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UConn: 2023-24 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Champions
UConn made it look inevitable again.
For the second year in a row, the Huskies dominated on their march to a title — and now they're the first team to win consecutive national crowns since Florida in 2006 and 2007. The latest victim was Purdue and Naismith winner Zach Edey, as UConn won the battle of No. 1 seeds, 75-60, Monday night in Glendale, Arizona.
The Huskies won their six tournament games by 140 points — or 23.33 per game. It was a sequel to the 2023 run, when UConn won the national title with a winning margin of 20 per game.
Tristen Newton led UConn (37-3) with 20 points and seven assists, but he had plenty of help. Stephon Castle had 15, Cam Spencer had a busy night with 11 points and eight rebounds and Donovan Clingan had 11 points and five boards.
Though Edey finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds, his teammates finished only nine of 29 from the floor (31 percent). Purdue, which hoped to follow 2018-19 Virginia by going from losing to a No. 16 seed one year to cutting down the nets, made only one of seven 3-point attempts. The Boilermakers (34-5) were the No. 2 3-point shooting team in the nation.
UConn is now 6-0 in national championship games — all since 1999.
South Carolina: 2023-24 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Champions
With undefeated South Carolina jolted onto an unfamiliar backfoot, coach Dawn Staley looked toward her bench to remedy an early 11-point deficit to Iowa — more specifically, she looked toward Tessa Johnson.
The freshman guard outshone her six-point scoring average all tournament long and was a revelation in relief for the Gamecocks. With a team-high 19 points and three triples, Johnson led South Carolina to a slim halftime lead and a dominant third quarter, helping the Gamecocks claim their second national title in three years, 87-75, and cap off a perfect season.
The role players were rolling from the opening tip, as Kate Martin and Sydney Affolter gave Iowa a quick 7-0 lead, but Caitlin Clark scored 13 in a row from all over the court. The newly crowned AP Player of the Year drained a pair of 3s, was fouled on two more attempts and converted at the rim to give her Hawkeyes a 20-9 lead by the first media timeout. Clark finished with 30 points (10 of 28 shooting), eight rebounds and five assists in her last college game.
Iowa's centers Hannah Stuelke and Addison O'Grady admirably limited star Gamecock post Cardoso to just 2 of 6 shooting in the first quarter, but the Brazilian behemoth partnered with Johnson and inevitably found her opening. Johnson — who led the Gamecocks' 36-0 bench scoring advantage — took up the mantle for South Carolina and its top-ranked defense. The freshman guard poked away a pair of steals, turning each into transition baskets, before Cardoso finished through contact to tie the game at 27.
That top-ranked defense also took exception to Clark's early mastery, and a savvy defensive play from Raven Johnson dispossessed Clark and gave the Gamecocks an easy two points before halftime.
South Carolina bottled up this late-half momentum for a roaring start out of the locker room. Chloe Kitts ensured her spot on the floor with two straight baskets out of the intermission, and Te-Hina Paopao nailed a pull-up jumper to give her Gamecocks a 55-46 lead and force Iowa coach Lisa Bluder to burn a quick timeout.
Cardoso also hauled a career-high 17 rebounds, leading an overwhelming South Carolina rebounding effort that started to wear on the Hawkeyes. The Gamecocks enjoyed a 24-11 rebounding advantage in the second half, including six offensive boards, and a plus-6 advantage in second chance points helped South Carolina maintain its lead.
Paopao nailed a 3 to begin the fourth quarter, one of her three long-range bombs Sunday, and a familiarly balanced South Carolina scoring attack — seven Gamecocks made at least three field goals — proved too much for a late Hawkeyes rally.
Seton Hall: 2024 National Invitation Tournament Champions
INDIANAPOLIS – It was a title game that lived up to its billing, a showcase of two NCAA Tournament snubs that proved they belonged, waged before a relentlessly raucous crowd at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
You could not have asked for a more compelling National Invitation Tournament final, and in the end, Seton Hall basketball dug deep and rallied late for a 79-77 triumph over Indiana State Thursday. It was a moment of redemption no one saw coming three weeks ago, amid the despair of a Selection Sunday gone wrong, and the winning play was delivered by a hometown kid in a Hoosiers-style twist fit for Hollywood.
Senior wing Dre Davis, an Indianapolis native, hit the go-ahead layup with 16 seconds left, slicing and spinning past three defenders to do it. The Pirates finished the game on a 9-0 run over the final 2:38, stunning the baby-blue clad Sycamores fans into silence as 300 or so Hall supporters erupted in joy.
"I feel like we did something special here," Davis said. "Obviously we wanted to win a championship, and at the end of the day that's what we did. "
Seton Hall’s quest for its first NIT crown since 1953 succeeded despite a crowd of 9,100 that was 95 percent pro-Sycamores. The Pirates finish a memorable season with a 25-12 record, the foundation having been laid in year two of Shaheen Holloway’s regime. It’s just the seventh time the program has won 25-plus games in its 120-year history.
"The naysayers, we left them with something to remember," senior guard Kadary Richmond said. "And the people at Seton Hall, I feel like we left our mark there, too."
Indiana State’s breakthrough campaign ends at 32-7. The Sycamores, like the Pirates, put on a show for much of the tournament, raising the event's profile and garnering national buzz. Thursday's thrilling finale was an exclamation point on one of the most memorable Hall seasons ever.
"Three Sundays ago, if you guys seen the look on these guys' faces when we didn't make the (NCAA) tournament, and as their leader, not knowing what to say to them, it was the worst feeling in the world," Holloway said. "From that, to going to this, getting drenched by those guys (in the postgame locker room celebration), it's the best feeling in the world."
Here is how the wild, unforgettable finish unfolded.
With Indiana State leading 77-70, Richmond put back his own miss for a layup at the 2:38 mark.
After errant 3-pointers on both ends, Al-Amir Dawes got fouled going to the basket and sank two free throws to make it 77-74 with 1:27 left.
Indiana State’s Robbie Avila missed a 3-pointer, and Dawes drilled a step-back triple from straightaway to knot things up at 77-77 with 1:05 remaining.
"This group, you know, they haven't wavered," Holloway said of his team's late-game mettle. "We got in a huddle. There was no panicking. It was, all right, all right, let's do what we do. Get a score, get a stop."
After two Indiana State misses, Richmond tried to drive, got cut off, and handed the ball to Davis, who spun through three defenders for the go-ahead layup. Richmond had screened for him, opening just enough daylight.
'It was just a broken play," Davis said. "Kooks created an angle for me to get downhill and just put me in position to be able to get a good look at the rim...I am blessed, man, pleased beyond measure to be able to do this at the home crib. Happy for my guys. Proud of my team to fight tooth-and-nail to the very end."
In a bonkers final sequence, Indiana State's game-winning 3-point attempt got blocked by Hall center Jaden Bediako, who closed out masterfully.
“That's a really good basketball team,” Indiana State coach Josh Schertz said. “They showed a lot of heart and fight and made a lot of plays there down the stretch to win the game. So credit to them. Very deserving champions.”
FIVE TAKEWAYS
1. Big three left their mark
In their curtain call a trio, and possibly each of their final games in a Seton Hall uniform, Richmond, Davis and Al-Amir Dawes etched their names into Pirate lore.
Dawes was named the NIT's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21 points per game for the tournament. He tallied 24 points and four steals in the final, making all nine of his free-throw attempts. He also was one of the most vocal Pirates about wanting to play in the NIT, a decision that was made by the five starters, and he carried the team past Saint Joseph's in that sluggish opening-round squeaker.
"We stuck to who we were," Dawes said. "We stuck to who we do. We ended up here."
Davis tallied 18 points and 3 blocks in the final, playing all 40 minutes. He wound up going 4-0 as a Pirate at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
"Indy was great for me," he said. "To be able to come home and win two big games, compete for a national championship which is our goal and ultimately win, it was a great week."
Richmond chalked up 21 points, 13 boards and 5 assists. Asked about leaving a legacy, he replied with a slam dunk.
"We opened the doors for the underdog players that's being recruited by Seton Hall, and don't feel as if anybody else is giving them a chance," he said. "This is a great place to come, and be able to play a game and be who you are."
Collectively, the big three took a program in transition after Kevin Willard’s departure and helped Holloway affix his stamp on it. They authored a bunch of memorable moments, shared the game, and represented the school well. Their performance this season was a monument to the value of continuity – one that is in increasingly short supply across the sport.
2. The postgame scene
There were poignant moments galore after the final horn. For starters, Holloway walked over to a devastated Avila (13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, but some crucial misses late) and literally picked Avila's chin up to offer some words of encouragement.
Holloway can be rough around the edges at times, but this gesture was a window into his character.
"I told him, there's no need to have your head down," he said. "You guys played a heck of a game. You guys got a great team. You guys battled. This was a championship game. A bunch of punches going back and forth, and just told him to pick his head up. He's a great player and he's got a lot of basketball to be played."
Then, as the Pirates began cutting down the net, they were encircled by their fans who broke into a chant of "Let's go Jersey!"
Dawes was first to climb the latter and snip a piece off. When it was Richmond's turn, the fans serenaded him with a chant of "one more year!" He smiled broadly and nodded his head in response.
"I appreciate them for coming; my focus tonight was winning a championship with guys in the locker room who have been here since June and fighting day-in and day-out," he said when asked about the chant and the scene. "So we appreciate them for traveling. Some flew. Some were telling me the amount of miles they drove, and we highly appreciate it."
As his players cut the net, Holloway worked the crowd, thanking Pirate fans for coming. He air-conducted the pep band's rendition of Seton Hall's fight song. Then he snipped the net's final piece off and held it aloft.
This marked the third time he's done that. Willard gave him the honor of cutting the last piece after the 2016 Big East Tournament title, and he also cut the net down after Saint Peter's won the 2022 MAAC Tournament, which was the victory that assured he would get the vacant job at his alma mater.
Afterward, upon returning to the team hotel where fans had congregated, the players gave walk-on David Gabriel the honor of carrying in the NIT trophy.
"Proud of everybody who stepped on the court and everybody who was ready," Holloway said. "Because I don't forget the walk-ons and the guys who don't play. They prepare the guys on the court for games like this."
3. A worthy title-game venue
It’s not Madison Square Garden, which hosted the NIT semis and final for decades, but Hinkle is an outstanding replacement. At a cozy 9,100-seats, with a balcony that surrounds the court and provides an intimate old-world setting, outstanding acoustics and dripping with history (as everybody knows, the ultimate scene of “Hoosiers” was filmed there), this was a quality host.
Indiana State fans brought the juice, creating a championship-level atmosphere. Anyone who thinks the NIT has no meaning or value should have witnessed the vibe in that building. To their credit, the Pirates used the hostility as fuel.
"I think we can just credit the league, the Big East for that," Davis said. "I feel like our league really prepared us for this moment."
It's a shame Fox is launching an alternate consolation tournament for high-majors next season, to be played fully in Las Vegas, because the charms of the NIT in venues like Walsh Gym and Hinkle were evident these past few weeks.
The NIT is not the Big Dance as we all know, but this run was proof that it still matters.
4. A trip for the die-hards
Among Pirate supporters on hand was Kevin Regan, the son of Hall legend Richie Regan – who was point guard on the 1953 NIT championship squad. Kevin was wearing the gold watch his father got for winning that tournament. It was willed to him when Richie died in 2002.
“It’s been a great run, and it brings back fantastic memories,” said Kevin Regan, a Brielle resident who came to Indianapolis with his daughter Erinne and sisters Kate and Marybeth. “Now everyone knows how important it was in 1953 – because 70 years later they’re bringing it up. I’ve gotten text about it from people I haven’t talked to in years.”
What would Richie think of this team and its season?
“He’d be happy as he could be because they’re playing well and they represent the school so well,” Kevin said, adding that he’d be particularly proud of Holloway’s leadership. “To see him come up the ranks at Seton Hall and do so well, he would love that.”
Also on hand were former Hall star and NBA coach Adrian Griffin, 1989 Final Four team member Pookey Wigington, and core members of Seton Hall’s student section who drove 700 miles for the occasion.
5. Into the offseason
There was a tangible benefit to Seton Hall’s NIT run. Mike McBride, Deputy Athletics Director for Revenue Generation, NIL & Strategic Initiatives, said the alumni-driven collective Onward Setonia has experienced a clear uptick in support these last three weeks.
“The best part about the run we’ve had this postseason, all the guys who’ve supported us all year long have stepped up and supported us even more because they can see the benefits,” McBride said. “Those that haven’t supported us, who have been negative about what we’re doing with NIL, this has opened their eyes and they’ve become supportive. So it’s really brought the entire Seton Hall community together and they understand the more support they provide, the more we can do with the team. So it’s been really good for everyone.”
While exact numbers are elusive, it’s believed Seton Hall’s NIL war chest is roughly double what it was last year at this time. Keep that in mind as transfer-portal season begins. As with just about every team across the sport’s landscape, the Pirates will experience plenty of movement.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Postgrads Dawes and Bediako are out of eligibility.
Richmond and Davis are candidates to enter the transfer portal and also explore pro-ball opportunities. Richmond, who could command a hefty NIL payday and is also a candidate for a two-way NBA contract, has options galore.
There is a fair chance senior guard Dylan Addae-Wusu will be back for a postgrad season.
Retaining freshman wing Isaiah Coleman, a Big East All-Freshman honoree, will be a high priority. It’s a good sign that Coleman made the trip to Indianapolis to be with his teammates for the title game even though he couldn’t play after spending the past week bedridden with bronchitis.
Backup center Elijah Hutchins-Everett, who hails from Orange, also figures to have a role on next year’s squad. The fate of the rest of the bench is to be determined.
If the Hall can retain Addae-Wusu and Coleman and one of Richmond or Davis, that will be a strong nucleus for next season.
One thing is certain: As players make decisions about their futures, the good vibes produced by this NIT run certainly don't hurt.
And at the very least, no matter what happens, they'll receive a hero's welcome in South Orange for many years to come.
West Valley: 2023-24 CCCAA Men's Basketball State Champions
WALNUT - In a game of runs in the 3C2A Men's Basketball Championship game, West Valley College came away with the biggest run of the day to pull off its first title in program history.
The 11-1 run to end the game gave the Vikings a 59-51 victory over College of the Sequoias on Sunday afternoon at Mt. San Antonio College to become just the fifth team in state history to finish the season undefeated with a 33-0 record.
The run was highlighted by two big defensive rebounds by All-Tournament West Valley Center Shakir Odunewu and a basket and two free throws by Tournament MVP Elijah Mahi.
"I remember coach told us it took us two years to win the state championship," Mahi said. "It was a lot of hard work, and I couldn't give enough thanks to coach Danny (Yoshikawa) and our assistant coaches.
Four of the five current Vikings starters were a part of the team that lost in last year's quarterfinal round.
The defense, of course, was a big part of the title for the Vikings with their height and Mahi accentuated that point of his teammates, saying, "We just stuck to our principles and locked in our defense and if we took our time, we could get whatever we wanted on offense."
The title game was the sixth for the Vikings, dating back to 1992. Three championship game appearances ('92, '95, 96) were under former coach and CCCMBCA Hall of Famer Bob Burton and Yoshikawa ('06, '22, '24).
"To be very honest with you, I don't think I'll know for another week," said Yoshikawa, of what the title meant to the school. "For me, it's long overdue. Our program has been an elite program for a long time. I think about all the players that came before this team and all of them who played under coach Burton."
Mahi ended up with a game-high 30 points for the Vikings while Odunewu added 13 and All-Tournament selection Jeremiah Dargan had nine. Mahi also had a big quarterfinal game with 26 points.
"I'm super excited and (darn), I mean 33-0, an unbelievable season, making history for my teammates, I'm just happy right now," Dargan said.
COS was led by sophomore guard Jose Cuello, an All-Tourney selection, with a team-high 27 points (10-22 FGM-A), along with Alex Argandar's 12 points.
Also named to the All-Tourney team from COS was sophomore forward Cameron Clark.
The Vikings' height contributed to a game-high 24 points in the paint and 19 points off turnovers.
In the early portion of the first half, West Valley came out on fire with a 13-5 advantage. The run was highlighted by three baskets by Mahi and a 3-pointer by Ragen.
"It feels great," said Ragen, of the perfection put up by the Vikings. "Genuinely, I think anything else I think I would have been more surprised, and we earned this (championship)."
COS answered with a spurt of its own with a 10-2 run to take its first lead, 17-15, on two free throws by Argandar with 5:33 left in the opening half. Nesbit started the run with a long 2-point basket and Jaylon Lee added two baskets.
The Giants led by a point at the intermission, 27-26.
Mahi led all scorers with 17 (6-9 FGM-A) first-half points for West Valley, while Cuello led the Giants with 15, which included three 3-pointers.
The Vikings started fast after the intermission with an 11-1 run highlighted by a dunk by Mahi to open the half.
Argandar broke the run for the Giants with two consecutive 3's in just over a minute and Cuello added another trey for a 11-0 run of their own to take a 39-37 lead with 10:38 left.
After the 14-1 run by the Giants, Dargan hit a 3-pointer to close within a point, 42-41, with 6:22 remaining.
ALL-3C2A STATE TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP-Elijah Mahi, West Valley
Jeremiah Dargan, West Valley
Shakir Odunewu, West Valley
Jose Cuello, COS
Cameron Clark, COS
Devon Malcolm, Yuba
Jeremiah Davis, Fullerton
Norfolk State: 2024 College Insider Tournament Champions
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NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team ended its 2023-24 campaign with a net-cutting ceremony at Echols Hall – and not for a regular season championship.
The Spartans won the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Presented by BSN Sports on Wednesday night in front of its home crowd, erasing an 18-point defect to defeat Purdue Fort Wayne, 75-67.
Christian Ings lifted Norfolk State (24-11, 11-3 MEAC) to victory with 17 points, scoring 13 in the second half en route to Most Valuable Player honors. Allen Betrand continued his spectacular tournament, tallying 16 points including a trio of 3-pointers.
Four Spartans scored in double-figures: Ings (17 points), Betrand (16), Jaylani Darden (11), and Jamarii Thomas (10). Norfolk State outscored Purdue Fort Wayne 44-26 in the second half, shooting 17-of-30 (56.7 percent) from the floor during that period.
The Mastodons (23-11, 11-9 Horizon) controlled the pace early, starting with a quick score on the game's opening possession. Back-to-back 3-pointers gave the visiting team an 8-2 advantage.
Purdue Fort Wayne pushed the lead to double digits with a pair of layups from Eric Mulder a few minutes later. Betrand got shots to fall on consecutive possessions to give the Spartans some life, but Quinton Morton-Robertson drilled a 3-pointer at the other end within a matter of moments.
A 3-point basket late in the first half brought the gap to 36-18 for the Mastodons, their largest lead of the night. Tyrel Bladen stopped the momentum with an and-one layup, before Kuluel Mading knocked down a 3-pointer.
Ings got a jump shot to fall at the buzzer, cutting the deficit to 41-31 heading into halftime. He started the second half right where he'd left off, immediately scoring in the paint before hitting a 3-pointer.
A floating jump shot gave Ings the Spartans' first seven points of the second half and last nine points total. Back-to-back scores from Darden and Thomas forced a PFW timeout, the Mastodon's advantage suddenly cut to just two points.
Purdue Fort Wayne made a 3-pointer after the break, but inside baskets from Darden and Bladen pulled the Spartans within one. After a media timeout, Betrand converted behind the arc to push Norfolk State ahead 51-49, the Spartans' first lead of the afternoon.
Ings drained another 3-pointer to break another tie, scoring on the fast break a minute later. The graduate guard came up with a steal on the Mastodon's next possession before calling timeout, hyping up the Spartan bench.
Betrand hit a pair of jumpers in a short span, and Chris Fields Jr. rose for a one-handed slam in between scores. Thomas gave the Spartans a double-digit advantage with a driving layup after the final media timeout, as Norfolk State gained complete control of the ballgame.
Darden provided the championship dagger, draining a 3-pointer in the final minute to give NSU a nine-point lead.
Checking The Box Score
Christian Ings led the Spartans with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, scoring 13 in the second half
Allen Betrand recorded 16 points, knocking down three 3-pointers
Four Spartans scored in double figures: Ings (17 points), Betrand (16), Jaylani Darden (11), and Jamarii Thomas (10)
Anthony Roberts led the Mastodons with 18 points and eight rebounds
Norfolk State outscored Purdue Fort Wayne 44-26 in the second half
News & Notes
Norfolk State concluded the 2023-24 season with a 24-11 overall record, 11-3 in the MEAC
NSU won the 2024 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) with the victory, the program's first national postseason tournament championship in its Division-I era
Norfolk State overcame an 18-point first half deficit
Christian Ings was named the game's Most Valuable Player
The Spartans ended their season on a victory for just the third time in the program's Division I history
Wednesday marked the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and Purdue Fort Wayne
Allen Betrand concluded his collegiate career with a strong 16-point performance, after leading the Spartans with 16 points against Alabama A&M in the previous round
In the second halves of Norfolk State's two games in the CIT, the Spartans outscored their opponents by a total of 97-61
Seattle: 2024 College Basketball Invitational Champions
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Seattle University men's basketball completed the rare feat of finishing the season with a championship win, capturing the 2024 Ro College Basketball Invitational title with a 77-67 victory over top-seed High Point Wednesday night in Daytona Beach.
The Redhawks won four straight games over five days to capture the tournament title and conclude the season with a a 23-14 overall record.
Seattle U's senior trio of Cameron Tyson, Alex Schumacher and Seyi Reiley led the way all tournament long. The title game was no different. Tyson earned tournament MVP honors, capping his collegiate career with a 30-point effort, including seven three pointers. Schumacher was named to the all-tournament team following a 22-point, five rebound, four assist performance. Reiley closed out his career with 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.
A masterful defensive performance to start the game, the Redhawks held the high-scoring Panthers to just three points over the first 10 minutes of play.
High Point (27-9) would eventually get going, cutting into the Redhawks' 17-point lead and pull within six, 28-22. Seattle U would take a 30-22 lead into the break.
The second half would go back and forth until the final minutes. With High Point holding a 67-66 advantage with 1:56 to play, the Redhawks turned on the afterburners. Brandton Chatfield buried a straightaway three, Reiley drained a pair of free throws after a High Point flagrant foul, then slammed home an alley-pop dunk on the next play.
The seven-point possession put the Redhawks in the drivers' seat, 73-67. Schumacher and Tyson each sank a pair of free throws to close out an 11-0 run to secure the title.
Barton: 2023-24 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Champions
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KWCH) - The Barton Cougars were the team to beat in junior college basketball for nearly the entire 2023-24 season. The Cougars brought a 35-1 record into Saturday’s NJCAA Division I National Championship game with a trophy to bring back to Great Bend on their mind.
Their opponent, Triton College held an early first half lead before a three-point attack gave Barton a 23-21 advantage. Barton went on to the locker rooms with a 46-39 lead at halftime.
Down the stretch Triton again made Cougar fans sweat, closing the deficit down to single digits in the final minutes, but it was Barton that prevailed 88-73. After falling in their lone national championship appearance 25 years ago, Saturday marked Barton’s first national championship in program history.
“It’s special. We wanted to be the first team to bring home the trophy,” said Barton guard Ring Malith. “I’m happy we did it, we had a great season.”
“You saw it here today, there was a lot of people here,” said third year head coach Jeremy Coombs. “We started to see that in our home games a lot this year. The place was packed, it was a great environment for the guys to play in. We’re happy to bring it back to Great Bend but we’re really excited for our team just because they worked so hard for it.”
The one-seeded Cougars dominated their way through the national tournament in Hutchinson Sports Arena, defeating their tournament opponents by a combined 59 points in four matchups as they were determined for the outcome they saw Saturday.
“Since the preseason it was our goal,” Tournament MVP Lajae Jones said. “Win the conference, region, and the national championship.”
Freed-Hardman: 2023-24 NAIA Men's Basketball National Champions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 86th annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship concluded on Tuesday night with a hotly anticipated game between a pair of No. 1-seeds in Langston (Okla.) and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.). Freed-Hardeman picked up the massive win 71-67 over Langston to take home the program’s first-ever Red Banner.
Championship night was rocking from the start inside historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. Through the first seven minutes of play, both FHU and LU traded buckets from the tip as the fan bases of both institutions were loud and proud.
Just five-minutes into the game, Freed-Hardeman had a big block on a three attempt by Toru Dean, but the Miami native snagged the blocked ball out of the air and sank a second three-attempt with tenths of a second left on the shot clock.
As the contest entered the second media stoppage of the first half, Langston was 3-for-3 from the floor and pushed its lead to 20-16. The FHU Lions, however, did not go away and clawed their way back to trail by just two points in the following 12 minutes.
As both teams began to settle into the championship match-up, the pace of play began to settle down as well. With just over four minutes remaining in the opening frame, both teams were nearly equal across the board. LU held the narrow lead in field goal percentage, 46.4% to 45.8%, and three-point shooting percentage, 40% to 33.3%. It was the Langston defense down the stretch of the first half, however, that stole the show. The stingy Langston squad held Freed-Hardeman to long possessions and forced shots.
Langston closed the first 20 minutes on an 8-0 run and held a nine-point, 40-31 lead into the break.
Though both teams shot similarly from the floor in the first half, the Langston marksmen were lethal from three-point land, going 7-for-17 from beyond the arc.
Langston started the final period right where they left off. The team from Oklahoma quickly spread the floor and went end to end on a dunk and continued to pressure the squad from Tennessee.
Through 25 minutes of championship basketball, FHU and LU were tied three different times, and the game saw eight lead changes. Freed-Hardeman slowly began to close the margin, going on a 6-0 run while holding LU scoreless for over three and a half minutes, cutting the deficit to seven.
Langston’s scoring drought ended as Cortez Mosley hit a tough jumper on the inbound pass, pushing its lead back to nine. FHU had a contested look from deep with just under 12 minutes to play, which would have cut its margin to two points, but were unable to connect as it continued to trail 48-43.
Freed-Hardeman stayed persistent on both ends of the floor, putting together a 14-5 run that lasted nearly ten minutes of play, to trail by three. FHU quickly turned their deficit of three points, into a tied game at 50-all with just under eight minutes to play as JJ Wheat hit the shot putting the FHU fans on their feet as the game headed into the under-ten media break.
Freed-Hardeman continued to battle on the defensive end of the floor with the game tied at 59, despite not having a made field goal in the last 3:39 of play as the game clock clicked under five. Entering the final 3:53 of play, LU was shooting 42.9% from the floor, 36.8% beyond the arc, and was 10-of-16 at the foul line. FHU was shooting 47.6% from the field, 21.4% from deep, and converted on 16-of-22 free throws.
Langston’s defense continued to pay dividends down the stretch, earning big stops, allowing them to collect much-needed baskets on the offensive end to break the tie, and lead by four with 2:15 left to play. LU continued to be strong on both ends of the court as it strung together a 7-0 run in that same time frame to lead by six, 66-60.
As the contest dipped under a minute to play, FHU quickly closed the margin back to a one-point game, 67-66. On the Langston in-bounds pass, Peyton Law intercepted it giving FHU a chance to take the lead. After a foul in the lane, which sent JJ Wheat to the line for a chance to tie the game or take the lead; he converted on both shots to put his team up by one with little time left.
Wheat grabbed the game-winning block for FHU with five seconds left on the clock then proceeded to make the layup on the other end giving FHU their first NAIA National Championship win in program history by a score of 71-67.
Overall, in the 2024 NAIA Men’s Basketball championship game, Freed-Hardeman shot 47% from the floor, 20% from deep, and 73% at the charity stripe. Langston posted shooting percentages of 42% from the floor, 36% from beyond the arc, and 62% at the free-throw line. LU outrebounded FHU 39-27 while notching 12, second-chance points, 17 points off the bench, and 26 points in the paint. FHU scored nine, second-chance points, 26 points off the bench, and 38 points in the paint. In the 40 minutes of play, the teams saw a total of 13 lead changes and eight ties.
Following the game, the All-Tournament Team was announced:
All-Tournament Team
Javan Buchanan – Indiana Wesleyan
Samaje Morgan – College of Idaho
Jake O’Neil - College of Idaho
Jakob Gibbs – Grace (Ind.)
Elijah Malone – Grace (Ind.)
Anthony Roy – Langston (Okla.)
Cortez Mosley – Langston (Okla.)
JJ Wheat – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Hunter Scurlock – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Quan Lax – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award
JJ Wheat – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player
Hunter Scurlock – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Charles A. Krigel Sportsmanship Award
Grace (Ind.)
Minnesota State: 2023-24 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Champions
EVANSVILLE, Ind. --- The NCAA DII National Championship game came down to the closing seconds Saturday afternoon but a three pointer in the corner by Kyreese Willingham with 0.8 seconds left proved to be the difference as Minnesota State won its first NCAA DII Championship over Nova Southeastern by the score of 88-85.
With the win, MSU finishes its season with a 35-2 record. With the loss, NSU finishes its season with a 32-3 record.
The opening minutes of the game saw the Sharks take advantage of a few MSU turnovers as they built a 12-2. After taking a timeout, the Mavericks got back on track with a pair of baskets from Dylan Peeters and Elijah Hazekamp to get back within five of NSU at 12-7 with 15:06 to go in the half. By the midpoint of the first half NSU was able to extend its lead to 21-12 with 10:32 to go, with MSU's two scores coming courtesy of Justin Eagins and Malcolm Jones.
The Mavericks then responded with a 16-6 run over the next four minutes to take a 28-27 lead. Four Mavericks scored during that stretch, including Harrison Braudis and Kyreese Willingham who each tallied five points. The lead would exchange three more times up to the 4:00 media timeout as NSU led the Mavericks 34-33.
The final four minutes of the half saw two more lead changes as the Sharks carried a 40-38 lead into halftime.
All eight Mavericks who saw the court in the opening stanza reached the scoring column. MSU was paced by Peeters who notched eight points, behind a 4-of-5 effort from the field. Both Braudis and Kyreese Willingham notched seven points each. Hazekamp led the Mavericks in rebounds in the first half with five.
As a unit, MSU shot 45.2% from the field in the first half. The Mavericks also passed out eight assists.
Ryker Cisarik led all scorers in the first half with nine points, while Shane Hunter tallied eight points.
As a team, NSU shot 37.5% from the field. The Sharks also forced nine Maverick turnovers.
The second half saw the Mavericks come out firing on all cylinders as they started the half on a 10-0 run to take a 48-40 lead with 18:41 to go. Eagins notched five of MSU's 10 points during the opening stretch of the second half. With 11:20 remaining in the game the Mavericks led by 10 at 68-58 as Braudis, Eagins, Hazekamp and Malik Willingham each connected from downtown.
Trailing 71-58 with 11:19 to go, the Sharks then put together a 13-0 run to tie the game at 71-71 with 6:55 to go in the game. The lead would change hands a few more times as the game remained tied at 85-85 with 1:15 to go.
The Mavericks had the first chance at taking the lead in the final minute but their shot just missed and was rebounded by NSU. Then with 27 seconds to go in the game, Malik Willingham got the steal underneath the basket and called a timeout.
As he had during the NCAA Central Region Championship, Malik Willingham had the ball in the closing seconds before finding the open man, this time his brother Kyreese Willingham, in the corner who drained the three pointer with 0.8 seconds left on the clock to put MSU up 88-85. An FSU turnover on the inbounds pass sealed the deal for the Mavericks.
Peeters finished with a team-leading 19 points, to go along with four assists, as he shot 9-of-10 from the field. Eagins added 17 points and six rebounds, while Malik Willingham, Kyreese Willingham and Braudis each tallied 12 points. Malik also tallied five assists and five steals, while Kyreese hauled in five rebounds. Braudis also passed out three assists as he finished 4-of-5 from the field.
As a unit, MSU shot 52.4% from the field, including a 14-of-32 (.438) showing from downtown. The Mavericks also passed out 18 assists and recorded 10 steals.
MJ Iraldi led the Sharks with 25 points and seven rebounds, while Hunter notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Isaiah Fuller recorded 12 points of his own.
As a team, NSU shot 44.6% from the field, including a 5-of-9 performance from three point range. The Sharks also hauled in 42 rebounds.
Malik Willingham was named Elite Eight Most Outstanding Player. Kyreese Willigham also qualified for the All-Tournament Team.
United States: 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Champions
ARLINGTON, Texas – Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna each struck for goals to help the United States complete a Concacaf Nations League three-peat in a 2-0 victory against Mexico in the Final of 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Finals on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Adams scored right before halftime with a wondergoal from long-distance, while Reyna fired in a strike midway through the second half to account for the night’s scoring.
The U.S. have now won all three editions of the Concacaf Nations League, having defeated their long-time rivals for the second time in the Final (2021).
A scintillating environment greeted the two teams and the intensity started from the beginning, with Christian Pulisic getting denied by Mexico GK Guillermo Ochoa in 5’.
Mexico countered by applying more pressure in the U.S. half and one of the best chances of the first half came for the Mexicans in the 22’ when a flicked-on header reached the feet of Luis Chavez, who sent a shot straight to U.S. GK Matt Turner.
The U.S. started to try their luck from distance and some fancy moves from Sergino Dest set up a shot that sailed just over the crossbar in the 38’.
The next attempt, though, from long-range could not have been better, as Tyler Adams hammered a right-footed shot into the top left side of net from 35 yards out to hand the U.S. a 1-0 lead right before halftime.
Mexico looked to respond to start the second half, but it was tough sledding against a resolute U.S. defense.
Instead, the U.S. asserted their control more in the 63’ when an initial clearance from the Mexican defense fell to Gio Reyna, who fired into net at the near post past Guillermo Ochoa for a 2-0 U.S. advantage.
As time continued to tick away, Mexico committed more numbers forward and increased the pressure in search of a goal, but the U.S. defense never wavered and confidently saw things out until the final whistle to earn the crown once again.
Trine: 2023-24 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Champions
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Cortez Garland scored 22 points and Nate Tucker scored 13 points and Trine University beat Hampden-Sydney 69-61 on Saturday to claim the NCAA Division III national championship.
It's the first men's college basketball championship for the Thunder (29-4), who entered the 64-team tournament ranked 13th in the country. Hampden-Sydney (31-3) ranked No. 1.
Aidan Smylie scored 12 points and Drew Moore added 10 for Trine of Angola, Indiana.
Adam Brazil was the lone player for Hampden-Sydney (Sydney, Virginia) to score in double-digits with 23 points but was 6-for-22 shooting.
The Tigers led 25-23 at the break before Garland tied it with a jump shot, provided a pair of foul shots for a two-point lead and then buried a 3-pointer to complete his 7-0 run in less than two minutes. The Thunder led the remainder.
Smylie sank a 3 with 5:47 left made it 50-41 in Trine's favor before Hampton-Sydney closed within three off a pair of foul shots by Ryan Clements, a layup by Davidson Hubbard and jump shot from Josiah Hardy.
But Cortez Garland countered with a three-point play, brother Fred Garland made a 3 and Cortez Garland made a jumper to make it 59-48 with 2:13 left and the Thunder cruised from there.
Trine went 6 for 6 from the foul line in the last 33 seconds. The Thunder went 22 for 25 from the foul line overall.
Illinois: 2023-24 Big Ten Men's Basketball Champions
The Illinois Fighting Illini apparently have their recipe for success in the playoffs.
It's quite simple: Fall behind by double-digits in the second half, turn up the defensive pressure and ride the hot hand of guard Terrence Shannon.
That was the case for a third straight game in the Big Ten tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis. This time, they rallied from 10 to defeat the Wisconsin Badgers 93-87 to capture their second conference title since 2021. Guard Terrence Shannon led the way with 34 points, completing one of the best performances in tournament history.
He averaged 34 points in three games, including a career-high 40 in the semifinals against Nebraska.
The Illini trailed 61-51 with 14:38 left before they began another big charge. A 7-0 run highlighted a Dain Dainja dunk, Shannon layup and 3-pointer by Marcus Domask put them ahead 70-65. Shannon then capped it with a deep 3-pointer with 1 minute, 26 seconds remaining. They shot 60 percent in the second half.
It wasn't just Shannon. Domask finished with 26 points on 8 of 11 shooting. He was also 9 of 10 from the free throw line.
It was the eighth win in nine games for the Illini. The only loss was to No. 2 Purdue, a game they had every chance to win. Now, the Illini roll into the NCAA Tournament oozing with momentum.
They should enter no lower than a No. 3 seed.
UAB: 2023-24 American Men's Basketball Champions
A surprise run from the suddenly upstart Temple Owls was stopped short on the doorstep of a bid into March Madness.
After making it to the final round of the Amercian Athletic Conference Championship as an 11 seed, the Owls ran into a No. 4-seeded UAB squad that had an answer for everything they could muster, sending them home on an 85-69 defeat and without the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament that was up for grabs.
Hysier Miller led Temple with a game-high 32 points, but was the only starter to hit double-digits in scoring for the Owls against a UAB defense they struggled to crack.
Temple shot 9-for-30 from the field for the first half and went a brutal 2-for-12 from three with the Blazers regularly forcing them into tough looks and rushed decisions. The Owls struggled to get the ball inside and had to earn just about every basket they got.
UAB, meanwhile, seemingly couldn't miss down the other way, especially from long range.
The Blazers shot 7-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first half, with the hot hand of guard Alejandro Vasquez heavily leading the charge at a perfect 5-for-5 from three. He would go on to finish with 29 points while contributing to an 11-0 run late in the first half that repeatedly punished the Owls in transition and set the tone for UAB to run away with this one.
The Blazers' Christian Coleman put home an easy layup and then an emphatic dunk on fast breaks made in quick succession.
Early into the second half, after UAB's Eric Gaines rushed down the floor to make a block on Miller's three attempt from behind, Coleman recovered the ball and launched it down to Vasquez breaking toward the basket, who then put it off the glass for Coleman catch up with and throw down to all but put the final nail in the contest.
Sunday brought a crushing end to Temple's season, but produced a late run for the Owls to both be proud of and to build off of following Adam Fisher's first, and turbulent, year as head coach of the men's program.
The Owls went a rocky 16-19 through the regular season and a woeful 5-13 in conference play.
They were blown out by UAB, 100-72, back on March 7, which after their second consecutive loss, also brought to light that gambling watchdog U.S. Integrity had been monitoring Temple's past two contests for unusual wagering activity.
The Owls came back and beat UTSA, 84-82, to close out their 2023-24 slate and secure them as the No. 11 seed in the American's postseason tournament, then rang off an improbable run that saw them topple UTSA again, SMU, Charlotte, and then Flordia Atlantic before hitting a wall in the final against UAB.
Auburn: 2023-24 Southeastern Men's Basketball Champions
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Long before he first arrived at Auburn as the school’s new basketball coach in 2014, Bruce Pearl was known for showcasing his emotions, whatever they may be in a given moment.
As the Tigers wrapped up an SEC Tournament championship Sunday, Pearl had no trouble showing exactly how he was feeling. In the waning seconds of Auburn’s 86-67 victory against Florida in the conference title game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, ESPN camera crews cut to a visibly emotional Pearl standing on the sideline.
When asked by ESPN’s Marty Smith after the game why he was tearing up, Pearl discussed the extra meaning the accomplishment carried following the death of his father, Bernie, last August at the age of 88. Pearl described his late father as “my biggest fan.”
“How about the way Auburn showed up today?” Pearl said. “For me, I’ve got to thank my father. I’m just happy for the players. We played great. Florida’s a terrific opponent. That’s why I’m so emotional. I wish he was here.”
Bernie Pearl’s connection to the Auburn program was strong. Despite being born and raised in Boston, Bruce Pearl said his father asked him if he thought Auburn fans would be bothered if he were buried in a Tigers jersey even though he never went to school there.
"He was a loyal guy,” Pearl said in an interview with Auburn’s athletics website following his father’s passing in August. “He was grateful to Auburn for giving our whole family the opportunity to lead this basketball program. He watched or listened to every single game."
The SEC Tournament title is just the third in program history for Auburn, which also claimed the honor in 2019 before making a run to its first-ever Final Four. The victory improved the Tigers’ record to 27-7 overall, giving them the fourth-most wins in a season in Auburn history. Five of the Tigers’ six winningest seasons ever came under Pearl.
As he soaked in the achievement, those numbers meant little to Pearl. He was thinking about not only his players, but his father and the lessons that he passed down to him.
“He worked hard,” Pearl said. “My dad worked six days a week. He prayed on the seventh. We didn’t have a lot, but we had enough. I thought my dad was the best. I wish every kid had that. That’s one of the reasons why I’m hard on these guys. My dad held me to a high standard and I hold these guys to a high standard.”
Duquesne: 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Champions
Duquesne earned an NCAA tournament bid for the first time in 47 years, beating fifth-seeded VCU 57-51 on Sunday to win the Atlantic 10 tournament championship.
The sixth-seeded Dukes (24-11) led by 14 at the half, but bringing home that long-awaited invite to March Madness was a struggle. Duquesne scored only 21 points and shot 5-for-29 from the field in the second half, but the small Catholic school in Pittsburgh will head into the NCAA tournament with an eight-game winning streak.
Coach Keith Dambrot, who coached LeBron James for two years in high school, and the Dukes matched a program record for victories set in 1953-54, when Dambrot's father, Sid, played for Duquesne.
The last time Duquesne won the A-10 and went to the NCAA tournament was in 1977, when future NBA All-Star Norm Nixon and the Dukes beat Villanova in the title game.
Joe Bamisile led fifth-seeded VCU (22-13), which was trying to repeat as A-10 tournament champs, with 20 points.
Jimmy Clark III dropped in two free throws with 21 seconds left to make it a five-point game for Duquesne and Fousseyni Drame hit two more moments later to put the Dukes up 55-48.
A long 3 from Zeb Jackson with 9.9 seconds left gave VCU a glimmer of hope. The Rams fouled Jakub Necas as the Dukes struggled to inbound the ball, but he missed both shots.
Clark made two more from the line with 1.9 seconds left and finally Duquesne fans could celebrate at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Dae Dae Grant led the Dukes with 10 points, all in the first half, and was named the tournament's most outstanding player.
The Dukes were up 15 early in the second half and the ball was in play when the game had to be stopped because some Duquesne confetti colored red, white and blue -- intended for the postgame celebration -- fell from a section of the rafters. Most of it landed on press row courtside -- CBS play-by-play man Kevin Harlan had to pull some off himself and partner Dan Bonner -- with a bit making it onto the side of the court. The game was delayed about three minutes for cleanup.
Maybe the premature celebration for Duquesne tempted fate, because the Dukes went more than five minutes after the streamers fell without scoring. Duquesne started the second half 1-for-15 from the field
Bamisile made a pull-up jumper off a fast break with 6:49 remaining to cut the Dukes' lead to 42-39.
Duquesne finally found some offense to hold off the Rams, and Necas made a 3 from the wing with 4:35 left to push the lead to 49-41.
Jackson hit a 3-pointer for the Rams with 2:12 remaining to cut Duquesne's lead to 49-46 and after a forcing a turnover, Bamisile made two free throws to cut it to one with 1:34 left.
Yale: 2023-24 Ivy Men's Basketball Champions
NEW YORK — Matt Knowling hit a jumper at the buzzer and Yale closed the game on an 8-1 run to beat Brown 62-61 in the championship game of the Ivy League Tournament at Francis S. Levien Gymnasium on Sunday, sending the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time.
Kino Lilly Jr. sank two free throws to give the fourth-seeded Bears (13-18) a 60-54 lead with 27 seconds remaining. Bez Mbeng answered with a three-point play for No. 2 seed Yale (22-9) to make it a one-possession game. Nana Owusu-Anane hit the second of two free throws for Brown, but John Poulakidas buried a 3-pointer and the Bulldogs trailed 61-60 with 14 seconds left.
Poulakidas fouled Malachi Ndur, who missed two foul shots to set the stage for Knowling.
“I just wanted to put myself by the basket in case of any misses,” Knowling said. “We were trying to get a play for someone else but they found me. I didn’t think I was going to be that open. I work on that shot everyday. I didn’t overthink it, I just let it go and it went in.”
It was a tough finish for the Bears, who beat Yale 84-81 in the final game of the regular season. Brown won six in a row to end the season and grab the tourney’s fourth and final berth. The Bears beat top-seeded Princeton 90-81 in the semifinals in search of their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1986. Their only other trip to the Big Dance came in 1939.
Yale, which knocked off No. 3 seed Cornell 69-57 to reach the final, last appeared in the NCAA tourney in 2022. The Bulldogs have won 3 of 5 championships since the Ivy began playing a four-team league tournament.
“When I first got in the league we didn’t have one of the better teams, and I fought like hell to get an Ivy league Tournament,” Yale coach James Jones said. “And now that we are a better team I don’t like it so much, but I wouldn’t take away this opportunity from our guys. This was a great experience for them and it’s something that they’ll never forget.”
Knowling and August Mahoney scored seven points apiece to guide Yale to a 26-22 advantage at halftime. Lilly had seven at the break for Brown.
Yale stayed in front until back-to-back baskets by Ndur and Kalu Anya gave Brown a 46-44 lead with 8:22 left to play. The Bears never trailed from there until the final shot.
Poulakidas led the Bulldogs with 18 points, sinking 4 of 9 from 3-point range. Mahoney added 15 points and five rebounds. Knowling totaled 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. Danny Wolf had 13 rebounds to go with nine points.
Lilly made three 3-pointers and scored 21 to lead Brown. Anya had 12 points and seven rebounds. Ndur pitched in with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks off the bench.
THE MONSON STORY: FIRE A COACH AND WATCH HIM REACH THE TOURNAMENT
THE MONSON STORY: FIRE A COACH AND WATCH HIM REACH THE TOURNAMENT
There’s no better revenge against a dismissive university than by winning the Big West tournament, which is how Monson and Long Beach State responded to his dismissal as March Madness continues
Before Dan Monson, none of us could pronounce Gonzaga without blanks, blurs and stutters. He was the original mid-major coach who proved he could reach the Elite Eight at a private Jesuit university in Spokane, Wash. The year was 1999.
If he stayed, he would be Mark Few today. He left for Minnesota, and for the last quarter-century, America’s elite young coach couldn’t stop crashing. He cleaned up a repulsive academic scandal and resigned under pressure in 2006, escaping to Long Beach State, which decided to call itself “The Beach.” For 17 years, he went 275-272 and entered the season with one NCAA tournament appearance in 2012. Last Monday, Monson was fired by athletic director Bobby Smitheran, who suggested a rampant revision of a program whose best-known recent player is Bryon Russell. You remember him as the Utah guard, pushed slightly by Michael Jordan before a wrist-suspended jumper led to his sixth NBA title.
“A change in leadership creates an opportunity to re-envision the future of our storied men’s basketball program,” Smitheran said. “We are committed to finding the right person for the job — one that can harness the incredible energy of this community, build meaningful connections and elevate this program to the next level.”
Little did he know that the right person for the job was … Dan Monson.
In an industry that doesn’t care how a man once performed, he and his team accepted the news and flung themselves into the Big West tournament near Las Vegas. The Beach, or 49ers, kept playing games and kept winning. Saturday night, they needed a victory over UC Davis. Many of the seats were empty. A dude named Roxy was broadcasting the game on ESPN2. Would a program with a canned coach somehow save the man for more March Madness?
Call it sex on the Beach. Monson carries on, with resumes floating around the country, when college basketball burns coaches in flames. His advantage is a berth in the big tournament, which should remind lost souls that he can coach a team. At 62, he still wants a gig with another program, and why the hell not after a 74-70 victory? And you think the AD should have waited until after the season was over?
“God has blessed me with a great career and these kids have been awesome to coach. When Jim Harbaugh says who's got it better than him, somebody needs to tell him Dan Monson,” he said as his players celebrated in the stands.
Why not simply accept the grace and move on? His celebrated pal, Few, seemed to suggest as much in a text. “I got the '99 run at Gonzaga, but, as Mark Few texted me ‘Why don't we have a run in the first year and a run in the last?’ But I don't think this is my last year,” he said. “I love coaching. I love teams. I need a new challenge. It's life. It's onto the next chapter.”
Can Long Beach State, which has dealt with leakage in a 20-year-old campus pyramid, do any better with someone else? UCLA, coached by Mick Cronin, didn’t make the tournament. Nor did USC, which lost to Monson this season despite the presence of Bronny James. Stanford fired its coach. California went 13-19. Yet here is Monson, who better make sure he still has insurance, ready to keep winning and making money. A few days earlier, he said it was “time for a new voice.”
Maybe it’s him. “Being in it is one thing. Winning it is another and we're happy,” Monson said. “We feel like we deserve it, but we're not done. We didn't come here to get to the championship game. We came here to go to the NCAA tournament. These kids have been awesome to coach. They’re great people.”
His players felt horrible that he’ll lose employment. In hindsight, maybe Smitheran spurred a big rally. “It was a silent moment for everyone when we heard. The guys became motivated,” said Lassina Traore, who scored 25 points. “We know that firing him is not his fault. We lost the games. The leaders agreed, we had to have his back. We weren’t going to let him down.”
Said Traore’s brother, Aboubacar, who had seven points and 13 rebounds: “The main thing was, we were helping the coach. For us, it would be really bad for him to leave without winning a championship. He has been a great mentor for us. He could have easily said, all right. But he wanted to do his job to the end. He still wants to win. So we’re gonna do the same thing because he’s not giving up.”
Not once did Monson rip the school. He was filled with class. “What a great week. What a great week,” he said. “What a privilege to have a team that has the kind of character to figure out a way to win three straight days. We said we were in Vegas. We said we were in a heavyweight fight. I am so proud of them and I’m lucky to ride with these guys. I’ve been to the NCAA tournament. My wife says she’s never had drugs in her life, but it’s got to be a similar feeling. It’s a high I’m expecting these guys to enjoy. It’s a team that can win games in this tournament. We’ll find out.”
Wisely, someone asked Monson how he’d like to be remembered. “He did it the right way on and off the court,” he said. “It’s not just about wins and losses. It’s doing it with principle. It’s a tough business. I’m OK with whatever other people do, but I have to look in that mirror. I tell parents to trust me with your young man. In four to five years, I’ll give you a grown man. I’m proud of all that.”
Stanford works. Vanderbilt works. Why not Louisville, which needs a cleanser?
With another victory or two, consider it a massive job promotion for a man who deserves much better.
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Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects.
Grand Canyon: 2023-24 Western Athletic Men's Basketball Champions
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tyon Grant-Foster scored 22 points, Ray Harrison added 15 of his 19 in the second half and top-seeded Grand Canyon beat UT Arlington 89-74 Saturday night to win the Western Athletic Conference Tournament for the second consecutive season and clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lopes have appeared five of the last six WAC Tournament title games, winning three of the last four.
Lok Wur scored 16 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. 14 for Grand Canyon (29-4).
Phillip Russell led UT Arlington (20-14) with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. Shemar Wilson added 13 points and Akili Vining 10.
Harrison converted a three-point play and followed with two free throws to open the second half as Grand Canyon scored 14 of the first 21 points to open its biggest lead at 50-39 with 15 minutes to play. Brandyn Talbot answered with two free throws before Phillip Russell hit a 3 to trim the deficit to six points a minute later and made another from beyond the arc to make it 68-64 with 4 minutes remaining.
McGlothan answered with a monstrous two-hand dunk before Talbot hit another 3 to cut UTA's deficit to three points but Harrison hit two free throws and the Mavericks committed turnovers on their next two possessions and, each time, Grant-Foster hit two free throws before Harrison made a layup to cap an 8-0 run and make it 78-67 with 1:43 to go.
Moore threw down a fast-break dunk with 2.9 seconds left that stretched Grand Canyon's lead to 86-74 — the Lopes' biggest of the game. Russell, who apparently took umbrage with the play, seemed to intentionally bump Moore, who was then hit with the ball following a baseball pass by Vining. Moore was assessed a Flagrant-2 foul, Vining a technical foul and both players were ejected.
Derrick Michael Xzavierro, who didn't play for Grand Canyon, was also ejected for leaving the bench area.
UT Arlington shot 49% (25 of 51) from the field and limited the Lopes to just 40% (23 of 58) shooting but the Mavericks were outscored 37-14 from the free-throw line, where GCU attempted a Division-I program record 50 shots.
Grand Canyon scored 32 points off 26 Mavericks turnovers and committed 14, which UTA converted into just 11 points.
No. 3 seed UT Arlington made its only NCAA Tournament appearance when the Mavericks won the 2008 Southland Conference Tournament. UTA joined the WAC prior to the 2022-23 season.
Grambling State: 2023-24 Southwestern Athletic Men's Basketball Champions
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Grambling State men's basketball team beat Texas Southern 75-66 in the SWAC tournament championship game to secure a bid for the NCAA tournament.
Jourdan Smith was the leading scorer for the G-Men with 20 points. Three other Tigers finished in double figures.
This is the Tigers first SWAC tournament championship. Head coach Donte Jackson was recently named the SWAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Long Beach State: 2023-24 Big West Men's Basketball Champions
Long Beach State entered the 2024 Big West men’s tournament a bit adrift. The once-proud Beach finished the regular season 17-14; they’d lost their last five games and an early victory over Michigan had proven misleading.
They responded by parting ways with coach Dan Monson—a veteran of the coaching ranks who helped mold Gonzaga into a proto-national power in the late 1990s. He would be allowed to coach his team in the conference tournament but would not return in 2025.
How did he respond? By leading Long Beach State to the NCAA tournament.
On Saturday, the Beach edged UC Davis 74-70 in the Big West tournament title game to complete an improbable conference tournament run in a year chock-full of them.
To make the moment even more special, Monson’s 90-year-old father Don—a decorated former coach of Idaho and Oregon—was in attendance.
The younger Monson discussed what the moment meant to him after the game.
On Sunday, Monson and Long Beach State will hear their names called for the Big Dance for the first time since 2012.
What a week.
Oregon: 2023-24 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Champions
LAS VEGAS – N'Faly Dante, playing with a bruised tailbone, made all 12 of his shots and scored 25 points, and Oregon secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Colorado 75-68 on Saturday night in the conference tournament title game to end the Pac-12 basketball era.
By winning the conference tournament, fourth-seeded Oregon (23-11) extended its postseason because the Ducks weren't projected to receive an at-large invitation to the 68-team field. This was the Ducks' sixth Pac-12 Tournament championship and first since 2019.
Third-seeded Colorado (23-10) is expected to receive an at-large bid. The Buffaloes' eight-game winning streak ended.
Dante, who was injured in Friday's semifinal victory over Arizona, also had nine rebounds and three steals and was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Also for Oregon, Jackson Shelstad scored 17 points and Jermaine Couisnard finished with 14.
KJ Simpson led the Buffaloes with 23 points, and Luke O'Brien had 11.
The score was tied at 62 when Shelstad made two free throws and Jadrian Tracey a layup to put the Ducks ahead by four points with 2:41 left. They never trailed again.
The atmosphere wasn't quite what might be expected of a historical conference playing, for now at least, its final basketball game. When sixth-ranked Arizona bowed out Friday night, so did nearly all of its rabid fans who flocked to what has become known as McKale North. The fans who did show up Saturday, filling maybe half of T-Mobile Arena, were high in energy — if not numbers.
Oregon once again was part of a final Pac-12 event, having also played in the football championship in December. The Ducks and three of their brethren will be headed to the Big Ten Conference in the coming months.
Colorado and three other Pac-12 teams will soon call the Big 12 Conference home, and California and Stanford will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Only Oregon State and Washington State remain behind, determined to preserve the Pac-12 in some way, even naming Teresa Gould as league commissioner for the next two years.
Whether those two schools find a way to keep the conference alive remains to be seen, and in the meantime they will align with the Mountain West in football and West Coast Conference in other sports. A full merger at some point is a possibility.
Gone for certain is the Pac-12 as it's long been known, the so-called Conference of Champions with a rich basketball history, with Saturday night's championship game the last notable event in that sport.
Western Kentucky: 2023-24 Conference USA Men's Basketball Champions
When being on top of the hill isn’t high enough, you sit on top of the conference.
WKU mens basketball defeated the University of Texas El-Paso Miners Saturday, 78-71, advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013.
Before the game, it was announced that WKU guard Dontaie Allen had been ruled out, having left the team’s win Friday with a knee injury.
However, even without Allen, the Hilltoppers started the first half the way they ended the second half in their previous game against MTSU: Hot.
Opening up the game with a 17-4 run, the Hilltoppers defense shined, grabbing seven turnovers in the first ten minutes. However, the game very quickly shifted gears.
Although the Miners started the game 0-10 from the field, they converted on nine of their next 11 attempts, bringing the game within just a single point with under five minutes to go.
A once ferocious WKU offense had seemingly gone ice cold. In the span of nine minutes, they were on the receiving end of both a 14-5 and 12-3 run. During these runs, the Hilltoppers shot a lowly 5-14 from the field.
However, with their backs against the wall, facing a one-point deficit with just three minutes to play, a familiar offensive presence took over. WKU ended the first half on a 9-3 run, securing a four-point lead heading into the break.
The first half MVP for the Hilltoppers was junior guard Don McHenry. McHenry’s 10 points, two rebounds, and one assist on 3-5 shooting from the field led both the explosive start and end for the WKU offense.
Yet, the success of the Hilltopper scoring attempts can be attributed to more than just an individual player. WKU’s interior strength and size led to 75% of their first half production coming inside the paint.
UTEP found their production coming from senior guard Zid Powell. Powell tallied 10 points on 3-6 from the field, and 2-3 from beyond the arch. Eight of the guard’s 10 points came during an 80-second span, where Powell scored on three consecutive possessions for the Miners.
Heading into the half, the Hilltoppers squeaked out a 40-36 lead.
Team First Half Statistics:
WKU: 17-31 FG, 2-9 3FG, 4-4 FT | 17 Rebounds: 14 Defensive, three Offensive.
UTEP: 11-28 FG, 5-12 3FG, 9-12 FT | 16 Rebounds: 11 Defensive, five Offensive.
WKU could not bring their normal high tempo at the start of the second half. Opening up 1-8 from the field, with most of the misses coming off of good looks, the Miners took comfort in the speed of play, capitalizing with a 15-4 run to start the half.
In what was a rollercoaster of a game, the ride did not stop. Following UTEP’s run, they’d go on a five-minute scoring drought, giving the Hilltoppers a seven-point lead, on a 16-2 run for themselves.
The drive would not stop. With just under five minutes to play, WKU advanced their lead to 10, with help from a 20-4 run.
The Hilltopper offense was once again dominated by McHenry in the second half. The guard’s 15 points, two rebounds, and three steals sealed the WKU victory and conference championship. In total on the night, McHenry had 25 points on 9-16 from the field, 2-8 from three, with four rebounds, and four steals.
UTEP’s offense was still being led by Powell in half number two. Powell tallied 11 points in the half, giving him 21 points on the night.
Team Second Half Statistics:
WKU: 10-27 FG, 1-7 3FG, 17-23 FT | 23 Rebounds: 15 Defensive, eight Offensive.
UTEP: 12-32 FG, 4-12 3FG, 7-10 FT | 20 Rebounds: 13 Defensive, six Offensive.
With the win, the Hilltoppers claim their first C-USA title on their fourth attempt, and Coach Steve Lutz’s third straight conference title win.
North Carolina State: 2023-24 Atlantic Coast Men's Basketball Champions
WASHINGTON — It must be March.
North Carolina State capped a miraculous conference tournament run with an 84-76 win over North Carolina on Saturday night, stealing a spot in the NCAA Tournament on the eve of Selection Sunday.
The Wolfpack, which lost seven of its last nine regular-season games, arrived in Washington as the No. 10 seed in the ACC tournament, needing to win five games in five days to prolong its season. And with an upset of Duke, an overtime victory over Virginia and its smothering of the Tar Heels on Saturday night, it managed to do just that.
NC State last won the ACC tournament in 1987 under legendary coach Jim Valvano.
"Everybody expected this to be Carolina and Duke," Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said Friday. "Well, it's Carolina and NC State. We play pretty good basketball at NC State, too."
The Wolfpack were led by fifth-year guard DJ Horne, who racked up 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting while navigating foul trouble for much of the second half. He fouled out with a little more than a minute remaining.
DJ Burns Jr., who is listed at 275 pounds, also caused frequent issues for the Tar Heels with his bruising play in the post, finishing with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
With the win, NC State injected a bit of chaos into the NCAA Tournament field less than 24 hours before the bracket is revealed. The Wolfpack is expected to join North Carolina, Duke and Clemson as the ACC teams in the field; Its win could amount to disaster for Virginia, which was among the key teams on the bubble.
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