College Basketball

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 …

Florida State Seminoles guard Jalen Warley (1) drives the ball to the hoop. The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Florida State Seminoles 77-66 at the Tucker Civic Center on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Fsu V Unc169 The UNC basketball season is just days away and a surprise decision was made out of the ACC-foe Virginia’s campus. Just weeks ago, …

Feb 18, 2023; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Javon Ruffin (11) makes a basket against Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary BonDurant-USA TODAY Sports Men’s basketball in the Big 12 Conference has long been one of the nation’s most competitive and legacy-building brands. This season, four former Pac-12 teams …

BOCA RATON — Two seasons ago, Florida Atlantic’s men’s basketball team became a nationwide phenomenon, winning a school-record 35 games while embarking on a memorable run to the Final Four. Last season, FAU – with all five starters back – earned another berth in the NCAA Tournament before being knocked out in the first round. When the Owls’ 2024-25 season …

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, Rioux is the ultimate BMOC. He’s actually the Biggest Man …

ALBUQUERQUE — UTEP’s visit to New Mexico was a men’s charity basketball game for a great cause, with proceeds going to the UNM Children’s Hospital. But exhibition or not, the longtime rivals, who had played 147 times prior (the Lobos had 78 wins, UTEP 69), were playing to win and nothing was going to be easy for the winner. In …

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball’s preseason exhibition slate continues Tuesday at home against Washburn. Kansas is a Division I program, led by head coach Bill Self. Washburn is a Division II program, led by head coach Brett Ballard, who both played in college at KU and later worked on Self’s coaching staff. Here are a few things to think about ahead of …

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana basketball’s turn through Big Ten media days in suburban Chicago earlier this month left the distinct impression the conference expects the Hoosiers to have a say in its title race. Even against an unbalanced schedule, and having to navigate a difficult road stretch midway through, Mike Woodson’s team ought to be among the league’s most talented this …

Eight new players are set to make their regular season debut for Alabama basketball next Monday. Coach Nate Oats reloaded the Crimson Tide’s roster accordingly after losing eight players from the program’s historic Final Four run. The transfer portal took Davin Cosby (Wake Forest) , Rylan Griffen (Kansas), Kris Parker (Villanova), Nick Pringle (South Carolina), Kai Spears (Marshall), Mo Wague …

EAST LANSING – It’s been a little more than two weeks since Tom Izzo’s warm return to the Upper Peninsula. It’s almost back to reality, with Michigan State basketball’s regular season closing quickly. But first, the Spartans get one more tuneup and test against a Division II opponent. And a better opportunity for Izzo to dial in his lineups closer …

LEXINGTON — Kentucky men’s basketball closes the 2024-25 preseason tonight at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats won their preseason opener under new coach Mark Pope last week, rolling past Kentucky Wesleyan by 71 points. UK’s newcomers looked at ease in the dominant exhibition victory, as every scholarship player who took the floor scored at least two points; senior guard Kerr Kriisa was the only Wildcat who didn’t play, sitting …

LEXINGTON — Scan Kenny Brooks’ résumé, or residential history, and something is strikingly clear. Brooks, who will turn 56 in December, has never lived or worked outside Virginia. Until now. In March, Kentucky hired Brooks as its new women’s basketball coach. What compelled Brooks to — finally — trade one commonwealth for another? “It was probably the first school that …

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana basketball’s turn through Big Ten media days in suburban Chicago earlier this month left the distinct impression the conference expects the Hoosiers to have a say in its title race. Even against an unbalanced schedule, and having to navigate a difficult road stretch midway through, Mike Woodson’s team ought to be among the league’s most talented this …

With one longstanding goal checked off, Purdue basketball can take aim at another historic opportunity. Only twice previously in Big Ten history has a team won three consecuitve outright regular-season championships. Ohio State did it from 1960-62 with some guys you may have heard of: Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Bob Knight. I know you’ve heard of the last group …

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball will play its last exhibition game of the preseason Tuesday, at home against Washburn. The Jayhawks are coming off of an exhibition game defeat against Arkansas not too many days ago. Head coach Bill Self’s squad wasn’t at full strength, and the team certainly endured its share of issues against the Razorbacks on the way to an …

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway learned a thing or two over the course of an 0-2 preseason, which concluded Monday with a 96-88 loss to Alabama. About what it will take to hang with the heavy hitters. About what he has to work with inside his own locker room. And, with the regular season set to begin …

Coverage from the game: Louisville basketball versatility on display as Pat Kelsey’s Cards rout Spalding in tuneup Coverage during the game: Louisville men’s basketball wraps up its preseason tonight at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals play a local Division III program, Spalding, in an exhibition game scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. It’s their final tuneup before the …

The result was the same — another exhibition, another blowout win for Pat Kelsey’s inaugural Louisville men’s basketball team. But how the Cardinals authored Monday night’s 99-54 rout of Spalding, a local Division III program, at the KFC Yum! Center was vastly different than how they went about dispatching Young Harris College of the DII ranks by 47 points last …

Ryan Dunn supports his former Virginia coach Tony Bennett retiring after 15 years, which he officially announced on Oct. 18. However, the Phoenix Suns rookie also advocates college athletes earning money — sometimes in seven figures — from their name, image, and likeness. The evolving NIL system in college athletics, along with the widespread use of the transfer portal by …

Feb 1, 2020; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Anfernee McLemore (24) makes a dunk during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Former Auburn basketball star Anfernee McLemore will have a chance to make his NBA debut at some point over the 2024-2025 season. The former NCAA Tournament standout is …

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball is no stranger to scheduling high-profile games during its non-conference schedule. This season alone, the Jayhawks welcome North Carolina and NC State to Lawrence. They face Michigan State and Duke at neutral sites. They face Creighton and Missouri on the road. So, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Kansas is going to be a …

Kate Paye STANFORD, Calif. — Kate Paye walked into the Stanford women’s basketball office moments after hanging up the phone with former star and Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike and who does she see but another former star in WNBA rookie Cameron Brink. This is a regular day for Paye, being surrounded by such greatness, support and familiarity. And she …

Oct. 27—First, let’s get this important fact out there. Sunday’s 91-74 loss by the Illinois men’s basketball against No. 24 Mississippi in front of 7,023 fans at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., doesn’t count. The charity-exhibition game to raise proceeds for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of North Mississippi won’t affect the Big …

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Back in mid-October, during Kansas basketball’s media day in Lawrence, coach Bill Self highlighted a desire to manage the minutes a few of his veterans will play this season. It’s not that Self won’t play graduate center Hunter Dickinson, graduate guard Dajuan Harris Jr. or senior forward KJ Adams Jr. a significant amount of minutes in close, …