena.
&ldquo;I was like &rsquo;Holy smokes. This is pretty cool,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;I had to get myself under control emotionally.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Lakers: The Lakers shot 19 free throws before the Suns shot their first. The Lakers finished just 17 of 28 on free throws. ... Vogel confirmed that guard Ben McLemore was in a recent car accident but was uninjured and available to play on Sunday.
Suns: The Suns were essentially fully healthy for Game 1. Forward Abdel Nader (knee) was the only player unavailable, but he&rsquo;s been out for the past couple months.
___
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Devin Booker scored 34 points, Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 16 rebounds and the Suns won their first playoff game in 11 years.