College Basketball

[ad_1] Dec 29, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden gestures against the Stetson Hatters during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images The 2025 calendar year is here and Florida basketball enters January as one of the hottest teams in the sport. The Gators are riding …

[ad_1] LAWRENCE — There’s so much more doubt swirling around Kansas basketball’s potential this season right now than there was a week ago. Losing 62-61 on Tuesday at home against West Virginia will do that. The No. 7 Jayhawks (9-3, 0-1 in Big 12 Conference) hadn’t lost a league opener in more than 30 years and looked rough — to put it …

[ad_1] According to Columbia University study cited by CBS News, nearly half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and only 25% of people stay committed to those aspirations after just 30 days. Fewer than 10% accomplish what they set out to do when the calendar flips. Xavier (9-5, 1-2 Big East) will try to beat those odds with 17 conference …

[ad_1] As a new year dawns, the ACC finds itself in what has become a familiar position the past several years. The conference has brand names, but a shortage of national title contenders, with only five teams among the top 50 squads in the NCAA’s NET rankings as of New Year’s Day. It’s quite possible that another strong NCAA Tournament …

[ad_1] EAST LANSING — “Casual” is not a term Tom Izzo throws around lightly. It generally means he wants sharper focus and intensity in some facet from his Michigan State basketball players. A new year brought the return of the dreaded word. And Izzo’s biggest demand with Big Ten play the rest of the way is for the Spartans to …

[ad_1] Former Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn had a terrific outing in Louisville’s 83-70 win over North Carolina on Wednesday. The veteran point guard tallied a game-high 26 points, seven assists and two rebounds on five-for-eight shooting and 16-for-20 from the free-throw line. That performance led the Cardinals to their ninth win of the season, this over a high-profile conference opponent. …

[ad_1] Oregon men’s coach Dana Altman brings his team together before their game against Weber State at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene. Oregon’s perfect run through its nonconference men’s basketball schedule – including three straight wins – has given it plenty of momentum heading into its upcoming 18-game stretch of Big Ten Conference play. The ninth-ranked Ducks will take any …

[ad_1] Tipoff for SEC play is almost underway for Alabama basketball. Undefeated Oklahoma starts things off for the No. 6 Crimson Tide in a top-10 matchup on Saturday. The No. 10 Sooners lead the series 7-3, Alabama never having won a game against the first-year SEC members on the road. However, UA (11-2) has taken its last two in Coleman …

[ad_1] Arkansas basketball’s SEC opener against No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday will feature an exciting matchup between point guards from New York. The Razorbacks’ (11-2) Boogie Fland and the Volunteers’ (13-0) Zakai Zeigler both hail from the Big Apple. Zeigler is from Long Island, while Fland calls the Bronx home. The two never crossed paths at the high school level …

[ad_1] WEST LONG BRANCH – The Monmouth team that takes the court at OceanFirst Bank Center for tonight’s CAA opener is battle-tested, having survived a non-conference schedule that included four games against high-major opponents, and three others against top mid-majors. And while the Hawks took their lumps, going 2-11, it’s time for the payoff. At least that’s the plan. The …

[ad_1] Jan. 2—All Wright was an eighth grader the last time Valparaiso defeated Missouri State in a men’s basketball game. Now, he is a freshman for the Beacons and helped them to outlast the Bears 73-72 on Wednesday night inside Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri. It marked Valpo’s first win over MSU since March of 2020. Wright went …

[ad_1] EAST LANSING — “Casual” is not a term Tom Izzo throws around lightly. It generally means he wants sharper focus and intensity in some facet from his Michigan State basketball players. A new year brought the return of the dreaded word. And Izzo’s biggest demand with Big Ten play the rest of the way is for the Spartans to …

[ad_1] Wichita State Shockers (10-3) at Temple Owls (8-5) Philadelphia; Friday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Wichita State takes on Temple after Xavier Bell scored 29 points in Wichita State’s 87-72 victory over the Friends Falcons. The Owls have gone 5-0 at home. Temple is fifth in the AAC scoring 78.5 points while shooting 45.1% from the field. The Shockers …

[ad_1] Pat Kelsey couldn’t stop smiling Wednesday night. Louisville basketball’s 83-70 win over North Carolina at the KFC Yum! Center had a lot to do with that. But he and his staff also got to celebrate a victory on the recruiting trail that they’ve been keeping under wraps for weeks. Mikel Brown Jr., a consensus top-three point guard in the …

[ad_1] Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (3-8, 1-1 OVC) at Tennessee State Tigers (4-8, 0-2 OVC) Nashville, Tennessee; Thursday, 6 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Southeast Missouri State takes on Tennessee State after Zoe Best scored 22 points in Southeast Missouri State’s 102-50 victory against the William Woods Owls. The Tigers have gone 3-0 in home games. Tennessee State is 2-3 when …

[ad_1] Northern Kentucky Norse (3-11, 0-3 Horizon) at Green Bay Phoenix (9-5, 2-1 Horizon) Green Bay, Wisconsin; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Northern Kentucky plays Green Bay after Kamora Morgan scored 23 points in Northern Kentucky’s 86-85 loss to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The Phoenix have gone 4-2 in home games. Green Bay ranks fourth in the Horizon in …

[ad_1] LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Chucky Hepburn made 16 of 20 free throws — going 7 for 7 in the last three minutes — and scored 26 points to lead Louisville to an 83-70 win over North Carolina on Wednesday night. Hepburn scored 13 points in the last nine minutes as the Cardinals continually came up with clutch plays after …

[ad_1] Louisville’s Noah Waterman goes in for the dunk in the first half against North Carolina at the KFC Yum! Center. January 1, 2025 The North Carolina Tar Heels had every chance to win Wednesday night’s ACC basketball battle with Louisville. The host Cardinals kept missing the front ends of one-and-ones, allowing UNC golden transition opportunities. North Carolina couldn’t make …

[ad_1] BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Trey Fort scored 19 points as Samford beat Citadel 86-56 on Wednesday night to open Southern Conference play. Fort went 7 of 14 from the field (5 for 10 from 3-point range) for the Bulldogs (11-3, 1-0 Southern Conference). Rylan Jones scored 18 points while finishing 6 of 9 from 3-point range and added six …

[ad_1] CHICAGO — UConn freshman Liam McNeeley will have an MRI on Thursday on his injured right ankle. McNeeley got hurt in the second half of the Huskies’ 81-68 victory at DePaul on Wednesday. The 6-foot-7 forward went down after he collided with DePaul guard Layden Blocker while going for the ball on a deflected pass. “Hopefully it’s just a …

[ad_1] Jan 1, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Reyne Smith (6) shoots against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images For the first time in as many seasons I remember watching them, the North Carolina Tar Heels lack a consistent post presence on their …

[ad_1] Jan 1, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward James Scott (0) dunks against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jae’Lyn Withers (24) and forward Jalen Washington (13) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images The North Carolina Tar Heels were on the right track in their basketball season, entering Wednesday night’s matchup with …

[ad_1] CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Tytan Anderson’s 18 points helped Northern Iowa defeat Belmont 76-70 on Wednesday night. Anderson added three steals for the Panthers (9-5, 3-0 Missouri Valley Conference). Leon Bond III scored 15 points while finishing 7 of 11 from the floor and added nine rebounds. Trey Campbell shot 6 for 14 (1 for 5 from 3-point …

[ad_1] SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Cooper Schwieger’s 22 points helped Valparaiso defeat Missouri State 73-72 on Wednesday night. Missouri State’s Zaxton King was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with less than a second left but he missed two of the three free throws. Schwieger shot 8 of 14 from the field, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 4 …

[ad_1] Baylor guard Jeremy Roach, left, and Utah forward Ezra Ausar, right, reach for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Waco, Texas. | Jerry Larson WACO, Texas — Earlier this week when Utah men’s basketball coach Craig Smith discussed the team’s first Big 12 opponent, Baylor, one thing he …