College Basketball

WEST LONG BRANCH – Any success Monmouth has this season will hinge in great part on the play of redshirt sophomore forward Jaret Valencia and sophomore guard Abdi Bashir Jr. But there’s more to it in college basketball during the era of NIL and the transfer portal. It’s an open market for talent, with big bucks at stake, placing incredible …

This episode of The C.L. Brown Show features Louisville basketball players J’Vonne Hadley, a Colorado transfer on the men’s team; and women’s team members Olivia Cochran and Mackenly Randolph. Hadley discusses the presence of Alpha Dogs on the Cards’ roster, his perception of ACC basketball and how, with a group of 12 transfers, U of L is building its culture in Year …

LEXINGTON — In April, one chapter of Kentucky basketball history ended. And another began. John Calipari, who led the Wildcats for 15 seasons, stepped down April 9. One day later, Arkansas announced Calipari as its new coach. UK then took a page from its past to tab Calipari’s successor: Mark Pope, who spent three seasons in Lexington under former coach Rick …

WEST LAFAYETTE – This Purdue basketball team opens the season with a mindset unique to the past 40 years of program history. Matt Painter admitted last season’s long-awaited Final Four run brought “relief.” The tension which built throughout the entire Boilermakers experience in previous years should not constrict around this squad. Also, three-fifths of the expected opening night starting lineup …

BLOOMINGTON – It’s probably fair to say Mike Woodson enters the upcoming season on a seat as warm as any coach in this newly expanded, coast-to-coast Big Ten. It’s more than fair to say Woodson also brings what looks on paper like his best, deepest and most talented team to that growing conference party, a group picked by a poll …

WEST LAFAYETTE − Last Saturday’s exhibition loss was a needed reminder of how far Purdue basketball has to go before next week’s season opener. And that was before the Boilermakers and Bluejays even tipped off. “Some of our guys didn’t know what to do at shootaround,” assistant coach Paul Lusk said. “Like, what’s the process?” Minor things now in order, …

Coverage from the game: Kentucky basketball can score. Mark Pope, Wildcats can beat teams with more than just 3s Coverage during the game: LEXINGTON — Just one more outing separates Kentucky basketball from the 2024-25 regular season. UK and first-year coach Mark Pope host their second Division II team in as many weeks at 7 p.m. today. The opponent for tonight’s exhibition: …

LEXINGTON — There’s a belief surrounding Kentucky basketball in 2024-25 that it will live and die by the 3. Shoot them early. Shoot them late. Shoot them when they’re open. Shoot them when they’re guarded. The UK coaching staff is as guilty as anyone — particularly assistant (and offensive coordinator) Cody Fueger — of furthering that line of thinking, regularly voicing its …

1. MSU’s exhibition win over Ferris State is revealing of lineup possibilities EAST LANSING – Ferris State made Michigan State work for this win. There’s good and bad in that for the Spartans. The good being that the competitive nature of the game and the ways the Bulldogs pushed MSU revealed some things — strengths, concerns and, most of all, …

Injuries have been a steady subplot in the Gophers men’s basketball team’s preseason. Point guard Lu’Cye Patterson returned from a shoulder injury for the second exhibition game — a 79-57 win over Hamline at Williams Arena on Tuesday — but starting forward Frank Mitchell left with an apparent shoulder injury of his own very early in the first half. Minnesota …

EAST LANSING – Less than a week away from the start of the regular season, Tom Izzo wanted Michigan State’s final preseason preparation to be about basketball instead of an event. Ferris State obliged and provided a much stiffer test than Northern Michigan. That allowed Izzo to see some things he wanted from his team. Namely the Spartans’ ability to …

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — RJ Davis accomplished enough in four years at North Carolina for his jersey to eventually earn a place among the honored numbers in the Smith Center’s rafters for the blueblood program. Yet he’s still here. “With five years, I know some people may say, ‘Oh, you need to go get a job now,’” Davis said …

EAST LANSING – Less than a week away from the start of the regular season, Tom Izzo wanted Michigan State’s final preseason preparation to be about basketball instead of an event. Ferris State obliged and provided a much stiffer test than Northern Michigan. That allowed Izzo to see some things he wanted from his team. Namely the Spartans’ ability to …

EAST LANSING – Less than a week away from the start of the regular season, Tom Izzo wanted Michigan State’s final preseason preparation to be about basketball instead of an event. Ferris State obliged and provided a much stiffer test than Northern Michigan. That allowed Izzo to see some things he wanted from his team. Namely the Spartans’ ability to …

Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler celebrates a Ferris State turnover during the second half on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in East Lansing. Michigan State basketball utilized a second-half run to pick up a convincing exhibition victory over Ferris State on Tuesday night. Michigan State had to fight off an early second-half run from the Bulldogs to pick up the 85-67 victory. …

Michigan State’s Xavier Booker looks to pass against Southern Indiana during the second half on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Michigan State basketball is considered one of the teams with the best odds to win the National Championship from the Big Ten. Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 posted the BetMGM odds for …

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball will have another opportunity to play a preseason exhibition game Tuesday, at home against Washburn. The Jayhawks are coming off of a recent exhibition defeat at Arkansas. Following Late Night in the Phog earlier this month, this Washburn matchup will be the first opportunity for KU fans to see their team go up against another inside a …

MANHATTAN — Kansas State basketball will publicly unveil its 2024-25 roster on Tuesday night in a preseason exhibition against Division II Fort Hays State at Bramlage Coliseum. Jerome Tang enters his third season as K-State coach and has a 45-25 overall record. The Wildcats return just three players from last year’s team that went 19-15 and lost to Iowa in …

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Walking from his apartment to classes and then to the University of Florida’s basketball facility, Olivier Rioux poses for dozens — sometimes hundreds — of pictures a day. Vertical shots, of course. Rioux won’t fit in the frame any other way. At 7 feet, 9 inches (2.4 meters), Rioux is the ultimate BMOC. He’s actually the …

Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Drake Powell (9) looks to pass as forward James Brown (2) defends in the second half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Yesterday, ESPN, written by Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf released their top 100 college basketball players ahead of the start of …

Mar 2, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (2) brings the ball up court against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports North Carolina will start their basketball season in just under a week when they take on Elon at …

Mar 22, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) talks to head coach Nate Oats during the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports After one of the most memorable years in program history, the 2024-25 college basketball season is set …

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — RJ Davis accomplished enough in four years at North Carolina for his jersey to eventually earn a place among the honored numbers in the Smith Center’s rafters for the blueblood program. Yet he’s still here. “With five years, I know some people may say, ‘Oh, you need to go get a job now,’” Davis said …

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — South Florida introduced Ben Fletcher as interim basketball coach on Tuesday, saying he’s the right man to lead the Bulls following the death of Amir Abdur-Rahim. Fletcher, a close friend of Abdur-Rahim who helped the late coach turn around struggling programs at Kennesaw State and USF, promised to help grieving players cope with the loss and …

BYU head coach Kevin Young addresses the media during the NCAA college Big 12 men’s basketball media day, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. | Charlie Riedel In a week from Tuesday, the BYU Cougars men’s basketball team will begin a season that carries with it as much anticipation as has been in the program in a long …