Florida: 2024-25 Southeastern Men's Basketball Champions

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Todd Golden knows exactly what he expects out of his fourth-ranked Florida Gators.

“We have a chance to win a national championship,” Golden said as his Gators accepted the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship trophy Sunday.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points as Florida won its fifth SEC Tournament title and first since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77.

“I came here because I believed in that vision,” Clayton said of winning titles at Florida. “See it come to fruition, it actually happening, is great.”

The Gators (30-4) lost in this game a year ago. This time, they showed off their depth going through No. 21 Missouri, No. 5 Alabama and now the Vols. The result is finishing their 12th appearance in this game all-time to add another title to the list that started with three straight between 2005-07.

“When we are playing like this, I think we are the best team in America," Golden said.

Will Richard added 17 points for Florida. Alex Condon had 13, Thomas Haugh 11 and Alijah Martin 10.

Richard wore one of the nets around his neck talking to reporters, and the senior made clear he doesn't want his first to be his last. This is just more motivation.

“Cutting down the nets is a great feeling, but we want to be able to do that in the NCAA Tournament as well,” Richard said.

Fourth-seeded Tennessee (27-7) goes home still looking for its first title in this event since 2022. The Vols have five SEC championships, but dropped to 1-3 under coach Rick Barnes with this the Vols' fourth final in the past seven tournaments.

“We came with the idea we wanted to win this tournament,” Barnes said. “Disappointed that we didn’t. We get to go again next week. Hope that we can survive and keep moving on.”

ordan Gainey led the Vols with a career-high 24 points. Zakai Zeigler had 23 and Chaz Lanier added 11 before fouling out.

“The experience we’ve had, playing the best of the best in this conference is going to help us in March, and that’s the biggest goal,” Tennessee senior Jahmai Mashack said of balancing the disappointment of the loss.

These teams split during the season with each winning routs defending their home courts. The Vols had enough fans that this felt like a home court. Yet they led only briefly, the last less than two minutes in at 6-5.

Florida took over from there. The Gators jumped out to a 34-22 lead and took a 39-30 edge into halftime thanks to a buzzer-beating deep 3 from Denzel Aberdeen. Tennessee never got closer than five in the second half.

Clayton also had a net around his neck, and he got to cut down a net at Iona in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference where he was the league player of the year before transferring to Florida. He recalled his first title back in high school where no one was allowed to cut nets for a simple reason.

“They had games after us,” Clayton said with a big smile.

Who's MVP?

There was some momentary confusion during the postgame ceremony when Richard first was announced as the MVP, then Clayton.

Takeaways

Tennessee: Playing this tournament in the Volunteer State doesn't help the Vols. They are 1-5 all-time in SEC title games in this state. They go home with the last tournament title won in Tennessee back in 1936 in Knoxville.

They now are 5-2 after going 6-16 before this season.

Key moment

Tennessee got within five four times in the second half. After the final time, Clayton's 3 with 6:48 left started an 11-2 spurt to seal the win.

Key stat

The Gators dominated the boards 39-25 and 15-5 on the offensive glass.

Up next

Both teams await their seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Virginia Commonwealth: 2024-25 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Champions

WASHINGTON (AP) Max Shulga scored 18 points and Joe Bamisile sealed the win with two free throws with a half-second left as Virginia Commonwealth held off George Mason 66-63 to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship Sunday.

VCU led by eight at the break, 36-28, but George Mason got back-to-back 3-pointers from Jared Billups and Woody Newton to trail by just two, 45-43 with more than 12 minutes to play. Shulga answered with a 3 and hit a pair of free throws before finding Jack Clark for a 3 to push the VCU lead to 53-43.

Darius Maddox hit a 3 with 2:27 left to get the Patriots within one at 59-58. Coming out of a timeout, Shulga held the ball at the top of the key, then calmly knocked down a step-back 3 with 1:59 left. Jalen Haynes' layup with 39 seconds left got George Mason within 3 but Zach Anderson missed a 3-pointer with :04 left and Newton was forced to foul Bamisile with a half-second left.

Bamisile and Jack Clark each scored 17 points for VCU (28-6). Shulga, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, hit 8 of 9 from the line as the Rams converted 22 of 27.

Haynes led George Mason (26-8) with 17 points and eight rebounds. Maddox had 12 points to go with three steals and Anderson and Brayden O'Connor each added 10 points.

Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason finished the regular season tied for the regular season championship with 15-3 records. The Rams reached the conference championship game for the ninth time since joining the A-10 in 2012-13.

Yale: 2024-25 Ivy Men's Basketball Champions

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- John Poulakidas knocked down five 3-pointers in the second half as regular-season champion Yale added the Ivy League tournament championship with a 90-84 win over Cornell on Sunday to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The senior guard got off to a slow start, scoring just two points in the first half and missing all four 3-point attempts as Yale took a 37-32 advantage into intermission. That changed to start the second half when he erupted for eight points during a 90-second span, burying two 3s and a jumper to push the Bulldogs' lead to 16 points, 50-34 with under 16 minutes to play.

Cornell clawed back. Guy Ragland Jr., Adam Hinton and Nazir Williams each hit 3-pointers in the span of just over a minute to get within seven and Ragland hit two more 3s to make it 60-58 with 9:18 left. Bez Mbeng answered with a 3 for Yale and Poulakidas hit from deep to make it 66-60, but Cornell got a three-point play from AK Okereke to make it a three-point game. Trevor Mullin and Poulakidas each hit a 3 and Nick Townsend scored twice during a 10-4 run for a76-68 lead with five minutes left.

Poulakidas finished 8 of 14 from the floor, including 5-for-9 from distance, while going 4-for-4 from the line. Townsend finished with 19 points with four assists and two steals, Mbeng contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists and Casey Simmons added 13 points.

Okereke led Cornell (18-11) with 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Williams was 8-for-8 from the line and scored 20 points. Ragland hit 4 of 6 from deep to add 16 points with seven rebounds and Jake Fiegen contributed 11 points.

Grand Canyon: 2024-25 Western Athletic Men's Basketball Champions

 

PARADISE, Nev. (AP) — Ray Harrison scored 18 points to lead six Grand Canyon players in double figures and the Lopes beat top-seeded Utah Valley 89-82 on Saturday night in the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.

No. 2 seed Grand Canyon (26-7) clinched its third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and its fourth in program history, all since 2021.

Duke Brennan finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds and JaKobe Coles scored 13 for the Lopes. Makaih Wiilliams, Lok Wur and Tyon Grant-Foster added 12 points apiece.

Carter Welling made a jumper that trimmed Utah Valley’s deficit to three with nine minutes to play but got no closer. Harrison answered with two free throws and, after a steal by Collin Moore, Williams hit a step-back 3-pointer with 8:23 remaining and Coles hit two free throws to make it 74-62 about five minutes later.

Tanner Toolson hit 6 of 9 from 3-point range and led the Wolverines with 28 points. Welling scored 18 points and Trevan Leonhardt added 10 with six assists.

Utah Valley (25-8), which had won 10 in a row and 20 of its last 21 games, won the regular season conference title and made its first-ever appearance in championship game. The Wolverines were 0-6 in tournament’s semifinals before a 68-55 win over No. 5 seed Seattle on Friday.

Utah Valley used a 19-5 run to take 21-12 lead about nine minutes into the game but Grand Canyon scored the next nine points and then closed with 7-1 spurt to take a 40-33 lead into halftime.

The teams split the regular-season series with each home team winning.

UC San Diego: 2024-25 Big West Men's (and Women's) Basketball Champions

HENDERSON, Nev. — The UC San Diego women’s basketball team cut down the net in the Lee’s Family Forum after winning the Big West tournament Saturday to claim an elusive NCAA berth in the university’s first year of full Division I membership.

Workers emerged from the back, climbed up a ladder and replaced the net.

Three hours later, the UCSD men’s team cut it down again.

Snip, snip, snip. It’s a beautiful sound.

The fever dream continues for the Tritons, beating UC Irvine 75-61 to win their 30th game of the season and now go national with what has heretofore been a regional phenomenon.

That makes it a record three San Diego men’s or women’s teams to qualify for the Division I Big Dance. A fourth, San Diego State’s men, will learn if it receives an at-large berth during the Selection Show on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m., CBS).

There was some question whether top-seeded UCSD (30-4), with major metrics in the top 40, would receive an at-large berth should they lose in the Big West tournament and need one. We’ll never know because they overcame a nine-point deficit in the first half, then gradually pulled away from the second-seeded Anteaters behind a barrage of 3-pointers from senior guard Hayden Gray, one deeper than the last.

Gray finished with a Division I career-high 22 points on 8 of 10 shooting (6 of 7 from 3) on a night when UC Irvine bottled up UCSD’s top two scorers.

The other star was their defense, holding the Anteaters to 33.9% shooting and 7-foot-1 German center Bent Leuchten to 10 points after he had 23 in each of the two regular-season meetings.

The Tritons built their dream season on a five-out offense predicated on the 3-ball and a matchup zone defense that teams generally don’t see. But their real secret might be something else: turnover margin.

It’s simple mathematics. If you attempt more shots than your opponent, you have a better chance of winning. And if you turn it over, you’re not taking a shot.

They entered the game ranked fourth nationally with only 13.2% of possessions ending in a miscue, and second nationally with their opponents coughing it up 23.5%. In the semifinals Friday night against UC Santa Barbara, they had a season-low three.

A day later, they had three in the opening 12 minutes and seven by halftime, an inordinate number for them. The Anteaters converted them into seven points and built a 25-16 lead.

All things considered, though, trailing just 33-31 at intermission was a blessing of sorts, because it could have been far worse. Leading scorer Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones had six points but needed nine shots to get them. Tyler McGhie, their second leading scorer, had two points and two fouls.

Gray came to the rescue, scoring their next eight points after coach Eric Olen called timeout down nine. But Gray needs to produce the way the Anteaters defend the Tritons, putting Leuchten on Tait-Jones and parking him under the basket (given Tait-Jones’ hesitancy to shoot 3s) and face-guarding McGhie to limit his clean 3-point looks.

The unique defensive scheme worked in the first meeting, a 60-52 Anteaters win at LionTree Arena on Jan. 11. It didn’t work as well in the return game at UC Irvine, an 85-67 Tritons win on Feb. 8. McGhie had five points in each.

And it was more of the same Saturday night on a neutral floor.

The Tritons got their first lead since 12-9 on a lean-in baseline jumper by McGhie with 17:25 to go, and they never trailed again.

UC Irvine got within four with four minutes left, but Devin Tillis drove baseline and lost the ball into the basket standard. UCSD went to the other end, and Nordin Kapic splashed a 3 from the right corner.

Next Irvine possession: Another turnover.

Next UCSD possession: McGhie 3, his first of the game after being 0 of 5.

Next Irvine possession: turnover.

Next UCSD possession: A free throw by Tait-Jones (14 points) for an 11-point lead with 2:34 to go.

The Tritons — yes, the program that was Division II five years ago — are going dancing.

Snip, snip, snip.

Alabama State: 2024-25: Southwestern Athletic Men's Basketball Champions

 

Alabama State faced a tough challenge in the 2025 SWAC Tournament, but the Hornets defeated Jackson State and former ASU head coach Mo Williams with a score of 60-56 to become conference champions.

Senior guard CJ Hines, named MVP, led the Hornets with 20 points on 4-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. TJ Madlock added seven points and nine rebounds, including a clutch jumper late to extend the lead for ASU.

Jackson State big man Shannon Grant Jr. led his team with 20 points and nine rebounds. Three more players had nine points each, including Daeshun Ruffin, who went 0-for-5 on 3-pointers and committed six turnovers.

With the win, ASU heads to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

“These guys did what we expected to do all year long,” head coach Tony Madlock said after the game. “I said earlier today, all of our games are like this – close, tough games. So we’ve been preparing for this all year.”

In the first 10 minutes of the game, we saw a battle of contrasting styles. For Jackson State, the ball was forced inside to the 6-foot-11, 290-pound center Shannon Grant Jr. Alabama State wanted a more up-tempo style, relying on its backcourt to get out in transition.

Jackson’s plan worked well early as Grant scored his team’s first nine points. But a couple of transition layups and interior pressure gave the Hornets an 11-9 lead halfway through the first period.

Soon after, the Tiger guards went on an 8-0 run thanks to a couple of 3-pointers from Jayme Mitchell and a contested fastbreak layup from Ruffin. Jackson State recaptured the lead to get in front of Alabama State 19-14 with less than six minutes to go in the first half.

But the Hornets didn’t let the game get out of hand. Instead, CJ Hines scored seven of his 11 first-half points in the final five minutes to cut the deficit to one. He had a chance to tie the game but missed the free throw after converting the layup and drawing the foul.

Jackson State led Alabama State 26-25 at the break.

The second half started with the Daeshun Ruffin show, where the junior guard scored seven points in the first five minutes after scoring only two in the first half. It looked like Jackson State would start to run away as the Tigers had the largest lead of the game with nine points, but a 3-pointer from D’Ante Bass stopped the bleeding at the first media timeout. Tigers lead 39-33 with 14:47 to go in the second half.

Fortunately for Alabama State, Bass’ 3-pointer started a 9-0 run for the Hornets, and they tied the game at 39 with 10:15 to go. After the two teams exchanged baskets, Hines knocked down another deep shot to give the Hornets a 44-41 lead with 6:12 to go.

Jackson State responded with a pair of free throws from Dorian McMillan and a layup from Grant. After that, both teams exchanged the lead in the final minutes until Micah Octave hit a cutting layup, and Madlock hit a tough mid-range jumper to take a 56-53 lead with 38 seconds left.

After the Tigers foul to stop the clock and Shawn Fulcher hits both free throws, McMillan hits a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two points with less than 10 seconds in the game.

Unfortunately, Jackson State couldn’t get the steal, and the Hornets eventually sealed their victory and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

Liberty: 2024-25 Conference USA Men's Basketball Champions

 

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WSET/Liberty Flames) — For a season with plenty of ups and downs, Saturday's Conference USA championship game never seemed in doubt.

No. 1 seed Liberty won its first Conference USA title, topping No. 2 seed Jacksonville State 79-67 in the 2025 CUSA Championship Final on Saturday night at Propst Arena.

The Flames improve to 28-6 on the season and punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Liberty will find out where it will be heading in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night on Selection Sunday. The NCAA Selection Show will be carried live tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville State drops to 22-12 on the year. The Gamecocks will await their postseason fate.

This is Liberty's fourth conference championship title in the last seven years and seventh conference crown overall. The Flames now have 10 total titles (four conference tournament, six regular season and/or division crowns) over the last seven years.

Duke: 2024-25: Atlantic Coast Men's Basketball Champions

 

CHARLOTTE — Duke basketball’s championship-level defense earned the top-ranked Blue Devils an ACC Tournament championship. 

Duke buckled down with a dominant stretch of defense in the second half of a 73-62 win against Louisville on Saturday at Spectrum Center. The Blue Devils (31-3) held the high-scoring Cardinals (27-7) below 70 points for the second time this season to win their 23rd ACC Tournament title.

With the win, Duke’s Jon Scheyer is the first ACC coach to win the ACC Tournament in two of his first three seasons. In 2023, Scheyer became the first person to win an ACC title as a player and coach. He won two titles (2009-10) under former coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils have won six ACC Tournament championships in Charlotte.

Here are some observations from Duke's win against Louisville in the ACC Tournament.

Kon Knueppel had an ACC Tournament MVP performance

Duke freshman Kon Knueppel had 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the championship game. Through two games in the ACC Tournament, Knueppel averaged 22.5 points on 47.7% shooting, including a 46.6% clip from 3-point range to lead the way after Cooper Flagg missed two games with an ankle injury.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Tyrese Proctor 3-point shooting vs Louisville at ACC Tournament 

Tyrese Proctor has been one of the ACC’s best 3-point shooters throughout the season, but was struggling at Spectrum Center ahead of Saturday’s finale. Proctor was 6 of 29 (20.6%) from long distance across the previous seven games and missed his first 12 shots from beyond the arc before heating up against Louisville. He made a trio of treys in the first half against the Cards and finished with a career-high six 3-pointers.

Louisville’s Terrence Edwards Jr. gave the Cardinals a chance

Louisville’s Terrence Edwards, who had 21 points in the regular-season loss to the Blue Devils, dropped 15 points and played every minute of the first half in the ACC title game. Edwards scored 10 points in the final five minutes, dropping five points during a 7-0 run that helped the Cards take a 38-33 halftime lead. Louisville shot 55% in the first half. Edwards, who had 21 points in the regular season against Duke, had 22 points in the ACC title game with 14:28 left. He scored five points the rest of the way, finishing with 27.

Akron: 2024-25 Mid-American Men's Basketball Champions

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — You come at the king, you best not miss.

After trailing by as many as 18 points, and weathering Miami’s storm of 3-pointers, Akron walked out of Rocket Arena with a 76-74 win Saturday in the MAC men’s basketball tournament final, their program’s sixth MAC tournament championship and second straight.

When Johnson drained a 3-pointer with 5:14 left in the second half, that cut Miami’s lead to 72-70.

For some time after the bucket, neither team scored. The Zips were unable to tie the game, and the RedHawks couldn’t buy a bucket.

Then came Johnson, the reigning MAC Player of the Year, with a jumper to tie it 72-all.

Miami’s Kam Craft, who had five 3-pointers in Friday’s semifinal win, tried to answer back with a trey, but was unsuccessful.

The Zips' Shammah Scott attacked the basket and was fouled, and made both free throws to give Akron a 74-72 lead, and their first since the 18:11 mark of the first half when leading 6-5.

Evan Ipsaro of the RedHawks took that same plan and got to the line himself, also making both to tie it again, 74-all, with 56 seconds remaining.

With 35 seconds left, it was Ipsaro again with the ball in his hands as the shot clock got closer to zero. He got as deep as he could in the paint before trying a fadeaway jumper, but it was a miss.

With eight seconds left, and everyone chasing the rebound, it was Akron’s Amani Lyles who grabbed it first and found Johnson running downcourt.

Johnson caught the ball, pulled off a euro-step past a Miami player, and so gracefully floated into the air for the game-winning teardrop with two seconds left.

Miami tried a last-second heave, but couldn’t get it up in time, giving Akron their third tournament championship in four seasons, and making them the first team since Buffalo (2018-2019) to win consecutive tournament crowns.

Thanks to the large waves of navy blue, Rocket Arena felt like a home game for Akron. Miami had a big section of red behind their team bench, but were overshadowed by the Zips' faithful in pre-tipoff cheers.

However, the RedHawks fans had their moment early on.

Only one name mattered in the first half: Peter Suder.

After Friday’s semifinal win over Kent State, Suder looked forward to playing Akron and avenging the 27-point loss suffered to them in January.

“They’re a really good team, but I think we’ll be a different version than the last time we played them,” Suder said Friday.

The transfer from Bellarmine caught fire and made a statement. He scored 16 of his 24 points in the first half, only missing one of his seven field goal attempts, and draining four treys.

He simply couldn’t miss, and neither could his teammates, making 10 of their 18 first-half 3-point attempts.

A made layup at the 8:13 mark of the first half gave Suder his 16th point, and a 34-16 lead for Miami, meaning he had as many points as Akron did.

And the RedHawks’ defense was sturdy, creating 11 points off seven Zips turnovers.

The Zips faithful was big in numbers, but small in noise due to the early lead the RedHawks created.

But the championship DNA in Akron helped it find new ways to stick around and only trail 46-34 going into halftime.

The RedHawks cooled off from beyond the arc, and Johnson found his rhythm offensively.

Johnson’s arsenal to get to the paint and earn points was visible, dribbling his way past anyone wearing red to earn 15 of his 23 points in the second half.

The aggressiveness from Johnson spread to his teammates, especially in terms of attacking the basket, which forced seven RedHawks fouls.

Akron’s Tavari Johnson caught some fire as well and drained three treys during their comeback, and finished with 15 points.

Gritty defense kept Miami to a 41.7% shooting performance in the second half, and to eight points in the paint.

The RedHawks were unable to continue their offensive clinic, and it hurt them in the end as Ipsaro’s two free throws were their only points scored in the final five minutes of the game.

Akron completed the comeback, and showed you should never underestimate the heart of a champion.

They will learn of their first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday at 6 p.m. when the bracket is revealed on CBS.

Mount St. Mary's: 2024-25 Metro Atlantic Men's Basketball Champions

 

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Dallas Hobbs scored 18 points and had seven assists, and sixth-seeded Mount. St. Mary's beat No. 4 seed Iona 63-49 on Saturday night to win its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship title.

Mount St. Mary's took the lead for good about four minutes into the second half and then finished the game on a 20-8 run. Mount St. Mary's (22-12), which entered 2-7 against Iona, also won a program-best 22 games, besting its 21-8 mark during the 1995-96 season.

Mount St. Mary's trailed 26-25 at the break before leading 33-32 with 16:06 to play. The Mountaineers later stretched the advantage to eight points before the Gaels used a 9-3 surge to get within 43-41 with 8:24 left. Dola Adebayo and Hobbs hit consecutive 3s to cap a 12-2 run and the Mountaineers led 55-45 with 3:50 remaining.

Mount St. Mary's shot 12 of 24 from the floor and 6 of 9 from long range in the second half.

Adebayo finished with 15 points and Arlandus Keyes added 14 for the Mount. Hobbs and Keyes each finished with four the Mount's seven 3-pointers.

Dejour Reaves scored 19 points to lead Iona (17-17).

Mount St. Mary's is in its third season in the league after playing in the Northeast Conference from 1989-2022, where it went 6-1 in championship games.

St. John's: 2024-25 Big East Men's Basketball Champions

The last time St. John’s won the Big East Tournament, RJ Luis Jr. wasn’t born yet.

Neither were Zuby Ejiofor or Kadary Richmond.

Rick Pitino was coaching the Boston Celtics — a job he held before his stints with Louisville, Greece’s Panathinaikos, Iona and, finally, St. John’s.

But on Saturday night, that group further restored the resurgent Red Storm to glory.

Top-seeded St. John’s defeated second-seeded Creighton, 82-66, in the Big East Tournament championship game at Madison Square Garden, adding another achievement to one of the greatest seasons in school history.

No. 6 St. John’s (30-4) made 14 consecutive field goals during an incredible run to pull away in the second half, clinching its first Big East Tournament championship since 2000 and the fourth in school history.

Luis, the Big East Player of the Year, came up huge on the biggest stage, scoring 29 points — including 27 in the second half — to set a championship game record.

He was named the conference tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 20.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Ejiofor added 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, and Richmond finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

And once again, they did it in comeback fashion.

St. John’s fell behind, 10-2, as rim-protecting Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, patrolled the paint.

The Johnnies repeatedly settled for — and missed — mid-range jumpers and 3-point attempts during an ugly first half in which they shot just 11-of-33 from the field.

Kalkbrenner’s presence proved particularly problematic early for Ejiofor, who, at 6-9, is four inches shorter than the 7-1 center. Ejiofor, who scored 33 points in Friday’s semifinal win over Marquette, went just 3-of-8 for seven points in the first half.

Luis had failed to pick up the slack to that point, managing only two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first half. But the Johnnies’ hounding defense kept them in the game, and they trailed only 28-25 at the break.

And then St. John’s erupted.

Luis’ 3-pointer at the 14:26 mark of the second half knotted the score, 38-38, to tie the game for the first time since it was scoreless.

Ejiofor converted a three-point play two possessions later, marking the first of the Red Storm’s 14 consecutive makes.

Vince Iwuchukwu’s left-handed floater over Kalkbrenner on the next possession gave St. John’s its first lead, 43-41, with 11:55 to go.

And Luis capped that run without a miss by making a lay-up with 5:16 to go, putting the Red Storm up, 70-55.

Less than three minutes later, a sellout crowd decidedly in the Johnnies’ favor chanted “MVP” as Luis shot free throws. It was technically a neutral-site game, but with the win, St. John’s improved to 12-0 at the Garden.

St. John’s advanced to its first Big East Tournament title game in 25 years after cruising to a 78-57 victory over ninth-seeded Butler in Thursday’s quarterfinal round and then rallying from a 15-point deficit in Friday’s 79-63 semifinal win over Marquette.

With Saturday’s win, Pitino further delivered on the promise he made two years ago at his introductory press conference at the Garden, where he vowed St. John’s was “going to be back.”

It was a bold guarantee, even for a Hall of Fame coach with two national championships and seven Final Four appearances to his name.

But it took only two years for Pitino to turn St. John’s around.

The Johnnies went 27-4 in the regular season, including 18-2 in conference play, to claim their first outright Big East regular-season conference championship since 1985. Saturday clinched their first 30-win season since 1985-86.

After the regular season, Pitino suggested that winning the Big East Tournament could propel the Red Storm to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

On Sunday, St. John’s will find out its seed and its opponent to begin the Big Dance. It will be the Red Storm’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.

And then St. John’s will then get to work on ending another decades-long drought. It has not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2000.

Colorado State: 2024-25 Mountain West Men's Basketball Champions

 

LAS VEGAS -- Nique Clifford scored 24 points and No. 2 seed Colorado State made a Mountain West tournament-record 12 3s and beat fifth-seeded Boise State 69-56 on Saturday night for its first title since 2003.

Colorado State (25-9) will make its second straight NCAA tournament appearance on a 10-game win streak.

Boise State trailed by 10 points at the half and pulled to within five points during the first minute of the second. But Jaylen Crocker-Johnson hit consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-0 run and the Rams led 43-27. Clifford made the Rams' 12th 3-pointer with about 10 minutes left that stretched their lead to 60-36.

Ethan Moore scored a career-high 11 points and Bowen Born added nine for the Rams. Clifford and Born each made three 3s as the Rams shot 12 of 24 from distance.

Tyson Degenhart scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Boise State (24-9).

Colorado State took the lead for good about eight minutes in and led by as many as 17 points in the first half. Boise State used an 11-4 surge to cut the deficit to 32-22 at the break. Crocker-Johnson's layup gave the Rams their largest lead, 63-38, with 6:48 remaining.

Houston: 2024-25 Big 12 Men's Basketball Champions

 KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Houston had crowded onto the podium inside T-Mobile Center on Saturday night, and the second-ranked Cougars were beginning to celebrate their Big 12 tournament title, when Emanuel Sharp was handed a championship belt as the tourney MVP.

He raised it high above his head -- upside down.

It was just about the only obvious misstep that anyone from Houston made all week.

Milos Uzan poured in 25 points against Arizona in the finale, Sharp added 17 in another brilliant effort, and the Cougars turned up their trademark defense in the final minute to hold on for a 72-64 victory over the Big 12 newcomer.

Playing without injured big man J'Wan Roberts, the Cougars (30-4) took a 64-62 lead on Uzan's 3-pointer with five minutes to go, then suffocated the Wildcats (22-12) down the stretch to avenge a loss to Iowa State in last year's title game.

"We did a great job of staying together," said Sharp, who was joined by Uzan and Big 12 player of the year L.J. Cryer on the all-tournament team. "That's what coach has been preaching. And that's why I love this team."

Houston romped to the regular-season Big 12 title, winning 19 of 20 games in the expanded league. And it was just as dominant in three games in Kansas City, easily beating Colorado and No. 17 BYU before turning back red-hot Arizona for the trophy.

Houston almost certainly locked up a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday and will probably begin its NCAA tournament in Wichita, Kansas.

"We never panic," Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. "A lot of people around us do, but thank god they're not coaches and players. We've been in these bunkers. We've been there when it's tough. We've learned to internalize and almost get independent of everything around us. We get in a bunker and believe in each other and get to work."

Houston (30-4) secured its fourth straight 30-win season, tying for the second-longest streak in Division I history, according to ESPN research. Gonzaga posted five straight 30-win seasons from 2016-21.

Caleb Love scored 19 points, Jaden Bradley added 14 and KJ Lewis finished with 11 for the Wildcats.

"It was a tough year. A tough conference. And for us to compete with the best of the best, you know, as far as conferences, I'm proud of my guys," Love said. "I'm just proud we made it this far, and we'll be ready for March Madness."

Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd had bristled after their quarterfinal win over No. 9 Texas Tech when it was suggested that the title tilt amounted to a showdown of styles: Arizona's high-scoring offense against Houston's dominant defense.

"We're not that bad on defense," Lloyd countered succinctly.

Turns out the Wildcats are quite good.

They harried and harassed Houston's guards wherever they went on the floor, twice holding the Cougars without a point for five-minute stretches in the first half. The result was a 33-28 lead in the locker room that felt just a little bit bigger.

Yet there is a reason that Houston is No. 1 nationally in defensive efficiency.

The Cougars were still trailing 40-37 when they clamped down on the Wildcats, turning defense into offense and outscoring them 19-6 over the next five minutes. By the time Uzan curled in a bucket with 11:40 to go, Houston had taken a 56-46 lead -- the largest of the entire game for either team.

Arizona gamely fought back to take a 62-61 lead, only for the relentless Cougars to regain the lead seconds later, when Uzan dropped his 3-pointer. He scored again on their ensuing possession, and Houston maintained its lead from there.

The result was its third conference tourney title in five years after the pair it won in the American Athletic Conference.

"Obviously they've had a great season, and a great couple of seasons, and Coach Sampson deserves a ton of credit. They got us twice this year," Lloyd said. "They won the conference by four or five. They won the conference tournament. At this moment they are the kings of the Big 12. I have nothing but respect for them."

Injury Update

Roberts, who sprained his right ankle in the quarterfinals, went through pregame warmups without the walking boot he wore a day earlier. But he had the boot back on as he watched from the bench in the hopes of playing in the NCAA tournament.

Norfolk State: 2024-25 Mid-Eastern Men's Basketball Champions

 

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Christian Ings scored 16 points, including the go-ahead free throw with eight seconds left, and top-seeded Norfolk State held off a wild rally by No. 2-seed South Carolina State for a 66-65 victory in the MEAC Tournament championship game on Saturday.

With the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, Norfolk State will be making its third tournament appearance since 2021 and its fourth overall.

After Norfolk State led 61-51 near the two-minute mark, Wilson Dubinsky got hot and scored the next 12 points for South Carolina State. He began with a long two-pointer to get them within 64-59 with 57 seconds left.

After a timeout, South Carolina State came up with a steal and Dubinsky finished at the rim to make it 64-61. With 12 seconds left, Dubinsky cashed in on another steal to make it 65-63. Again, Norfolk State could not handle the Bulldogs’ pressure on the inbounds pass and a steal by Jayden Johnson led to the tying layup by Caleb McCarty with 10 seconds left.

McCarty, who apparently did not realize the game was tied, fouled Ings with eight seconds left. Ings made one free throw for the 66-65 lead and Johnson’s jumper with one second left was off the mark. A desperation tip by the Bulldogs was also off the mark.

Dubinsky made 8 of 11 shots, was 5 for 5 on 3-pointers, and finished with 24 points. Omar Croskey had 10 points. The Bulldogs (20-13) had won 11 straight games coming in.

Brian Moore Jr. scored 15 points for Norfolk State (24-10).

Dubinsky made three 3-pointers in the first half, leading the Bulldogs to a 34-25 halftime lead.

South Carolina State last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2003.

Bryant: 2024-25 America East Men's Basketball Champions

 

Bryant men’s basketball is headed to its second NCAA Tournament in school history after beating Maine, 77-59, in the America East Tournament championship game Saturday.

Maine was making a run for its first tournament appearance in history before being denied by the Bulldogs (23-11, 14-2), who amassed an 11-point halftime lead and held on for a double-digit win on their home court in Smithfield, R.I.

The Bulldogs’ only other NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2022, Bryant’s final season as a member of the Northeast Conference, when they beat Wagner in the conference tournament championship to punch their ticket.

Coach Phil Martelli Jr., named the America East coach of the year this season, was the Bulldogs’ associate head coach that year before being promoted to his current position in 2023.

Bryant now awaits its first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament. The 68-team field will be announced during the selection show on CBS starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Sophomore Barry Evans, named the America East newcomer of the year after transferring from St. Bonaventure, led the Bulldogs with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Conference player of the year Earl Timberlake scored 17 for Bryant, while Maine’s A.J. Lopez led the all scorers with 20 points.

Bryant entered halftime with its largest lead of the first half, heading into the locker room up 38-27. The Bulldogs extended the margin in the second half, leading by as many as 21.

Maine made a late push, cutting Bryant’s lead down to 13 with under six minutes remaining, but Bryant stayed hot to close out the blowout win.

The top-seeded Bulldogs beat UMBC, 85-74, in the first round before taking down Albany, 91-78, to earn a spot in the conference tournament final.

FFXIV/Zenless Zone Zero: I Am What I Am

#FFXIV #ZZZ #Eous #Crossover

Montana: 2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball Champions

 

BOISE, Idaho -- Kai Johnson scored six of his 23 points late to help No. 2 seed Montana pull away and beat top-seeded Northern Colorado 91-83 in the Big Sky Championship title game on Wednesday night.

Montana lead by as many as 14 points early in the second half, but Northern Colorado later used an 18-9 surge to pull within 74-73 with 3:35 remaining. Johnson answered with a three-point play and a 3-pointer to stretch the Grizzlies' lead to 80-73 with 2:24 left. The Bears got within five points twice but didn't get closer.

Montana (25-9), which has won 14 of its last 15 games, collected its first NCAA tournament bid since 2019 and its 12th overall to extend its conference record. The Grizzlies also won their 51st Big Sky Tournament game, surpassing Weber State for the most in league history.

Brandon Whitney added 18 points for Montana, which shot 65% (30-of-46) overall and 24-of-28 (86%) from the free throw line. Joe Pridgen chipped in with 17 points and Malik Moore had 15.

Jaron Rillie scored 24 points and had six assists to lead Northern Colorado (25-9). Langston Reynolds added 18 points, Brock Wisne had 15 and Isaiah Hawthorne had 14.

Montana took the lead for good midway through the first half and led 48-39 at the break. Moore scored seven points during an 11-6 spurt to give the Grizzlies a 59-45 advantage with 16:22 to play.

Northern Colorado's last NCAA tournament appearance was in 2011.

FFXIV/Honkai Star Rail: Wire (2nd Take)

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American: 2024-25 Patriot Men's Basketball Champions

The American University men’s basketball team (21-12) defeated the Colgate Raiders (14-19) 72-62 on March 9 in the Patriot League Tournament semifinal in Bender Arena.

This was an all-around strong team performance for the Eagles. Five different players scored in double-digits to lift American over the top.

After the Navy Midshipmen defeated No. 1 Bucknell 83-77, the No. 2 Eagles earned the right to host the championship game on March 12 at 7 p.m. Navy was the only team in the Patriot League to defeat the Eagles twice during the regular season.

The Eagles defeated Colgate, which has dominated the Patriot League for the last four years, for the third time this season. No team since the 2017-18 Bucknell Bison has beat Colgate three times in a season.

The Eagles got off to a slow start, going down 7-0 in the first two minutes. Graduate student forward Matt Rogers got the Eagles back on track with a quick layup to tighten the score down 7-2 with 18:03 remaining.

Senior guard Elijah Stephens followed that up by losing his defender for a nice open scoop layup to bring the score to 7-4 with 17:07 left to go in the half.

As the Eagles tried to cut into the Colgate lead, they displayed more intensity on defense. The Eagles forced a shot clock violation and two Colgate air balls in a row.  

Rogers then scored a mid-range pull up to take the Eagles’ first lead of the game, 13-12, with 8:58 remaining.

But the Eagles couldn’t create much separation on the scoreboard just yet and found themselves down 22-14 off an 8-0 Colgate scoring run with just under six minutes left.

Graduate student guard Lincoln Ball sparked the rally by getting a tip-in bucket. On the other side, sophomore forward Greg Jones got the steal and scored a 3-pointer. On the next possession, Jones hit another 3-pointer to cut the lead to 24-22 with 3:39 remaining.

With 43 seconds left in the half, Stephens scored a layup to tie the game up at 26-26, forcing Colgate to call a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Colgate hit a 3-pointer to end the half leading 29-26.

Entering the second half, American took over and never looked back. Graduate student guard Colin Smalls kicked off the scoring by getting a steal and taking it downhill for a quick bucket. 

Stephens retook the lead for the Eagles, hitting back-to-back wide open 3-pointers. The score was 34-31 with 17:13 left to go.

With 13 minutes remaining, Jones drove through the lane and pushed through traffic for the bucket and the foul call to take 43-36 while the Eagles had all the momentum.

Sophomore forward Matt Mayock cashed in a transition shot from behind the arc to extend the  lead to 10, forcing Colgate to call a timeout. The Eagles led 48-38 with 11:58 to go.

With two minutes left, Smalls iced the game, hitting two huge 3-pointers down the stretch that sealed Colgate’s fate. His second 3-pointer gave the Eagles a 66-52 lead, their largest of the game.

The Eagles went on to win 72-62. Stephens led the team in scoring and assists, dropping 16 points and 4 assists. Rogers followed in scoring with 15 points, as well as 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

Though American’s students were on spring break, Bender was still rocking with a strong turnout of 1,908 people — the fourth largest crowd in Bender this season.

Eagles head coach Duane Simpkins appreciated the crowd and the community’s support.

“They want to see winners,” Simpkins said. “It’s cool to see that we’re getting people excited about coming out because we’re winning basketball games.”

Simpkins was also extremely proud of his team for beating such a successful program in the tournament.

“To be able to beat Colgate, a program that has been dominant for the past five or six years in route to our first championship in some time, is big time,” Simpkins said.

Rogers has matched up against Colgate All-Patriot League Second Team graduate center, Jeff Woodward, many times in his career, and shared his praise for one of his rivals after his final collegiate game.

“He’s a great player. He’s made me better. I’ve hopefully made him better,” Rogers said. “I respect him and I wish him the best going forward.”

Rogers, who had a bounce back game after only scoring 5 points against Lafayette on March 9, talked about the importance of creating smart shots in the offense.

“Just letting the game come to me, not forcing anything, not changing anything that I do and creating other shots for open guys. I’m not trying to be the guy that shoots 30 times in a game. I’m trying to get smart shots, get shots for everybody, even myself,” Rogers said.

Smalls is excited about the opportunity to play in a Patriot League Championship game against Navy on his home court. 

“Me and Matt, our first college game was actually against Navy at Navy. So for our last college game at Bender to be against Navy, and to be able to get a win for a Patriot League Championship, it feels amazing. It’s a super amazing opportunity,” Smalls said.

The Patriot League champion will be crowned following Wednesday’s game. The winner of the final will automatically advance to play in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have a chance to be in the tournament for the first time since 2014.

McNeese State: 2024-25 Southland Men's Basketball Champions

 

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Quadir Copeland scored 18 points and McNeese defeated Lamar 63-54 in a cold-shooting, defensive battle on Wednesday, giving the Cowboys back-to-back Southland Conference Tournament championships.

The top-seeded Cowboys (27-6) will be making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

The Cowboys led wire-to-wire. The lead was 31-22 with two minutes remaining in the first half before 3-pointers by second-seeded Lamar's Andrew Holifield and Alexis Marmolejos sparked an 8-2 run. McNeese led 33-30 at halftime.

The defensive battle continued in the second half as McNeese went 5-for-15 and Lamar 5 for 23 in the first 12-and-a-half minutes after halftime. McNeese led 47-41 at the under-8 timeout.

Sincere Parker made four free throws to help the Cowboys maintain their lead over the next several minutes and they finally got their next made field goal on a dunk by Christian Shumate to lead 53-46 with three minutes remaining. Shumate's dunk was the Cowboys' last field goal attempt and they finished off the win with a series of 10 made free throws.

Lamar made two field goals in the last seven minutes, both in the final 47 seconds. McNeese made one shot in the final seven minutes.

For the game, McNeese shot 42% and Lamar made 31%.

DJ Richards had 10 points for McNeese before fouling out with 1:42 remaining on a double technical with Lamar's Errol White, who also fouled out.

Marmolejos scored 18 points, Holifield 15 and Adam Hamilton 11 for Lamar.

Lamar has made seven trips to the NCAA Tournament, the last in 2012.

Robert Morris: 2024-25 Horizon Men's Basketball Champions

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Josh Omojafo scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Robert Morris beat Youngstown State 89-78 on Tuesday night to claim the Horizon League Tournament championship and clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Robert Morris (26-8) will make its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2015 when the Colonials beat North Florida in the First Four before losing to No. 1 seed and eventual champion Duke in the first round.

Omojafo led all five RMU starters in double figures in the scoring column. Kam Woods scored 17 points, Alvaro Folgueiras had 14, Amarion Dickerson 13 and DJ Smith 11.

Robert Morris led the whole way.

Juwan Maxey scored 23 points and Nico Galette added 21 for Youngstown State (21-13).

Robert Morris built an 11-0 lead before the Penguins responded with a 14-6 spurt to get back in it. Maxey’s 3-pointer with 2:22 left before halftime reduced Youngstown State’s deficit to 30-29 and the Colonials led 34-29 at halftime.

Cris Carroll made a 3 to get Youngstown State again within two at 54-52 with 11:23 remaining, but Folgueiras countered with a 3 almost two minutes later and the Penguins never got closer.

Robert Morris created safe distance outscoring the Penguins 11-5 in a four-minute stretch in which Folgueiras, Ryan Prather Jr. and Omojafo each made 3s.

Folgueiras’ 3 with 2:33 left gave Robert Morris its largest lead at 78-65.

Youngstown State is 0-4 in conference tournament championships.

Saint Francis: 2024-25 Northeast Men's Basketball Champions

 

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- Daemar Kelly hit a go-ahead jumper with nine seconds left and Chris Moncrief made 1 of 2 free throws after he stole the ball to help St. Francis (Pa.) stun top-seeded Central Connecticut State 46-43 on Tuesday night to win the Northeastern Conference tournament championship.

It ended the nation's longest active win streak at 14 and earned the Red Flash their second trip to the NCAA tournament.

No. 3 seed St. Francis (16-17) had lost five in a row to the Blue Devils (25-7), including twice this season by a combined 31 points. The Red Flash won their only other conference tournament in 1991. The fourth time was the charm for head coach Rob Krimmel, who lost in three previous trips to the title game in 2017, '19 and '20.

St. Francis freshman Juan Cranford Jr. and Blue Devils' junior Devin Haid both scored 14 and were the only players to reach double figures.

According to ESPN Research, the last time a Division I team won its conference tournament championship without reaching 50 points was Georgia State in the 2015 Sun Belt Conference championship game, when it beat Georgia Southern 38-36.

The two teams played to a 20-20 tie in a cold-shooting first half.

Cranford opened the second half with a 3-pointer, and he hit a jumper to give the Red Flash a 37-33 lead with 9:50 left. Central Connecticut State scored the next four points, but Riley Parker answered with a 3-pointer to put St. Francis up three with 7:20 left.

The Red Flash led by four when Haid made two free throws to end a five-minute scoring drought for the Blue Devils. He missed his next two shots before sinking a jumper to tie it at 41 with 1:42 left. Valentino Pinedo had a go-ahead basket but missed a chance at a three-point play. Joe Ostrowsky tied it for the final time with 17 seconds left. Haid missed a 3-pointer to end it.

UNC Wilmington: 2024-25 Colonial Men's Basketball Champions

 

With his team's season at stake, UNCW basketball point guard Donovan Newby went for reassurance.

Ahead of his two trips to the free-throw line in the final 13 seconds in the CAA championship game on Tuesday night, Newby could be seen talking to himself as he set up for each pair of critical shots.

"I was telling myself, 'You're built for this,'" he said.

Newby coolly drained all four shots, finally pushing back the last chances at an upset by Delaware and sending UNCW back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight years. The Seahawks grabbed a 76-72 victory at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., and head back to the Port City, ready to create even more March Madness.

"We could have wilted at any point," coach Takayo Siddle said. "We got through any adversity that was in front of us and got the job done.

"We've experienced two of these where it didn't work out. But we always talk about learning life lessons."

Led by Newby, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, UNCW returns to the NCAA field for the first time since their back-to-back trips in 2016-17. It will learn its opponent during Sunday's NCAA Selection Show, which begins at 6 p.m.

This was the Seahawks' third CAA final in four seasons under Siddle, and they finally broke through.

"We are a program that is prideful," Siddle said. "We have a championship culture, and we always feel like if we don't win it all, we fail. At least I do. ... To be back up top is very special."

No. 2 seed UNCW had as much as a 15-point lead in the first half, but the 12th-seeded Blue Hens ― playing their fifth game in five days ― refused to give in and took a four-point lead with 13:23 to play.

The Seahawks (27-7) were led in scoring by Newby with 17 points as four Seahawks finished in double figures. Newby finished the tournament 18-for-18 from the free-throw line over three games.

Noah Ross had 14 points, Bo Montgomery had 13 and Khamari McGriff had 10. Newby had six of the final seven points for UNCW in the final 35 seconds. Newby was joined on the all-tournament team by Ross and McGriff.

Reigning CAA Freshman of the Year Izaiah Pasha was excellent for Delaware, finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Delaware (16-20) was attempting to become only the third team to win five games in a conference tournament, and the highest seed to ever win a conference tournament.

UNCW outscored Delaware 32-0 on bench points, as the Hens played only their starters for nearly all of the final 30 minutes of the game.

For the postgame press conference, Siddle was joined by McGriff, the program's only four-year player, as well as Ross, Newby and Nolan Hodge, who've all been here three years. One reporter noted that three of them weren't even starters.

"Our depth is a big weapon for us," Ross said. "Anyone can deliver for us. That's everyone's mindset going into the game."

Gonzaga: 2024-25 West Coast Men's Basketball Champions

 

LAS VEGAS -- Braden Huff scored 18 points and Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary's, beating the 19th-ranked Gaels 58-51 in the West Coast Conference tournament championship Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs (25-8) secured the WCC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, though both teams were safely in the field regardless of the outcome.

They got some measure of revenge for losing to the Gaels in last year's title game, which ended Gonzaga's run of four conference championships and 10 of 11. Gonzaga also extended its national record to 18 consecutive 25-win seasons.

"We've had an inordinate amount of one-possession games," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "I think that's why we're such an interesting seed going into this NCAA tournament. I think we were 350th in luck in Kenpom. We've had more banked 3s on us than I could ever, ever remember in my entire career.

"Whether it's law of averages coming through or just a little resiliency ... or maybe it's just desperation by some seniors who don't want this thing to end."

Saint Mary's (28-5) had its seven-game winning streak stopped. But the Gaels, who had won 17 of 18 games, went cold from long range at the wrong time. According to ESPN Research, Saint Mary's finished 0-16 from 3-point range, the first time in 787 games under coach Randy Bennett that the team failed to make a 3-pointer.

Khalif Battle scored 14 points for the Zags, Graham Ike added 11 and Ryan Nembhard had 10.

Mitchell Saxen led Saint Mary's with 20 points but scored only six after halftime. Two-time WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis finished with 12 points.

"We've had a great year," Bennett said. "We did not play well tonight."

Saint Mary's was attempting to become the first team since San Diego in 1996-97 to beat Gonzaga three times in a season. But Gonzaga entered the game with the higher Kenpom rating, ninth to 22nd for the Gaels, and was a 3½-point favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook.

And the Bulldogs played like favorites. They committed just four turnovers while forcing 18 that included two shot-clock violations in the closing minutes, as they put themselves back on familiar ground.

In fact, according to ESPN Research, Gonzaga has now won the WCC tournament 22 times, including 20 times under Few. Only Kentucky (32), Duke (27) and North Carolina (26) have won more Division I conference tournaments.

Both teams will find out their NCAA tournament seeds and destinations Sunday.

Zenless Misadventures, Day 16

#ZZZ

Wofford: 2024-25 Southern Men's Basketball Champions

 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Jackson Sivills scored a career-high 20 points and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in a game-ending 15-2 run as Wofford rallied to beat Furman 92-85 in the Southern Conference tournament championship game Monday night.

Wofford trailed 83-79 with 2:34 remaining. Kyler Filewich then made a layup and Sivills drilled his 3-pointer to put the Terriers (19-15) on top for good.

Sivills, a fifth-year senior, made 6 of 9 shots with four 3-pointers for No. 6 seed Wofford, which earns an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament for the sixth time. The Terriers won four conference titles between 2009 and 2015 and last won it in the 2018-19 season.

Justin Bailey added 19 points and seven rebounds for Wofford. Dillon Bailey scored 15 and teamed up with Justin -- no relation -- to make 7 of 12 from beyond the arc. Filewich added 13 points and six boards. Corey Tripp had 11 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.

PJay Smith Jr. led the Paladins (25-9) with 27 points. He made four 3-pointers and all 11 of his foul shots. Nick Anderson had 15 points, and Garrett Hien and Charles Johnston scored 13 and 12, respectively, before fouling out. Cooper Bowser scored 11.

Wofford scored the first eight points and maintained a lead until Johnston buried a 3-pointer with 63 seconds left in the first half to help Furman go up 37-35 at halftime. Smith had a four-point play and did not miss a shot, leading all scorers with 12. Sivills hit three 3-pointers and scored 11.

Furman was aiming for its eighth tournament title and first since 2022-23. The Paladins won six of them in the 1970s.

Troy: 2024-25 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Champions

 

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Conference player of the year, scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, Myles Rigsby added 20 points and No. 3 seed Troy beat fourth-seeded Arkansas State 94-81 on Monday night to clinch Troy basketballa spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.

Troy basketball (23-10) won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history.

Arkansas State (24-10) was in the championship game for the second year in a row, battling for its first NCAA berth since 1999 and second in school history.

Troy trailed 66-58 with 10 minutes to go before going on 24-4 run, sparked by Conerway’s 12 points, to go ahead 82-70 with 2:12 left. It was the first double-digit lead of the game.

The Trojans made seven straight shots at the end of the run, while Arkansas State went 2 of 13 from the field over eight minutes.

Troy shot 65% from the field in the second half, getting 16 points from Rigsby and 11 from Thomas Dowd.

Dowd finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jackson Fields added 10 points for Troy, which won its sixth straight game.

Dyondre Dominguez led Arkansas State with 19 points and Derrian Ford added 17. Terrance Ford Jr. had 11 points and seven assists, and Kobe Julien and Joseph Pinion each scored 10.

Conerway finished the tournament with 61 points after scoring 18 in quarterfinals against Old Dominion and 22 in semifinals versus No. 2 seed James Madison. He was 8 of 17 from the field against the Red Wolves.