College Basketball

After a week away from the hardwood, the Auburn Tigers return to action Thursday to face Illinois State in the semifinals of the 2026 NIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Auburn was favored to win in every game of the NIT so far, and delivered. Is the case the same for Thursday’s game? ESPN expects Auburn to continue the …

N.C. State moved quickly to hire one of its own to lead the Wolfpack men’s basketball program. The school announced the hiring of Tennessee assistant coach and former Wolfpack player Justin Gainey as head coach. That came after the departure of Will Wade after one season for a second stint at LSU. Advertisement N.C. State had an agreement in place …

The most important stretch of the offseason for Louisville basketball and coach Pat Kelsey begins April 7. That’s when the NCAA transfer portal opens for business — until midnight April 22. And the Cardinals have a lot of roster spots to fill after going 24-11 and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 …

After falling to UCLA in the third round of the Big Ten tournament, it was expected that the season would be over for Rutgers men’s basketball. Then, in a surprise twist, the Scarlet Knights were invited to the College Basketball Crown, an eight-team tournament run by Fox Sports, where each team participating dukes it out for a trophy and an …

When Connecticut makes it past the opening weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Huskies are almost impossible to stop. UConn won its 18th straight game played in the Sweet 16 or later when they mounted a most improbable comeback to rally from 19 points down to beat 73-72 Sunday on Braylon Mullins’ last-second 3-pointer. Advertisement The Huskies haven’t …

The Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team has fostered a culture of success that other schools can only dream of having. With five NCAA championships and a roster of legendary alumni — including Kyrie Irving, Grant Hill, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Paolo Banchero and Cooper Flagg — the Blue Devils have set an almost untouchable benchmark for excellence in college …

Former Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski experienced his fair share of devastating losses over his lengthy career. That will happen when you spend 42 seasons at a single school. But despite Krzyzewski being out of the coaching game for four years now, it’s still possible for him to be affected by a Duke loss. He found that out Sunday, …

The Illinois Fighting Illini have reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. They have a Final Four battle with No. 2 seed UConn, a 73-72 winner over No. 1 seed Duke in a stunning, last-second victory on Sunday that instantly joined March Madness lore. Advertisement When the 28-8 Illini tip against 33-5 UConn, …

Reaching college basketball’s Promised Land is the goal for any program. Winning at the Final Four is what cements a team in the annals of basketball history. Arizona men’s basketball is in the Final Four for the fifth time in program history and the first since 2001. Arizona will be playing in its eight all-time Final Four game Saturday when …

Once you reach the Final Four every game is massive. But Michigan basketball vs. Arizona has the potential to be an all-timer. When Midwest 1-seed Michigan and West 1-seed Arizona meet in the late national semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4 (8:49 p.m., TBS), it will be a meeting between the No. 3 and No. …

The release of the Sports Illustrated All-American teams always serves as a snapshot of the college basketball landscape—capturing not only production, but influence, style, and the players who define the rhythm of a given season. This year’s selections reflect a game that continues to evolve toward versatility and positional fluidity, with guards orchestrating at elite levels and forwards expected to …

Ben McCollum’s first season was an unquestioned success after leading the Iowa Hawkeyes (24-13, 10-10) to the Elite 8 for the first time since 1987, Dr. Tom Davis’ first season in Iowa City. But it didn’t always feel that way. There was the January swoon where the Hawks struggled through illness and amassed 3 straight losses (though none by more …

UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley might not like game officials, even after his team wins tight games. In Sunday’s March Madness Elite Eight matchup, UConn’s Braylon Mullins’ shot a game-winning 3 -point shot-point over Duke with 0.4 seconds left in the game. Advertisement UConn will now move onto the Final Four. After Sunday’s game was over, Hurley could be …

The transfer portal doesn’t open until April 7th, but it’s not too early to start knowing players the Wildcats could be in play for when it opens, and one name to watch for is Central Arkansas guard Camren Hunter. According to KSR’s Jacob Polacheck, kentucky is expected to be involved with Hunter once he officially enters the portal next week. …

At this stage of the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament, if you do not know who Yaxel Lendeborg is, you’re either lying or haven’t been paying attention. The same holds for the Michigan basketball star, is true for Arizona’s Koa Peat, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Connecticut’s Terrian Reed. These four have been among the best players in March Madness, but have …

This episode of The C.L. Brown Show features ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas breaking down the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four and more. Bilas explains why rumors that Michigan’s Dusty May and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd are potential candidates for the North Carolina job opening won’t be a distraction. He tells how general managers make a difference for coaches at programs like Kentucky …

CHICAGO — Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom. It was the same sound heard in bars, restaurants and living rooms across America after UConn freshman Braylon Mullins sank the game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to stun top-seeded …

Once you reach the Final Four every game is massive. But Michigan basketball vs. Arizona has the potential to be an all-timer. When Midwest 1-seed Michigan and West 1-seed Arizona meet in the late national semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4 (8:49 p.m., TBS), it will be a meeting between the No. 3 and No. …

Reseed the Final Four. You’re going to hear that idea this week, with the top two teams in college basketball, Arizona and Michigan, meeting in the semifinals instead of the national championship, while UConn faces Illinois in the other semifinal. Advertisement Like a lot of ideas, this one sounds good in the theory stage. Peel back the layers, though, and …

Ohio State basketball sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. made a significant announcement Tuesday afternoon, declaring he will enter the 2026 NBA Draft this summer. While the news caught some off guard, it carries a certain logic given that Mobley finished the season as the Buckeyes’ second leading scorer behind Bruce Thornton. Mobley is entering the process while preserving his college …

First year Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum wasn’t afraid to say exactly what this team needs after they exited the NCAA Tournament in the Elite Eight. This team has lacked in size all year, and there’s simply nothing that can be done about that mid-season. Advertisement Iowa went into the 2025-26 season at a massive disadvantage, but McCollum’s teams …

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs officially enter the Pac-12 starting on July 1, 2026, beginning a new era of college hoops in Spokane. Among the many projected changes for the Zags in the new league is the number of conference matchups. With nine total basketball playing members the Pac-12 is expected to have a round robin scheduling format – …

Illinois basketball’s X-factor to beat UConn in Final Four tilt appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Every time the chips have been down throughout the 2025-2026 season, Brad Underwood has turned to star freshman Keaton Wagler to bail him out. Perhaps that is the case again, but if Illinois is going to beat …

North Carolina hasn’t hired a men’s basketball coach just yet, but there are three intriguing options at the school’s disposal. Shortly after North Carolina parted ways with Hubert Davis, reporters mentioned Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan as a candidate for the job in Chapel Hill. Prior to taking his talents to the NBA, he won two national championships and …

The college basketball season was dominated by a historically gifted – and deep – class of first-year players. But as tends to be the case in March, those players were slowly knocked out of the field by older, more seasoned stars and teams. Experience nearly always wins in the NCAA Tournament – evident in our Final Four player power rankings …