Ducks

The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat renew their playoff rivalry when they meet yet again in the playoffs. The two teams have faced each other three times (2020, 2022, 2023) over the past four postseason actions, with Miami having the advantage overall (2-1).
This year, the Celtics come in as the no.1 overall seed in the East while the Heat match them up as the no.8 seed. However, coming into these playoffs, there will be no expectations for Miami after learning their superstar Jimmy Butler would be out for at least several weeks following his knee injury in their play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
They will be up against a dominant Celtics team that finished the regular season with a 64-18 record and the third-highest net rating of all time at 11.8, just behind the legendary Chicago Bulls teams led by the one and only Michael Jordan.
The Heat have faced the Celtics multiple times over the years and they now probably know some ways to effectively stop them, having schemes to try and limit their offensive executions as well as throwing some counters on offense to have their defense off-balanced.
Without Butler, this would be an uphill climb for Miami after what has been a roller coaster season for them and now facing their rivals who have become overwhelming favorites in this series.
However, there might be some things the Heat could do to make the dominant Celtics bleed a little for them to win some games (or even eventually win the series). Here&rsquo;s a look at those moves:
Duncan Robinson should play more
Along with Butler, Miami is coming into the series also without guards Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson due to their respective injuries. Without those three, the Heat&rsquo;s guard rotation has taken a significant hit with Tyler Herro, Delon Wright, and even forward Caleb Martin having to take a much bigger load offensively.
Enter Duncan Robinson.
Despite his usual suspect defense that has him riding the bench in the playoffs, coach Erik Spoelstra and the Heat could use his gravity as a shooter against the Celtics. Robinson has also steadily improved his playmaking this season, averaging a career-best 2.8 assists for the year. A better effort defensively has also made him a passable team defender, and he can hold his own against some players.
Gone are the days when the only option for Robinson was dribble handoffs for his threes as he has now shown the ability to attack off the catch and even developed the ability to make plays out of those dribble handoffs. Robinson is not the same player that he was before, expanding his game from being just more than a shooter to now being a secondary or third playmaker.
To further hide his defensive deficiencies and lessen the possible mishaps when he&rsquo;s on the floor, Robinson can be set up to match some of the Celtics&rsquo; easiest covers like Sam Hauser for both of their minutes. Robinson could come in at the same time as Hauser to match him up shot for shot, match his production from the three-point line, and try to see it from there.
The Heat should matchup-hunt and punish the Celtics&rsquo; average at-best defenders&nbsp;
Another thing that the Heat could do to tarnish the Celtics&rsquo; seemingly impenetrable team is to target their average-at-best defenders Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet. The Heat should hunt for Pritchard and Hauser on switches when they&rsquo;re on the floor and make them near to unplayable. They should also ask for switches on the high pick and roll with Kornet to leave him on an island at the top of the key. If they do this, the Heat could create two on-the-ball advantages that would be very useful in getting other guys open.
Miami has lineups that can exploit these players. Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., a prolific post-up player, could hunt Pritchard for post-ups, and then the Heat could surround him with shooters and short-roll decision-makers. If Boston sends two to the ball to help, it is an easy kick out to the open man and now the Heat have a chance to hit their wide-open looks.
If these players do end up getting played off the floor, the Celtics&rsquo; rotation will shrink and their top six guys will have to work as much as they can, exerting more effort than they should and usually do, and then maybe they&rsquo;ll tire out &ndash; which could be largely beneficial for the Heat in the long run. This is when the Heat&rsquo;s depth could come in handy &ndash; when Boston would need to rely only on their top six guys to win games.
Jaime Jaquez would need to be big
Despite being a rookie, Jaquez is about to shoulder a bigger load than he should be, and even with the daunting expectations, he should &ndash; or at least he needs to &ndash; match them.&nbsp;
Will he be able to exceed expectations and perform what&rsquo;s expected of him? That remains to be seen. But if there&rsquo;s any indication from this season with the way he played and carried himself throughout the year, this rookie would step up to the plate.&nbsp;
In the final play in vs Chicago, Jaquez had 21 points on 6 rebounds and 6 assists, leading the Heat to the 8th seed. He scored in a variety of ways, including threes, hard drives to the rim, post-ups, and fadeaway jumpers &ndash; reminiscent of Butler&rsquo;s game.
However, without Butler, Jaquez would have to carry a much bigger load as he will be asked to be one of the main threats. Last year Butler&rsquo;s masterclass saved them vs the much-favored Bucks and Celtics, but now that they don&rsquo;t have him, the Heat would need production from everyone in this series with little to no room for errors or any mental mistakes.&nbsp;
It might be too much to ask for a rookie to handle these kinds of situations, but Jaquez should be equipped and ready for the challenge as Miami enters this series vs Boston.

There will be no expectations for Miami after learning Jimmy Butler would be out for at least several weeks following his knee injury.

2024 NBA Playoffs: How the Heat could make the Celtics bleed

The 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest left much to be desired, according to fans and even one NBA superstar on social media.
Philadelphia 76ers reigning MVP Joel Embiid is known for cracking jokes on the internet, with Saturday night being no exception. He posted to X on multiple occasions, poking fun at the commentators and dunks from the evening.
&ldquo;Kenny smith been drinking lmao,&rdquo; <a href="https://x.com/JoelEmbiid/status/1759060203926892829?s=20">he tweeted first.</a>
Smith was one of the voices for TNT's broadcast of All-Star Saturday Night alongside Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller and Allie LaForce. The two-time NBA champion shared a variety of opinions, which Embiid clearly disagreed with.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a professional hater but I&rsquo;m not hating when I say I could win the dunk contest with these scores but not sure the knees would allow it," <a href="https://x.com/JoelEmbiid/status/1759061067160842647?s=20">Embiid added in a post that had social media buzzing.</a>
A critique of the judges was not uncommon, as there were various moments that resulted in anger among fans. One instance occurred when G-Leaguer Mac McClung threw the ball to himself while in the air, but received less than a perfect score. Fans were also frustrated when Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. jumped over NBA legend Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, but was given a lower score than Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s slam over influencer Kai Cenat, who was sitting down.
McClung, the reigning champion, claimed his second consecutive dunk-contest win with scores of 48, 49.4, 48.8 and 50. McClung&rsquo;s final dunk was the lone 50 of the evening. He became the fifth back-to-back winner in NBA history, joining Zach LaVine, Michael Jordan, Nate Robinson and Jason Richardson. The consensus among fans is that the Osceola Magic guard deserved the victory but that this performance was less impressive than last year's showing.
New York Knicks&rsquo; Jacob Toppin and Jaquez were eliminated in the opening round. Brown finished as the runner-up, with boos pouring in from the crowd during his turn due to controversial scoring.&nbsp;
Embiid&rsquo;s mention of his knees not allowing it refers to his unfortunate injury, which happened on Jan. 30 against the Golden State Warriors. He suffered a left meniscus injury, which required surgery. Embiid will be re-evaluated in four weeks.&nbsp;
Prior to the injury, the Sixers big man was projected to win his second MVP award. He is averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 53.3% shooting. With Embiid sidelined, Denver Nuggets&rsquo; Nikola Jokic, Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the top MVP candidates.

The 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest left much to be desired, according to fans and even one NBA superstar on social media.

Joel Embiid clowns NBA Slam Dunk Contest and Kenny Smith

On Saturday, the Enemies and Triplets will battle for the BIG3 championship at The O2 Arena in London.
The Enemies feature Nick Young (the team's captain), Isaiah Austin (co-captain), Elijah Stewart (co-captain), Quincy Miller and Jordan Crawford, with Gilbert Arenas serving as the team's coach.
The Triplets have many familar faces, including Joe Johnson (the team's captain), Jeremy Pargo (co-captain), Larry Sanders, Jamario Moon, Damien Wilkins and Mo Charlo, with Lisa Leslie as their coach.
The Enemies earned a spot in the championship game by defeating three-time champions Trilogy, 50-37. All-Star standout Jordan Crawford led the way with 27 points. This is the Enemies' first-ever championship appearance.
The Triplets won the BIG3 championship back in 2019 and hope to earn their second title this weekend. They advanced to the title game after beating the Ghost Ballers, 50-45. The driving force behind their deep postseason run is back-to-back MVP Joe Johnson (who has a shot at winning a third-straight MVP award).
Prior to the championship matchup, the BIG3 All-Star game will also take place this weekend at The O2 Arena. The game will feature the following All-Stars: Michael Beasley, Jodie Meeks, Jordan Crawford, Mike Taylor, Donte Green, Glen Rice, Earl Clark, Ryan Carter, Joe Johnson, Jeremy Pargo, Leandro Barbosa, Gerald Green, Elijah Stewart, Royce White, Frank Nitty and Jason Richardson.
Both the All-Star game and championship game will be broadcast live on CBS. The All-Star game tips off at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game at 2 p.m. ET.&nbsp;
This is the sixth season of Ice Cube's three-on-three league, and the BIG3 has experienced significant growth in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/big3-basketball-viewership-keeps-growing-as-sixth-season-continues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viewership</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/big3-sees-surge-in-tv-ratings-attendance-to-start-sixth-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attendance</a> numbers this year.

On Saturday at The O2 Arena in London, the Enemies will battle the Triplets for the BIG3 title.

Enemies to face Triplets in BIG3 championship at London's O2 Arena

The NBA App will stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5 on Saturday, Aug. 19, adding to the growing list of elite basketball programming available year-round on the new platform.&nbsp; 
The fifth annual basketball showcase at Rucker Park in New York City will feature 28 of the top high-school-age players in the U.S. Headlined by Jaloni Cambridge, Aaliyah Chavez and Kennedy Smith, the girls game tips off at 5 p.m. ET followed by the boys &ndash; featuring top high-school prospects Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Tre Johnson &ndash; streaming at 7 p.m. ET.&nbsp; Additionally, several members of the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/jr-nba-court-of-leaders-mentorship-program-provides-youth-with-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/jr-nba-court-of-leaders-mentorship-program-provides-youth-with-voice&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692371005985000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FeYuKToXVUf2-KpS_2bVH">Jr. NBA Court of Leaders</a>&nbsp;will participate in the event.
The addition of the SLAM Summer Classic is part of the NBA&rsquo;s larger commitment to make the NBA App an all-in-one destination for global basketball programming. Over the past year, premier basketball content available on the app has included select WNBA, Basketball Africa League and NBA G League Ignite games, as well as Nike Elite Youth Basketball League&rsquo;s (EYBL) Peach Jam, Jr. NBA Showcase, LNB Betclic ELITE, top pro-am leagues such as the Drew League, Miami Pro League and AEBL, and more.
The NBA will produce and distribute the SLAM Summer Classic games on the free-to-download&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id=811567537499273278&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA__;!!KLCbKzk!n3wSjvNMSkYR4lKoKVgXircttWOLy-0rXgpTSo-D1MmKcmHzay-SwIoaQ0lokaPc1PDUxBHGW6sN$" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id%3D811567537499273278%26_branch_referrer%3DH4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA__;!!KLCbKzk!n3wSjvNMSkYR4lKoKVgXircttWOLy-0rXgpTSo-D1MmKcmHzay-SwIoaQ0lokaPc1PDUxBHGW6sN$&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692371005985000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2emDiwi7_0lf1Yxd60aUby">NBA App</a>&nbsp;and on NBA.com. Below are the full team rosters.&nbsp;
BOYS ROSTER
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ace Bailey (Powder Springs, Ga.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Jalil Bethea (Philadelphia, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*AJ Dybantsa (Brockton, Mass.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
VJ Edgecombe (Brookville, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Isaiah Evans (Huntersville, N.C.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Cooper Flagg (Newport, Maine)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Dylan Harper (Ramsey, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Jahki Howard (Atlanta, Ga.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ian Jackson (Bronx, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Tre Johnson (Dallas, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Tahaad Pettiford (Jersey City, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Jase Richardson (Las Vegas, Nev.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Meleek Thomas (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Robert Wright III&nbsp;(Philadelphia, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders
&nbsp;
&nbsp;GIRLS ROSTER
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Izela Arenas (Chatsworth, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Mikayla Blakes (Somerset, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Jaloni Cambridge (Nashville, Tenn.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Aaliyah Chavez (Lubbock, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Kendall Dudley (Centreville, Va.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Leah Harmon (Washington D.C.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ariel Little (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Maddy McDaniel (Upper Marlboro, Md.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Me'arah O'Neal (Houston, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Mackenly Randolph (Chatsworth, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Kennedy Smith (Etiwanda, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Chloe Spreen (Bedford, Ind.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Kennedy Umeh (Owings Mills, Md.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Allie Ziebell (Neenah, Wis.)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders

The NBA App will stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5 on Saturday, Aug. 19.

NBA App to stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5

The NBA announced today that San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte&rsquo; Graham has been suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to a charge of impaired driving, in violation of the law of the State of North Carolina.
Graham was arrested in July of 2022 for impaired driving, and he recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DWI charge, according to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/06/29/nba-devonte-graham-pleads-guilty-dwi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a>.
According to the police report, the 28-year-old was driving 63 MPH in a 40 MPH zone. However, the speeding charge was dropped as part of the plea deal. When Graham was pulled over, his breath test showed a blood alcohol concentration of .11.
In February, the New Orleans Pelicans traded Graham and four second-round picks to San Antonio for Josh Richardson. In 20 games with the Spurs last season, Graham averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.7 threes and 2.5 rebounds per game.
"Graham&rsquo;s suspension will commence with the next NBA regular season game that he is eligible and able to play," the NBA's statement added.

Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham has been suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to a charge of impaired driving.

Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham suspended 2 games for DWI

Today, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced their continued partnership in hosting the fifth&nbsp;annual Top 50 Basketball Camp. The camp will take place July 27&ndash;29 at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. &nbsp; The best players from each conference will be featured at the camp in a model like the NBPA's Top 100 Camp. Players at the Top 50 Camp will participate in basketball skill training exercises and attend leadership and life development sessions off the court. &nbsp; "NBPA members have a true appreciation for HBCUs, and the Top 50 Camp is a great way for the NBPA to continue strengthening its connection with the HBCU community," said Purvis Short, the NBPA's Chief of Player Programs. "Our partnership with the SIAC and SWAC has given us a unique opportunity to host a productive learning experience for HBCU athletes to better themselves as men on and off the court." The camp also aims to cultivate and create coaching and talent pipelines for current and retired NBA players exploring the transition into careers in intercollegiate athletics. &nbsp; "The Southwestern Athletic Conference is elated to continue our partnership with the NBPA Top 50 Camp," said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. "This partnership is an amazing opportunity for our student-athletes to participate in athletic and professional development initiatives that will positively impact them both on and off the court. This event has steadily grown and has quickly become a signature event that our student-athletes look forward to participating in on an annual basis." &nbsp; In addition to skill development and on-court drills, the camp will include a series of highly-competitive scrimmages and games, allowing the players to showcase their talent against the best of their neighboring conference. &nbsp; "I commend the NBPA for its commitment to HBCUs as The Top 50 Camp serves as a basketball combine for our student-athletes to showcase their talents while receiving instruction from current and former NBA players," said SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman. &nbsp; Camp participants from the SIAC include:
<table border="0" width="432" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">First Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Last Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">College or University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Aziel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Blackwell</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kentucky State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Devin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Booker</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Eleik</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bowles</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Savannah State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Gregg</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Boyd II</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Steven</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dulley</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ashton</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Hawkins</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Spring Hill College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Martez</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jones</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Robert</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kendrick</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Fort Valley State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kong</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kong</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kentucky State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Myson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Lowe</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Fort Valley State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Steven</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Lyles</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Spring Hill College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Chris</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Martin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Clark Atlanta University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Joemel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">McNair</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Morehouse College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jamir</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Moore</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Sean</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Paige</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ayjay</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Plain</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Savannah State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Antwoin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Reed Jr</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kerry</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Richardson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Morehouse College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jordan</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Simpson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Raevon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Thomas</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Terin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Wofford</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div>&nbsp; &nbsp; Camp participants from the SWAC include: &nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" width="432" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">First Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Last Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">College or University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Chase</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Adams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jaylen</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bates</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Florida A&amp;M University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Eric</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Coleman</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zeke</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Cook</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State university</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dhashon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dyson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ken</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Evans Jr.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jeremiah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Gambrell</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kolby</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Granger</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zion</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Harmon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">P. J.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Henry</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Elijah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Hulsewe</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Byron</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Joshua</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jeremiah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kendall</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">T. J.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Madlock</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Romelle</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Mansel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kylen</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Milton</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">University of Arkansas Pine Bluff</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zytarious</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Mortle</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Festus</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ndumanya</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Omari</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Peek</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dailin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Smith</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">D. K.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Thorn</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Cameron</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tucker</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ernest (EJ)</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Williams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Rashad</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Williams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">University of Arkansas Pine Bluff</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Coltie</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Young</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The NBPA, SIAC and SWAC will host the fifth annual Top 50 Basketball Camp from July 27-29 in Atlanta.

NBPA, SIAC and SWAC to host 5th annual Top 50 Basketball Camp

Fred VanVleet bet on himself, and the Houston Rockets are the beneficiaries.
On an opening night of free agency where most big names &mdash; Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Kyle Kuzma and more &mdash; stayed put, VanVleet is headed to a new home. He agreed to a three-year deal Friday with the Rockets that&rsquo;ll pay him about $130 million, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
ESPN first reported the agreement between VanVleet and the Rockets.
VanVleet &mdash; who famously uses the phrase &ldquo;bet on yourself&rdquo; to describe his career trajectory from undrafted player to NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors &mdash; will make about $525,000 per game over the next three seasons.
That nearly matches what he made as a rookie in Toronto, total &mdash; about $550,000.
&ldquo;Love seeing guys getting paid,&rdquo; Boston star Jayson Tatum tweeted.
And a whole bunch of them did on Friday night &mdash; with more to come.
Irving and Luka Doncic are going to try again together in Dallas. Green is going to chase more championships with Stephen Curry in Golden State, just like Middleton is alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
And Jerami Grant is staying put in Portland, for serious money. All those decisions came quickly Friday night as free agency in the NBA got off to its traditional fast and free-spending start &mdash; with roughly $1.5 billion in deals getting struck in about the first three hours alone.
Irving agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal to remain with the Mavericks, who acquired him in a splashy move in February but sputtered down the stretch and missed the playoffs. A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press, the deal taking quite possibly the biggest name in free agency off the board.
The Mavs had made clear that keeping Irving was their top priority &mdash; and got it done in the first hour of the NBA&rsquo;s free agency window that opened at 6 p.m. EDT.
&ldquo;DA11AS,&rdquo; Irving tweeted, using his traditional jersey number in there.
Grant is getting $160 million over the next five years, part of a plan that Portland hopes keeps Damian Lillard happy enough to not ask for a trade. Grant is staying put, as is Kuzma in Washington and Cam Johnson in Brooklyn.
Kuzma essentially doubled his annual salary, agreeing to a $102 million, four-year deal with the Wizards. Green got a new contract that&rsquo;ll pay him $100 million over four seasons with the Warriors. Both of those deals &mdash; first reported by ESPN and subsequently confirmed to AP by people with knowledge of the negotiations &mdash; got done very quickly once the offseason player movement window opened.
Kuzma had opted out of a contract that would have paid him $13 million in Washington this coming season; he&rsquo;ll now average $25.5 million over the next four years after scoring 21.2 points per game this past season.
Green staying put keeps him alongside Curry and Klay Thompson with the Warriors, where they have won four titles over the last decade. He opted out of a $27.6 million contract for this coming season, and now is under contract for more years.
Middleton also traded bigger salary in the short term for more years. He could have made $40 million this coming season; instead, he agreed to $102 million over three years to stay with Antetokounmpo and a Bucks team that&rsquo;s only two years removed from an NBA championship.
Johnson &mdash; who flourished and averaged 16.6 points in 25 games with Brooklyn after getting traded there this past season &mdash; is getting a four-year, $108 million deal from the Nets, agent Steve Heumann of CAA confirmed to AP. New Orleans also saw one of its key players stay put; defensive standout Herb Jones agreed to a four-year, $54 million contract.
The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets lost a free agent they wanted to keep, with Bruce Brown agreeing to sign with Indiana, a person with knowledge told AP, on a two-year deal that could be worth $45 million. There is an option affecting the second year.
There was simply nothing the Nuggets could do to compete with that offer &mdash; they could only offer Brown $7.8 million for this season. Brown will average nearly three times that much over the next two years.
The team that Denver beat for that title, the Miami Heat, also lost a key player from their club. Gabe Vincent agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal to join LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; who went to the Western Conference finals before falling to the Nuggets. The Lakers also kept Rui Hachimura on a three-year deal worth about $50 million.
The Eastern Conference champion Heat are retaining Kevin Love &mdash; who quickly became a locker room leader after arriving in Miami &mdash; and brought back former Miami guard Josh Richardson. Love is getting $3.7 million this season; both he and Richardson have an option for 2024-25 as well.
Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero has a new veteran with him in Orlando; Joe Ingles agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal to join the Magic. And Tre Jones will sign a two-year, $20 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs to play alongside No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, agent Kevin Bradbury said.
And once VanVleet picked Houston, the Raptors moved quickly to fill their point guard opening and agreed with Dennis Schroder on a two-year, $26 million deal, according to his representation at Priority Sports. Another point guard was on the move not long afterward; 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose agreed to a deal with Memphis &mdash; the city where he played his one season of college basketball &mdash; in a deal first reported by SNY.

Day 1 of the 2023 NBA free-agency period is in the books. Here's a look at the big moves from Friday.

Fred VanVleet to Houston; many big names stay put early in NBA free agency

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted his 32-point night with a go-ahead baseline jumper and four clutch free throws in the final 29 seconds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
Josh Giddey had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, the only Western Conference team still playing with a losing record.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been battle tested. We&rsquo;ve played in a lot of close games all year, for the past couple of years,&rdquo; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &ldquo;Even when the season wasn&rsquo;t going our way, we played in a lot of close games and we have good habits and we know what gets it done down the stretch.&rdquo;
The loss eliminated the ninth-seeded Pelicans, while 10th seed Oklahoma City advanced to play at Minnesota on Friday night for the right to enter the NBA playoffs as an eighth seed and meet No. 1 Denver.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The future is NOW as OKC gets a big Play-In win ⚡️ SGA: 32 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL Josh Giddey: 31 PTS, 10 AST, 9 REB Lu Dort: 27 PTS, 5 REB, 8/14 FG <a href="https://t.co/eeE36ieujZ">pic.twitter.com/eeE36ieujZ</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1646370167511826434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

Brandon Ingram scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to give the Pelicans a slim chance to come back.
But after Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws, Herbert Jones threw away an inbound pass, virtually sealing New Orleans&rsquo; fate.
Lu Dort scored 27 for the Thunder, including a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left.
Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 18 rebounds for New Orleans, but checked out with 4:26 after apparently hurting his right foot. He returned only briefly in the final minute.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points, Jones had 20 and CJ McCollum 14 for the Pelicans, who a season ago went 2-0 in play-in games as a ninth seed to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
This time New Orleans, which was at the top of the Western Conference standings in December, was left to wonder what might have been had Zion Williamson not gone out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury on Jan. 2.
New Orleans led 69-62 early in the third quarter before the Thunder surged in front with a 13-2 run capped by Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s driving layup as he was fouled.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 in the period and Giddey added 12, including his third 3 of the game to give Oklahoma City a 95-85 lead.
But New Orleans quickly tightened the game back up early in the fourth with a 7-0 run that included reserve guard Josh Richardson&rsquo;s 3 that pulled the Pelicans to 98-96.
The Pelicans went back in front when Richardson&rsquo;s steal and breakaway dunk made it 101-100, but as the Thunder came back up the court, Richardson was called for a foul after knocking Giddey to the floor near midcourt. Giddey angrily came to his feet and started angrily toward Richardson. Teammates held both at bay while officials called for a video review and determined that Richardson had committed a flagrant foul.
Giddey made one of two free throws to tie it and set the stage for an intense finish.
Dort, who averaged 13.7 points during the regular season, scored 14 in the first quarter. But the Pelicans surged in front late in the first half when Murphy hit a pair of 3s to help New Orleans go into halftime with a 63-57 lead.
Ingram appeared to turn his left ankle when he stepped on a foot late in the second quarter. He did not check out of the game, however, and played most of the second half.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s seven first-half points were his lowest in any first half this season. His 17 points in the third quarter marked the 40th time he scored at least 10 in a third quarter this season. ... Oklahoma City outscored New Orleans 21-11 in points off turnovers. The Pelicans committed 11 turnovers, the Thunder seven.
Pelicans: Played without prominent frontcourt reserve Larry Nance Jr., who had been questionable since injuring his left ankle on Sunday in a loss at Minnesota to close the regular season. ... Outrebounded the Thunder 48-38. ... Williamson, who missed his 46th straight game as he continues his recovery from a Jan. 2 right hamstring injury, took part in warmups and finished up with a windmill dunk.

The Thunder beat the Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder past Pelicans in play-in

Late January was probably the first time I looked at the jam-packed Western Conference standings and felt extra excited to watch how it would ultimately shake out. We're now about to reach April, and with 10 days left in the regular season, we're no closer to understanding the playoff picture.
This dogfight in the West has been&nbsp;insane. The fourth-place Phoenix Suns and 12th-place Utah Jazz are separated by just 4.5 games, with most teams only having five or six contests left on the schedule.
No team in this glob has been able to separate themselves. Any momentum generated in the final weeks of the season could be crucial for playoff positioning &mdash; which makes the New Orleans Pelicans' quiet resurgence significant.
New Orleans is eighth in the West at 38-38, but was rolling on a five-game winning streak before fumbling away a great start to Tuesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The Pelicans have the best defensive rating (107.0) in the league across the last 10 games.
This team was atop the West standings on Dec. 12 and 11 games over .500 on Dec. 30. Then, injuries and simply poor play sent them tumbling; the Pelicans went 10-25 from New Year's Eve up until the current recovery.
Now, at the most critical point of the year, the Pelicans seem to be back on track.
Brandon Ingram missed all of December and most of January with a toe injury and it understandably took the star some time to regain form. But he's been electric since the All-Star break, averaging 26.7 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.3% from the field and 40% on threes. Zoom into the last six games and it gets even more explosive: 29.2 points, 8.3 assists (!) and 5.8 rebounds on a 51.6% shooting clip (47.4% from three).&nbsp;
Ingram's 40.4% overall efficiency from distance is a career-high even as he continues to glide his way inside. The 25-year-old is one of the premier mid-range maestros in the league, and he's still improving his presence closer to the basket. According to PBP stats, Ingram is driving the ball once every five possessions and making 52% of his shots via drives &mdash; both the highest rates of his career.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/cmv5kf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
This and-one from Tuesday's loss is simply tough. In the midst of his faceup touch, Ingram spins to drive right, but sees Stephen Curry has left his assignment to help on the right drive. So Ingram then twirls back, drives left, takes the contact from Anthony Lamb and has the touch to finish the floater. It's an impressive display of quick processing and calm determination.
Ingram's continued development as a fulcrum plus New Orleans' injury struggles have given him the largest on-ball role in his seven years as a pro. His usage rate (30.9), touches per possession (0.96), seconds per touch (4.02) and dribbles per touch (3.03) are all career-highs. The lanky forward has matched his 2021-22 playmaking breakout with those opportunities.&nbsp;
So far in March, Ingram has seen 18.7% of his total passes turn into assists. That rate ranks second in the NBA during that span, behind only Trae Young (19.4%). In the last six games, Ingram has led the league with a 22.6% assist-to-pass ratio. How is he doing it? Ingram dished out 4.6 three-point assists per game across those six contests, second in the league behind only Luka Doncic.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/pah7ss" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Ingram's gravity as a mid-range scorer creates these types of plays. Trey Murphy III screens to get Ingram open and then clears out to the arc. The Warriors are anticipating an Ingram isolation and react as such, with Curry and Jordan Poole losing Murphy in the process. Ingram then applies pressure but doesn't overcommit himself, and kicks it out for the easy three.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhviq5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Here's another example. The Houston Rockets are preparing to contain Ingram off of the high ball screen and it looks like CJ McCollum might help with a second screen, but then McCollum jets out to the perimeter. Houston is still focused on Ingram for just that split-second though, opening up another window. It's an easy pass to make, but it works because Kevin Porter Jr. overcommits to helping stop Ingram's drive.
Of course, it helps that the Pelicans' cast of shooters have caught fire all at the same time. Murphy is knocking down 48.1% of his 8.7 treys across the last six games. McCollum (44.7%), Josh Richardson (50.0%) and Herb Jones (41.7%) are each clearing 40% on at least two attempts per game.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
It's the right time for the supporting cast to heat up, but even if those clips regress slightly, a humming Pelicans offense should keep generating open looks with Ingram in control.
We don't know when Zion Williamson might be healthy, and we certainly don't know what the road in the West will look like. But with Ingram steering the ship, and backed by a top-notch defense, the Pelicans will be a tough out for any opponent come playoff time.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>I am a massive fan of Zach Kram's work at&nbsp;The Ringer, and as highlighted here, this is the Domantas Sabonis effect:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
So many great stats in this piece about the Kings' dominance from DHOs, but this might be my favorite <a href="https://t.co/sHXxQ6Qsqa">https://t.co/sHXxQ6Qsqa</a> <a href="https://t.co/19hbydtqOc">pic.twitter.com/19hbydtqOc</a>
&mdash; Div B (@statcenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/statcenter/status/1641113194625220622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

<ul>
<li>Come for the Synergy Caitlin Clark shooting heat map, stay for the video where she breaks down how she slices the court in transition:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Iowa star Caitlin Clark shows <a href="https://twitter.com/debbieantonelli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@debbieantonelli</a> how she likes to slice the court in transition to get to her step-back jumper moving left. Awesome insight and a little shoutout for <a href="https://twitter.com/SynergySST?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SynergySST</a>, too 😁 <a href="https://t.co/2V7cfDop3A">https://t.co/2V7cfDop3A</a> <a href="https://t.co/awUXkSgC4X">pic.twitter.com/awUXkSgC4X</a>
&mdash; Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1640789230225088513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

<ul>
<li>Sure, the qualifiers are kind of random but Angel Reese is dominant:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Angel Reese is ONE OF ONE as she is now the only player across Division I basketball, WNBA, and NBA to record: 76 Points, 51 Rebounds, 12 Blocks and 7 Steals in the span of three games. <a href="https://t.co/0ljn9IWWdj">pic.twitter.com/0ljn9IWWdj</a>
&mdash; WSLAM (@wslam) <a href="https://twitter.com/wslam/status/1639429628736548864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

Ethan Fuller shows how Brandon Ingram has helped steady the Pelicans in a tense Western Conference playoff race.

NBA Stats Notebook: Brandon Ingram's steadying presence on Pelicans

On Wednesday afternoon, Ed Cooley was introduced as the new head coach for the Georgetown Hoyas.&nbsp;
This move follows 12 successful seasons at Providence, including seven NCAA tournament bids in the past nine years it has been held and a Big East regular-season championship in 2021-22.
"I am excited for the opportunity to lead the men's basketball program at Georgetown University," Cooley said in a statement. "I plan on hitting the ground running, getting to work on the court and cultivating relationships in and around the District. Accepting this opportunity with Georgetown is not a decision I took lightly."
In an <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/exclusive-ed-cooley-on-why-he-left-providence-for-georgetown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exclusive interview with John Fanta of FOX Sports</a>, Cooley described his reasons for leaving Providence.
"When I did a deep dive of what's important &mdash; I always said yes to everybody, and I always said no to Ed. Coach Cooley did everything, but Ed needed a change," Cooley said. "I thought Georgetown was the place for me to make that change. As hard as it was because it's in-conference, and because a lot of people look at that as villainous or betrayal, I hope people give me an opportunity to serve Ed. And it sounds selfish, it sounds real selfish, but sometimes change is need on both sides and I felt for me change was needed...
"The Big East has a lot to do with the change even though it's tough because it's in-conference. I love the Big East. I love basketball-centric places. They're the recruiting fertile ground of the DMV area that expands.&rdquo;&nbsp;
I caught up with two Georgetown Hoya legends in Jerome Williams (a.k.a. Junk Yard Dog) and Michael Sweetney to discuss their thoughts on the changing of the guard at their alma mater and the direction of the program.&nbsp;
Jerome Williams (JYD)&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/280613766_5301049609946020_6743750996342787581_n.jpg" alt="" width="515" height="515" />
Etan: Talk to me about your first thoughts on the new hire Ed Cooley for Georgetown.
JYD: "From first impressions, he hit the ball out the park. He really ushered in the alumni. He even got people like Reggie Williams commenting positivity about him taking over the reins of Georgetown&rsquo;s basketball program, and that&rsquo;s a long-term Hoya alumni who helped bring a national championship to the hilltop. So right now, all of the alumni, myself included, we're very excited.
"We&rsquo;ve always supported every regime that has been at Georgetown since I&rsquo;ve been here, and that includes Coach Patrick (Ewing), Coach JT3 (John Thompson III), Coach (Craig) Esherick. And obviously, I was blessed to have Coach John Thompson. So Ed Cooley is no different in terms of the support that he will receive from me, and the Junk Yard Dog Dogg Pound. I&rsquo;m here to support this alma mater through thick and thin. But like I said, Ed Cooley&rsquo;s first impression has really gone over well with everyone. And add to that &mdash; he has the resume of what he accomplished at Providence that has really energized this entire Georgetown community, with him being a Big East Champion and Coach of the Year, so that all helps. So yeah, we&rsquo;re all definitely excited."
Etan: Yeah, people are really buzzing here in the DMV. This seems like this was the coach that a lot of people wanted. You heard the chatter even during the tournament before Providence lost. But the electricity around the program seems to have been reignited. Would you say that&rsquo;s an accurate description?&nbsp;
JYD: "Definitely, the electricity is back. When he says he wants to sell out the arena which holds 20,000 [people], that&rsquo;s exactly what needs to happen. And that starts with the alumni, it starts with the students and it starts with the overall community. So that&rsquo;s the key."
Etan: Now, of course, programs don&rsquo;t turn around overnight and it&rsquo;s been a tough few years for Georgetown just as far as wins and losses. So what would your advice be to Hoya fans as far as patience?&nbsp;
JYD: "My advice would definitely be that everything is a process and Rome wasn&rsquo;t built in a day. But, with the world the way it is around college sports and the transfer portal, you look at teams like Missouri, who transformed very quickly into a winning program. And that was largely due to the transfer portal."
Etan: Yeah, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-the-ncaas-transfer-portal-getting-out-of-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transfer portal is definitely a game changer</a>, but it&rsquo;s like musical chairs; you lose four players and then you get four new players. It&rsquo;s an interesting dynamic right now that we&rsquo;re in with college basketball.
JYD: "That's absolutely correct. In some ways it&rsquo;s damaging, and in other ways, it can be transformative."
Etan: Very true. So let&rsquo;s talk about the history of Georgetown and why it&rsquo;s so historically special as a program and what it means to the DMV area and really all of college sports.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
JYD: "Well, it helps when the Georgetown University basketball program is in a good place. It helps all of college basketball. And Georgetown has meant so much to the Black community from what Coach Thompson has built not only as an individual for himself, not only as a program and a university, but for what he has done for other Black coaches who helped build other programs. The John Chaneys and Nolan Richardsons and countless others who he has helped open doors for, including Ed Cooley. So that&rsquo;s where, when Georgetown is in a good place, they represent a larger piece to the masses."
Etan: That&rsquo;s great. So are we going to see you at some of the games? Can fans expect to see you and the Junk Yard Dog Dogg Pound representing on the sidelines this season?
JYD: "Yes sir, you saw me at many of the games this season supporting Patrick (Ewing) and the program. I was able to move back to the area this year. My son [Jeremiah] goes to St. Albans now and plays for Team Takeover, so I&rsquo;m here ready to continue to support the program. My daughters [Gabby and Giselle] are playing volleyball for Georgetown, so I&rsquo;m here."
Etan: That&rsquo;s great, and what year is your son? I&rsquo;ve seen some of the clips you&rsquo;ve posted on social media. He looks like he&rsquo;s gonna be good&nbsp;
JYD: "Thanks I appreciate that, and your son [Malcolm] as well. But my son is a little younger. He&rsquo;s [in the] 2029 [class] and he is just loving the game, working hard, and getting better and better. And that&rsquo;s all you can ask at this age. But let me say, thank you for writing this and showing some love to your school&rsquo;s biggest rival historically."
Etan: No problem, it&rsquo;s always been nothing but respect for Georgetown.
Michael Sweetney&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/97028325_3148150111902658_5846889772051595264_n.jpg" alt="" width="517" height="641" />
Etan: Okay, so how do you feel about the new hire of Coach Ed Cooley and the new direction that Georgetown is going in? What were your first initial thoughts?&nbsp;
Sweetney: "Well, first let me say that it was sad for me personally to see how it went for Patrick (Ewing) these last couple of years. Winning trumps everything, and we&rsquo;ve had it tough for his last few years, so I was definitely sad to see Patrick struggle the way that he did. He loves Georgetown so much and had such a special relationship with Coach Thompson, and I know he really wanted to be successful. So that part was definitely sad for me to see."
Etan: Yeah, I grew up a Patrick Ewing fan. I was a Knicks fan. I actually <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-48-nba-hall-of-famer-patrick-ewing-talks-knicks-days,-turning-the-hoyas-around,-charles-oakley,-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interviewed him on The Rematch last year.</a> It was just an honor to be able to sit down with him. I mean, Patrick is a legend.&nbsp;
Sweetney: "Exactly, I definitely feel the same way. And he&rsquo;s a great guy all around. But to answer your question about the Ed Cooley hire, I think everyone is excited about what&rsquo;s to come. I personally really respected the way he immediately connected with the alumni and made a concerted effort to make the point clear that he wanted the alumni to be involved, and that&rsquo;s important. It&rsquo;s no secret that, for a long time, a lot of the guys felt distant from the program. So for him to come in and that&rsquo;s one of the first things on his agenda was to reach out to the alumni, it made a lot of ears throughout the Georgetown community perk up. It was a great first impression for all of us, so we&rsquo;re all excited about that aspect for sure."
Etan: Now, I&rsquo;ve heard that from a few guys that over the last decade or so, there has been distance from the program. I don&rsquo;t understand why, but I&rsquo;ve heard quite a few former players mention that.&nbsp;
Sweetney: "Yeah, that&rsquo;s pretty accurate, because a lot of guys have been feeling like that. I don&rsquo;t think it was intentional. It&rsquo;s just a lot of people from the program never reached out and said, 'Hey guys, come to the games,' or, 'We&rsquo;re going to have this special program to bring the alumni back together and back into the fold of the program.' It was really no interaction. It was almost like, 'Hey if you want to come to the game, you have to jump through hoops.'
"Luckily for me, I had direct access. So I would just call Pat Jr. and he would always look out. But it was never anyone from Georgetown who ever contacted me and said, 'Hey, come around. We have this event.' I don&rsquo;t even know if they had anyone assigned to do that &mdash; not really sure why. I don&rsquo;t think it was personal. But yeah, a lot of guys felt they weren&rsquo;t embraced the way alumni who have given so much to the program should be."
Etan: And what did Coach Cooley do differently? You and JYD both mentioned this, so I'm just curious. What exactly did he do?&nbsp;
Sweetney: "Well, for example, he held a Zoom [meeting] just yesterday and JYD was on there. But it was just with a lot of Georgetown former players and he introduced himself to us, told all of us how honored he was to be given this opportunity for a program he has so much respect for. He was knowledgeable of the history of the program, and he specifically told us, 'Hey, I want you all to be involved. This is a family thing and whatever I have to do to make things comfortable for you all, just let me know because I want you to be a part of this entire process.'
"And a few players &mdash; I don&rsquo;t want to say their names because it wasn&rsquo;t a public meeting &mdash; but a few guys specifically said that, for years, they thought the program didn&rsquo;t like them or respect them, so this was a breath of fresh air. So yeah, Coach Cooley definitely started off on the right foot with all of us."
Etan: You know, the DMV is really excited about the direction of the program. Do you get that same feeling?&nbsp;
Sweetney: "Definitely. And a large reason for that is because Cooley is saying all the right things. And what he did at Providence, when he got there, the program was where it was, and he&rsquo;s shown that he can turn programs around. He has the resume to support that, and people in the DMV are hoping that he can do the same thing here. And also, with the DMV being a hotbed as far as recruiting, it&rsquo;s one of the top places in the country for high school players going on to play Division I. So hopefully, he can get in and develop those relationships in the DMV and get some of this local talent."
Etan: So you mentioned that, and that&rsquo;s something else that&rsquo;s always brought up. One of the biggest criticisms you hear around the DMV is that two of the biggest schools in the area &mdash; Georgetown and Maryland &mdash; haven&rsquo;t kept the local DMV talent local. You saw Coach Kevin Willard came in on Day 1 last year and made a concerted effort to recruit guys from the DMV: Jamie Kaiser, Deshawn Harris-Smith and Jahnathan Lamothe. All of them are from the area.
Do you expect that same level of focus from Coach Cooley? People don&rsquo;t understand the level of talent in this area, but for a long time, so many have left to play somewhere else. I just watched Jordin Hawkins for UConn light up Arkansas for 24 points last night. They&rsquo;re headed to the Sweet 16 and he&rsquo;s from right here and went to DeMatha.
Sweetney: "Definitely, that&rsquo;s one of the things Coach Cooley mentioned. He&rsquo;s definitely aware of it and he told us specifically that he wanted to focus on and develop those relationships in the DMV and get some of this local talent to stay home. And I hope that&rsquo;s the case because there is so much talent in this area."
Etan: There definitely is. It&rsquo;s really amazing. KD made that documentary a few years ago &mdash; "Basketball County: In The Water.&rdquo; So I think that really showed the world how special the DMV is.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Sweetney: "Now, let me ask you a question if you don&rsquo;t mind?"
Etan: Oh, you&rsquo;re gonna take over the interview? (Laughing) Sure, go ahead.
Sweetney: (Laughing) "No, but seriously. Because we were discussing the DMV talent and I&rsquo;ve seen your son Malcolm play, he is a tremendous talent and can do a lot on the basketball court. But would you be open to him coming to Georgetown? I know we&rsquo;re a rival school and you&rsquo;re Syracuse royalty, but 'What If' you know?"
Etan: Oh, you just gonna put me on the spot huh? (Laughing) Well honestly, and people ask me this all the time, that&rsquo;s one of the reasons <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-malcolm-thomas-qa-dematha-stags-season-acit-championship-recruiting-maryland-dmv-etan-thomas-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I did an article with Malcolm</a>. We sat down and discussed this because so many people say to me, "So Malcolm is definitely going to Syracuse?" And I always respond with, "He&rsquo;s going to whatever situation is best for him, whether that&rsquo;s Syracuse or somewhere else." Of course, both his parents went there, so yes, there is history there. But I was glad to hear him echo that he wants to go to the best place for him.&nbsp;
Sweetney: "So it wouldn&rsquo;t be weird for you to cheer for Georgetown if he came to us?"
Etan: Not at all. Listen, I bleed Orange, make no mistake, but I genuinely want him to go to the situation that&rsquo;s best for him. My situation at Syracuse worked out for me, but it has to be the right situation for him.&nbsp;
Sweetney: "That makes total sense."
Etan: I mean, Malcolm grew up here. He&rsquo;s a PG County kid. Although he has his love for Syracuse because both his parents went there, he grew up watching Georgetown, Maryland and all the DMV schools and surrounding schools like all of the other kids who grew up here. What do you think with your sons? I know they&rsquo;re a little young now, but when they get older.
Sweetney: "It&rsquo;s funny because people always say that to me too. They say they&rsquo;re future Hoyas and I&rsquo;m like, 'Well I don&rsquo;t know, we&rsquo;ll see.' But like you said, I want them to do whatever is best for them. Whatever fits their needs and their happiness. So I get it. Just had to ask you that, and honestly, that&rsquo;s good to hear because your son can play. So I'm glad to hear that you&rsquo;re open to it.
"But yeah, we&rsquo;re in a good place as a program and going in a good direction, so I think fans can expect an entire wave of local talent coming to Georgetown and exciting times in the near future."

Etan Thomas talks to Jerome "Junk Yard Dog" Williams and Michael Sweetney about their first impressions of Ed Cooley at Georgetown.

Georgetown legends Jerome Williams, Michael Sweetney on Ed Cooley hire

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Destiny Harden made a shot in the lane with 3.5 seconds left to send ninth-seeded Miami past top-seeded Indiana 70-68 on Monday night, lifting the Hurricanes to their first Sweet 16 since 1992.
The Hoosiers (28-4) became the second No. 1 seed to be eliminated in two nights. Stanford was upset Sunday on its home court. It&rsquo;s the second time since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1994 that two No. 1 seeds didn&rsquo;t make the Sweet 16. It also happened in 1998.
Harden finished with 18 points and Lola Pendade had 19 points for the Hurricanes (21-12), who never trailed.
Indiana tied the score at 68 on Yarden Garzon&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left but couldn&rsquo;t get the defensive stop it needed and turned the ball over on the final possession to seal their only home loss of the season.
No. 4 VILLANOVA 76, No. 12 FLORIDA GULF COAST 57
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) &mdash; Maddy Siegrist scored 31 points and sent the winningest team in Villanova history into the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history with a win over Florida Gulf Coast.
The fourth-seeded Wildcats (30-6) won their record 30th game and celebrated the March Madness milestone in front of another packed house at the Pavilion. Siegrist, the first-team AP All-American, made 13 of 24 shots in what was likely her final home game. The four-year star has left some wiggle room that she could return for a fifth season, but all signs point toward her playing in the WNBA this summer.
One thing is sure, Siegrist is headed to the Sweet 16.
The Wildcats are going for the first time since 2003 -- the coach of that team, Harry Perretta, watched this one from behind the basket -- and they will the play winner of Monday&rsquo;s game in Indianapolis between top-seeded Indiana and No. 9 seed Miami.
SEATTLE 3 REGION
No. 4 TENNESSEE 94, NO. 12 TOLEDO 47
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Reserves Sara Puckett and Jillian Hollingshead led five Lady Vols in double figures with 13 points apiece as Tennessee routed Toledo.
This is the first time since 2015 and 2016 that Tennessee (25-11) has reached consecutive Sweet 16s and the first in coach Kellie Harper&rsquo;s fourth season. The Lady Vols now have reached the Sweet 16 for the 36th time as the only program to play in all 41 NCAA Tournaments.
Toledo (29-5) snapped a program record 17-game winning streak and missed out on its first Sweet 16. The Rockets lost for the first time since Jan. 18 at Bowling Green, which was avenged in the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017.
Quinesha Lockett led Toledo with 19 points.
No. 3 OHIO STATE 71, No. 6 NORTH CAROLINA 69
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Jacy Sheldon made a tiebreaking jumper in the lane with 1.8 seconds left to lift Ohio State to a win over North Carolina and help the Buckeyes advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.
With the game tied, Sheldon took the pass from Eboni Walker and floated in the game-winning score. North Carolina had one final chance, but turned it over with a second remaining.
Ohio State (27-7) saw its 12-point lead with 7:02 to go erased as the Tar Heels went on a 13-2 run midway through the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels did most of that run without star Deja Kelly, who exited midway through the final quarter with a leg injury. She went to the locker room, but returned to the court a short time later.
Trailing 66-63, Kelly made two free throws before Paulina Paris made a layup in transition to give the Tar Heels (22-11) its first lead of the game with 2:09 left.
No. 2 UCONN 77, No. 7 BAYLOR 58
STORRS, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Azzi Fudd scored 16 of her 22 points in a decisive third quarter, leading UConn to a win over Baylor and into a 29th straight Sweet 16.
Aaliyah Edwards added 19 points and Nika Muhl had 10 assists for the Huskies (31-5). Dorka Juhasz chipped in with 11 points and Caroline Ducharme added 10.
Ja&rsquo;mee Asberry scored 15 points and Jaden Owens had 14 for Baylor, which finishes its season 20-13. Bella Fontleroy scored 12 points for the Bears, who made 12 3-pointers after hitting 14 in their first-round win over Alabama.
But the Huskies dominated inside, outscoring the Bears 36-12 in the paint and outrebounding Baylor 42-31.
SEATTLE 4 REGION
No. 5 LOUISVILLE 73, No. 4 TEXAS 51
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; Hailey Van Lith scored 21 points and Louisville rolled over Texas on the Longhorns&rsquo; home court to send the the Cardinals to the Sweet 16 for the sixth NCAA Tournament in row.
In a matchup of two teams that began the season in the Top 10 only to all out of the rankings before regrouping late, the Cardinals smothered the Longhorns and standout point guard Rori Harmon all night, stretching a 14-point halftime lead to 21 by end of the third quarter.
Louisville (25-11) led by as much as 27 early in the fourth. The win sends the Cardinals to the Seattle 4 Region to play No. 8-seed Mississippi, which upset No. 1 Stanford on Sunday.
DeYona Gaston scored 12 points to lead Texas (26-10).
No. 6 COLORADO 61, No. 3 DUKE 53
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Quay Miller had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Aaronette Vonleh converted two overtime baskets in the lane after picking up her fourth foul, helping Colorado beat Duke.
Jaylyn Sherrod had 14 points and Vonleh finished with 12 as the Buffaloes (25-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 20 years.
Elizabeth Balogun scored 14 points and Reigan Richardson had 10, but the Blue Devils didn&rsquo;t hit a field goal in overtime. Duke overcame a 13-point deficit in regulation.
Next up for Colorado is Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Seattle 4 Region semifinals.
Duke lost for the third time in its last four second-round home games in the NCAA tourney.
GREENVILLE 1 REGION
No. 4 UCLA 82, No. 5 OKLAHOMA 73
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Charisma Osborne scored a career-high 36 points in her final game at Pauley Pavilion and UCLA rallied in the fourth quarter after blowing an 18-point lead to defeat Oklahoma.
The Bruins, who had an 18-point lead in the second quarter, found themselves trailing 54-50 late in the third quarter before Osborne started the comeback. She drove the lane and hit a layup while being fouled by Beatrice Culliton. Osborne made the ensuing free throw to bring them within one.
She had 13 points in the final 10 minutes as the Bruins (26-7) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019. UCLA regained control by going on a 6-1 run at the beginning of the fourth.
Kiki Rice added 14 points for the Bruins, who will face top-ranked South Carolina on Saturday in a Greenville 1 Regional semifinal. UCLA hung tough with the Gamecocks earlier in the season before losing 73-64.
Madi Williams scored 24 points and Ana Llanusa 15 for the Sooners, who end their season 26-7.

A recap of Monday's action of the 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament includes yet another eight seed upending a top seed.

Miami women shock top-seed Indiana in March Madness

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Eric Musselman and his players rushed across the floor at the final buzzer to celebrate with their joyfully delirious friends from Arkansas.
The 58-year-old coach jumped onto the press table, ripped off his red polo shirt and waved it over his head, shouting all the while to the fans&rsquo; delight, as has become his tradition after the biggest of his wins.
And this was a really big one.
Kansas&rsquo; national title defense ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday when Arkansas&rsquo; Ricky Council IV made five free throws in the closing seconds and the eighth-seeded Razorbacks beat the No. 1 seed Jayhawks 72-71.
&ldquo;I would love to lie and say that I felt composed, but we only led for 1:43,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;This has been as challenging and as up-and-down a season as I&rsquo;ve ever been a part of.
&ldquo;For these guys to be rewarded for sticking with it and being able to go to Las Vegas and participate with only 16 teams still standing. ... It&rsquo;s really hard to make this tournament. It&rsquo;s really hard to win a game in this tournament. It&rsquo;s really hard to beat defending champions, No. 1 seed. We did it.&rdquo;
Arkansas was playing a No. 1 seed for the third straight year. Last year, the Razorbacks knocked out Gonzaga on the way to their second straight Elite Eight. This time, the Razorbacks survived shaky offensive play early and foul trouble late. They became the first team to beat a No. 1 seed with three players fouling out, according to&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/OptaSTATS/status/1637245525572440064?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OptaSTATS</a>.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s such an unbelievable win for our program,&rdquo; Musselman said. &ldquo;I keep telling people that we&rsquo;re getting better. Not many teams can get better this time of year. I&rsquo;ve never been prouder of a team like tonight.&rdquo;
Davonte Davis scored 25 points and Council added 21 as Arkansas rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit. Kansas,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kansas-bill-self-4ad50feff4c6e12b4722de893edfc059" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing without ailing coach Bill Self,</a>&nbsp;became the second top seed not to escape the tournament&rsquo;s first weekend after Purdue lost on Friday night to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.
Arkansas (22-13) is in the Sweet 16 for the third straight year and will play either Saint Mary&rsquo;s or UConn in the West Region semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Self has been with the Jayhawks (28-8) since they arrived in Des Moines and has attended practices and meetings, but he still didn&rsquo;t feel well enough to coach a game after having a heart procedure March 8 to clear clogged arteries.
Longtime assistant Norm Roberts was acting coach for a fifth straight game in Self&rsquo;s absence.
Kansas, bidding to become the first repeat national champion since Florida in 2006-07, was ahead 35-27 at halftime and lost for the first time in 27 games when entering the second half with a lead. Kansas had been 47-0 in the NCAA Tournament when leading by eight points or more at the half.
&ldquo;Our guys have been terrific all year,&rdquo; Roberts said. &ldquo;They fought to the very end, made huge plays. It was tough not having Coach here, but we don&rsquo;t make any excuses. We have to line up and get it done, and we came up a little bit short today.&rdquo;
Davis scored 21 of his points in the second half. He fouled out with 1:56 left, turning things over to the veteran Council, a transfer from Wichita State who scored nine of the Razorbacks&rsquo; final 11 points.
&ldquo;This team was struggling and we figured it out,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad we did at the right time. Hopefully we continue to do it.&rdquo;
Outside the locker room, a sobbing Musselman hugged Davis and shouted, &ldquo;I (expletive) love you, man!&rdquo;
Council&rsquo;s free throw put Arkansas ahead to stay, 68-67, with 24 seconds left. He then rebounded his own miss of the second free throw and made two more to give the Razorbacks a three-point lead.
The teams traded free throws, and Arkansas sent Kansas&rsquo; Jalen Wilson to the line with 3 seconds left to prevent a potential tying 3-pointer. Wilson made the first free throw and appeared to try to miss the second intentionally, but it banked hard off the glass and in, and Kansas never regained possession.
Wilson led the Jayhawks with 20 points but lamented grabbing only four rebounds, which he said was a factor in Arkansas holding a 15-2 advantage in second-chance points. No missed rebound hurt more, he said, than when Kansas failed to grab the ball off Council&rsquo;s missed free throw in the waning seconds.
&ldquo;It always comes down to one play, especially hustle plays like that,&rdquo; Wilson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just disappointing to end like that, especially with how great our year was. Credit to them for how they played.&rdquo;
Arkansas,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-illinois-arkansas-9c5294f8634c1fc2903b6e8b8b84df82" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which beat Illinois in the first round,</a>&nbsp;was considered a scary matchup for the Jayhawks with its explosive transition game and ability to play lockdown defense.
But circumstances were less than ideal for the Razorbacks. Guard Anthony Black tweaked a nagging ankle injury early and went to the bench to get re-taped and change shoes, and fellow guard and projected high NBA first-round draft pick Nick Smith Jr. picked up two quick fouls and was limited to 10 minutes and no points in the first half. Also, big man Kamani Johnson was ill and played with a sore toe.
The Razorbacks were too eager to shoot 3-pointers early. They missed 8 of 9 in the first half and couldn&rsquo;t get their running game going.
Kansas was in control for stretches but never could put away the Razorbacks.
Davis started a game-turning 11-0 Arkansas run in the middle of the second half and Jordan Walsh&rsquo;s 3-pointer with eight minutes left gave the Razorbacks their first lead since their first basket of the game.
Arkansas neutralized Wilson when it mattered most, allowing the All-American only two shots over a 15-minute stretch of the second half.
Arkansas is in the Sweet 16 for the 14th time. The only lower-seeded Razorbacks team to reach a regional semifinal was the 1996 squad, which was a No. 12 under Nolan Richardson, who led the school to its only national title two years earlier.
If Musselman reaches his first Final Four, he will evoke more memories of those glory years.

The 8th-seeded Razorbacks beat the No. 1 seed Jayhawks 72-71, ending Kansas’ national title defense in the second round.

March Madness: Eighth-seeded Arkansas ousts defending champ Kansas

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice, reflecting on the career-high seven 3-pointers he made for Texas, was asked by a reporter when he last felt that confident.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t necessarily feel hot, because I missed three,&rdquo; Rice said with a straight face as teammate Marcus Carr doubled over in laughter next to him at the podium. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;m just trying to keep it going.&rdquo;
The No. 2 seed Longhorns are off to a strong start.
Rice scored 23 points and Texas shut down sharpshooting Colgate for an 81-61 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament&nbsp;on Thursday night.
Carr finished with 17 points and Dylan Disu had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Longhorns (17-8), who shot 13 for 23 from 3-point range to beat the Raiders at their own game. Texas will play 10th-seeded Penn State in the second round on Saturday in the Midwest Region.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re fortunate to get a real game the first game of the tournament. Colgate is an elite, legit team. We won by 20, but it felt like we really won by five or seven,&rdquo; said Timmy Allen, who returned from a leg injury that kept him out of the Big 12 Tournament.
In another inspired performance under&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-terry-texas-b5a4abdc1dee50bb96dfd70920d0b798" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interim coach Rodney Terry</a>, his first NCAA Tournament win as a head coach, Rice and the Longhorns picked the perfect time to get hot on the perimeter against the nation&rsquo;s leading outside shooting team. They matched their season best for 3-pointers made.
&ldquo;I just feel every single guy that walked on the court today had a game plan,&rdquo; Carr said. &ldquo;The coaches had us prepared, and we executed.&rdquo;
The Raiders (26-9) went just 3 for 15 from deep against a relentless and long-armed Longhorns defense. Colgate shot better than 40% before the tournament. The leading individual 3-point shooter in the country, Oliver Lynch-Daniels, went 1 for 4. He was a 50% shooter from long range this season.
&ldquo;They could beat us with 3s, but they were going to have a hard time beating us with 2s,&rdquo; Terry said.
Keegan Records and Ryan Moffatt each scored 13 points for the 15th-seeded Raiders, who have not won an NCAA Tournament game in six appearances. Tucker Richardson, the Patriot League Player of the Year, had nine points on 4-for-11 shooting.
&ldquo;Especially those guards when they&rsquo;ve got Rice in there as a third guard, they&rsquo;re just really quick,&rdquo; Richardson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of hard for us to get open.&rdquo;
With most of the fans in Wells Fargo Arena rooting for the upset, the Longhorns adjusted to Colgate&rsquo;s second-half zone defense and never let the lead get smaller than seven points.
About an hour before Texas took the court, No. 2 seed Arizona was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-ncaa-arizona-princeton-4b28e0acabe2b75ccdbac81d40a6fd66" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ousted by Princeton</a>&nbsp;in the West Region. The Tigers became the 11th team seeded 15th to win a first-round game&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2022-03-17/history-2-seeds-vs-15-seeds-march-madness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in 149 tries</a>&nbsp;and the third in three years.
The Longhorns played hard enough &mdash; and shot well enough &mdash; to make sure they didn&rsquo;t land on that list.
After driving hard toward the block, Carr kicked the ball back out to the top of the key to set up&nbsp;Rice&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer&nbsp;for a 29-17 lead. As the calm and deliberate Rice flashed a sheepish smile, Carr gave him an exaggerated hand slap as he jumped up and down on the retreat for defense.
Rice, the lanky super sub and graduate transfer from New Mexico State who is aiming to play in the Final Four in his native Houston, went 8 for 14 from the field.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s as good of an overall basketball player as I&rsquo;ve seen all year &mdash; his intelligence, his IQ, his poise, his defense, his recognition of his teammates, but his ability to step up,&rdquo; Colgate coach Matt Langel said.
The Longhorns have&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-midwest-texas-d2cf4f137d9cd1f2228b8bc9aa899942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come a long way</a>&nbsp;since coach Chris Beard was arrested on a later-dropped domestic violence charge and fired soon after that.
They hit the NCAA Tournament in stride under Terry&rsquo;s even-keeled guidance with two decisive wins over Kansas, the regular-season Big 12 champion and No. 1 seed in the West Region, that included the conference championship.
These Longhorns have a strong bond that has carried them to the verge of a trip to the tournament&rsquo;s second weekend for the first time since 2008. The last Final Four for Texas was in 2003, when Terry was an assistant under coach Rick Barnes.
&ldquo;I think we prepare really well, better than a lot of teams in the country,&rdquo; Rice said. &ldquo;I think we&rsquo;re really locked into the details and locked into the things that we have to do to win.&rdquo;

Sir’Jabari Rice scored 23 points and Texas shut down sharpshooting Colgate for an 81-61 victory in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.

No. 2 seed Texas tops Colgate 81-61 behind Rice’s 7 made 3s

Drake&rsquo;s Tucker DeVries was an interested spectator when the father-son team of Greg McDermott and Doug McDermott helped Creighton make consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2014.
DeVries&rsquo; father, Darian, was an assistant on Greg McDermott&rsquo;s Creighton staff back then as Doug McDermott led the nation in scoring and earned national player of the year honors. Now it&rsquo;s Darian DeVries who will be coaching his son on the March Madness stage.
Tucker DeVries is the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year after turning down some high-major offers to enroll at Drake. DeVries said watching the McDermotts helped give him an idea of what it might be like to play for his dad.
&ldquo;I think there was a lot to be learned from, being able to experience and see how that relationship worked,&rdquo; the sophomore guard/forward said. &ldquo;Part of what went into me wanting to come and play for my dad here is being able to have a little taste of that myself.&rdquo;
So far, it&rsquo;s been just about everything DeVries could have imagined.
DeVries averages 19 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and he has shot 38.7% (87 of 225) from 3-point range. He was named the most outstanding player in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
&ldquo;I grew up at Creighton my whole life,&rdquo; DeVries said. &ldquo;When they decided to recruit me, it was tough to turn that down &ndash; playing in the Big East where I grew up. Iowa State, 45 minutes away. Oregon. Just some of those schools are obviously schools you grow up watching on TV, dreaming about playing for. But I don&rsquo;t think any of them had what was home for me here.&rdquo;
Now he has the chance to find out what it&rsquo;s like to play for his father in the NCAA Tournament. Drake (27-7) is the No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region and will face Miami (25-7) on Friday.
&ldquo;To be able to experience it with my dad as a coach is definitely pretty cool and special &ndash; to be able to experience it together,&rdquo; DeVries said.
DeVries is one of several players from one-bid conferences who bear watching this week. Here&rsquo;s a look at some others.
MAX ABMAS, ORAL ROBERTS
Abmas already has shown he can make an impact in March. Abmas averaged 26.8 points in the 2021 NCAA Tournament while leading Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16. This season, the 6-foot senior ranks seventh among all Division I players in points per game (22.2) and sixth in 3-pointers per game (3.5). The two-time Summit League player of the year has scored over 22 points per game each of the last three seasons. First-round game: Thursday vs. Duke.
JORDAN BROWN, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
Brown isn&rsquo;t the typical under-the-radar recruit who ends up at a mid-major program. The 6-foot-11 forward was a 2018 McDonald&rsquo;s All-American. He began his college career at Nevada and was a Pac-12 sixth man of the year at Arizona last season before transferring to his third school. Brown earned first-team all-Sun Belt honors while averaging 19.4 points and 8.7 rebounds, including 20 points in a loss to Texas. First-round game: Thursday vs. Tennessee.
SINCERE CARRY, KENT STATE
Carry has earned first-team all-Mid American Conference honors and has made the league&rsquo;s all-defensive team each of the last two seasons. He was named MAC player of the year last season. He has averaged over 17 &frac12; points each of the last two seasons at Kent State after transferring from Duquesne. The 6-1 guard has scored at least 21 points in four of his last five games. First-round game: Friday vs. Indiana.
RAY HARRISON, GRAND CANYON
Harrison helped Grand Canyon get here by collecting 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against Southern Utah in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game. The 6-4 guard has scored at least 25 points in four of his last six games. Harrison, a Presbyterian transfer, has averaged at least 17 points each of the last three seasons. He has 17.7 points, 4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season. First-round game: Friday vs. Gonzaga.
DREW PEMBER, UNC ASHEVILLE
This Tennessee transfer has emerged as a star in two seasons at UNC Asheville. This year, he became the first player to lead the Big South in scoring (20.4), rebounding (9.2) and blocks (2.3) in one season. Pember leads all Division I players in free throws made (262) and attempted (314). The 6-11 forward averaged 29.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in three Big South Tournament games. First-round game: Thursday vs. UCLA.
TUCKER RICHARDSON, COLGATE
Richardson had a triple-double in the Patriot League Tournament championship game with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists as Colgate defeated Lafayette, 79-61. The 6-5 guard was named the Patriot League&rsquo;s overall player of the year and defensive player of the year. He&rsquo;s the first player in league history to combine 1,600 career points, 700 rebounds and 600 assists. Richardson had 15 points and seven rebounds last year in an NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin. First-round game: Thursday vs. Texas.

Here’s a look a seven of the best players from mid-major schools participating in the 2023 Men's NCAA Tournament.

Drake’s DeVries among 7 under-the-radar March Madness stars

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Klay Thompson scored 27 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, helping the Golden State Warriors wrap up a perfect homestand with a 108-99 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
The Warriors went 5-0 on the homestand despite missing injured star Stephen Curry to strengthen their playoff positioning in the ultra-tight Western Conference.
&ldquo;I think just a lot of grit,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;Every one of these wins was marked by our team kind of getting over the hump. Overcoming a lot of deficits, turning up the defense and grinding out games down the stretch. It&rsquo;s been exciting to see our team turn a corner, but we still need to go out and win on the road.&rdquo;
Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points off the bench to help the Warriors overcome a 17-point deficit in the first half. Golden State rallied from double-digit deficits to win the last four games &mdash; the first time they have done that since at least the 1997-98 season.
CJ McCollum scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 17 for New Orleans. The Pelicans have lost five of six games as they were outscored 19-6 in the final 4:30.
&ldquo;They just made plays,&rdquo; New Orleans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s an area that we have to continue to grow and mature. ... Those are learning experiences for us. That&rsquo;s a good team, a championship level team. Those guys know how to win. Our margin for error is small, especially down the stretch like that.&rdquo;
New Orleans led by four points in the fourth quarter before Anthony Lamb and Thompson hit back-to-back 3-pointers with Thompson&rsquo;s giving Golden State a 95-93 lead with less than four minutes to play.
Donte DiVincenzo hit another 3 for his first basket of the game and then got an offensive rebound and assist on a dunk by Kuminga to make it 100-96 and Golden State held on from there.
&ldquo;He loves the big moments and it doesn&rsquo;t matter if he&rsquo;s been hot or hasn&rsquo;t made a shot like tonight,&rdquo; Kerr said about DiVincenzo. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s ready for the big one. Between that shot and the offensive board with the pass to JK. He just continues to make huge plays.&rdquo;
The Warriors once again found themselves in an early hole, falling behind 17-6 in the opening minutes and then by 17 points late in the first quarter.
This marked the fourth straight game they trailed by double-digits in the first half and just like the previous three games they flipped the script.
Golden State rallied back to take a 50-49 lead on a basket by Kuminga late in the half and trailed 57-54 at the break.
CURRY&rsquo;S RETURN
The Warriors are hoping to get Curry back on the upcoming trip, possibly as soon as Sunday in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a chance he&rsquo;ll play and we&rsquo;re not going to make an decisions until he gets through tomorrow,&rdquo; Kerr said.
Curry has missed 11th games with a left leg injury after getting hurt against Dallas on Feb. 4. Golden State is 7-4 in this current stretch and 14-12 on the season without Curry in the lineup.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: C Jonas Valanciunas (left calf) was sidelined for a second straight game. ... Swingman Josh Richardson (personal reasons) sat out the game.
Warriors: F Andrew Wiggins sat out a seventh consecutive game while dealing with a family matter and Kerr didn&rsquo;t know if he would return during the upcoming road trip. ... F Andre Iguodala (hip) has been taking part of scrimmages but there is no timeline for his return.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Visit Sacramento on Monday night to finish three-game trip.
Warriors: Visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday to start a three-game trip.

Klay Thompson scored 27 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, helping the Warriors get a 108-99 victory over the Pelicans on Friday.

Klay Thompson scores 27 points, Warriors beat Pelicans 108-99

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Paolo Banchero capped a 29-point performance with three clutch mid-range jumpers in the closing minutes, and the Orlando Magic defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 101-93 on Monday night.
The first two of Banchero&rsquo;s big shots broke ties before he hit another to make it 97-93. Franz Wagner, who had 11 points, added a 10-foot floater from the baseline with 25 seconds left and Orlando held on from there. New Orleans lost its fourth straight.
Markelle Fultz and Moritz Wagner each scored 14 points for Orlando, which also got 11 points and 11 rebounds from Wendell Carter Jr.
Brandon Ingram scored 25 points for New Orleans (30-32), which is clinging to the 10th and final Western Conference play-in spot by percentage points over Portland (29-31), with those clubs set to play one another later this week.
CJ McCollum added 18 points for the Pelicans, who&rsquo;ve struggled ever since star power forward Zion Williamson went out with a right hamstring injury in early January.
Orlando led by as many as 11 points when Jalen Suggs&rsquo; 3 made it 36-25 at the end of the first quarter.
Trey Murphy III&rsquo;s 27-foot 3 and alley-oop dunk of Naji Marshall&rsquo;s lob in transition helped the Pelicans slowly chip away during the second quarter, when New Orleans held Orlando to just 14 points.
Josh Richardson&rsquo;s pull-up jumper from the top of the key pulled the Pelicans within 50-49 as time expired in the first half.
Orlando led for most of the second half, but never by more than eight, allowing the Pelicans to claw back into an 89-all tie on Herb Jones&rsquo; free throw with 4:51 left.
TIP-INS
Magic: Improved to 11-20 on the road after going 10-31 in away games last season. ... Outshot the Pelicans 45.6% (36 of 79) to 44.7% (34 of 76) and outrebounded New Orleans 43-38.
Pelicans: Williamson missed his 25th straight game with a right hamstring injury. The Pelicans are 7-18 during that stretch. ... Jones scored 10 points. ... New Orleans shot 22.2% (6 of 27) from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit Milwaukee on Wednesday in the second of three straight road games.
Pelicans: Visit Portland on Wednesday to open a three-game trip.

Paolo Banchero's 29-point performance led the Orlando Magic to victory over the New Orleans Pelicans 101-93 on Monday night.

Paolo Banchero scores 29, Magic top Pelicans 101-93

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 28 points to lead New York to a 128-106 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night as the Knicks celebrated the golden anniversary of their 1972-73 NBA championship team.
Six players scored in double figures for New York, which won its fifth straight. R.J. Barrett had 25 points and a season-high seven assists. Jalen Brunson added 20 points, Josh Hart scored 15 points, Immanuel Quickley added 13, and Mitchell Robinson finished with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a team, any given night it&rsquo;s going to be different,&rdquo; Barrett said, when asked if the 2022-23 Knicks were emulating their 1972-73 predecessors by playing unselfish basketball. &ldquo;We did a great job sharing the ball. Everybody kind of had a great game.&rdquo;
Brandon Ingram scored 19 points for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight and fourth in five games overall. Josh Richardson added 16 points, C.J. McCollum finished with 13 and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Trey Murphy III scored 11 off the bench.
&ldquo;We have to be better and I (have to) hold our guys more accountable,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;That standard in which we played with tonight is not us.&rdquo;
New York was playing the second half of a back-to-back, coming off a 115-109 win over the Wizards a night earlier in Washington. Meanwhile the Pelicans last played Thursday, falling 115-110 loss to the Raptors in Toronto.
The Knicks came out looking like the fresher team, building a 42-26 advantage after the first quarter, and extending the lead to 73-52 at halftime.
Randle (19), Barrett (13), and Brunson (12) combined for 44 points as New York shot 54.3% from the field (25 for 46) and 50% from 3-point distance (13 for 26). New York&rsquo;s 13 3-pointers in the first half matched a season high.
&ldquo;Got off to a good start,&rdquo; said Randle, &ldquo;and sustained it.&rdquo;
The Pelicans trailed by as many as 27 points midway through the third. Despite going on a 19-12 run to close out the period, New Orleans trailed 102-82 entering the fourth.
New York opened the fourth with a 12-8 spurt, highlighted by Robinson&rsquo;s one-handed alley-oop dunk. And Randle&rsquo;s two-handed dunk off of Quickley&rsquo;s off-the-backboard-pass all but ended any hopes of a comeback by the Pelicans.
New Orleans lost reserve forward Larry Nance Jr. in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle. He did not return. Nance was defending Quickley and landed awkwardly while attempting to contest a layup. Nance was down on the court for a few minutes and had to be helped to the locker room.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Here is what Green knows: He and his team will have star Zion Williamson return from a right hamstring injury at some point this season. Green and his team suspect Williamson&rsquo;s return will happen before the playoffs begin. What is unknown is how Williamson will be reintroduced to the roster. &ldquo;Once (we know) he&rsquo;s ready it&rsquo;s something that (Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations David Griffin and) our performance team and medical (staff) and coaches sit down and talk about what&rsquo;s the best plan,&rdquo; Green said. Entering the game, the Pelicans had lost 17 of 24 games played in 2023 without Williamson in the lineup.
Knicks: Throughout the game, the Knicks paid homage to their 1972-73 championship team with video testimonials and a halftime ceremony. And perhaps no person in Madison Square Garden could better appreciate that team more than Tom Thibodeau, who grew up in Connecticut rooting for the Knicks. &ldquo;That was such a great team,&rdquo; Thibodeau said during his pregame press conference. &ldquo;They were so unselfish. They played great defense. &hellip; That was such a fun team but it&rsquo;s what they embodied and how they played for each other. I think it resonated with the city.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Host Orlando on Monday.
Knicks: Host Boston on Monday.

New York defeated the Pelicans 128-106, as the Knicks celebrated the golden anniversary of their 1972-73 NBA championship team.

Knicks rout Pelicans while honoring 1973 championship squad

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James had 21 points in his first game since becoming the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring leader, and Anthony Davis had 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the new-look Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had 21 points and seven assists during his warm welcome home to the Lakers, who won for just the second time in six games. Los Angeles&rsquo; five new players all made their home debuts after last week&rsquo;s busy trade deadline, and the Lakers never trailed in one of this up-and-down team&rsquo;s most impressive performances of the season.
&ldquo;There was a huge emphasis on getting this win,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;Guys came out and played with a lot of energy and urgency. ... It was only our first game together, but it looked good.&rdquo;
James only had to play a season-low 29 minutes after taking the previous three games off to rest his sore left ankle and foot immediately after he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record Feb. 7.
&ldquo;I feel really good about what we&rsquo;ve got brewing, but we need to lock in,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the first time we&rsquo;ve all been on the floor together, so we wanted to see what it looks like, and the first 40 minutes looked pretty good.&rdquo;
Russell&rsquo;s debut was actually a homecoming, because he played his first two NBA seasons for Los Angeles before getting traded four times and eventually returning last week. Russell was clearly thrilled to be back in Hollywood, putting on an impressive playmaking performance while also repeatedly exhorting the crowd to standing ovations for the Lakers.
After he hit a 3-pointer in the second half, Russell celebrated by pointing at the letters on his chest and screaming to the fans: &ldquo;Like I never left!&rdquo;
&ldquo;I love those moments,&rdquo; Russell said. &ldquo;We had Bron tonight, and we seemed a little more fluid. Everybody pitched in. Everybody played a major part in keeping the lead, maintaining it, getting stops. I like what we showcased tonight.&rdquo;
The Lakers hit the All-Star break in 13th place in the 15-team Western Conference at 27-32 &mdash; but the season isn&rsquo;t over yet, and they&rsquo;ve got promising reinforcements.
Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley joined James and Davis in the Lakers&rsquo; 30th starting lineup of the season, while Mo Bamba fouled out in 16 minutes as the backup center in his Lakers debut.
&ldquo;It was just hot,&rdquo; said Beasley, who scored eight poitns. &ldquo;We wanted to make a statement and do what we do.&rdquo;
Brandon Ingram scored 25 points and C.J. McCollum had 22 points and nine assists in his return from a one-game absence with a sprained right ankle for the Pelicans, who lost for only the second time in six games.
&ldquo;We just didn&rsquo;t play with a sense of urgency, and those were my end-of-game comments to our team,&rdquo; coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;We have to play with more force and have a sense of urgency that we just didn&rsquo;t have tonight. Not a great effort on our part.&rdquo;
New Orleans&rsquo; Josh Richardson was ejected for arguing a no-call with 10:52 to play.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Zion Williamson attended the game and greeted James during a timeout. He has missed 22 straight games with a strained hamstring, and he is expected to be out for several weeks after the break. ... Former Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. sat out with left groin soreness.
Lakers: Davon Reed played the final 3 1/2 minutes and hit a 3-pointer. ... Bamba had four points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.

LeBron James had 21 points, Anthony Davis had 28 in the new-look Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

LeBron, Anthony Davis get new-look Lakers past Pelicans

METAIRIE, La. (AP) &mdash; New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Zion Williamson has aggravated his previously injured right hamstring, extending the timeline for his return to &ldquo;multiple weeks past All-Star break,&rdquo; basketball operations chief David Griffin said Sunday.
Griffin said Williamson, who has been averaging 26 points per game this season, had progressed to the point where he was able to participate in 3-on-3 drills in practice and was on the court when he experienced his setback.
When asked how Williamson handled the setback emotionally, Griffin said, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s fair to say not terribly well because he was really diligent in his rehab.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Unfortunately this is an injury that has a very high incidence of recurrence,&rdquo; Griffin said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nothing he did wrong to bring this about. ... It&rsquo;s an injury that&rsquo;s tricky and hard to navigate. I think you&rsquo;ve seen other players around the league have those same re-incidences. It&rsquo;s not unique.&rdquo;
Williamson has missed 20 straight games since his initial hamstring injury on Jan. 2. If he misses the first two weeks after the All-Star break, he will have been out at least 27 games.
Without Williamson, the Pelicans have gone 12-16, but a number of those games were played while high-scoring wing Brandon Ingram also was out.
Ingram is now back in the lineup and has scored 25 or more points in each of his past four games.
The Pelicans enter Monday night&rsquo;s game at Oklahoma City having won three of four, with the lone loss in that stretch coming against surging Cleveland, which is on a six-game winning streak.
The silver lining for the Pelicans is that they have virtually the same core players available now that they had during their playoff run last spring, when Williamson was recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for all of last season.
The Pelicans also made a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-2023-news-recapping-all-moves-of-day-basketball-rumors-sorting-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move at last week&rsquo;s NBA trade deadline</a>&nbsp;that sent 6-foot-1 reserve guard Devonte&rsquo; Graham to San Antonio for veteran 6-5 guard Josh Richardson, who is in his eighth season and is expected to help New Orleans defensively.
New Orleans is 29-28, placing it seventh in the Western Conference entering Sunday.
&ldquo;We all feel for Z, having to navigate these injuries,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an opportunity for guys to kind of band together and go out and play our best basketball."
Green, who played in the NBA for 12 seasons, said it will be important for Williamson to &ldquo;get into a good mental space&rdquo; now.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be important for him to continue to attack the rehab to give himself an opportunity to get back on the floor,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;For the rest of the guys... we&rsquo;ve created a standard. We know how we want to play. Guys have to do it and we all have to kind of come together while Z is out.&rdquo;
The run the Pelicans made last spring without Williamson &ldquo;helps our confidence,&rdquo; Green said.
&ldquo;It gives us not only the belief but the results to know that we can do it,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;We just got continue to go do the things we know we&rsquo;re capable of.&rdquo;

Zion Williamson has aggravated his previously injured right hamstring and he'll miss several more weeks after the All-Star break.

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson has setback with hamstring injury

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Grace Berger finished with a season-high 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Mackenzie Holmes added 24 points as No. 2 Indiana used a late scoring run to pull away from No. 5 Iowa 87-78 on Thursday night.
The Hoosiers (23-1, 12-1 Big Ten) used a 17-7 fourth-quarter run to earn their 11th consecutive win, this time in front of a record crowd of 13,046. Indiana has broken the attendance mark three times since January and now has a 1 1/2-game lead in the chase for its first regular-season conference crown since the Big Ten&rsquo;s inaugural season of 1982-83.
Caitlin Clark had 35 points, 10 assists and four rebounds to lead the Hawkeyes (19-5, 11-2), who lost for the first time since Jan. 1.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 83, AUBURN 48
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke had 15 points and four assists in 20 minutes to lead South Carolina to its 30th straight win.
The Gamecocks (24-0, 11-0 Southeastern Conference) dominated from the start in a game sandwiched between a pair of top-5 matchups. They were coming off an 81-77 win over No. 4 UConn and host No. 3 LSU on Sunday.
Aliyah Boston had 10 points and eight rebounds for South Carolina before exiting with 8:54 left to end a string of eight straight double-doubles.&nbsp;
Sydney Shaw tied her career high with 15 points and made 3 of 4 3-pointers to lead the Tigers (13-10, 3-8). Auburn played without its top scorer and rebounder Aicha Coulibaly, who sat out with a leg injury. Mar&rsquo;shaun Bostic added 10 points.
NO. 6 STANFORD 84, NO. 17 ARIZONA 60
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Cameron Brink and Haley Jones each scored 18 points and Stanford used a strong rebounding performance to beat Arizona.
The Cardinal (23-3, 11-2 Pac-12) won their sixth straight against the Wildcats (18-6, 8-5), a streak that includes the 2021 NCAA title game. Stanford moved into first place in the conference, a half-game ahead of No. 7 Utah.
Jones shot 8 for 11 from the field and added 12 rebounds and six assists. Brink scored all her points and added eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
Paris Clark, Esmery Martinez and Cate Reese led the way for Arizona with 10 points apiece.
NO. 8 MARYLAND 79, NORTHWESTERN 54
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) &mdash; Diamond Miller had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Maryland eased past struggling Northwestern for its seventh win in eight games.
Brir McDaniel added 14 points and the Terrapins (20-5, 12-3 Big Ten) followed up the program&rsquo;s most lopsided win over a top-10 opponent with another dominant performance.
Coming off a 90-54 romp over then-No. 10 Ohio State on Sunday, Maryland outscored Northwestern (8-16, 1-12) 18-2 while holding the Wildcats without a field goal in the second quarter.
Paige Mott led Northwestern with 15 points.
NO. 9 DUKE 68, BOSTON COLLEGE 27
BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Reigan Richardson scored 14 points and Celeste Taylor added 11 to lead Duke to the 1,000th win in the program&rsquo;s history.
Richardson scored 10 points in the second quarter, when the Blue Devils (21-3, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned a five-point lead into a 32-14 runaway. Boston College (14-13, 4-10) made just two baskets in the period, going scoreless for the last 7:55 of the half.
Maria Gakdeng had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles, who shot 18.4% from the field.
NO. 10 NOTRE DAME 69, PITT 63
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Sonia Citron scored 20 points, Maddy Westbeld added 17 to lead Notre Dame.
Sophomore guard Olivia Miles had a double-double of 11 points and 13 assists with seven rebounds and two steals as the Fighting Irish (19-4, 10-3 ACC) extended their home winning streak against Pitt to 16 games.
Senior guard Dayshanette Harris led the Panthers (8-16, 1-12) with a season-high 20 points.
SYRACUSE 75, NO. 14 NORTH CAROLINA 67
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) &mdash; Dyaisha Fair scored 18 of her 23 points in the second half, Georgia Woolley added 20 points and Syracuse used a big third quarter to beat North Carolina.
Dariauna Lewis had 14 points and 15 rebounds for Syracuse (16-9, 7-7 ACC), which outrebounded North Carolina 43-29 to make up for 21 turnovers.
North Carolina was without two starters for the second straight game in Alyssa Ustby (13.6 points and 8.9 rebounds) and Eva Hodgson (10.2 points) due to injury. Deja Kelly led North Carolina (17-7, 8-5) with a career-high 32 points. Kennedy Todd-Williams added 14 points.
MIAMI 86, NO. 19 FLORIDA STATE 82
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Haley Cavinder made eight straight free throws in the final 30 seconds and finished with a career-high 33 points to help Miami beat a ranked team for the third time this season.
Miami used a five-point possession to tie it at 72 with 4:25 left. The Hurricanes took a 75-73 lead on a 3-pointer by Cavinder with 2:10 remaining. Florida State forward Makayla Timpson made layups with 25.2 seconds and 18.5 seconds left, but Cavinder made free throws after each to seal it.
Jasmyne Roberts added 19 points for Miami (16-8, 9-4 ACC) and Ja&rsquo;Leah Williams had 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Timpson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds for Florida State (20-6, 9-4). Sara Bejedi scored 13 points and Ta&rsquo;Niya Latson and Jazmine Massengill each had 12.
NO. 22 N.C. STATE 51, WAKE FOREST 42
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) &mdash;Saniya Rivers scored eight points in the third quarter and 10 of her team-high 12 points in the second half to help North Carolina State pull away from Wake Forest.
The road win was the Wolfpack&rsquo;s ninth straight over Wake Forest and comes after back-to-back losses at Georgia Tech and at home to No. 11 Virginia Tech.
NC State (17-7, 7-6 ACC) made just 19 of 56 shots from the floor (33.9%) and missed all 10 of its 3-point attempts.
Wake Forest (14-11, 5-9) was 16 of 62 from the field (25.8%), including 3 of 20 from beyond the arc. Jewel Spear was 5 of 24 from the field, including 1 of 10 from distance, and finished with 11 points. Elise Williams grabbed 11 rebounds.

A recap of Thursday's action in women's college hoops includes a star-studded top-5 matchup and South Carolina's 30th straight win.