Badgers

Kohl Center

The NBA announced an array of new programming and enhancements on the NBA App ahead of the 2023-24 season.&nbsp; The NBA App &ndash; which generated more than one billion video views this past season, more than triple the prior year&rsquo;s total &ndash; will deliver unique experiences through advanced personalization features, enhanced live game viewing options and expanded content offerings that will bring fans closer to the game.
As part of a deepened personalized experience on the NBA App powered by Microsoft Azure AI Services, fans will have the ability to add multiple team and player tabs to their app main screen, allowing fans to seamlessly access real-time content.&nbsp; The new tabs will include the latest news, trending topics, vertical video highlights and updates related to their favorite teams and players.&nbsp; A new &ldquo;Moments&rdquo; experience will allow fans to scroll through unlimited NBA content using a vertical social media-style interface.&nbsp; NBA ID members will also have expanded benefits this season, with the opportunity to collect badges that offer access to rewards for their continued engagement throughout the season.&nbsp; Fans can collect badges through NBA In-Season Tournament and NBA All-Star voting, daily trivia and more.
To keep fans informed on the latest key storylines from around the league, the NBA will distribute a new daily newsletter &ndash; &ldquo;Starting 5&rdquo; &ndash; with current and former NBA players, coaches and analytics experts serving as guest contributors, including the Boston Celtics&rsquo; Jayson Tatum, Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Basketball Hall of Famer Pau Gasol and more.&nbsp; &nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oC0l57KodxM?si=6IKSjoK1iQQ_43ia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
NBA Entertainment will present a wide range of new original content on the NBA App, including &ldquo;Bring it Home,&rdquo; narrated by Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.&nbsp; &ldquo;Bring it Home&rdquo; offers a behind-the-scenes look into the Nuggets&rsquo; 2022-23 season, which culminated in the franchise&rsquo;s first-ever NBA championship.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pass the Rock&rdquo; will return for season two to provide an in-depth look at the league&rsquo;s up-and-coming stars, featuring Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, among others.&nbsp;
The NBA App will feature more than 10,000 additional hours of programming to entertain fans throughout the 2023-24 season, including:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>NBA CrunchTime: &ldquo;NBA CrunchTime&rdquo; &ndash; the league&rsquo;s weekly whiparound show taking fans live to crucial moments of each game and providing real-time updates and analysis &ndash; returns with more than 50 episodes, twice as many as last season.&nbsp; Hosted by Jared Greenberg and produced by NBA TV, which is jointly managed by TNT Sports, &ldquo;NBA CrunchTime&rdquo; will debut on Monday, Oct. 30 this season.</li>
<li>Race for the NBA Cup:&nbsp;&ldquo;Race for the Cup&rdquo; will document the inaugural&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;In-Season Tournament, giving fans exclusive access to teams competing for the first NBA Cup from tip-off on Nov. 3 through the championship game in Las Vegas on Dec. 9.</li>
<li>Coaches Corner:&nbsp;&ldquo;Coaches Corner&rdquo; will feature NBA coaches breaking down the X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s in interviews and game-film analysis, including sessions with Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones, hosts of the popular &ldquo;The Dunker Spot&rdquo; podcast.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
This season, NBA League Pass &ndash; the league&rsquo;s live game subscription service &ndash; will feature an enhanced live game streaming experience making it easier for fans to switch between multiple broadcast and language options while interacting with dynamic overlays featuring live player stats, scores and betting odds and other content.&nbsp; Returning this season, NBA League Pass subscribers will also have the ability to stream multiple games simultaneously with multi-view.&nbsp;&nbsp;Packages&nbsp;are available on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/league-pass-stream" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/watch/league-pass-stream&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698011649436000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2jyfqyyOx5tXE_yFOCtUP4">NBA.com</a>&nbsp;and the NBA App with a premium commercial-free option available at $149.99 a year (or $22.99 a month), providing access to more than 800 live out-of-market games, the ability to download games for offline viewing and a variety of alternate telecast options, including NBA Strategy Stream, NBABet Stream and NBA HooperVision.&nbsp; Students attending accredited universities and colleges in the U.S. can purchase NBA League Pass at an all-new discounted price.
Later this season,&nbsp;cross-platform Watch Parties will be available to NBA App mobile users.&nbsp; The feature will allow NBA League Pass subscribers to video chat with up to four participants while watching a synchronized video broadcast.&nbsp; The cross-platform approach enables fans globally to watch games together on Apple and Android devices.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The new NBA League Pass, NBA App and NBA ID features were celebrated in the league&rsquo;s tip-off campaign spots, &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8--pQYx9ylc" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D8--pQYx9ylc&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698011649436000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0HfpjLH9fRGpXuIFORBu-8">So Much Game</a>&rdquo; and &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC0l57KodxM" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DoC0l57KodxM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698011649436000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Rsplt7zjnmKhmFvv9SBBM">Everyone&rsquo;s NBA App</a>,&rdquo; spotlighting the true fan excitement when engaging in the live game experience on the NBA&rsquo;s digital consumer products.
The NBA App &ndash; a product of NBA Digital, the league&rsquo;s joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports &ndash; is powered by Microsoft Azure and free to download&nbsp;<a href="https://global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id=811567537499273278&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9U3NQ4uCfX2rUgtTQIABsQiVCQAAAA%3D" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id%3D811567537499273278%26_branch_referrer%3DH4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9U3NQ4uCfX2rUgtTQIABsQiVCQAAAA%253D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698011649436000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ujyqMpv6BGQpt5_mC7LPN">here</a>.

The NBA announced an array of new programming and enhancements on the NBA App ahead of the 2023-24 season.

NBA App launches personalization features, new original programming

College basketball is full of excitement and drama. While winning a national championship is the ultimate goal for every team, there have been many loaded squads that came up short.&nbsp;
While the teams on this list didn&rsquo;t win a title, they are still often mentioned among the best teams in the history of college basketball. Here are the best college-basketball teams that failed to win it all.&nbsp;
11. 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats
The 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats were coached by Adolph Rupp and their talented roster included future NBA stars Pat Riley and Louie Dampier. The Wildcats finished the season with a record of 27-2 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Texas Western Miners. In a game that would later be immortalized in the movie "Glory Road," the Miners upset the Wildcats, 72-65.
10. 2006-07 Ohio State Buckeyes
Led by future No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and longtime NBA point guard Mike Conley, the Buckeyes were hoping to win their second national championship in program history. Ohio State, traditionally a football school, finished the season 35-4 and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. The Buckeyes advanced to the national championship game, where they faced a loaded Florida Gators squad that was led by future NBA All-Stars Joakim Noah and Al Horford.&nbsp;
In the national championship game, Oden avoided the foul trouble that had plagued him earlier in the tournament and put up a dominant 25 points and 12 rebounds. However, it wasn&rsquo;t enough, as the Gators defeated the Buckeyes 84-75 behind Horford's 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Four players from the Buckeyes' roster would go on to play in the NBA: Conley, Oden, Daequan Cook and Othello Hunter.
9. 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini
The 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini were a dominant force in college basketball. Coached by Bruce Weber and led by Dee Brown and Deron Williams, the Illini won their first 29 games of the season and finished with a 37-2 record.&nbsp;
Illinois advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the North Carolina Tar Heels (who were led by Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants and Marvin Williams). Despite a valiant effort, the Illini fell just short, losing 75-70. Five of their players would go on to play in the NBA: Williams, Brown, Luther Head, Roger Powell and James Augustine.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/rose22.jpg" alt="" width="690" height="349" />
8. 2007-08 Memphis Tigers
Yes, John Calipari has back-to-back teams on this list. Coach Cal&rsquo;s 2007-08 Memphis Tigers were absolutely loaded and they were led by Derrick Rose, who would go on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey and Antonio Anderson were also key contributors who eventually had stints in the NBA.
The Tigers finished the season with a record of 38-2 and they advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Kansas Jayhawks. Despite a strong effort, the Tigers were unable to overcome the Jayhawks. Memphis missed a number of late free throws, which opened the door for Mario Chalmers to hit <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/march-madness-ranking-the-top11-ncaa-tournament-buzzerbeaters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in modern NCAA Tournament history</a> and force overtime. Kansas would go on to win, 75-68.
7. 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers
Led by head coach Bob Knight, the 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers finished the season with a record of 31-1 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Kentucky Wildcats. Despite a strong effort, the Hoosiers were upset by the Wildcats, 92-90.&nbsp;
The Hoosiers would have eight players who would go on to play in the NBA: Scott May, Steve Green, Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, John Laskowski, Bob Wilkerson, Tom Abernethy and Wayne Radford.
6. 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks
The 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks featured a pair of future NBA stars (Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz) and one of the best coaches in college-basketball history (Roy Williams). The Jayhawks finished the season with a record of 34-2 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the&nbsp; Arizona Wildcats.&nbsp;
Pierce put together a monster performance &mdash; 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 threes, 2 blocks and 2 steals on 69.2/60/100 shooting splits &mdash; but it wasn't enough to defeat Mike Bibby&rsquo;s Wildcats. The Jayhawks lost 85-82 in overtime. In addition to Pierce and LaFrentz, Kansas had four other players go on to the NBA: Scot Pollard, Billy Thomas, Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Robertson.
5. 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats
The 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats, coached by John Calipari, featured quite the collection of young, high-upside talent. Led by future NBA superstars Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, the Wildcats finished the season with a perfect record of 38-0.
Kentucky advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Wisconsin Badgers and were ultimately upset 71-64. In total, a whopping nine Wildcats would go on to play in the NBA: Towns, Booker, Trey Lyles, Willie Cauley-Stein, Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Tyler Ulis, Dakari Johnson and Alex Poythress.
4. 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas
The 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas, coached by John Thompson, were a powerhouse team that featured future NBA star Patrick Ewing. The Hoyas finished the season with a record of 35-3 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Villanova Wildcats.&nbsp;
In one of the biggest upsets in college-basketball history, the Wildcats defeated the Hoyas 66-64. In addition to Ewing, Georgetown had four other players who went on to play in the NBA: Reggie Williams, Bill Martin, David Wingate and Michael Jackson.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/web2.jpg" alt="" width="690" height="348" />
3. 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines
The prior season, the Fab Five took college basketball by storm, with bald heads and baggy shorts. They started five true freshmen and had a great season, making it all the way to the national championship game, where they were handled by a veteran Duke squad that was led by Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, losing 71-51.
In the 1992-93 season, the Wolverines were widely regarded as the most talented team in the country and they were the favorites to win it all. Unfortunately, they fell short to North Carolina in the national championship game in one of the most memorable endings in sports history. Future No. 1 pick Chris Webber called a timeout that Michigan didn&rsquo;t have, as they lost 77-71. Michigan had five players who would later play in the NBA: Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Eric Riley (plus Rob Pelinka would go on to run the Los Angeles Lakers' front office).
2. 1982-83 Houston Cougars
Led by future Hall-of-Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the 1982-83 Houston Cougars were known as "Phi Slama Jama" for their high-flying style of play. The Cougars were a dominant force on both ends of the court. They advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the N.C. State Wolfpack. Despite a 20-point lead in the second half, the Cougars were upset by the Wolfpack, 54-52. In addition to the superstar pairing of Olajuwon and Drexler, Houston also had two other players who would go on to play in the NBA: Michael Young and Larry Micheaux.
1. 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels are one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time, despite not winning the national championship. Coached by Jerry Tarkanian, the Rebels had an incredible season, finishing with a record of 34-1.&nbsp;
Led by Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, the Rebels played an up-tempo style of basketball that was both thrilling and effective. In the Final Four, they lost a close game to the Duke Blue Devils, who would go on to win the national championship. Johnson, Augmon and Anthony would go on to thrive in the NBA, and two other Rebels would also make it to the league (Elmore Spencer and Eyric Gray).
Would you rank these teams differently? Who is missing from this list? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts now</a>!

Jamal Shakespeare looks back on 11 all-time great college basketball teams that failed to win a championship.

Revisiting 11 loaded NCAA-basketball teams that failed to win it all

The madness of March: It&rsquo;s as exhilarating as it is exhausting, as mesmerizing as it is memorable. The abrupt ending of an entire career, a legacy defined in two to three seconds. It almost seems unfair, but that&rsquo;s the beauty of the win-or-go-home tournament.&nbsp;
Every game is a Game 7. The unpredictability, the passion, the tears, the celebration. The NCAA Tournament is one of the few sporting events that&rsquo;s more defined by the incomparable upsets than the eventual champion.
Even non-basketball fans get in on the fun each year, with office pools and bracket challenges. While college sports and amateurism are under a drastic transformation, &ldquo;The Tournament&rdquo; still has a nostalgic feel to it. The incredible buzzer-beaters are one of the many reasons why.
Narrowing this list down was a tall task, so before we get started, it&rsquo;s important that we establish the criteria:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">It has to be a game-winning or game-tying shot in the final seconds.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">It has to be in the &ldquo;modern era&rdquo; (i.e. since the three-point line and shot clock).&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">The later in the tournament, the higher the stakes, the more the shot means.</li>
</ul>
With that being said, here are the 11 most memorable buzzer-beaters in modern men's NCAA Tournament history.
11. Michigan State vs. Maryland, Korie Lucious (2010 Second Round)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h3_bcJyAaI4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In one of the rare times Tom Izzo didn&rsquo;t call timeout in the waning seconds of a game, it paid off for him big time. You might recognize that big fella bringing the ball up the court; that&rsquo;s a slightly heavier Draymond Green, doing what he&rsquo;s been doing for the last decade in the Bay, pushing the tempo, drawing attention and then getting the ball to a knockdown shooter.&nbsp;
Maryland never properly matched up, and Korie Lucious only needed one rhythm dribble to send the Spartans to the Sweet Sixteen.
10. Wisconsin vs. Xavier, Bronson Koenig (2016 Second Round)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FtLCqvqO1nk" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The Musketeers had the ball in a tie game but turned it over, which led to one of the smoothest walk-off game-winners you will ever see.&nbsp;
Looking like he was in the gym shooting all by himself, All-Big-Ten guard Bronson Koenig caught the ball on the sideline, smartly took an escape dribble and hit the corner three that sent the Badgers to the Sweet Sixteen.
9. Connecticut vs. Washington, Richard Hamilton (1998 Sweet Sixteen)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gEDFV-UdivU" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This entire sequence was amazing. I love how the refs swallowed their whistle on the first two attempts. Those may have been foul calls earlier in the game, but not with the championship on the line. Washington had a huge frontline that year, but ultimately ended up one rebound short.&nbsp;
Also, this is good coaching by Hall-of-Famer Jim Calhoun. In college, you have to go early because the opposing team cannot advance the ball to halfcourt with a timeout, so there&rsquo;s no point in waiting too long and eliminating the chance of getting an offensive rebound.&nbsp;
Rip Hamilton would go on to win both an NCAA championship and NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;
&nbsp;8.Valparaiso vs. Ole Miss, Bryce Drew (1998 First Round)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J1eOGcHXsgU" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This is definitely the most schematic of any buzzer-beaters on this list. The son of the coach coming through in the clutch seems perfectly scripted for a Disney movie.
As with most of these incredible shots, it involves missed free throws and an underrated pass. The defense on this play was phenomenal (which can&rsquo;t be said for another historic shot that we&rsquo;ll get to in a bit).
7. Michigan vs. Houston, Jordan Poole (2018 Second Round)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1n4rqMnxaig" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Long before he was a spark plug off the bench for the world-champion Golden State Warriors, Jordan Poole was hitting big shots in Ann Arbor. He drove Coach John Beilein crazy with his shot selection, but one of the reasons he earned such a long leash was his uncanny ability to hit shots from anywhere and at any angle.&nbsp;
6. UCLA vs. Mizzou, Tyus Edney (1995 Second Round)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NS8QCoYfzW8" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Every national champion has one of &ldquo;those&rdquo; games where despite having the superior roster, they probably should have lost. The Bruins were loaded! This roster featured eight guys who eventually played in the NBA. But the longer the game stays close, the more the pressure shifts to the No. 1 seed.&nbsp;&nbsp;
5. Michigan vs. Kansas, Trey Burke (2013 Sweet Sixteen)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HBxJvgANTwA" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In 2013, Trey Burke was named the National Player of the Year and he carried the Wolverines all season long. The debate of whether to foul when up three points is for another column, but this was a Damian-Lillard-range three, and no one wants to risk a foul that far from the basket.&nbsp;
4. Kansas vs. Memphis, Mario Chalmers (2008 NCAA Championship Game)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E84y-SrwUtA" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Mario Chalmers is a legend in Lawrence for as long as he lives. The Memphis Tigers were led by soon-to-be-first-overall-pick Derrick Rose and the silky smooth Chris Douglas-Roberts, and they had the game won until &ndash; and stop me if you have read this before &ndash; crucial free-throw misses opened the door for Kansas. This allowed Chalmers to force overtime, and the rest is history.&nbsp;
Coach Cal has gone on to win a national championship at Kentucky, but I bet if you caught him in a hotel bar on a recruiting trip, he would admit that he should have fouled Kansas before Chalmers even had the opportunity to hoist up this miracle three-point attempt.&nbsp;
3. Gonzaga vs. UCLA, Jalen Suggs (2021 Final Four)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sx3LuhZOFn8" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Gonzaga truly seemed like a team of destiny after Jalen Suggs hit the running bank shot against UCLA to remain undefeated and advance to the national championship game. While they would ultimately fall to Baylor two days later, the shot was ridiculous.&nbsp;
And unlike many of the plays on this list, UCLA didn&rsquo;t really do anything wrong. They didn&rsquo;t miss a free throw or look confused on defense. They lost on a straight-in bank from half-court, which even seemed to cause Gonzaga head coach Mark Few to feel a bit guilty.
2. Duke vs. Kentucky, Christian Laettner (1992 Elite Eight)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Uo3G2MfOYeA" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Kentucky fans, look away. Hate him or really hate him, Christian Laettner was one of the greatest college players of all-time.&nbsp;
This game was one for the ages. Duke was the defending national champion. They were led by the aforementioned Laettner, All-American pest/point guard Bobby Hurley and budding superstar/future Hall-of-Famer Grant HIll.&nbsp;
Somewhat lost in the dramatic ending is the fact that Laettner was literally perfect on the night. He shot 10-of-10 from the field and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, and he finished with a state line of 31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
1. Villanova vs. UNC, Kris Jenkins (2016 NCAA Championship Game)
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7FFJUz0tdo" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The dream of all dreams. This is the scenario that every boy or girl who has ever played basketball at any level has imagined hundreds of times. A few seconds left. The ball in your hands. A title on the line. Three, two, one&hellip; You drill the game-winner and become a champion.&nbsp;
On April 4, 2016, Kris Jenkins turned this dream into reality. The timing is an underrated aspect of this play. The pass was right on time, and right on target &ndash; soft and chest-high. This let Jenkins shoot in rhythm &ndash; a shot that he had made thousands of times before. You gotta love how Jay Wright showed the emotion of John Wick as he walked to shake Roy Williams&rsquo; hand.&nbsp;
HONORABLE MENTION
Connecticut vs. Clemson, Tate George (1990 Sweet Sixteen)
Duke vs. Connecticut, Christian Laettner (1990 Elite Eight)

With March Madness upon us, Basketball News revisits 11 of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in NCAA Tournament history.

March Madness: Ranking the top-11 men's NCAA Tournament buzzer-beaters

March Madness is coming up fast. Here is what to know along with some key games to watch and who&rsquo;s on the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament:
KEY DATES
All eyes will be on the conference tournaments this week:
&mdash; The ACC Tournament starts things off March 7-11 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
&mdash; The Big 12 Tournament will be March 8-11 in Kansas City, Missouri.
&mdash; The Big Ten Tournament will be March 8-12 in Chicago.
&mdash; The Big East Tournament will be March 8-11 in New York.
&mdash; The Pac-12 Tournament will be March 8-11 in Las Vegas.
&mdash; The SEC Tournament will be March 8-12 in Nashville, Tennessee.
MARCH MADNESS
Selection Sunday is March 12, when bracket matchups will be set for the First Four and first- and second-round games that stretch from Florida to California.
Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City (East Region), Las Vegas (West), Kansas City, Missouri (Midwest), and Louisville, Kentucky (South).
Where is the Final Four? In Houston, on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.
Basketball aficionados, take note: The women&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament will hold its Final Four in Dallas, a four-hour drive up the road from Houston.
BETTING GUIDE
Who&rsquo;s going to win the national championship? With the regular season over, the betting favorites as of this week to reach the Final Four are Houston, Alabama, Kansas and UCLA, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. That differs from the top teams in the NCAA&rsquo;s initial seed watch, which had Purdue in the top four, not UCLA. All of this matches many of the teams in the AP Top 25, too.
WHO&rsquo;S IN
These teams are already going dancing after landing their league&rsquo;s automatic bid: Gonzaga (West Coast, 28-5), Kennesaw State (26-8, Atlantic Sun), UNC Asheville (27-7, Big South), Fairleigh Dickinson (19-14, Northeast), Drake (27-7, Missouri Valley), Furman (27-7, Southern), Louisiana-Lafayette (26-7, Sun Belt), Southeast Missouri State (19-16, Ohio Valley), College of Charleston (31-3, Colonial Athletic) and Oral Roberts (30-4, Summit).
BUBBLE WATCH
North Carolina (19-12). The Tar Heels had a chance to strengthen their NCAA Tournament chances against Duke last weekend and failed with a 62-57 loss. Now the preseason No. 1 needs to avoid an early exit in this week&rsquo;s ACC Tournament or Selection Sunday could be a very nervous day.
Arizona State (20-11). The Sun Devils picked up a huge resume-boosting win at No. 8 Arizona on Desmond Cambridge Jr.&rsquo;s 60-foot buzzer beater. Getting swept on the road by the Pac-12&prime;s Southern California teams puts them in the position of possibly needing a couple of wins in the conference tournament to get into the field of 68.
Wisconsin (17-13). The Badgers missed an opportunity with a two-point loss to No. 5 Purdue in their penultimate regular-season game. Wisconsin could use a good run in the Big Ten Tournament, starting Wednesday against Ohio State.
WAC: Utah Valley won the Western Athletic Conference&rsquo;s regular-season title, but is not the No. 1 seed in this week&rsquo;s conference tournament in Las Vegas. Sam Houston, which finished a half-game behind the Wolverines, got the No. 1 seed based on the conference&rsquo;s new, analytics-based seeding model. It could be a wacky week in the WAC.
GAME(S) TO WATCH
Providence (21-10) vs. No. 11 UConn, Big East Tournament quarterfinals, Thursday, 2:30 p.m. Eastern (FS1). The Friars had been in solid NCAA Tournament shape before closing the regular season with home losses to No. 15 Xavier and Seton Hall. Beating the Huskies could give Providence a huge boost. The teams split their matchups this season, each winning at home by 12.
Auburn (20-11) vs. Arkansas (19-12), SEC Tournament quarterfinals, Thursday, 7 p.m. Eastern (SECN). As statement wins go, the Tigers&rsquo; 79-70 takedown of No. 17 Tennessee in the regular-season finale was massive. Auburn faces another tough challenge in its SEC Tournament opener against Arkansas. The Razorbacks closed the regular season with three straight losses, so winning at least one game in Nashville would make them feel a whole lo better on Selection Sunday.

What to know along with some key games to watch and who’s on the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday for the men's NCAA Tournament.

March Madness 2023: Tar Heels’ NCAA tourney hopes precarious

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jamal Shead scored a career-high 25 points, Marcus Sasser added 24 and No. 1 Houston defeated Wichita State 83-66 on Thursday night.
Shead shot 10 of 17 from the field. The junior was 4 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Sasser tied the school career record for most 3-pointers set by Robert McKiver with 261. He also scored at least 20 points for the sixth straight game, and chants of &ldquo;Sasser&rdquo; filled the Fertitta Center after it was over.
Jarace Walker had 11 points and nine rebounds for Houston (28-2, 16-1 American Athletic Conference). The Cougars shot 47%, including 9 of 25 on 3s, in winning their 10th straight game.
Houston forced 20 turnovers, which it converted into 17 points.
Craig Porter Jr. had 17 points and seven rebounds, Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points and Kenny Pohto had 12 for Wichita State (15-14, 8-9).
No. 4 UCLA 79, ARIZONA STATE 61
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 26 points as UCLA pulled away in the second half to defeat Arizona State.
Tyger Campbell added 16 points and Jaylen Clark 15 for the regular-season Pac-12 champion Bruins (26-4, 17-2), who have won nine straight as they continue their bid for a top seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
DJ Horne had 13 points and Warren Washington added 12 for the Sun Devils (20-10, 11-8).
Jaquez scored 15 of UCLA&rsquo;s first 19 points. He started 6 of 8 from the field while the rest of the team was 1 for 11.
The Bruins led 38-34 less than a minute into the second half before they broke things open with a 12-3 run that included five points by Campbell and four from Clark.
No. 5 PURDUE 63, WISCONSIN 61
MADISON, Wis. (AP) &mdash; Zach Edey had 17 points and 19 rebounds as Purdue outlasted Wisconsin, damaging the Badgers&rsquo; NCAA Tournament hopes.
Purdue (25-5, 14-5) already had clinched the Big Ten regular-season title outright before the end of this game by virtue of Illinois&rsquo; 91-87 double-overtime victory over Michigan. The Illinois-Michigan game concluded late in the first half of the Purdue-Wisconsin matchup.
But there was still plenty at stake in this game as Purdue sought to make its case for a No. 1 seed and Wisconsin (16-13, 8-11) attempted to boost its postseason credentials. Neither team led by more than three points for the final 12 minutes.
In the eighth and final lead change of the second half, Edey made both ends of a one-and-one to put Purdue ahead 58-57 with 1:45 left. Edey had been 1 of 6 from the line before sinking those two.
Wisconsin&rsquo;s Chucky Hepburn missed a baseline jumper with 1:15 remaining, but Purdue&rsquo;s Ethan Morton misfired on a 3-pointer with 47 seconds remaining.
The Badgers called a timeout and got the ball to Max Klesmit, who missed a driving layup attempt as the Kohl Center crowd pleaded for a foul call.
No. 8 ARIZONA 87, USC 81
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Azoulas Tubelis scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and No. 8 Arizona ended USC&rsquo;s 14-game home win streak.
It was the Wildcats&rsquo; first game since they were upset by rival Arizona State on an improbable half-court shot at the buzzer, 89-88. Arizona has not lost back-to-back games in the two seasons Tommy Lloyd has been its coach.
Arizona&rsquo;s inside game with Tubelis and Oumar Ballo gave the Trojans trouble all night and the pair finished with 35 points and 15 rebounds, plus each had three assists, a steal and a blocked shot.
The Wildcats (25-5, 14-5 Pac-12) extended their lead to as many as 15 points midway through the second half, but Ellis poured in 16 points over the final nine minutes to get the Trojans within five points in the final minute.
Boogie Ellis scored 35 points to lead the Trojans (21-9, 13-6),

A recap of Thursday's action in top-10 men's college hoops includes the No. 1 Cougars routing the Shockers.

Shead, Sasser lead No. 1 Houston past Wichita State 83-66

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Destiny Littleton scored 18 points with six assists as Southern California pulled off a program-defining victory Sunday with a 55-46 upset victory over No. 2 Stanford.
Okako Adika scored 11 points with 11 rebounds, while Taylor Bigby and Kayla Williams added nine points each as the Trojans set the tone with their defense and held on late to end a 14-game losing streak against the Cardinal, who had won 51 straight against unranked opponents.
It was USC&rsquo;s first victory over Stanford (17-2, 5-1 Pac-12) since the 2014 conference tournament. Cameron Brink scored 11 points with 14 rebounds for Stanford, which saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end.
USC (13-4, 3-3) held Stanford to four points in the first quarter, its low for any period this season.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 81, MISSOURI 50
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Aliyah Boston had 20 points and 10 rebounds for her 71st career double-double and South Carolina won its 24th straight by beating Missouri.
Boston&rsquo;s 11th game with double-figure points and rebounds moved her with one of program-record holder Sheila Foster &mdash; and kept the Gamecocks perfect at 18-0 and 6-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
Zia Cooke added 16 points and Ashlyn Watkins 13 for the Gamecocks.&nbsp;
Missouri (14-5, 3-3) lost its third straight after opening SEC play with three consecutive victories. Lauren Hansen finished with 14 points to lead the Tigers.
NO. 4 UCONN 65, GEORGETOWN 50
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Aaliyah Edwards scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as UConn opened up a close game against Georgetown in the second half.
Huskies leading scorer Azzi Fudd left the game in the first half when she appeared to reinjure her right knee. Fudd was playing in just her second game back after missing the previous eight after hurting that knee in December.
Dorka Juhasz had 13 points for the UConn (15-2, 8-0 Big East), and Nika Muhl and Lou Lopez Senechal each added 12.
Brianna Scott led Georgetown (8-9, 1-7) with 11 points.
NO. 5 LSU 84, AUBURN 54
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese had 23 points and 15 rebounds to maintain her streak of double-doubles in every game this season, and LSU improved its program-record best start to 18-0 with a win over Auburn.
Jasmine Carson scored 18 points, and Alexis Morris had 12 points and 10 assists for LSU, which led the entire way to end up 6-0 in Southeastern Conference play &mdash; winning each of those by 19 or more points.
Precious Johnson scored 13 points and Kharyssa Richardson added 10 for Auburn (10-7, 0-5), which lost its fifth straight since opening SEC play.
NO. 6 INDIANA 93, WISCONSIN 56
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 29 points and Yarden Garzon added 19 to help Indiana run to a 93-56 win over Wisconsin.
Indiana (16-1, 5-1 Big Ten) shot 55% from the field, including 8-for-20 from beyond the arc, while its defense held Wisconsin (6-12, 2-5) to 35% shooting.
The Badgers had no answers for Holmes, who shot 11-for-15 from the field in her 26 minutes.
Wisconsin was led by Brooke Schramek&rsquo;s 13 points and Serah Williams&rsquo; 10.
NO. 7 NOTRE DAME 72, SYRACUSE 56
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) &mdash; Olivia Miles scored 13 of her game-high 23 points during the second half of Notre Dame&rsquo;s win over Syracuse.
Dara Mabrey chipped in 15 points for the Irish (14-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who were coming off a dominant 86-47 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday. Miles also had seven boards and seven assists.
Dyaisha Fair&rsquo;s 14 points led the way for the Orange (13-5, 4-3), who entered Sunday on a three-game winning streak.
NO. 8 UCLA 87, CALIFORNIA 70
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Freshman Londynn Jones had 18 points and Charisma Osborne added 17 to lead UCLA past Cal.
UCLA star freshman Kiki Rice had a double double with 15 points and a career-high 12 assists.
The Bruins (15-3, 4-2 Pac-12) trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter but came back. Cal played well on the road and kept it close until the fourth, when UCLA, trailing by two points, went on a 12-2 run.
Kemery Martin had a game-high 23 points for the Bears ((10-7, 1-5).
NO. 9 MARYLAND 80, RUTGERS 56
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) &mdash; Diamond Miller had 17 points, six rebounds and five steals, and Maryland forced 17 first-half turnovers in a victory over Rutgers.
The Terrapins (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) rebounded from a loss at No. 6 Indiana earlier in the week. Brinae Alexander led Maryland with 20 points, surpassing 1,000 for her career, and Abby Meyers added 14 with three steals.
The Terps beat Rutgers (8-11, 2-5) for the second time in 14 days. The Scarlet Knights turned the ball over 22 times in the first meeting, and they had 23 on Sunday against Maryland&rsquo;s pressing defense.
Kaylene Smikle scored 21 points for Rutgers and Chyna Cornwell contributed 15.
NO. 10 UTAH 80, NO. 14 ARIZONA 79
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Alissa Pili scored 27 points, including the winning free throws with 0.3 seconds left, to lead Utah past Arizona.
Pili went 11 of 16 from the field, while Gianna Kneepkens finished with 20 points and seven rebounds for the Utes (15-1, 5-1 Pac-12). Issy Palmer added 10 points.
Cate Reese tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Arizona (14-4, 4-3). Jade Loville finished with 17 points and Esmery Martinez and Shaina Pellington chipped in 10 apiece for the Wildcats, who lost their second straight game.
NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 56, NO. 11 N.C. STATE 47
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Kennedy Todd-Williams scored eight of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, Destiny Adams scored all of her eight points in the final 4 minutes and North Carolina beat rival N.C. State.
Alyssa Ustby added nine points and a career-high 18 rebounds for North Carolina (12-5, 3-3 ACC).
Jakia Brown-Turner led N.C. State (13-4, 3-3) with 14 points and Camille Hobby scored 13 in a game that saw 10 lead changes and six ties through the first three quarters.
TEXAS 68, NO. 15 IOWA STATE 53
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; DeYona Gaston scored 17 points and Shaylee Gonzales had five of her 11 in a game-breaking 13-0 run in the fourth quarter and Texas defeated Iowa State.
Izzi Zingaro&rsquo;s layup to open the fourth quarter pulled the Cyclones within 52-49 but they went scoreless for the next 6:17, missing five shots with five turnovers as the Longhorns increased the defensive pressure.
Sonya Morris added 11 points for the Longhorns (13-5, 4-1 Big 12 Conference), who have won 10 of 11 since a 5-4 start knocked them out of the rankings.
Ashley Joens scored 21 points for Iowa State (11-4, 3-2) and grabbed six rebounds to become the Cyclones&rsquo; all-team leading rebounder.
NO. 16 DUKE 65, GEORGIA TECH 47
ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Celeste Taylor scored 13 points, Elizabeth Balogun added 12 and Duke overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Georgia Tech for its 11th straight win.
The Yellow Jackets managed only six of their 19 second-half points in the fourth quarter and Duke (16-1, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) did not allow a point in the final 5:45 of the game, outscoring Georgia Tech 9-0 down the stretch.
Kayla Blackshear led Georgia Tech (9-9, 0-7 ACC) with 14 points. She made 7 of 10 shots and grabbed eight rebounds. Tonie Morgan added 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.
WEST VIRGINIA 74, NO. 18 BAYLOR 65
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) &mdash; Madisen Smith and Ja&rsquo;Naiya Quinerly scored 17 points apiece, Jayla Hemingway added 15 points and 14 rebounds and West Virginia&rsquo;s defense forced seven fourth-quarter turnovers in its win over Baylor.
West Virginia (12-4, 3-2 Big 12) has won three consecutive games and improved to 4-22 all-time against Baylor.
Sarah Andrews hit four 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs added 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Caitlin Bickle scored 10 points for Baylor (12-4, 3-1).
WASHINGTON STATE 85, NO. 21 OREGON 84, OT
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Bella Murekatete scored 20 points, Jessica Clark scored six of her career-high 14 in overtime and Washington State defeated Oregon for its first win over a ranked team since 1998.
Washington State won despite giving up a 14-point lead in the final four minutes, allowing the tying free throws with 0.1 left in regulation and surviving an Oregon shot in the closing seconds of overtime. The Cougars never trailed in the extra session, which started with a Clark layup for a 78-76 lead.
Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 17 points for Washington State (13-3, 3-3 Pac-12 Conference), Johanna Teder had 15 and Ula Motuga had 14 with 10 rebounds.
Endyia Rogers scored 33 points, making 6 of 8 3-point attempts, for Oregon (13-5, 4-3), Chance Gray added 22, Te-Hina Paopao 11 and Grace VanSlooten 10.
NO. 24 ILLINOIS 70, MINNESOTA 57
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Makira Cook scored 20 points, Genesis Bryant added 18 and Illinois celebrated its first game as a ranked team in 23 years with a win over Minnesota.
Brynn Shoup-Hill and Adalia McKenzie both added 13 points for the Illini (15-3, 5-2 Big Ten Conference), who haven&rsquo;t had a winning season since 2012-13, haven&rsquo;t made the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and were last ranked on Nov. 27, 2000.
Alanna Micheaux scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Golden Gophers (8-10, 1-6), who have lost five straight. Micheaux was 11-of-16 shooting, her teammates 12 of 46 (26%).

A recap of Sunday's top-25 action in women's college basketball includes the Trojans' first victory over the Cardinal in nine years.

USC topples No. 2 Stanford, its first vs Cardinal since 2014

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 12 of his 16 points in overtime, including the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:34 remaining, and No. 17 Illinois rallied to hand second-ranked Texas its first loss of the season, 85-78 on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.
Jayden Epps added 11 points, including the final five points of regulation &mdash; a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left and two tying free throws with 8 seconds remaining. Epps then blocked Marcus Carr&rsquo;s jumper in the lane just before the buzzer to force overtime in an entertaining showdown at Madison Square Garden.
Matthew Mayer, who faced Texas several times at Baylor, tied a career high with 21 points as he made his first seven shots and finished 8 of 10.
Shannon, who missed eight of nine shots in regulation, took over in the extra period to help Illinois (7-2) beat a ranked foe for the second time this season.
Timmy Allen scored a season-high 21 points for Texas (6-1), which failed to open 7-0 for the first time since 2014-15. Tyrese Hunter added 10 points but Carr was held to nine points on 3-of-14 shooting as Texas had 12 shots blocked and shot 42%.
NO. 1 HOUSTON 76, NORTH FLORIDA 42
HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Ja&rsquo;Vier Francis scored 14 points, star Marcus Sasser had 12 points in the first eight minutes before leaving with a cut over his eye, and Houston coasted past North Florida.&nbsp;
Sasser, who entered the game averaging 17.5 points, made two 3-pointers early but got hit in the face and left with a cut that required stitches.
Jarace Walker had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Houston (9-0), and Tramon Mark scored 10.
Jarius Hicklen led the Ospreys (2-6) with 12 points.
NO. 3 VIRGINIA 55, JAMES MADISON 50
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 17 points, Jayden Gardner had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Virginia beat its feisty in-state rival.
The Cavaliers (8-0), who lost starting guard Reece Beekman to a right leg injury early in the first half, prevented the Dukes (7-3) from winning a second straight December game in Charlottesville. James Madison beat Virginia 52-49 last Dec. 7.
Takal Molson scored 20 points for James Madison, including a 3-pointer that tied the game at 42-all with 7:47 to play. Gardner responded for Virginia by scoring five straight points in a 9-1 run.
The Cavaliers kept the Dukes in the game by missing eight of 13 free throws over the last six minutes.
NO. 9 ARKANSAS 65, UNC GREENSBORO 58
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Standout freshman Nick Smith Jr. scored 22 points in just his third game as Arkansas overcame a sluggish offensive showing to beat North Carolina-Greensboro.
The Razorbacks (8-1) shot 33.3% and trailed for a majority of the game.
Makhi Mitchell had 13 points and 14 rebounds for Arkansas, Davis had 10 points and 10 boards, and Black scored 11 points.
Donovan Atwell led UNC Greensboro (4-6) with 12 points and Dante Treacy added 11.
NO. 12 BAYLOR 80, TARLETON STATE 57
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Freshman Keyonte George scored 22 points, redshirt freshman Langston Love added 20 and Baylor beat Tarleton State.
The Bears (7-2) had trouble early pulling away from the Texans, led by former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie, but finally took a double-digit lead not long after halftime.
Shakur Daniel scored 13 points for the Texans (5-4), who were playing Baylor for the first time since 1986 and the ninth time overall.
WISCONSIN 64, NO. 13 MARYLAND 59
MADISON, Wis. (AP) &mdash; Chucky Hepburn scored 13 points and Steven Crowl added 12 as Wisconsin handed Maryland its first loss under coach Kevin Willard.
Wisconsin (7-2, 1-0 Big Ten) opened a 58-45 lead with a 13-point run, capped by Crowl&rsquo;s two free throws with 3:46 remaining. The Badgers hung on despite making just 15 of 25 free throws in the second half and no field goals over the final 4:03.
Jahmir Young scored 17 points and Julian Reese had 10 for Maryland (8-1, 1-1), which entered averaging 80.8 points per game and outscoring opponents by 19.8.
NO. 15 DUKE 74, IOWA 62
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jeremy Roach tied a career high with 22 points and No. 15 Duke led virtually the entire way against Iowa in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.
The Blue Devils (9-2) won their third straight since a 19-point loss to Purdue last month in the championship game of the Phil Knight Legacy.
Mark Mitchell added 13 of his 17 points in the second half. Kyle Filipowski had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double.
Patrick McCaffery led the Hawkeyes (6-2) with 12 points in a game that had special meaning to him. The junior forward was 13 when he was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid.
NO. 24 TCU 78, JACKSON STATE 51
FORTH WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; JaKobe Coles scored a career-high 21 points, Damion Baugh had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists, and TCU won its fifth straight.
Coles matched his career high with 15 points by halftime. He then had the final six points of an 8-0 run early in the second half for a 54-34 lead. Shahada Wells added 14 points and Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon Jr. scored 11 for TCU (7-1).
Coltie Young made four 3-pointers and scored 14 points for Jackson State (1-7). Romelle Mansel had eight points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.&nbsp;

The Jimmy V Classic started with a bang on Tuesday evening, including a top-tier upset.

Shannon shines in OT, No. 17 Illinois tops No. 2 Texas 85-78

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Olivia Miles had 21 points and eight rebounds for No. 7 Notre Dame, and UConn star Azzi Fudd was injured in a collision with a teammate as the Fighting Irish handed the third-ranked Huskies their first loss of the season, 74-60 on Sunday.
Fudd, who came in averaging 24.0 points per game, exited in the final minute of the first quarter following a collision with teammate Aaliyah Edwards. She returned midway through the second period to play four minutes, but sat the rest of the day, going scoreless on two shots over 13 minutes.
Maddy Westbeld added a season-high 17 points and nine rebounds for Notre Dame (7-1), which bounced back from a 74-72 loss to No. 20 Maryland three days earlier.
Lou Lopez Senechal led UConn (6-1) with 21 points. Edwards added 14.
No. 2 STANFORD 84, No. 23 GONZAGA 63
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Cameron Brink had 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds and Brooke Demetre made five 3s and scored 17 points, leading Stanford past Gonzaga.
The Cardinal (10-1) have now won five straight games after falling to top-ranked South Carolina in overtime on Nov. 20.
Hannah Jump hit four 3s and scored 14 points and Haley Jones had 12 points for Stanford.
Short-handed Gonzaga (7-2), limited to seven players because of illness and injuries, had won three in a row.
No. 4 OHIO STATE 82, RUTGERS 70
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) &mdash; Rebeka Mikulasikova scored a career-high 31 points and Taylor Mikesell added 30 to help Ohio State beat Rutgers, a day that the Scarlet Knights honored former coach C. Vivian Stringer.
The school dedicated the court to Stringer, who retired after last season.
Buoyed by the return of their Hall of Fame coach, Rutgers played its best game of the season against a ranked opponent. Ohio State (8-0) jumped out to a 20-6 lead after one quarter, but the Scarlet Knights (4-6) wouldn&rsquo;t go away.
They were down 18 near the end of the half before Kaylene Smikle hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to get within 43-28. Rutgers continued that momentum in the second half and made it 53-45 with 3:25 left in the third quarter.
Mikulasikova and Mikesell then scored the next six points for Ohio State to restore the double-digit advantage, and Rutgers couldn&rsquo;t recover.
Smikle led Rutgers with 21 points.
No. 5 INDIANA 65, ILLINOIS 61
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 23 points, including a go-ahead layup with 37 seconds left, and Indiana got past Illinois in their Big Ten opener.
Indiana (9-0) had not trailed in the second half of any game this season before going back and forth in the closing minutes with Illinois (3-7).
Makira Cook scored 33 points to lead the Illini.
The Hoosiers were coming off an 87-63 win over No. 6 North Carolina.
No. 9 VIRGINIA TECH 59, TENNESSEE 56
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Kayana Traylor scored 18 points and Virginia Tech held off Tennessee in a Jimmy V Women&rsquo;s Classic matchup.
Jordan Horston led Tennesssee (4-5) with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but missed a pair of late shots that would&rsquo;ve tied it.
Trailing 58-56 with 3 seconds left, Horston was off on a jumper. Down three with 1.1 seconds remaining, her 3-point try from the top of the key bounced off.
Cayla King scored 11 points and Georgia Amoore and D&rsquo;asia Gregg each had 10 for the Hokies (8-0).
Tennessee played without leading scorer and rebounder Rickea Jackson, who was absent because of a coach&rsquo;s decision.
No. 10 IOWA 102, WISCONSIN 71
MADISON, Wis. (AP) &mdash; Caitlin Clark had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for her seventh career triple-double to break the Big Ten record in Iowa&rsquo;s win over Wisconsin.
Clark surpassed the record of six career triple-doubles set by former Iowa player Samantha Logic, who achieved the feat from 2012-2015.
Iowa (6-3) stopped a two-game skid and beat the Badgers (3-7) for the 26th straight time.
No. 11 LSU 85, TULANE 72
NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds and Jasmine Carson scored 21 and LSU beat Tulane.
The Tigers (9-0) are off to their best since winning their first nine in the 2009-10 season.
LSU led 27-20 in a first quarter in which it made 11 of 16 shots and Tulane 9 for 17. The Tigers extended their lead to 40-27 at halftime before the Green Wave unloaded with a 30-point third in which it shot 12 for 16 including 6 for 7 from 3-point range. Dynah Jones scored 16 of her team-high 25 points for Tulane in the quarter and the Green Wave closed to 61-58.
Reese made 1 of 2 foul shots for the Tigers and Kahia Warmsley responded with a layup for Tulane to get it within two, but LaDazhia Williams made a layup and Carson a 3 and LSU kept Tulane at bay from there. Reese made two foul shots with 5:01 left to extend the lead to 73-62.
Marta Galic scored 21 points for Tulane.
ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 66, No. 13 CREIGHTON 62
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jayla Everett scored 20 points and St. John&rsquo;s remained unbeaten by handing Creighton its first loss.
The Red Storm had a 47-32 lead in the middle of the third quarter before the Bluejays got it down to a one-possession deficit in the final 90 seconds.
After Emma Ronsiek&rsquo;s basket pulled Creighton within 61-59 with 1:27 to play, the Bluejays had a possession to tie or take the lead but couldn&rsquo;t score.
Kadaj Bailey and Unique Drake had 13 points apiece for St. John&rsquo;s (8-0, 2-0 Big East Conference).
Lauren Jensen scored 21 points for the Bluejays (7-1, 2-1) but couldn&rsquo;t get the tying jumper to fall with 13 seconds to go.
No. 14 ARIZONA 77, NEW MEXICO 60
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) &mdash; Jade Loville made 10 of 13 shots, including a career-best six 3-pointers, and scored 27 points to lead Arizona to a win over New Mexico.
Shaina Pellington added 19 points for the Wildcats (7-0), who had their lowest output of the year and won by less than 20 for only the second time this season.
Paula Reus scored 14 points for the Lobos (4-4).
No. 17 MICHIGAN 77, NORTHWESTERN 66
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) &mdash; Emily Kiser and Laila Phelia scored 18 points each and Michigan shut down Northwestern with an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter.
Leigha Brown added 10 points and 11 assists for Michigan (9-0), which won its Big Ten opener.
Jillian Brown had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Northwestern (4-4, 0-1 Big Ten). Caileigh Walsh had 12 points and four blocks, and Sydney Wood scored 10 points.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 67, No. 18 LOUISVILLE 49
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Savannah Wheeler had 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, Courtney Whitson added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Middle Tennessee beat cold-shooting Louisville.
Middle Tennessee (5-2) won its first home game against a ranked opponent since the Lady Raiders beat No. 6 Kentucky 70-58 on December 28, 2011.
Kseniya Malashka added 15 points for Middle Tennessee (5-2).
Olivia Cochran scored a season-high 14 points for Louisville (5-4).
NEBRASKA 90, No. 20 MARYLAND 67
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) &mdash; Jaz Shelley scored 29 points, Nebraska dominated the second half and the Cornhuskers surprised Maryland in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
Allison Weidner had 13 points and 15 rebounds for Nebraska (6-3). Isabelle Bourne had 18 points and Alexis Markowski added 14. Shelley had six 3-pointers, five assists and three steals.
Two free throws from Diamond Miller drew Maryland (7-3) to within 77-67 points with 4:03 remaining, but the Terrapins would not score again while Nebraska scored 13.
No. 21 BAYLOR 79, HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 35
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Freshman guard Bella Fontleroy came off the bench to score 17 points and grab 11 rebounds and Baylor romped to a victory over Houston Christian.
Fontleroy sank 6 of 10 shots with three 3-pointers for the Lady Bears (6-2) and notched her first double-double. Jaden Owens added 14 points and six assists. Kendra Gillispie scored 10 on 5-of-6 shooting.
Marilyn Nzoiwu was the lone bright spot for the Huskies (3-4). She finished with 13 points and five rebounds, sinking 6 of 9 shots from the floor. Her teammates made 8 of 40 shots, including 2 of 15 from beyond the arc.
The Lady Bears played a fifth straight game without injured leading scorer Aijha Blackwell.
No. 22 TEXAS 92, SOUTHERN 43
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; Shaylee Gonzales scored 22 points, Sonya Morris added 20 points, and Texas routed Southern.
Aaliyah Moore scored 11 points and DeYona Gaston had 10 for the Longhorns (4-4). Rori Harmon had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Sirviva Legions led the Jaguars (2-5) with 13 points off the bench.
The Longhorns rolled to a 29-10 lead through the first quarter after making 10 of 14 shots. They scored 11 points off seven Southern turnovers. Texas went on to lead 46-16 at halftime.
SETON HALL 82, No. 24 MARQUETTE 78
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; Lauren Park-Lane scored 17 of her 31 points in the fourth quarter, Sidney Cooks added 23 and Seton Hall knocked off Marquette.
Kae Satterfield added 12 points for Seton Hall (6-4, 2-0 Big East Conference), which has won four straight. The Pirates last beat a ranked team, No. 24 DePaul, in January 2019.
Chloe Marotta scored 30 points and had 12 rebounds for the Golden Eagles (7-2, 1-1). Jordan King added 14 points and Liz Karlen had 12 points and nine rebounds.
No. 25 VILLANOVA 79, PROVIDENCE 54
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Maddy Seigrist scored 20 of her 29 points in the first half and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Villanova past Providence.
Seigrist was 12-of-18 shooting, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. The Wildcats (7-2, 1-1 Big East Conference) made 12 of 28 behind the arc and shot 52% overall (33 of 63). Lucy Olsen added 14 points and Bella Runyan 10.
Janai Crooms led the Friars (6-4, 0-2) with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

A recap of Sunday's women's college basketball slate features a top-10 battle.

Notre Dame tops UConn as Azzi Fudd gets hurt

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) &mdash; Bobby Pettiford Jr. made a twisting reverse layup off a loose rebound with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to give No. 3 Kansas a 69-68 win over Wisconsin in a Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal on Thursday.
Pettiford&rsquo;s layup marked his only points of the game, capping a thriller that saw Wisconsin rally from 15 down early in the second half.
Jalen Wilson scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (6-0), and Kevin McCullar Jr. had 18 points and nine rebounds &mdash; and a 3 to force overtime.
Tyler Wahl led the Badgers (4-1) with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Most of his points came after half in what was at times a one-man comeback, including a spinning drive against a falling Wilson for a layup and a 68-67 lead with 21 seconds left.
Kansas will take on No. 22 Tennessee in the tournament title game on Friday.
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA 89, PORTLAND 81
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Pete Nance scored 28 points, Caleb Love added 23 and North Carolina survived an unexpected test from Portland in the opening round of the Phil Knight Invitational.
The Tar Heels (5-0) needed a late 14-3 run to finally pull away from one of the tournament&rsquo;s host schools. Love carried them in the first half with 16 points and reached the 1,000-point mark in his career, becoming the 80th North Carolina player to reach that mark.&nbsp;
Nance picked up the slack after halftime with 20 points and matched his career high in scoring set last season when he was playing for Northwestern.
Moses Wood led Portland (4-3) with 21 points.
The Tar Heels will face Iowa State in a semifinal game Friday. Portland will play Villanova in a consolation game.
NO. 8 DUKE 54, OREGON STATE 51
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Kyle Filipowski had 19 points and 14 rebounds as Duke held off a challenge from Oregon State in the opening game of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Ryan Young added 11 points and 15 rebounds off the bench and was the only other Blue Devils (5-1) player to score in double figures.
Jordan Pope led the Beavers (3-2) with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dexter Akanno hit two 3-pointers and scored 11 points.
The Blue Devils will face Xavier in a PKL semifinal on Friday, while the Beavers will take on Florida.
NO. 6 GONZAGA 102, PORTLAND STATE 78
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Malachi Smith led six players in double figures with a season-high 23 points and No. 6 Gonzaga used a big first half to beat Portland State in the opening round of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
The Bulldogs (4-1) led by 27 in the first half, led 55-31 at halftime and withstood a sloppy second half.
Drew Timme scored 18 points and the only shot he missed was a dunk attempt midway through the second half. Rasir Bolton had 14 points and a career-high eight assists, while Julian Strawther, Anton Watson and Hunter Sallis all finished with 10. Gonzaga shot 60% for the game.
Jorell Saterfield led Portland State (2-3) with 21 points.
Gonzaga will face No. 24 Purdue in the semifinals Friday.
NO. 18 ALABAMA 81, NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE 70
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Freshman Brandon Miller scored 17 of his 24 points in the first half and Alabama pulled away to beat Michigan State in the opening round of the Phil Knight Invitational.
After a rather light schedule for the first couple of weeks, Alabama (5-0) passed its first test of the season against the short-handed Spartans (3-2).
Tyson Walker led Michigan State with 21 points and A.J. Hoggard added 18.
Alabama will face No. 20 UConn in the semifinals Friday. Michigan State will play face Oregon in&nbsp;
NO. 20 UCONN 83, OREGON 59
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Tristen Newton scored 23 points, leading UConn to a win over Oregon at the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Jordan Hawkins scored 18 points, Adama Sanogo added 12 and Joey Calcaterra came off the bench to score 11 for the unbeaten Huskies (6-0).
Kel&rsquo;el Ware led the Ducks (2-3) with 18 points and nine rebounds off the bench. N&rsquo;faly Dante contributed 15 points.
NO. 22 TENNESSEE 73, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 66, OT
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) &mdash; Julian Phillips scored a season-high 25 points to help Tennessee hold off Southern California in overtime at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The first-year forward made 7 of 13 shots and 10 of 12 free throws to go with eight rebounds for the Volunteers (4-1), with four of those free throws coming in overtime.
Santiago Vescovi overcame a rough shooting game to hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:45 left in the extra period, while Zakai Zeigler went 4 for 4 at the line in the final 23.7 seconds left of overtime to seal the win.
Boogie Ellis scored 21 points in his second big output in as many days to lead the Trojans (4-2).
The Vols advanced to Friday&rsquo;s championship game to face No. 3 Kansas, which edged Wisconsin in overtime.
NO. 24 PURDUE 80, WEST VIRGINIA 68
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Zach Edey had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Purdue past West Virginia in the opening round of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Mason Gillis added 14 points for the Boilermakers (4-0), and Brandon Newman came off the bench to score eight points.
Erik Stevenson scored 17 points as the Mountaineers (3-1) lost for the first time this season. Joe Toussaint added 16 points off the bench.
The Boilermakers will face the No. 6 Gonzaga on Friday in the semifinals.

A recap of the standout games on Thanksgiving Thursday was highlighted by a thriller in the Bahamas.

Pettiford’s last-second layup saves No. 3 Kansas in Bahamas

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Two of the more notable games on Friday&rsquo;s college basketball schedule are taking place on an aircraft carrier and in a baseball stadium.
No. 2 Gonzaga will face Michigan State on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the San Diego harbor to celebrate Veterans Day. Wisconsin is playing Stanford at American Family Field, the retractable-roof park that is home to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Staging neutral-site games in non-traditional venues isn&rsquo;t new. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has scheduled games at many different sites over the past two decades.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been &lsquo;Outside the Box U&rsquo; for 20 years and other people are catching up,&rdquo; Izzo said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s good, and that&rsquo;s why I didn&rsquo;t want to pass up this game.&rdquo;
Izzo&rsquo;s penchant for this began in 2003, when Michigan State lost to Kentucky in front of 78,129 fans at Ford Field, the home of the NFL&rsquo;s Detroit Lions. Soon enough, plenty of late-round NCAA Tournament games started taking place in football stadiums.
This won&rsquo;t be the first time Izzo has coached a game on an aircraft carrier.
Michigan State lost to top-ranked North Carolina in November 2011 on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson as President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama watched from courtside.
Stanford coach Jerod Haase was a North Carolina assistant coach for that 2011 game. Now, he&rsquo;s preparing his team to play the first basketball game at a baseball-only stadium since San Diego faced San Diego State in 2015 at Petco Park, home of the Padres.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an experience for our guys to talk about when they&rsquo;re old like me, about how they played in a baseball stadium,&rdquo; Haase said.
The offbeat settings come with potential obstacles, particularly when they&rsquo;re outdoors. The roof will be closed for the American Family Field doubleheader that includes a women&rsquo;s game between Wisconsin and Kansas State.
The 2011 North Carolina-Michigan State game on a carrier finished less than an hour before rain fell.
A year later, condensation on the respective courts wiped out an Ohio State-Marquette game aboard the decommissioned USS Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina, and a Georgetown-Florida game aboard the USS Bataan in Gainesville, Florida. Florida and Georgetown did play the first half before the game was scrapped.
During that 2012-13 season, a Syracuse-San Diego State game aboard the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum was delayed two days due to rain. And, windy conditions affected 3-point shooting when it was played.
The teams involved believe the opportunity is worth the potential drawbacks.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few jumped at the chance when the idea of playing on a carrier was proposed.
&ldquo;Tom Izzo told me it was the coolest thing he&rsquo;s ever done,&rdquo; Few said. &ldquo;I said, &lsquo;OK, I&rsquo;m in.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard says his hopes of having the Badgers play a game at American Family Field started about 15 years ago, when he was an assistant coach and the stadium was known as Miller Park.
Various plans were discussed over the years.
&ldquo;We were going to do a doubleheader basketball-hockey and set up ice in the outfield,&rdquo; Gard said. &ldquo;Everything was on the table at one point in time.&rdquo;
Gard is about to realize that dream &mdash; minus an ice rink.
Wisconsin and Stanford practiced Thursday on a court that encompasses much of the ballpark&rsquo;s infield, with baskets in the vicinity of first base and third base.
The pitcher&rsquo;s mound was removed, and fans will sit in temporary stands courtside, as well as in some of the stadium&rsquo;s permanent seats.
&ldquo;Listening to our players as we walked up out of the dugout, what their reactions were, I think it turned out really, really good,&rdquo; Gard said.
Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl, who has attended just one Brewers home game, tried to envision just what to expect on Friday.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to see what it looks like with basketball, bringing a whole different crew of fans,&rdquo; Wahl said. &ldquo;Hopefully it will be cool.&rdquo;
It might not be a one-time deal.
Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said he was hopeful that the contest was the first of many chances to host hoop games at the ballpark.
Gard says he&rsquo;d love to see an NCAA regional at American Family Field, though it could be tough to host that kind of event in late March while still having the ballpark&rsquo;s grass surface ready in time for baseball season.
For now, Wisconsin and Stanford are looking forward to a unique experience in an atypical early-season game. Michigan State and Gonzaga feel the same.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a little bit old school and I believe the college education is much more than just what you learn on the classroom and the games themselves,&rdquo; Haase said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all the experiences around them. I think this provides that.&rdquo;
___
AP Writer Nicholas K. Geranios and AP Sports Writers Larry Lage and Bernie Wilson contributed to this report.

Two notable games on Friday’s college basketball schedule are taking place on an aircraft carrier and in a baseball stadium.

Unusual venues make non-conference games more memorable

James Harden and Joel Embiid are beefing over who has been the most unbeatable Sixer during 1-on-1 competition at training camp. The smack talk escalated this week after a recent practice, each one badgering the other over who really is the alpha dog in Philly.
Who&rsquo;s the better scorer? Rebounder? Nah, the thorny topic in this instance: gaming.
Harden tells Embiid he can beat him in FIFA.
&ldquo;Of course,&rdquo; Harden said.
&ldquo;He said &lsquo;OF COURSE,&rsquo;&rdquo; Embiid said, unable to stifle his laughter.
&ldquo;How many games we play?&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;Five games?&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t remember,&rdquo; Harden retorted. &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t played in four years. I used to be really, really good.&rdquo;
So The Beard pokes reporters to quiz Embiid about his skills in Madden. Embiid insisted he doesn&rsquo;t play the football video game on a regular basis, but conceded of Harden, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s good.&rdquo;
&ldquo;But give me two weeks,&rdquo; Embiid said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be the best.&rdquo;
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-nba-sports-basketball-joel-embiid-84c7239b1fd373687d0e4efba7688623" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embiid already is the 76ers' go-to guy</a> once the controllers go down and the basketball is tossed up. The question that looms over the Sixers is can they get the two to mesh in their first full season together so they can contend for a title -- especially when Harden has to defer to last season's MVP runner-up?
No longer needed to average 30-plus points a game as he did when he starred as one of the NBA&rsquo;s great isolation scorers, Harden is now the No. 2 in the Philadelphia's 1-2 punch. Embiid is the reigning NBA scoring champion and the face of the franchise.
The 33-year-old Harden, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-rockets-sports-basketball-ap-top-news-north-america-9ab9bfc14fff43f4979c661edde8385d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 2018 MVP</a>, is trying to prove he&rsquo;s recovered from lingering tightness in his left hamstring last season that decimated his explosiveness and forced him into &ldquo;tough times, lot of dark moments.&rdquo; He took less money to return to the Sixers and dropped some weight over the summer. He's in better condition and serving as a mentor of sorts to blossoming talent, like Tyrese Maxey.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to be a leader,&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers expressed to Harden after Thursday&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;Get them to do it right.&rdquo;
Rivers told Harden he needs to act as a facilitator, and &ldquo;be the aggressive James&rdquo; like he was at the end of practice.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to come. It&rsquo;s going to take a while," Rivers told the veteran. "But when it clicks, James, we&rsquo;re going to be unbeatable. Unbeatable. But you&rsquo;ve got to keep your spirit up.&rdquo;
Spirits up, even with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-nba-sports-basketball-los-angeles-a297da25dd2fb953d20f6c8800dc6e3c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wine connoisseur&rsquo;s new role</a>.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve been the President,&rdquo; Rivers said.
&ldquo;I ain&rsquo;t the President no more,&rdquo; Harden replied.
Hey, VP isn&rsquo;t so bad. And given Embiid&rsquo;s injury history, Harden just might have to rise again to the elite level he reached in eight-plus years with the Houston Rockets, where he was a three-time scoring champion and league assists leader. The seven-time All-NBA player was also named last year a member of the league&rsquo;s 75th anniversary team. But his reputation was smudged when he in large part orchestrated trades out of Houston and Brooklyn over a 14-month span that eventually parked him in Philly at last year&rsquo;s trade deadline.
The Nets had acquired Harden from the Rockets in a January 2021 trade, with the idea that he would form a Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The expected title never materialized and the Nets gave up on a disgruntled Harden <a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-james-harden-2fea364a5cc35aa3515508d518cc08bc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and traded him</a> for Philly&rsquo;s own disgruntled Ben Simmons.
Harden has mostly kept quiet on his previous two trade demands.
&ldquo;For the most part, I&rsquo;m to myself,&rdquo; Harden said. &ldquo;Media, whoever, they talk and say their little jabs or shots at me and I never respond because I know who I am and what I&rsquo;m about.&rdquo;
Harden averaged 21 points in 21 games with the Sixers. It was the postseason that struck reasonable doubt that all the NBA miles on his body might taken a toll.
The fake beards fans wore when the Sixers acquired Harden and crazed excitement stirred by his arrival dimmed in the postseason. Harden had four turnovers, four baskets and did not score in the second half in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-miami-heat-nba-sports-butler-7adab9036a51147926e92d9650810e64" target="_blank" rel="noopener">season-ending Game 6 loss</a> to Miami. He scored just 14 points in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-philadelphia-76ers-nba-sports-joel-embiid-a7e7f3ef3a0cb646317e685a44975400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game 5 blowout loss</a> at Miami. Harden said several issues that kept him from his full potential in Philadelphia were resolved this summer over meaningful conversations with Rivers and Embiid.
&ldquo;I think me learning them, and vice versa, them learning me and who I am and what I&rsquo;m about, this summer was really good for that,&rdquo; Harden said.
In Harden&rsquo;s 2017-18 MVP season, he joined Michael Jordan as the only players to average at least 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds and 1.7 steals in a season. He led the league in scoring, 3-pointers and 50-point games with four and led the Rockets to an NBA-best 65 wins.
&ldquo;If you start judging him, well he averaged 30 at Houston, but he only averaged 20 here, that&rsquo;s insane,&rdquo; Rivers said. &ldquo;We have a lot of guys that can score. At Houston, he had to score. All the time. Here, the No. 1 option is Joel. James has never been the second option.&rdquo;
At least not since his early years in Oklahoma City. If he adapts in Philly, it could go long a way toward bringing the Sixers their first championship since 1983.

James Harden is prepared to adapt in Philadelphia as a leader and Joel Embiid's right-hand man.

James Harden knows he's no longer the man in Philadelphia

As one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft class, Malaki Branham has become quite the popular name over the last few months on mocks and big boards. At this point last year, the Saint Vincent-Saint Mary swingman was named Ohio&rsquo;s Mr. Basketball and preparing to head to The Ohio State University for his freshman campaign with the Buckeyes.
Despite those accolades, and becoming the first member of the Irish since LeBron James to win those honors, first-round NBA buzz wasn&rsquo;t quite attached to Branham&rsquo;s name going into Columbus in the fall. But whatever the projections were on the outside never affected what he knew on the inside.
&ldquo;I feel like I expected this from myself. I know a lot of people didn't, but I expected it, and it's definitely a dream come true,&rdquo; Branham told reporters on Thursday afternoon ahead of next week&rsquo;s NBA draft.&nbsp;
&ldquo;You always wanna be in the green room, shake the commissioner's hand, hearing your name called with your family. This has always been a dream of mine, and I'm glad it's almost here.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
To this point, Branham has worked out for eight teams, including the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and his home-state Cleveland Cavaliers. He also confirmed meeting with the Sacramento Kings and draft-pick-less Brooklyn Nets.
Branham&rsquo;s momentum from his senior season at STVM didn&rsquo;t quite carry over to his first moments with the Buckeyes. As he told our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock at the end of last month, Branham was searching for his role early on and trying to fit in the right way. Then, there was a moment when everything clicked.
&ldquo;When we played Wisconsin at home, I had 0 points and 4 turnovers. I texted Coach [Chris] Holtmann after the game and thanked him for letting me play through the mistakes that I was making,&rdquo; Branham <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-malaki-branham-qa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared with BasketballNews.com on May 31</a>.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I was just frustrated with myself, I looked in the mirror and said, 'We need to get to work.' From that point, the Nebraska game came, and I kept that in the back of my head and wanted to make sure that the game wasn't just a fluke. I just wanted to be consistent the rest of the year, and I feel like I did that."
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jk4gJDnecZo" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
He most certainly did. Coming off a poor, scoreless effort against the Badgers, Branham exploded for a career-high 35 points on 13-for-19 from the field (including 7-for-9 from deep). And while it was only his second double-figure scoring game in 11 contests to that point, it was a harbinger of similar performances to come.
Post-Nebraska blowout, Branham averaged 16.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He knocked down a sizzling 51.5% of his field goals and 40.6% of his triple tries during that stretch to boot.&nbsp;
Compare that to his pedestrian beginning to the year &mdash; 6.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 38.8% shooting overall in his first 10 contests&mdash; and it was a complete turnaround. After that, Branham was doing it on all levels: attacking the rim, letting it fly from distance and, utilizing his marquee skill, pulling up from mid-range.
&ldquo;Getting to my spots, that's what I've been working on my whole life,&rdquo; Branham said. &ldquo;I know it's gonna be more difficult with longer guys, quicker guys, but I feel like it's a lot more spacing in the NBA. Not a lot of people are in gaps like heavy gaps in college.&rdquo;
With such a drastic improvement and development throughout the season at Ohio State, it was only a matter of time before Branham started gaining momentum in pro circles and among draft media. Babcock currently has the 6-foot-5, 194-pounder going to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 15:
<blockquote>
Branham was ranked 35th in the 2021 RSCI recruiting class and, after a slow start, burst onto the scene in conference play. At 6-foot-5, he plays with patience and is a smooth, three-level scorer. He is comfortable operating in the pick-and-roll, mid-range and has shown promise as a spot-up shooter. Branham is full of potential and is hitting his stride as a scoring threat, so he's certainly one to watch during the pre-draft process as he rises.
</blockquote>
It&rsquo;s always fun to go through the pre-draft experience with a teammate. Unsurprisingly, Branham has been in close contact with E.J. Liddell, a fellow Buckeye and projected first-round draft pick in his own right.
&ldquo;I've been in a couple workouts with him like Cleveland and Houston, so we've been able to talk throughout this process. We just really want to see each other win and see each other get drafted too,&rdquo; Branham said of the former Ohio State forward.
As he told Babcock, he&rsquo;s emulated Devin Booker and Khris Middleton, and today he added that Caris LeVert is another player he&rsquo;s watched closely.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kwcsfuG753k" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Branham stated that the feedback he&rsquo;s gotten from teams has been positive, mostly highlighting his shot-making ability and facilitating to make plays for others. In addition, he understands the value of being a 3-and-D guy at the NBA level, and that he&rsquo;s deeply focused on being stronger on the defensive side of the ball.&nbsp;
Branham&rsquo;s elevator pitch to Babcock was simple: He lives and breathes basketball. When asked by the media contingent what makes him stand out over the rest of the 2022 class, Branham said that's it's his efficiency.
&ldquo;I feel like what separates me is really just me being efficient, me being efficient in my scoring and what I do on the court,&rdquo; Branham said. &ldquo;I do it at a high clip, I feel like, shooting the ball, scoring. I feel like I'm a good, efficient player. So I feel like that's what I do best out of everybody in the draft class.&rdquo;
Only one week of time remains until Malaki Branham realizes his NBA dream, and for how far he&rsquo;s come in the span of a year, he&rsquo;s damn sure earned it.
&ldquo;The process has been good. It's been a good learning experience," Branham said. I met a lot of guys throughout this process, working out against 'em. Really the expectation is kinda just work as hard as I can, control what I can control and make the team better, and also, help the team win games &mdash; whoever picks me.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Spencer Davies writes about Malaki Branham's turnaround at Ohio State after a slow start and how he feels going into the NBA Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Doubted or not, Malaki Branham expected to be here

A familiar theme for the 2022 NBA Draft Class is multiple prospects taking a second-year jump as collegiate basketball players. Iowa&rsquo;s Keegan Murray <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dont-let-age-deny-keegan-murrays-tantalizing-nba-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qualifies in that category</a>, but so does versatile Wisconsin scorer <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/johnny-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Davis</a>.
Taking on the No. 1 offensive role for the Badgers led to a massive jump in production from Davis during his sophomore campaign. Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game on his way to winning Big Ten Player of the Year.
However, even with those numbers, Davis is not being considered as a lock to go in the top 10.
The Wisconsin guard put up great numbers, but the jump in efficiency was not really notable (50.5% True Shooting to 52.3% TS). Davis mentioned at the NBA Draft Combine that his high-usage role for the Badgers played a part in his pedestrian shooting splits, which included 30.6% on three-pointers.
&ldquo;No, that definitely doesn&rsquo;t represent me,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;I could&rsquo;ve shot better from the free-throw line, from three especially. I thought later in the season I took a lot more contested shots.&rdquo;
In Chicago last week at the Combine, Davis listed seven teams who he met with, including the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets.
&ldquo;It went really well,&rdquo; Davis said of his meeting with the Knicks, which included head coach Tom Thibodeau. &ldquo;To see a familiar face and somebody who&rsquo;s been around the game for awhile.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pHe1F6R348A" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In New York, it&rsquo;s not hard to imagine Davis becoming a favorite of Thibodeau&rsquo;s, thanks in large part to his toughness and ability to control the game on both ends of the court when necessary. Also, Davis joining a young core headlined by RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin would bring even more intrigue to the on-court product in Madison Square Garden.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve heard from people likes guys like that, so hopefully I can fit in with them and they&rsquo;ll be invested in me enough to draft me,&rdquo; Davis said of his fit in Thibodeau&rsquo;s system.
Coincidentally, Davis is currently projected to go No. 11 overall to the Knicks in BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest mock draft</a>. Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shared his thoughts on Davis as a prospect:
<blockquote>
Johnny Davis is a bit of a throwback, and I mean that in a good way. He&rsquo;s a tough, no-nonsense, blue-collar type of player. He has a knack for putting the ball in the hole and can do so in various ways. However, his bread and butter is in the mid-range. In addition to his scoring capabilities, Davis is physical and competitive, which allows him to be an effective defender and rebounder.
Davis is a safe pick, as my confidence level that he will be a solid pro is very high. I currently project his range somewhere between the mid- and late lottery.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Davis is viewed as one of the safest players in the 2022 draft class due to his scoring and defensive chops. Utilizing him as a super-charged role player moving away from being a team's top option could be the best thing for him as an immediate-impact rotation player.
Projected as a near-consensus lottery pick, Davis should hear his name called relatively early on draft night. Wherever Davis lands, that team will be landing a tenacious player with a never-say-die attitude on the basketball court. A personality like that &mdash; on top of his on-court production &mdash; makes Davis one of the safer bets to hit his potential ceiling outcome.
The Wisconsin-NBA pipeline continues to flow for the Badgers, but Davis might be the most impactful prospect we&rsquo;ve seen in a long time.
Betting on a player with the intangibles of Davis almost always work out in the end.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis is a versatile scorer and defender, which makes him a strong bet to hit at the NBA level.

2022 NBA Draft: Winning intangibles make Johnny Davis safe bet to hit

With respect to Juwan Howard and the University of Michigan men&rsquo;s basketball team, the second- and third-best upsets of the Men&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament in the Round of 32 &mdash; after Saint Peter&rsquo;s stunning Murray State &mdash; came at the hands of the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones.
In the Midwest Regional, we already saw a classic 12/5 upset in the opening round, featuring Atlantic-10 champion Richmond outlasting Big Ten champion Iowa 67-63 on Thursday. Miami got by USC 68-66 in a 10/7 win on Friday, as did 11-seeded Iowa State in beating No. 6 LSU in a 59-54 victory.
But on Sunday after, Iowa State shut down the third-seeded University of Wisconsin Badgers in Milwaukee 54-49. The stunner was followed by Miami blowing out No. 2 Auburn and expected top-three NBA Draft pick Jabari Smith 79-61 later that evening.
This sets the stage for a seemingly improbable Sweet 16 matchup between two double-digit seeds, which has only happened four other times in the tournament&rsquo;s history.
<blockquote class="q4-game" data-sport="basketball" data-q4="7ef5e5a5-6f33-4a14-844f-fb483dd3aeaa" data-gid="6167e6b9-6a64-473b-90f3-9af2af05e8b3" data-server="api.quarter4.io">
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes have a forecast 78% chance to win against The Iowa State Cyclones with a spread of -5.0/5.0 and an over/under of 139.0. The Miami (FL) Hurricanes are 0 - 0 against The Iowa State Cyclones in the 2021-22 Season.
&mdash; Friday, March 25th Iowa State Cyclones @ Miami (FL) Hurricanes</blockquote>

<script src="https://s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/quarter4.io-public-assets-ca/widget/v1/embed.js"></script>

In 1997, No. 10 seed Providence &mdash; led by God Shammgod &mdash; beat No. 14 Chattanooga 71-65, or as the Washington Post put it, &ldquo;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/03/22/providence-gets-help-from-god/3f1b5666-3f30-4f88-b6f0-8d046204a8d8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GOT HELP FROM GOD</a>.&rdquo; Other notable players on Providence then? Longtime Indiana Pacer forward Austin Croshere and subsequent Big East scoring champion Jamel Thomas. You may also remember the latter from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltkGPCGu-WY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Through The Fire</a>, the Sebastian Telfair documentary from 2005.
In 2011, No. 11 VCU outlasted No. 10 Florida State 72-71 in overtime, and subsequently defeated No. 1 Kansas 71-61 in the Elite Eight to reach the Final Four that year.
In 2014, No. 11 Dayton defeated No. 10 Stanford 82-72, led by 18 points from current NBA G League guard Jordan Sibert.
Lastly, and most recently in 2016, No. 10 Syracuse slipped by No. 11 Gonzaga with a 63-60 victory. Guided by first-round picks Malachi Richardson (2016) and Tyler Lydon (2017) &mdash; along with 2016 second-rounder Michael Gbinije &mdash; the Orange claimed victory over No.1 Virginia in the Elite Eight.
Both VCU and Syracuse lost in the national semifinals in 2011 and 2016, respectively.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NW6dHOS5YBw" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
(Back when putting mainstream music in highlights was acceptable.)
Additionally, there have been 15 double-digit-seeded teams to crack the Elite Eight, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_Eight">according to the NCAA Tournament's Wiki</a>. (Oh, come on. I don&rsquo;t use them for much, but don&rsquo;t act like they didn&rsquo;t get you through college, too!)
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
This Miami-Iowa State matchup obviously guarantees that at least one double-digit seed will advance to the Elite Eight.
This Miami team has experienced some distinct highs of any squad left in the tournament this season, considering its standing as a No. 10 seed. After an inconsistent 4-3 start to their season, the Hurricanes won nine straight games from Dec. 1 through Jan. 8, highlighted by a win over then-second-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor, 76-74, capping a 5-0 start to ACC play.
Additionally, they Kimbo Sliced the North Carolina Tar Heels in the face 10 days later with an 85-57 victory, which was sandwiched in between two one-point losses to Florida State, who isn&rsquo;t in any postseason this year. Again, inconsistency from The U.
Most notably, the Canes have one of the oldest teams in all of Division I. Due to COVID's effect on college sports seasons, Miami players were subsequently offered an extra year of eligibility without consequence, and have taken advantage of it. The Canes have an average age of 21.38, <a href="https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/2022/01/15/miami-hurricanes-5-1-start-acc-due-jim-larranaga-healthy-roster/9198049002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making them the oldest bunch in the ACC and ninth in all of Division I</a>. Kameron McGusty, Charlie Moore and Sam Waardenberg are 3 of Miami&rsquo;s 5 leading scorers, and all of them are sixth-year seniors.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/04nPEFe8GSc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe>
Though McGusty leads the Canes in scoring with 17.5 points per game &mdash; and was the team&rsquo;s lone <a href="https://theacc.com/news/2022/3/6/athlete-awards-acc-unveils-2021-22-mens-basketball-awards.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All-ACC First-Team selection</a> &mdash; junior guard Isaiah Wong has been the team&rsquo;s breakout star in the tournament. Wong, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31769253/isaiah-wong-withdraw-nba-draft-rejoin-miami-hurricanes-junior-season">who entered the 2021 NBA Draft before returning to school</a>, dropped 22 points on 7 of 12 shooting against USC; he followed it up with 21 points on 8 of 18 shooting in the win over Auburn while also pulling down 6 rebounds. Between the two games, the 2022 All-ACC Third-Teamer has made 13 of his 14 attempts from the free-throw line.
Iowa State is 304th in points per game, but 20th in fewest points allowed. So, if the Cyclones have their way, they&rsquo;ll be looking to ground the Canes, who are 77th in points and 35th in Offensive Rating out of 358 D-I programs. The Cyclones were ranked as high as No. 8 earlier this season, and were in the top-25 for nine straight weeks from December through February &mdash; largely thanks to a 12-0 start. Iowa State's big wins this season included upsets over No. 25 Xavier and No. 9 Memphis in November, both while unranked. &nbsp;
Former Penn State and St. Bonaventure guard Izaiah Brockington arrived to Iowa State following last season, and won Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team for his efforts. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Brockington is the Cyclones' leading scorer and rebounder at 17.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot freshman Tyrese Hunter became a constant presence in the Iowa State backcourt, averaging 10.9 points and 4.9 assists en route to Big 12 Rookie of the Year honors.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mPEGbcOQPvg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe>
Hunter and Brockington combined for 42 of the Cyclones' 59 points in Round 1.
Additionally, the Cyclones have senior guard Gabe Kalscheur, who is averaging 9.5 points per game this season. Kalscheur exploded for 22 points on 10 of 19 shooting in ISU's win over Wisconsin.
The winner between Miami and Iowa State on Friday night will face the winner of Kansas and Providence this coming Sunday night, which could potentially give us yet another double-digit seed in the Final Four.
We'll see if one of these teams can continue an improbable run through the weekend.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Bryan Fonseca revisits the history of double-digit matchups in the Sweet 16 and previews the Canes-Cyclones clash.

Double-digit seeds Miami, Iowa State to improbably meet in Sweet 16

The second day of the 2022 NCAA tournament featured some slugfests, some blowouts, as well as a First Four team surviving another day. The Round of 32 is now completely locked-in, and we&rsquo;ll also take a peek at the must-watch matchups for Saturday.&nbsp;
UPSET ALERT&nbsp;
West Region: 11-seed Notre Dame defeats 6-seed Alabama 78-64
Alabama in recent seasons has had a strong program, with a number of players in the conversation for the NBA draft. This year the Crimson Tide&rsquo;s season has been a bit of a roller coaster, including a major win over arguably the best team in college basketball, Gonzaga, but also key SEC and non-conference losses that show in their 19-13 record coming into this game. Notre Dame had their fair share of ups and downs as well, but came into this first round matchup with momentum off their First Four double-OT win against Rutgers. The upset potential was apparent, and the Fighting Irish delivered behind a huge game from Cormac Ryan. The junior guard finished with a season-high 29 points, well above his 9.2 PPG average. Ryan has been coming on strong for the Irish with 20 and 16 points in their last two games respectively. Thanks to the efforts of Ryan and impressive freshman wing Blake Wesley &mdash; he scored 18 &mdash; Notre Dame moved on to play third-seeded Texas Tech in the second round.
Midwest Region: 11-seed Iowa State defeats 6-seed LSU 59-54
These were two teams with similar records that had similar patterns to their seasons &mdash; they both started the year with 12 game winning streaks that went through Christmas. However, playing in two of the best conferences in the country in the SEC and Big 12, both teams took their lumps through the remainder of the season. Although Iowa State took an 11-point lead around the 7-minute mark in the second half, LSU made an 11-1 run that brought the game within one point with under two minutes remaining. Iowa State pulled out the low scoring win with Tyrese Hunter being the team's major difference maker, dropping 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. The freshman guard&rsquo;s clutch shooting clinic included two late threes that helped Iowa State pull away from the Tigers at the end. Hunter&rsquo;s 5 steals also led a stingy Cyclones defense that recorded 15 total. Iowa State&rsquo;s victory means they advance to the second round to take on third-seeded Wisconsin on Sunday.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
BEST GAMES OF THE DAY
Midwest Region
No. 10 seed Miami defeats No. 7 seed USC 68-66
This matchup was tightly contested throughout the first 15 minutes, until Miami began to break the game open and took a 13-point lead with three minutes remaining in the first half. USC&rsquo;s offense grew stagnant, and the Hurricanes took advantage with a 31-20 lead at halftime. However, the Trojans came fighting back to begin the second half with two threes and a fast break layup from Isaiah Mobley (he finished with 11 points) to bring them within one. From this point it was a back and forth battle that favored Miami, yet USC would manage a big basket to keep it close &mdash; USC was down by seven points with 45 seconds left in the game. A Doug Peterson three, a Miami out-of-bounds call, and then another Peterson three brought the Trojans back within one, with 25.3 seconds left in the game.
After free throws from both teams, it was tied at 66 in the final moments. Charlie Moore drove to the lane and attempted a contested layup, which earned him a foul call. Moore stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws to seal the game. A halfcourt heave at the buzzer almost fell for Doug Peterson &mdash; he ended the game with a valiant effort of 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Miami&rsquo;s Isaiah Wong led the Hurricanes with 22 points while dealing with foul trouble and Moore followed with 16 points. Miami will see second-seeded Auburn in the second round.&nbsp;
South Region
No. 4 seed Illinois defeats No. 13 seed Chattanooga 54-53
Illinois only led this game for 25 seconds, but it was the most important time to do so. Chattanooga jumped on Illinois early, with a 14-3 lead in the first five minutes. The Mocs had control over most of the first half, but a Fighting Illini run at the end of period brought the score to 33-29.&nbsp;
The second half started much like the first with Chattanooga playing good basketball and giving themselves an 11-point cushion, but a very resilient Illinois team fought back again and kept the game within one or two possessions over the course of the closing minutes. After some questionable possessions by Chattanooga, Illinois took its first lead of the game on a Kofi Cockburn putback with 47 seconds remaining. The Mocs received a trip to the line on the next possession and two free throws were knocked down by SOCON Player of the Year Malachi Smith (who finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds), which gave his team the lead.
On the following possession Alfonso Plummer was fouled and hit two free throws for the Illini to take the lead back. On the final possession, the Mocs gave the ball to Smith who had two looks to take home the win &mdash; he was blocked on a left hand drive, then shot a last second midrange jumper that went just a tad long. Cockburn finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Plummer provided 15 points of his own. Illinois avoided the upset and will face fifth-seeded Houston on Sunday.
West Region
No. 7 seed MSU defeats No. 10 seed Davidson 74-73
An up-and-down season for Michigan State had some experts predicting Davidson would come away with this game. However, an impressive 27 points on 9-12 from the floor by Joey Hauser was the big difference.
An interesting storyline revolved around Davidson&rsquo;s transfer starting point guard, Foster Loyer &mdash; he's a Michigan native who made the move down to play with the Wildcats after three seasons of limited production for the Spartans. This proved to be a good move for Loyer, as he&rsquo;s been the leading scorer and assist man for Davidson with 16.1 points and 3.3 assists per game this season. The motivation was there for Davidson, and the team played with a confidence that showed each time the team came up with an answer to Michigan State&rsquo;s attempts to pull away.
Davidson took a five-point lead with under seven minutes to go, but with some big buckets by Hauser, heady play by AJ Hoggard (14 points) and a three from Gabe Brown (12 points), the Spartans made a 10-0 run to take a five-point lead of their own with under four minutes left. Michigan State had an eight point lead with one minute remaining, but a late push by the Wildcats with some great clock management, clutch baskets and pressure defense that led to a bad MSU turnover brought the game back in reach. However, in the end, Michigan State was able to close it out with two Tyson Walker free throws. Michigan State will take on second-seeded Duke in the round of 32.
No. 3 seed Wisconsin beats No. 14 seed Colgate 67-60
Colgate is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, and came into this game on a 15-game winning streak. The Patriot League champs made sure Wisconsin knew this one wouldn&rsquo;t be easy. However, this would be the Raiders&rsquo;s biggest test, as the Badgers won the Big Ten regular season championship and have a projected lottery pick in Johnny Davis.
Colgate found success scoring the ball from inside before unleashing their long-range prowess. Senior Nelly Cummings for Colgate finished the game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists &mdash; he gave the Badgers trouble on all three levels. Cummings even locked the game at 28-all with a baseline reverse layup at the buzzer to go into halftime.
But the stars shine bright on the big stage and, after a slow start, Johnny Davis got going in the second half. Davis finished with 25 points on 8 for 20 shooting from the floor and added 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Tyler Wahl followed Davis with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals of his own. The Raiders played a strong game but wore down as the battle-tested Badgers showed up down the stretch. Wisconsin has a date with 11th-seeded Iowa State in the next round.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
OTHER FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Midwest Region
2-seed Auburn defeats 15-seed Jacksonville State 80-61
East Region
3-seed Purdue defeats 14-seed Yale 78-56
6-seed Texas defeats 11-seed Virginia Tech 81-73
South Region
No. 1 seed Arizona defeats No. 16 seed Wright State 87-70
No. 2 seed Villanova defeats No. 15 seed Delaware 80-60
No. 5 seed Houston defeats No. 12 seed UAB 82-68
No. 7 seed Ohio State defeats No. 10 seed Loyola Chicago 54-41
No. 9 seed TCU defeats No. 8 seed Seton Hall 69-42
West Region
No. 2 seed Duke defeats 15-seed Cal State Fullerton 78-61
No. 3 seed Texas Tech defeats 14-seed Montana State 97-62
MUST-WATCH SECOND-ROUND GAMES ON DAY 3
No. 1 seed Gonzaga vs. No. 9 seed Memphis - 9:40 PM EST
A highly anticipated second round matchup of two potential top-10 picks in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Duren.&nbsp;
No. 1 seed Baylor vs. 8-seed North Carolina - 12:10 PM EST
Baylor is missing two key pieces due to injury, &mdash;LJ Cryer and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua &mdash;&nbsp;while UNC is playing some of its best basketball of the season. Caleb Love is worth keeping an eye on.
No. 4 seed UCLA vs. 5-seed Saint Mary&rsquo;s - 7:10 PM EST
The Bruins are hoping to get back to the Final Four while Saint Mary&rsquo;s wants to prove the WCC isn&rsquo;t just run by Gonzaga. This could be a battle.
No. 7 seed Murray State vs. No. 15 seed Saint Peter&rsquo;s 7:45 PM EST
Does Saint Peter&rsquo;s have more magic for a Sweet 16 birth? Or will Murray State's toughness win out?
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Blake Hairston takes us through the upsets and thrillers of Day 2 of the NCAA DI men's basketball tournament, plus a preview of Day 3.

March Madness: Recapping Day 2 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament

It was the slap heard around the world.
Juwan Howard was involved in a verbal altercation with Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard following the Badgers' 77-63 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday.
From the video, it appeared as though Howard was grabbed and stopped by Coach Gard as he attempted to walk by him in the handshake line, which set off a series of events &mdash; including Howard slapping Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Some context with Juwan Howard and Joe Krabbenhoft <a href="https://t.co/lHNeJOklCQ">pic.twitter.com/lHNeJOklCQ</a>
&mdash; ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsAntWright/status/1495552481836912640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

There have been a lot of questions and speculation as to what Krabbenhoft said to provoke Howard that has not been confirmed as of yet.&nbsp;
But looking at the slow motion video, you can clearly see that Krabbenholft did in fact push two Michigan players &mdash; sophomore Terrance Williams II and senior forward Jaron Faulds. Not excusing his slap, but it appears as though Juwan was coming to his players' defense.
However, Monday night, the verdict was handed out. Howard will be suspended for the remainder of Michigan&rsquo;s regular season (which equates to five games) and was fined $40,000. Conversely, none of the Wisconsin coaches have been suspended and Coach Gard was only fined $10,000.
Coach Howard issued this statement:
<blockquote>
After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were and how they affected so many. I am truly sorry. I am offering my sincerest apologies to my players and their families, my staff, my family and the Michigan fans around the world. I would like to personally apologize to Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft and his family too. Lastly, I speak a lot about being a Michigan man and representing the University of Michigan with class and pride. I did not do that, nor did I set the right example in the right way for my student athletes. I will learn from my mistake, and this mistake will never happen again. No excuses!
</blockquote>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Juwan Howard accepted the punishment, took full responsibility for his actions, made no excuses and apologized to everyone who was involved.&nbsp;
I caught up with his former Fab Five teammate Ray Jackson to discuss the incident, the callings for him to be fired, the punishment handed out and the public backlash by Dick Vitale and others, as well as who Juwan Howard is as a coach and a person.&nbsp;
Etan: What were your thoughts after seeing what took place after the Michigan/Wisconsin game? I saw your Facebook post saying you definitely supported your former Fab Five teammate, but what was your reaction to seeing so many people calling for Juwan to be fired immediately?
Ray Jackson: "People calling for him to be immediately fired definitely wasn&rsquo;t surprising. I always felt that they never loved us and we had no room for error. But, they never look at what&rsquo;s prompting us. There has always been something attached with the presence of the Fab Five and what Juwan Howard brings, what he stands for, what he represents, his knowledge, his experience, and they&rsquo;ve let that boil over way past common respect. To be honest, the entire way they approach the game is different when they coach against Juwan.
"I&rsquo;m not saying Juwan&rsquo;s reaction was right, let me be clear, but the other coach (Greg Gard) should have never put his hands on him in the first place; he should&rsquo;ve never grabbed him or stopped him. He should&rsquo;ve walked past him, gave him the brush by, said he&rsquo;s gonna remember that and kept it moving. They are going to suspend Juwan, but Coach Gard definitely needs to be held accountable for his role in this too."
Etan: So, let&rsquo;s talk about this for a minute, because I agree. there is no reason for a coach to grab another coach like he&rsquo;s a child. Like you said, he grabbed him and stopped him. Juwan was walking past him. He initiated everything.
Jackson: "But here is the issue, E &mdash; a big Black man putting his hands on a white man in America is one of the scariest things white America can see. And it&rsquo;s always been like that. So, no matter what they do to us, how wrong they are in whatever they do, we can not be aggressive back as a response. They want us to always remain passive. No matter what. When I saw how he grabbed Juwan, the first thing I thought was, 'I wonder how many of his players he grabs like that regularly? Is there a reason why Wisconsin only gets a certain kind of Black players? But Juwan is not a boy, he&rsquo;s a full grown man, and you can&rsquo;t approach a man like a boy period."
Etan: And then, the assistant coach (Joe Krabbenhoft) came over, and it didn&rsquo;t look like he was trying to de-escalate anything. I would&rsquo;ve thought the assistant coach would&rsquo;ve come over and been more concerned with pulling his players back, but it looked like &mdash; at least from the angles of the video &mdash; not only was he talking smack to Juwan, but he actually put his hands on some Michigan players.&nbsp;
Jackson: "You are absolutely correct in your assessment. You saw what I saw, E. And I&rsquo;m going to keep saying it: Juwan has these white coaches feeling a certain type of way about him. He was one of the only Black coaches for awhile; he came in getting recruits, all of the praise, all of this notoriety. They didn&rsquo;t feel he was qualified for the position in the first place. Remember, a few media people simply echoed publicly what many of the actual coaches were saying privately and amongst themselves. So that all was a problem for him.
"Yes, he&rsquo;s put five guys in the NBA. But more than that, he has developed a culture where he cares about the players beyond what they can do on the court, so they have a different level of respect for him. Not to mention all he has done for the program as a whole. So no, one situation or reaction, I'll say, from Juwan doesn&rsquo;t put a black eye on the totality of Juwan Howard, nor should it."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17667013_lg.png" alt="" width="648" height="324" />
Etan: Glad you brought up the black eye, because it&rsquo;s interesting how this keeps coming back up. I interviewed all of you for my book, "<a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/we-matter-athletes-and-activism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We Matter: 'Athletes And Activism</a>.'&rdquo;
You all talked about how much the media was always coming down on y&rsquo;all. Saying that you all were putting a "black eye" on the University of Michigan as a whole, on the alumni, on the entire NCAA; that expressed sentiment kept coming up in all of your interviews. So I know how much that bothers y&rsquo;all. And now, I&rsquo;m hearing that kind of talk again after this situation, so i&rsquo;m thinking... there was this doctor at Michigan who was charged with sexually abusing students.
Jackson: "You&rsquo;re talking about Dr. [Robert E.] Anderson."
Etan: Yes, and Michigan had a $490 million settlement for thousands of student-athlete victims that were abused &mdash; not allegedly abused, but actually abused &mdash; by this cat who was the athletic team doctor for decades, between the years of 1966 and 2003. And they hardly talked about that. So that&rsquo;s not a "black eye" to the university, but y&rsquo;all wearing baggy shorts and black socks was a "black eye?" This situation with Juwan coming to the defense of his players, of being accosted by this coach &mdash; this is a "black eye?"
Jackson: "I see you&rsquo;re going there today. But you&rsquo;re absolutely right again. They hardly talked about that. They paid the lawsuit and swept it all under the rug and just didn&rsquo;t really talk about it. There was one little series that came on TV, but that was really it. And for it to be as egregious of a crime as it was? Yeah, I can&rsquo;t disagree with anything you said. No Michigan student, nobody&rsquo;s child should&rsquo;ve ever been exposed to a clown like that. He preyed on children. That whole situation was just disgusting.
"But yeah, that seed of resentment toward us, that seed was planted when we were 17, 18-year-old kids at Michigan. So they always couldn&rsquo;t wait for us to do something wrong so they could pounce on us. We weren&rsquo;t allowed [to make] mistakes, we had to be perfect. Juwan should&rsquo;ve never been put in that position to have to control his emotions. A coach grabbing you? Pushing your players? That just doesn&rsquo;t happen, and they can&rsquo;t pretend that that&rsquo;s normal activity."
Etan: You know it&rsquo;s interesting, a few people on Twitter &mdash; and I suspect they were Michigan State fans &mdash; but they tweeted me an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/apr/06/tom-izzo-aaron-henry-abuse-michigan-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">old article I wrote back in 2019 about Tom Izzo abusing and bullying a player on his team</a>, Aaron Henry. And they were saying mockingly, "If Tom Izzo is a bully and a coward, what does that make Juwan Howard?" And saying, "Are you going to publicly condemn Juwan&rsquo;s actions?" Etc.
Jackson: "I remember that article, and yeah they were pissed when you wrote that, but those are two completely different situations. One is with a coach in a power dynamic over a teenage college player, and the other is man-to-man. You can&rsquo;t even compare the two. Besides you writing that article, I don&rsquo;t think Izzo received an enormous amount of criticism after that happened. But this is what it boils down to: They&rsquo;re okay with old, white men doing exactly what Izzo did to Aaron Henry. They can verbally abuse, mishandle our babies [and] chastise our young men or young women."
Etan: They were definitely okay with Bobby Knight&rsquo;s abuse for years.&nbsp;
Jackson: "Right! But that image of a Black man doing anything aggressive toward a white man, that&rsquo;s why you see the reactions that we were seeing to immediately fire Juwan. I even saw some on social media say arrest him. Then use language like, 'He physically assaulted him,' or 'attacked' him. First of all, if Juwan wanted to, he could&rsquo;ve laid Coach Gard and Krabbenhoft completely out. He opened his hand, so let&rsquo;s not put too much on this. He slapped him. Not saying it was right, but that&rsquo;s what he did."
Etan: And, I didn&rsquo;t want to say anything about Dick Vitale &mdash; and everyone has been praying for him with his battle with cancer, and his emotional videos so we&rsquo;re all pulling for him &mdash; but his immediate tweets were so targeted and his language was so menacing. I was like, "Is he tweeting this from the hospital bed?" I just commented on one of his posts that I was keeping him in my prayers a week or so ago as he was showing himself going into surgery. I don&rsquo;t know, I was just shocked seeing his tweets.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
It&rsquo;s sad thinking about what I watched in that handshake line as the coach of a gr8 Univ. ala UM could not control his temper &amp; nearly set off a full blown riot. INEXCUSABLE behavior by Juwan Howard MUST LEAD TO SEVERE PUNISHMENT. UM President &amp; AD should take ACTION NOW!
&mdash; Dick Vitale (@DickieV) <a href="https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1495503996051722245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
Then, after Juwan did his initial address to the media explaining what happened and why he was upset, Vitale followed up with another tweet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Pls Juwan defend yourself from a guy half your size who wanted to explain y he called an ABSURD T/O. with 15 sec. Say what u want but be a REAL MAN &amp; admit ur action representing one of the great State Universities was INEXCUSABLE .
&mdash; Dick Vitale (@DickieV) <a href="https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1495542363485315072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
And I was just like "Whoa, be a real man?" Juwan Howard&rsquo;s actions must lead to severe punishment? Mocking him saying he was defending himself? Why all that, and from the hospital bed, Dickie V?&nbsp;
Jackson: "Well, going back to our college days, Dickie V and Bill Walton were two of the first ones to call us all thugs. All of us. Me, Jimmy [King], Juwan, Chris [Webber], Jalen [Rose]. They labeled all of us. Our mothers and fathers and grandparents and family had to hear that. We were thugs? Because we had a different style and swag with us? So that came as no surprise to hear him say that now. And I haven&rsquo;t heard anyone call him out on it and don&rsquo;t expect to. So thank you for saying something.
"But Juwan owned up to everything &mdash; apologized for his reaction, took all responsibility &mdash; but none of the other parties involved, who caused the chain of events to take place, were held accountable? Why was Juwan the only one who got suspended?&nbsp; Gard&rsquo;s little $10K fine isn&rsquo;t a punishment. Why didn&rsquo;t they suspend the other coaches like you suspended Juwan, especially when he was coming to the defense of his players? Gard and Krabbenhoft didn&rsquo;t even apologize like Juwan did. People wanna talk about being men and owning up to what you did, but that only pertains to one side?
Etan: That&rsquo;s ridiculous, and people are still saying Juwan got off light and should&rsquo;ve been fired.
Jackson: "I see it too. I was reading a few articles this morning, and yeah, that&rsquo;s just absurd. That's why I appreciate what you do. There are so many folks still calling for Juwan to be fired, and to be honest, I was worried. I spoke to C-Webb the night it happened and he was worried too, because we know they&rsquo;re waiting for any reason to throw the book at Juwan, and we know why. But hopefully, everyone can put this story and this issue behind them and we can move on, and Juwan can get back to continuing to do an amazing job as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. But he shouldn&rsquo;t have been the only party held accountable for what took place."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/violalogo1_lg.png" alt="" width="652" height="326" />
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Ray Jackson and Etan Thomas share passionate thoughts on Juwan Howard and the double standard regarding people's reactions.

Ray Jackson: Juwan Howard shouldn't be the only one held accountable

Michigan will suspend men&rsquo;s basketball coach Juwan Howard for the rest of the regular season, a source tells Yahoo Sports.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/DanWetzel/status/1495903149017776130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Howard got into a verbal and physical confrontation with Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard during the handshake line of Wisconsin's blowout win over the Wolverines. Howard said he didn't like the timeout that was called by Gard and the Badgers who already had the game sealed at that point, but Gard had his own reasons for taking the timeout, citing he took the timeout because his team only had four seconds to get it up the court and didn't want to put his backups in that situation, so the timeout reset the 10-second call.
Nonetheless, Howard will be able to return to the sidelines for Michigan for the Big Ten Tournament if Michigan qualifies.

Michigan will be suspending head coach Juwan Howard for the rest of the regular season.

Michigan suspends head coach Juwan Howard for rest of regular season

Nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, Derek Murray takes a dive into the state of the Big Ten.

State of the Conference: Evaluating the Big Ten

Champaign, IL&nbsp; -&nbsp; Kofi Cockburn had a monster game with 37 points, as No. 18 Illinois defeated No. 11 Wisconsin 80-67. The Fighting Illini got a huge conference win.
The Badgers (17-4, 8-3 B1G) are currently projected a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and have been led by one of college basketball&rsquo;s best stories &mdash; the emerging Johnny Davis. The sophomore guard leads the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, and is making a case as a top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA draft.&nbsp;
The Fighting Illini (16-5, 9-2 B1G) control their own destiny in the Big Ten and are projected a No. 5 seed for March Madness. Junior center Kofi Cockburn, recently returned from a concussion, has helped the team get back on track after dropping games to Purdue and Maryland.&nbsp;
In a first half with numerous lead changes &mdash; the biggest lead either direction being only six &mdash; Illinois took a 42-38 lead into the break. Cockburn got started early and had a sensational first half with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block on 10 of 12 from the field. Johnny Davis had 13 points and 9 rebounds while Wisconsin&rsquo;s Tyler Wahl scored 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting.&nbsp;
To start the second period, four different Illinois players made a bucket in the first three minutes, extending the lead to 51-40. Alfonso Plummer connected on a triple at the 16:44 mark to end a 9-0 run, which forced the Badgers into a timeout. Lorne Bowman II and Steven Crowl would then turn it on and cut the difference back to 65-59.
From that point on, Cockburn was nearly unstoppable. He dominated the interior the rest of the way and secured the 80-67 win for Illinois. Davis had an inefficient night hitting only 5 of 19 from the field, but ended with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Wahl posted 14 points and 6 rebounds. Jacob Grandison had a solid game for Illinios with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.&nbsp;
Illinois moves into sole first place in the B1G standings.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
UPCOMING
Wisconsin will host Penn State on Saturday.
Illinois will visit Indiana on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Kofi Cockburn had a monster game with 37 points as No. 18 Illinois defeated No. 11 Wisconsin 80-67.

No. 18 Illinois defeated No. 11 Wisconsin 80-67, Cockburn scores 37

Lincoln, NE&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; The Wisconsin Badgers took care of business on the road, beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 73-65 behind Brad Davison&rsquo;s big day. The senior guard posted 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Nebraska freshman Bryce McGowens led all players in scoring with 23 points.
Entering this one, the Badgers (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten) had been getting it done. They had rattled off seven consecutive wins before falling to Michigan State at home. Sophomore guard Johnny Davis has positioned himself as a potential top-10 pick in this year&rsquo;s NBA Draft by averaging 22.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game &mdash; leading Wisconsin in each category.&nbsp;
While the Cornhuskers (6-13, 0-8 Big Ten) have had a rough year, McGowens has been a bright spot. He leads them in scoring at 15.7 points per game and continues to make his case as a one-and-done prospect in this coming year&rsquo;s draft
The visiting Badgets took a 39-31 lead into the break after shooting 9 of 14 from behind the arc. They also got a big half from Davison, who had 17 points to lead all scorers. Senior guard Alonzo Verge Jr. led Nebraska at the break with 9 points on 4 of 8 from the floor. Freshman Chucky Hepburn also had 9 points for the Badgers, and Davis was held in check with 0 points.&nbsp;
The second half started with 5 quick Wisconsin points from Steven Crowl and a transition dunk from Ben Carlson. McGowens remained aggressive and was able to get to the free-throw line a couple of times, but the deficit still grew to 49-37 at the under-16 TV timeout. Nebraska would go scoreless for nearly five minutes until Verge had a nifty drive and finish to get back on the board.&nbsp;
A 9-0 run by the Huskers cut the lead to 57-48, forcing Wisconsin to take a timeout in hopes of killing momentum. McGowens would add another bucket before Davis answered with a pair of free throws after being fouled on a drive. The Badgers would hold tight to the lead from there for the victory.
Davis ended with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. Hepburn and Crowl also played well for the visitors posting 13 points and 12 points respectively. Verge and Lat Mayen scored 11 points each for Nebraska.
The Huskers continue to struggle, now having lost 12 out of their last 13 contests. Their only win during this stretch was against Kennesaw State in December.&nbsp;
UPCOMING
Wisconsin hosts Minnesota on Sunday afternoon.&nbsp;
Nebraska will host Rutgers on Saturday.&nbsp;
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Wisconsin takes care of business on the road, winning 73-65 behind Brad Davison’s big day.

Wisconsin Badgers