We are finally here. At the Final Four and National Championship for both the Men’s and Women’s titles. Let’s break down the long holiday weekend and Monday:
Women’s Final Four
South Carolina and that game plan
I will get to the postgame in a bit.
How about that South Carolina game plan? That was the best game plan I have seen any NCAA basketball team have all year and Dawn Staley’s team completed it to perfection. There was a ton of effort on the defensive end while capitalizing on turnovers and miscues. It caused UCONN not only to rush shots, they looked completely out of their element with the lowest offensive output of the season. It was a masterful example when a coach and players have a game plan and following through.
What everyone talked about
The great A+ game plan by South Carolina was marred by a coach who thought at the time his ego was bigger than this game. Geno Auriemma is a Hall of Fame coach and is a legend in NCAA Women’s College Basketball. They talk about legacies in the sport, and more people may remember what took place below as part of his legacy.
I get it. Even in recreational sports, frustration happens and is part of sports or any intended competition among groups of people. I also get that Geno may not like Dawn personally. However what I have a major problem with is:
1) You flat out lied about the pregame handshake or was not clear in specifics (there was talk coaches shake hands more than once. See below).
2) Your player Sarah Strong tore her own jersey. Nobody on South Carolina tore it.
3) You have the nerve to disrepect the entire South Carolina Women’s team by (instead being gracious in defeat) leaving your coaches and players to shake hands as you walked off the court. Shame on you.
We did get what seemed to be a canned apology for Geno’s actions on Saturday. Still, no apology for blame Dawn on something she did not do. Be better Geno otherwise this will be part of your legacy in addition to all the winning. I have one more thing to say.
“Someone who is classy in winning, should be classier in defeat. Anything different tells you more about someone in defeat.”
Note: After point three, this entry was written Sunday evening April 5.
Update: As of Tuesday 4/7 it sounds like Geno and Dawn talked and want to move behind this.
UCLA edges Texas in a battle
Most people will say this was an ugly game. I thought it was intirguing. These are two top teams battling it out for all the marbles. Their top notch defense caused the game to be a dog fight. Texas after being down early fought back to make it a single digit lead. Then UCLA’s effort and heart willed them to win and play on Sunday. Texas has nothing to be ashamed about. They were a force in the SEC. However UCLA did what they do all year (with a one loss being vs Texas in Vegas Thanksgiving)- playing together as a team. Lauren Betts is the heart and soul of this team and proved it with one of the most timely blocks late in the game. She also is one of the least selfish players highlighted during this entire NCAA run.
The Women’s National Championship
In the National Championship game UCLA was able to pull away in the 2nd half seeming more one sided than it appeared early. It is hard to say why South Carolina ran out of steam. It was not effort. It could be when you have a game that was so intense as Friday was throughout, perhaps they did not have as much energy left.
The Seniors of UCLA did what they have done all year long. Play together as the stat below shows.
Lauren Betts did not see the floor much of the first half due to a odd issue with her throat. However when she came back into the game, her presence on the floor was felt as she had a hand in multiple 2nd chance scoring opportunities with her gifted passing. Her teamates pick her up on cue.
Gabriela Jaquez had a great game and Gianna Kneepkens hit some clutch shots late in the game to win 79-51.
The rebounding and 2nd chance points decidedly were the difference in the game. This was my pick to win as this team spent all year playing like a complete team. Their chemistry was among the best in Men’s and Women’s basketball.
Men’s Final Four
Illinois struggles on offense at the worst time
In the first game of the Men’s Final Four, UCONN outlasted Illinois to get into the National Championship 71-62.
Illinois throughout the tournament was able to get timely shots and play team ball. What took place all but the final few minutes of the game was not pretty. The team did not play as fast as it has looked at times, seemed tenative on shots, played mediocre defense, and had a total of 3 assists if that is possible!
Everytime they cut the lead to four, they could not get closer. Some of this you can credit UCONN making the game “Big East style” and some of it was Illinois struggling to shoot at the worst time. 0 fast break points on 33.9% shooting.
For UConn Braylon Mullins was again a big part of the game scoring 15 points.
Arizona did not know what hit them
In a match that was hyped as possibly one of the most anticipated games of the year with arguably two of the best teams in the country, it never turned that way.
Arizona got close a few minutes into the first half although to be honest they never were in the game. Michigan out hustled them, out rebounded them, and out shot them. I thought Arizona would give them a game and looked like the best team from their lost to Texas Tech (February 14) during the season to this point.
I was wrong. This looked like the Michigan team that was in Vegas in November and won 91-73. Once G Jaden Bradley got into foul trouble that was basically ball game.
The Men’s National Championship
UCONN similar to South Carolina had a great game plan. Try to stifle Michgan’s offense enough to stay in the game and give them a chance to win. It worked in the first half.
The 2nd half was a different story. At one point UCONN was 0/11 from the 3 point line and was shooting near or under 30% all game.
Some will complain about officiating and how Michigan had 28 free throw attempts to 16. I actually thought the officiating was fine. Trust me I am the one who usually is vocally loud if officiating is bad.
For those who think the officials were one sided, UCONN did not have them shooting from the field. If you miss 47 of your shots for the game (21/68 for 31 %) you most likely won’t win. Here is what David Cobb from CBS sports wrote during the 2nd half.
I think also what was not stated that much was how Michigan’s length caused adjustments in shots and deflections with blocks. They had 6 blocks when during the game it felt like much more. Michagn’s offense is sure elite. However when they were beating teams by at times 40 points scoring triple digits, they also kept those teams to around 60 points. UConn scored 63 losing 69-63.
UConn should not hang their heads low. This has been an incredible run by Dan Hurley capped off with a generational comeback to get to the Final Four. Credit UConn for the game plan, however credit Michigan for showing they were the top team both offensively and (quietly) defensively all season. Defense in this case won the National Title.
Back in November it looked like Michigan would run the table through the entire season opening eyes with a 40 point win vs Gonzaga Thanksgiving week.
In early January after a 2 point espcape win at Penn State, Wisconsin (who would beat anyone ranked from the BIG conference in the Top 25 it felt) had one of the upsets of the year at Michigan 91-88. Michigan’s only other losses was a non conference late season showdown in DC vs Duke and losing the BIG Championship to a gutty Purdue team. What they were able to was bounce back after each loss and stay the course. And this is why they are National Champions.
What a great season! This is the most basketball I have seen not only on tv, but in person and in different venues regionally and across the country. Being able to watch College Basketball like I did Thanksgiving week I was able to get a early season “March type” of hype before we enter the month. I highly suggest making a trip to early season tournaments if you can. Seeing and being around all of those teams in walking distance, allowed me to get a better feel for who would do well this season.
And yes I did see Michigan players and coaches walking around my hotel that week 🙂
Recap of that tournament is below in case you missed it.
And there is not surprise, two teams that played in the Player Era’s tounament (Michigan on the men’s side and UCLA on the women’s side) are both hoisting titles in April. I know there is much criticism about the NIL and the transfer portal, however both teams used transfer players to build their championship teams. This may be the way to go in addition to signing recruits going forward.
Also if after all the basketball Bill Raftery has seen through the years, he even gets speechless in March like below, it shows this is still the best postseason sport among all Pro and College sports. “Onions!” Raft is a National treasure and hope he is able to call games for many more years like he stated a few weeks ago.
Happy April. What a March we are having and there is nothing Foolish about that! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I have. Here is a recap of anything you missed as we head to Final Four Weekend. We will get to that shot above in a bit.
Women’s Sweet 16
Notre Dame has an Elite Player
Hannah Hidalgo has really been a star this tournament. In the game vs Vanderbilt she had a triple double by scoring 31 points, 11 rebounds 10 steals and 7 assist as Notre Dame won 67-64. Re-experience the magic below!
Duke vs LSU
Duke and LSU was a thriller. It was won by the Blue Devils 87-85. Much of what will be said is how LSU has not went far in the tournament since their championship win back in 2023.
Coach Kim Mulkey did not like the reporters trying to hint she is about to retire.
Virginia’s Cinderalla run has ended
Virgina who started out in the First Four could not get to the Elite 8 as they lost to TCU 79-69
Women’s Elite 8
All four Number 1 teams in the Women’s tournament advanced to the Final Four. Also, it is the same teams as 2025. As a viewer this season, I am not surprised.
The question you may ask “is parity no more in Women’s Hoops if these four teams all returned?” I will disagree with you. As the end of the Michigan vs Texas game this was discussed. According to the broadcast they felt it just means that the next group of teams are just not at the level today. That does not mean they can’t reach these four teams next season.
The Women’s Final Four is looking to be a great one. The matchups are switched this year as South Carolina and UConn will battle followed by Texas and UCLA. I am pulling for UCLA as they play the most together out of any other team that is left. There is not a star however a group of players that root and play for each other. The way they came back to win Duke explains my resoning here.
Men’s Sweet 16
Texas luck runs out
Texas played well enough to win this game. When it came down to a final play, nobody boxed out and Purdue won in the final seconds with a tip in. Texas played much better this month than they did the entire season. I admit I was one who did not think they deserved to make the tournament with their record. I was wrong.
Iowa has corn for dinner
Another surprise team in the tournament was Iowa. On Thursday when it looked like Nebraska’s storybook of first would continue, Iowa swooped in and took the W.
One of the big plays that started the Nebraska slide was not having 5 players on defense.
Illnois stops the Cougars from a repeat to the Elite
Illinois is playing good at exactly the right time again. The mix of offense and just enough team defense caused Houston to revert back to the early season struggles. Their offense was not enough as Illinois wins 65-55.
St John’s vs Duke
This game was a big fight. St John’s took control of the game in the 2nd half up double digits. However they could not stop a late surge as Duke did enough to win 80-75.
UCONN holds on
In a great matchup, UCONN was able to outlast Michigan State and win by 4 67-63.
Iowa St Flat
Iowa State literally forgot how to shoot in the Sweet 16. To my surprise this included one of the best pure shooters in college basketball this season Milan Momcilovic. He only scored 6 points as Tennessee won 76-62.
Men’s Elite 8
The Hawkeye season is over
Illinois and Iowa played another BIG matchup for a trip to the Final Four. With a 43 point 2nd half, Illinois was able to take contol and win 71-59. This team is peaking at the right time and their trip is well deserved.
Arizona wears down Purdue
Arizona arguably is playing the best in the tournament. In this game they finally lost a lead and had to come back. In the end they had a impressive win after winning easily so far in the tournament 79-64.
The 2nd half was a head scrather for Purdue. There was too much stagnation and their offense did not seem to know what they were doing. If you watch the highlights they seem to run the same play where the same player just stood on the right side of the three point line and rarely received the ball. This allowed Arizona to clog the lane and play 5 on 4 defense using just a player to float towards that player.
There was no adjustments. It was a classic tale of two halves. At half time I said that “I did not like Purdue’s offense that 1st half even though they led.”
Michigan Final Four bound
We will get Michigan and Arizona next week for the Final Four after Michigan manhandled Tennessee 95-62. These are the best two teams in the country and have played like it. It will be a heavyweight fight. Michigan can play multiple ways and can score a ton just like Arizona. They also can use their size to create matchup problems just like Arizona.
There was once a time back at the Player Era’s tournament where I thought Michigan was by far the best team in the country and may roll over everyone to the Championship. I don’t think that today although they are not far off that initial thought.
I think in my opinion Arizona has been consistent and their play in the tournament so far has been heads and shoulders above all their competition. I am leaning towards Arizona.
The shot and still trying to find words
By now you have all seen the shot. It will be the shot that is talked about for years and for generations. It is why we watch this tournament.
I had a loss for words after Duke gave up a 19 point lead. If you have been watching all year, the irony is UCONN constantly had big leads on teams and would hold on to win by a few points. The game vs a average Seton Hall comes to mind back on January 13th.
In the case of Duke, they did not look good vs Siena. To be down double digits to them showed some vulnerability. They are still a great team and deserved to be in the Final Four. Perhaps coming back every game from being down and now last Sunday having a lead gave up some intensity that was shown in the previous games. We can speculate however that can be saved for another day.
Even Bill Raftery and Grant Hill were speechless just like I was. And he has seen a lot during his great broadcasting career. This included the CBS Sports Network Studio. Onions indeed.
Sports Illustrated breaks down the end of the broadcast
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 30, 2026
As for Illinois and UCONN in the Final Four, UCONN is the wild card here. They could have this win catapult them to the National Title game winning it all. Still thinking Illinois wins out and Arizona cut the nets on Monday.
Have a good rest of the week and enjoy the Final Four weekend. I will recap it next week.
And always remember this from coach:
The second half of that Uconn vs Duke game is why college basketball is the Best sport.
If anyone thinks South Carolina is not ready for the tournament, think again. After a 19-6 1Q they coasted to an amazing 103-34 win. Pure dominance.
Virginia will be one to keep an eye on.
It was the only true upset in the First Round of the Women’s tournament. Virginia kept battling Georgia and was able to tie the game in OT. Once Overtime happened, their defense took over. 11-2 Overtime took the game. Some of this was due to Georgia not being able to convert or make free throws. They moved onto Monday vs a good Iowa team.
USC lasts Clemson in Overtime
In another great game on Saturday, USC prevailed over 71-67. Jazzy Davidson is a star carrying the Trojans with 31 points 6 rebounds and 5 assist. While USC had a .500 season in the BIG conference, a big test will be to see if Jazzy can repeat a similar performance vs South Carolina. She definitely will need to bring her A game along with getting help.
Crooks 37 was not enough.
In what was a surprise Iowa State lost to Syracuse 72-63. Audi Crooks has been putting up points like this all season. The surprising part is that she received little help on offense.
The biggest thing that comes to mind is will she return next season. Here is what she said:
“We’re still processing everything,” Crooks said after the game at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. “Just being there for each other right now is the priority. That’s the main thing, making sure everyone is OK.”
100 Points Club First Round
LSU, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
Women’s Tournament Round 2 Nuggets
Maryland vs North Carolina
Two teams with similar styles battled it out in North Carolina. Oluchi Okananwa and Elina Aarnisalo both scored 21 points and 6 rebounds for each respective team. In the end it was Aarnisalo’s team that scored enough in the 4th to edge out Maryland 74-66.
Much was be made of Brenda Frese reaction to Oluchi Okananwa. I am glad to hear them clarify what that meant. This tournament brings out the competitiveness in many different ways.
Ole Miss vs Minnesota
In what was the start of some fantastic Round 2 basketball games, Minnesota had last second shot to send them into the Sweet 16. Both the Men’s and Women’s tournament have had some exciting games, however Round 2 has been more fun to watch with the Women overall.
100 point club Sunday
LSU, Texas
Sunday Night Cinema
The last two games of Sunday Night’s action was some of the best basketball in March. In Oklahoma, the Sooners were able to outlast the Spartans.
In the nightcap, if you did not stay up you missed a beauty. Washington had the upset in its grasps. In overtime, TCU (most likely due to being home) was able to come back and move on to the Sweet 16. This would have been a major upset of the year if Washington won.
Kudos to Washington’s scrappy play keeping the scoring low and while keeping TCU to 19 points in the first half, just could not contain the upset. They have nothing to be ashamed of.
Monday Mayham
I hope you had a chance to watch the Women’s tournament games on Monday. They were some of the most intense and exciting basketball seen this year!
Louisville outlasts Alabama in a thriller to kick us off.
Double Overtime in Iowa
The game between Virginia and Iowa was one of the most intense and physical games in any college basketball game this year, Men or Women. The best thing about it was it went to double overtime. In the 2nd overtime, Iowa was not able to shoot or hit free throws as the Cinderella Cavaliers continue marching to the Sweet 16. My words does not do justice to the highlights. This was a pure heavyweight fight.
Notre Dame suvives a 41 point outing
Hannah Hidalgo had a huge game as Notre Dame beats a very good Ohio State team. She scored 26 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists. Jaloni Cambridge had a giantic game with 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assist.
Kentucky holds on
Kentucky fended off a frentic 4th quarter to beat West Virginia 74-73.
100 point club Monday edition: South Carolina
Men’s Round 2 Highlights
Texas First Four to Sweet– Apologies to them.
Apparently Texas wants me to eat my crow. I did not think they had enough to get into the tournament. Now they are in the Sweet 16. I have to admit they are playing their best basketball at the right time. Some teams early in the season define their entire year by their play. It seems like Texas got renewed life playing in the First four and here we go. They are not a Cinderella perse being in the SEC, however they are playing like that slipper fits.
That sweet corn crop is out early
Nebraska is making memories one game at a time. They won their first ever tournament game and now have a Sweet 16 berth. This should be no surprise if you saw their hot undefeated start to the season. While Miami- Ohio stole the headlines later in the season, they for about 20 games were just as good. They are enjoying every moment too.
That Vanderbilt last shot was as close to a shot that went in as you could have possibly thrown up. Both teams played fantastic as this was among the best endings to all games in the tournament.
Arkansas moves on
High Point ends on a high note, pun definitely intended. Even though they lost 94-88, they battled and looked like they belong with another power conference team. Hopefully this opens the conversation to them getting teams who are willing to play them next year.
Here come the Johnnies
If Vanderbilt-Nebraska had one of the best endings in this tournament, St John’s and Kansas cresendoed into a classic close. The game play was not as good especially in the 1st half as both teams struggled to have any flow on offense. It was your typical Big East type of game. Kansas furious comeback ended up short. If you were looking at them throughout the year, they struggled away from home (5-6) and on Nuetral court vs the Top 25 (0-3). It will be interesting to see where the program heads next especially as Bill Self contemplates his future.
The Hawkeye takes out the Gator
In what was a true upset, Iowa took down the defending champion Florida Gators.
During the year I felt not much was talked about Florida and they were quietly having a great season. The same could be said for Iowa. With the BIG being so top heavy a team like Iowa was not really part of the conversation. Now we have no choice. Iowa earned this game and took Florida completly out of their element. If it was not for a late surge, Florida could have easily lost by several points.
Sweet 16 starts on Thursday for the Men and Friday for the Women. I will be recapping all the action.
Brian Anderson missed the call on Thursday for being sick.
Kenny Smith left early Thursday in the studio for being sick.
I also have also been under the weather this week. Clearly something is going around locally and nationally.
Saying that, this still is the best time of the year. And Thursday and Friday was no exception of the excitement.
Here are some highlights.
Thursday
TCU-Ohio State
This was not the most well played basketball game in the tournament. Everytime TCU would take a big lead, Ohio State would comeback. Lots off unforced turnovers. In the end TCU showed they were slightly better winning 66-64.
Nebraska wins their first event tournament game.
High Point with the upset
Most brackets are probably broken with High Point beating Wisconsin. Although if you have been reading my blogs and paying attention to homework week, Wisconsin all season had a habit of playing up to Top 15 teams winning signature games and playing down to their competition struggling. I had High Point here. They are better than many people think and performed well in their Conference tournament. Homework week matters!
A word about mid majors: The NCAA has to figure out a way where mid majors can play big teams. Coach of High Point has a point (no pun intended)
The UNC Meltdown
UNC was up 19 points and all was good. However what happens all year is that they stuggled to close out games as this postgame suggests.
The second half was a combination of almost everything that has plagued the Tar Heels this year. They missed key free throws (five in the final seven minutes, including the front end of a one-and-one), committed turnovers (four in the final 4:30 of regulation), didn’t make a field goal in overtime and just generally looked out of sorts as the Rams caught fire and shot 62 percent in the second half.
In Overtime VCU was able to hold on and complete the comeback. I had VCU in my bracket because of the point made above.
100 point teams
This has been a surprising year of teams scoring 100 or more points in the First Round. Here is the club from Thursday.
Michigan, Illinois, St Louis.
Friday
In what will arguably be the best game of the First rounds, Santa Clara and Kentucky. Chaotic Cinema and March Madness Mayhem as Spero Dedes said.
There were two issues that led to this Overtime:
What looked like to be a jump ball with 25 seconds left, the officials awarded a Timeout as they felt Kentucky had the posession. I don’t know about that. It seemed hard to tell.
Santa Clara coach calls timeout after their 3 point lead but the officiating did not notice. This led to the now infamous half court shot.
Utah St vs Villanova
This game caused more controvesy not due to the big Utah State comeback win 86-76 but for the interview in the 1st half.
I get that Kevin Willard may have been sarcastic and possibly joking. It still came across as unprofessional. I think CBS and Turner have an angreement to interview the coaches in game so they can get insight and hot takes in the moment. Sometimes saying less is better. Now that Villanova lost, this quote may follow them into the offseason.
100 point club Friday edition
Iowa St, Purdue, Florida
Miami-OH season is over
Miami of Ohio’s season is officially over losing to Tennessee Friday. They just could not run their offense and Tennessee’s defense caused major problems. For Tennessee, this was the best defensive game they have shown all year. It will be interesting to see if this catapults them into Sunday.
Cal Baptist University
Perhaps the team who shined on Friday in a loss was Cal Baptist University. WIth 7 minutes left and down over 20 points, they had every reason to pack it in. A furious comeback led by one of the best scorers in the country Dominique Daniels created late evening excitement. If this game had 2 or more minutes, I wonder how close it would have been or if Cal Baptist somehow took the lead. Kansas needs to stay focused vs St. John’s much better than their 2nd half performance. Kudos though as more people know what school this is today than they did yesterday.
Enjoy the weekend games everyone. I will have a recap of all the action early next week with more of a focus on the Women’s tournament.
Hope you all are having a good week. I was all set to write on this blog sooner than this evening. Unfortunately caught something Sunday night and we had some severe weather in the Midwest on Tuesday. My thoughts are to those affected by the devestating tornado that went through areas south of Chicago and NW Indiana.
This week’s theme appears to be Popping Bubbles. I always say that if you like to do well in your brackets that you put together, watching games last week and this week are a must. You notice trends and how teams play which can cause matchup issues.
Most of the Women’s Conference Tournaments have ended. Still a few to be decided. Here is a guide for all the action this week:
Of course UCONN starts on this list being 33-0 and having a fairly easy path to winning the Big East Championship.
I really want to see them and UCLA meet in the Final Four. UCLA looks very much a contender for National Championship and would create a great contrast of styles. Sunday’s BIG championship game vs a good Iowa team hopefully showcased them to a National Audience.
Winning by 51 I don’t believe is better than a undefeated Regular Season. It should be a close 2nd and perhaps the committe won’t let that matchup happen until possibly both make it to the Finals. It would be Must See TV.
Is there cause for concern in South Carolina?
Not in my opinion. However Texas has proven on a couple of occassions that they had their number. Not only did Texas beat South Carolina back at the Player’s Era Tournament in Vegas. They beat them to win the SEC Tournament. By the way Texas beat UCLA as well in Vegas so they definitely would like a word on who may be the best in the country.
Iowa
I am going to give Iowa some love even though they had a big loss vs UCLA in the BIG Championship. To get there they earned it rallying around a gutsty performance by Hannah Stuelke. Keep an eye on them.
Both these ACC teams will not be easy outs in the tournament. In one of many OTs of the day in college hoops on Sunday, if you saw this you had a treat and Duke preservered to win the ACC title. Both teams deserved to win.
Big XII
Another good game saw West Virginia beat a good TCU team. I also think both of these teams could be competitive in a Sweet 16 this year.
Men’s Basketball Conference Tournament Nuggets
Bubbles!
For some reason it seems this season we have more well known bubble teams than usual. And how wishy washy they all are this season it is kinda comical. I will put the bubble teams below let you know if they are a pick or pop for a At-Large Bid. Some if this is based on Game results before 9 PM CDT on March 11th
Cal- They competed in their ACC game today vs Florida St. They do have 21 wins total which should give them a slight edge. If I had a choice. Even if they have won today, they have no chance beating Duke. Pick
Virginia Tech- They lost to Wake Forest in OT on Tuesday. Close but no cigar. You also are under .500. Yes the ACC is a tough conference, but if you can’t at least be .500 in your conference, you need a better showing than what you did here. POP
SMU- This team is so maddening. You limp to the Conference tournament losing your last four games. Sure they beat a Syracuse team that just let go of their coach Tuesday and then lost a close game to a good Louisville team. Their losses are not too bad. It is just the committee will notice that A. You were under .500 in March. B. You lost to some of the same teams in this thread when it needed to matter in March (Cal, Stanford). Had they beat Louisville today I would have them over Cal. Instead POP
Stanford- Losing to PITT in the ACC Tournament early does not imbode confidence in the committee. PITT is not good this year. POP.
VCU- Since a few weeks ago VCU had a game ending brawl with St Louis, I do not think they have been the same team. I mean that in a good way. They have won since February 20th. I still think to ensure they get a At large they need to have a good showing in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Playing in the Final will be ideal. Winning 2 games I think gives them a safe net. Pick
Seton Hall- This team looks like they can hang with the top teams like St John’s and UCONN one week, then get thoroughly outplayed and out hustled by a DePaul team the next. Beat St John’s and you are more likely in. Will they? Nope. They will make it interesting though and fall in the end. Must beat Creighton first which is not a gimme. POP
Cincinnati- This team makes no sense. They spent most of the year not having a signature win, then out of all teams handles Kansas at Kansas by double digits. You think this would have catapulted them to a At Large. It kind of did. However their showing today vs UCF and how bad they gave the game away should end their season for an At-Large. It was almost unbelievable how bad they cost themselves the game. See below. POP
P.S. Who’s idea it was to have that court. It is one of the worst things I have seen so far in 2026.
West Virginia- Got blown out by BYU today. I think they needed this game even though BYU is a better team. This is a hard team because they are better than Cincinnati but also are inconsistent like them. The committee might give them the benefit of the doubt and let them in though. The Big XII is the toughest conference in College Hoops this year. Slight Pick
Indiana- Not enough good wins. They lost to Northwestern which is not a good loss. Now that is two losses to them. That should seal their fate. There are other issues like very little signature wins, a fluke W vs Wisconsin. Losing 5 of 6 before the loss to Northwestern today does not help either. Especially how you got blown out. POP
Auburn- If inconsistent was a 2026 term they would be it. They did beat Miss St which they had to do. If they can someone beat Tennesee or more, they are probably in as a high seed. I give them the benefit of the doubt here. Pick
Missouri- They beat Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. This the best team. I don’t even know why they are a bubble. Confident Pick
Oklahoma- Playing well at the right time however it took awhile to get to this point. They need to get a couple of resume wins and hope one of these picks above have a bad showing to have a chance. POP
Texas- Do not lose to Ole Miss. You do, you won’t make it. And guess what? They lost by 10 today. Slumping into March. POP
New Mexico- I really like New Mexico especially the way they played at home vs SD State. They have to probably get to the MW Final game and get some help. Teams like Cincy and Texas does help their chances. Slightly Pick
San Diego State- They are in a similar boat vs New Mexico. Can you imagine if these two teams meet on CBS Sports Network Friday night for a chance to knock the other one out of an At Large bid in hopes to play for a Moutain West Title game on Saturday? Yeah Duke UNC would get the headline if they meet Friday, however this would be the more meaningful game! That story writes itself. Slightly Pick
Hi everyone and welcome to March! We are finally here. Less than two weeks until Selection Sunday. Women’s Conference Tournaments begin in earnest on Wednesday. Here are days and times of each games.
Courtesy 506 Sports
Women’s News and Notes heading to Conference Tournament
Keep an eye on Ohio State
I watched some Women’s games this weekend and keep an eye on this team. They play together and completely dominated a good Michigan State team.
Audi Cooks
I told you about Audi Cooks for years since she began in college. A 41 point 13 rebound masterpiece last weekend shows how much of a handful she has become. If Iowa State is to make a run and surprise some top teams like UCONN and South Carolina, I am sure she will be part of the story. Averging 25.6 pts (#2 in women’s hoops) and 7.8 rebounds for the season.
Purdue like many teams the last few weeks have what I call “stub their toe syndrome.” Once they look like they are peaking, they have a setback. Illinois, Iowa St., and Kansas come to mind this season.
For Purdue, they are struggling at the wrong time.
They have lost 3 of 4 including a poor showing against Ohio St who needed the win. They next face Wisconsin who seems to step up for high ranked teams. Probably not the best time to play them. Hopefully they can right the ship in the Conference tournament to regain some confidence. They are a solid and veteran team that has been there before. They have the capabilities to still be a Sweet 16 team.
Speaking of Illinois, while they are not ready yet to be at Michigan’s level this year after last Friday’s 84-70 loss (many are not), they completed one of the biggest collapses back on February 21st at UCLA. Since peaking at #5 in the country, they have cooled off a little bit to #11
Keep your eyes on Texas Tech
Despite losing their best player JT Toppin to a ACL injury, Texas Tech played one of the best road games so far this year at a good Iowa St team.
While this team may have suffered a setback to their team, you have to give them credit. They are among the hardest working teams in basketball today and will be a hard out in the tournament. See below:
Chomp Chomp
I still think the media is not talking about the defending champions Florida Gators again. They are quietly and methodically having a good follow up season. And when they are on offensively, they can score. Sure Michigan and Arizona have had the headlines a majority of the year. In a few weeks, Florida would like to have a word.
So long rivals
In what will be the last regular season game between two great rivals, St Mary’s was able to beat Gonzaga 70-59. While it may not get the press of a Duke North Carolina game this has been the best rivalries west of the Mississippi.
Gonzaga will join the new Pac-12 conference next year.
On February 21st I was able to see another game where conference foes played each other in the regular season for the last time.
Ohio played Northern Illinois University. One of my friends is an Alum of Ohio U so this was a good fun day trip to visit Dekalb, IL.
I am having a good College Basketball season seeing more games live and in person that I usually do. It is always good to see how smaller programs feel. The band of NIU was the star of the show. When the team was struggling, you could tell they were having fun not only playing, but heckling Ohio with free throws. NIU will join the Horizon League next year (all non-Football sports) and the Mountain West (Football). Hopefully we can do another road trip soon with Ohio playing another MAC team. Or these two teams can occassionally play each other again in Non-conference play. Here are some pics. Final Score was Ohio 74-66.
We are inching our way towards the Final Four and the start of the best time of the year.
Will be back next week for a recap of the Women’s Conference Tournament and a Preview of the Men’s Conference Tourney Week.
The NFL Season is officially over. Seattle has won the Super Bowl.
Now it is time for College Basketball. We are officially a month before Selection Sunday.
Before that a few news and notes;
Kansas State goes in a new direction.
If anyone saw the rant by Jerome Tang after a bad loss last week vs Cincinnati, it is no surprise he got in hot water. It cost him his job today. Here is the video if you missed it.
He had a point with everything said. It sounded like he had something in his contract that frowned on him calling out his players.
Kansas State is trying to not be on the hook for the remaining $18 million. I think that will be much tougher.
Doug Gottlieb
Doug is one of my favorite analyst when he was covering the sport for CBS and Fox. Since moving to coaching he has had a tough time at UW Green Bay. It may have boiled over this weekend.
Just like last year, I spent a day watching and commenting in real time over some of the games. This year I did cover a few on Friday 2/13 and Sunday 2/15. I did not comment on every game. Here are some highlights which included multiple Overtimes on Saturday:
Friday 2/13
Ohio U at #23 University of Miami (Ohio)
If games were only one half, Ohio University could compete with anyone. That is not the case though. It seems like they fade vs teams with more talent. This game was closer in the 1st half vs the 2nd half. It seems as if ESPN has now joined the University of Miami Ohio bandwagon with a last-minute showcase of them on a slower Friday night of sports with the NBA on break.
This team is good and as of now looks like they may take their undefeated record to possibly the conference tournament. They are the last one standing after Arizona lost on Monday 2/9. I do worry about times where the struggle scoring as a lapse at one point in the 2nd half. It could be that the game was in command by then so they let up a little.
Saturday 2/14
Navy at Colgate
A rare Saturday matinee with these two teams. I like how CBS Sports Network showcases smaller conferences. Navy is really good however Colgate is hanging with them. This Navy team reminds me of Loyola a few years ago. Fundamentally sound. There is a reason why they are 20-6.
Really impressed with Colgate being the first time I have seen them play. Keep an eye on them.
Colgate late can’t make free throws. Down 4 2 minutes to go. Colgate willed themselves to a foul when it looked like they did not have a shot anywhere. Navy is in foul trouble. That might be the way to beat them. Make your Free throws!
And they missed one which is disappointing when you had a great game. 3 point game. Navy loses the ball and Colgate comes back. 1 point game.
Zone time. And a three from Navy. ICE COLD!
Answer 44.9 left. 2-point game 77-75. Nice to see this and Samford ETSU are two of the exciting games so far.
Nice defensive stop by Colgate. They come down and there is a foul with 8.9 left. 2 very fundamental teams right here. 77-75. Make your free throws! They heard me. Tie game.
Navy for the last possession! Missed shot. Overtime here! Love it!!
Colgate keeps missing Free throws. That is concerning. 79-78 3:30 left OT. If they lose look back at that.
Navy is really good in the ½ court defense. Both teams are struggling on offense because their defense is good. Colgate back to the line. Free throws!
I feel like both teams are pressing late. Colgate has a chance to take the lead with 27.1 left.
A foul called after a missed shot when two players went for the ball out of bounds. Navy with Free throws and the crowd is stunned at the call. 82-79 6 seconds left.
Navy foul quickly for free throw. Missed one shot and it is 82-80 Navy. Foul with 2.5 left.
Navy 84-80 in OT. Free throws. It was a good game however that was the difference. Both teams played hard.
Samford at East Tennessee
Another rare Saturday matinee for two teams not always showcased on a Satuday. I am all for that. ETSU has exciting play. 19-7 and 11-2 in conference so don’t overlook them next month!
Saying that Samford is competing with them bucket for bucket. One thing I notice is both teams like to play and post inside.
I am really impressed with both teams. Especially how Samford is staying in this game. If they can somehow do well late in the season, you will remember me saying this. Tie game late in the 2nd half with a minute left.
When Samford had their last possession, they went for a long three. Their late game decision making might be an issue as that was not a good shot. Let’s see what ETSU does in the final 14.3.
The ball is lost and turnover. Overtime! Excited about this.
ETSU is struggling in overtime and Sanford has controlled this. 74-68. Nice posting by Dylan Faulkner who looks like a handful. They are also making their free throws.
Samford defense is superb this OT. ETSU can’t seem to run an offense.
Three pointer with 1:11 left. 79-68. Might be the dagger!
Missed. ZERO points by ETSU. Impressive. 82-72 Samford. Impressive win in OT. Faukner with 24 points.
#20 Clemson at #4 Duke
Clemson is ranked. In this game it appears they are just not on Duke’s level. This has the makings of a blowout.
I don’t think Clemson is bad. Duke is just very good this year in a very stacked Top 5. They will be a tournament team. Tip their hat and focus on the next game. 67-54 Duke.
Georgia Tech at Notre Dame
I have seen Notre Dame quite a bit going back to Thanksgiving week in Vegas. You got the feeling if they can turn it on, they will be a possible March team. They will have to string wins. So far today they are handling their own at home vs Georgia Tech however what I worry about is they constantly let teams back into games. Now GT is getting to the line.
As for Georgia Tech not a good season at all. They had one win at NC State which was impressive. Too many times, they give up on plays which causes them to create insurmountable mountains to come back. 3/17 on threes YUCK!
And just like that with 9 min left lead back up to 20. Yep. Georgia Tech is calling it a day. Notre Dame 89-74
TCU at OK State
I am really confused about TCU. I think they are good however they give games back like they are still in the Holiday Season mode. The Kansas game was signature of defining that. They are frustrating 5-6 in a tough Big XII conference.
I have not seen much from OK State however they are having a down year.
TCU is playing explosively. Don’t take your foot off the gas today.
I was watching the OT above and guess what, TCU only has a 3 point lead. Like I said.
Holiday season! 7 seconds left OK St at the line. 83-80. Lots of shenanigans with the coaches and officiating here. Smh.
OK St fouls right as TCU loses the ball. My gosh with TCU in late game situations. 84-82 TCU.
OMG THEY DID IT AGAIN. OK State hits a three to tie it. OVERTIME #3 of the day!!! Only 1:24 pm now. If this is a preview of today. WOW.
TCU needs to figure out how to stop doing this. This would be a costly lost. So far in OT they are like not today 91-86 3 minutes left.
OK State can’t buy a bucket but somehow they get the ball back when TCU rebounds in falls out of bounds no contact. This is shades of the Kansas TCU game.
OK State ugly shot selection. This might spare TCU. Then they show me with a turnover. This makes no sense.
Missed free throw OK St gets it back. Unbelievable. TCU is doing everything they can to keep an ice-cold OK State with a chance in this game 91-87 1:35 left.
Finally, a three. 93-90 TCU 1 min left.
Why are you shooting threes TCU? Scuffle. They end up out of bounds. What is happening?
Now a bad foul with 14 on the shot clock by TCU up 3 with 27.8 left. Jamie Dixon has his work cut out. 93-92.
Layup 95-92. 10 seconds. A scramble and the officials have OK State call a Time out. TCU is in shock. This has been a weird overtime for the officials too.
Three is no good. TCU barely holds on. 95-92 in OT
UCLA at #2 Michigan
UCLA is hanging around with Michigan. They are very well coach so could pull off the upset.
While Michigan came out like gangbusters early, there is less talk about them. Don’t know why. They are still in control in the BIG and only have that 1 loss to Wisconsin who seems to be the “Top 10 dragon slayer of 2026.” Today they seem a tad sloppy and unfocused. Is it the noon start?
At the half we have a ballgame 40-30 Michigan. UCLA is feeling it.
Never mind, apparently UCLA left their offense in the locker room as Michigan is showing they are a top team with a 21 point lead with 8 minutes left. 86-56 Final. This looks like the Michigan so far all season. They should be #1 Monday. (Note: They are)
Northwestern at #7 Nebraska
Nebraska since losing to Illinois has stubbed their toe a bit losing a tough game to Purdue. This is very interesting to see how they play. So far Northwestern is hanging with them as they seek a signature win. Should be a good 2nd half in what has been an enjoyable conference this year. Any day could be an exciting game or upset.
Northwestern like UCLA also left their offense In the locker room Down 64-47 with 3:48 left. Sensing a theme in the BIG Ten today. Nebraska wins 68-49.
#17 St. John’s at Providence
I saw Providence take UCONN to the wire. It is in them even though they are having a down year.
As for St John’s you can tell their defense and they way they wear teams down with their play is becoming top notch as we get closer to March. Perhaps they were ranked to high early. 34-29 at half so this should be an interesting 2nd half. St John’s controls the tempo a lot so keep an eye on that.
After the OT games going back to this one. Providence trying to change the momentum down 4 with 13:50 left 47-43. Big East type of score.
Note: Apparently there was a scuffle with multiple players ejected. I missed it watching the OT games earlier. I will provide video later of the entire game recap.
Despite the scuffle it seems like Providence can’t get over the hump of this lead. The officials are calling a ton of fouls in this game.
St John’s is now showing their defense. As they head to the basket, an unnecessary intentional foul and an ejection from Providence. Officials getting control of the game. I have issues with officiating however good for them. Student section causing problems. A fan ejected. Geez this is bad. I am all for rivalries but kudos to everyone not letting this game turn into a brawl. Brian Anderson and Grant Hill discuss how this is becoming the start of a danger zone. They feel of the energy is not good per their commentary. Total is 7 players ejected.
Did another player get a T or get tossed on St. John’s? No, just a T for taunting. The quicker the 3:17 left can go the better 73-64 St. John’s.
Final 79-69. Players do not shake hands, and St. John’s uses another exit away from the student section to leave. This will be the talk of the sports world today.
#9 Kansas at #5 Iowa St
I think this is a more important game for Iowa St than Kansas. Kansas is trying to establish themselves in the National Championship conversation while Iowa State has been there all year. Slow start by ISU however the crowd has woken them up with scrappy play.
As the half has gone on, Iowa St found their mojo and have taken control in this game. Kansas is starting to get the reputation of a completely different team at home vs on the road. Much of their issue is consistency. They have it in them to beat a great team so it is a bit of a head scratcher why it does not translate away from home.
Now we are nearing a blowout. 65-50 with 7:30 left. As an fyi Kansas is only 4-3 on the road and 4-1 on a Neutral Court. Notes for March.
If Kansas has any thought of coming back it will have to be on the defensive end. Committing fouls is not it. 68-56 4 minutes left. Another foul Kansas.
74-56 Iowa State. This was a good showing by them today.
Pitt at #11 North Carolina
With everything happening earlier, I was not able to watch this game. At 7:40 left it is a blowout 70-48.
Final 79-65. The score was closer than the game it seems from what I saw.
Liberty at UTEP
Catching up on this game, I like how smaller conferences ae shown today. Liberty is 21-3 and 13-0 in conference. We are not hearing much about them so it will be good to see how they fair.
UTEP seems to have life as it is a 53-49 Liberty lead with 7 min left.
Keep your eyes on Liberty as they held on 73-64. Wish I watched more of this game.
North Dakota St at North Dakota
North Dakota State is 20-6 so they are a likely tournament team. They are up 61-52 with 10 minutes left in a inner state matchup.
ND State can have multiple leading scorers and pulled away from North Dakota. Final 83-66
SMU at Syracuse
Keep your eyes on Syracuse. They look like they are figuring it out since when I saw them in November. A win here vs SMU could be a big win they need as they try to build their resume.
This has been a close game and will go down to the wire. 1 point game with 40 seconds left 78=77.
And at the final seconds Syracuse gets a layup and wins 79-78 vs SMU. Both teams needed this one so this is a good building win for Syracuse.
Villanova at Creighton
I did not watch much of this game due to other action. Creighton has really fallen lately with a lost to DePaul and this loss at home. Villanova 80-69.
Marquette at Xavier
The start of this game was moved to another channel since St. John’s and Providence went long.
So far Xavier is hitting everything, and Marquette does not know what it them 43-22 5 minutes left in the 1st half. After having a bad start to conference season, Marquette has tried to turn it around. Will be interesting to see if they have any life today with Xavier hitting everything in the ocean today.
Marquette is trying to make this game more respectable in the 2nd half as they cut down on this lead.
Must give Marquette credit after being down 21. They could have packed it in, but they tried to fight back. Also, Xavier may have been too complacent, allowing them to come back.
Unfortunately, it looks like it will be short. Can’t fall behind that far early in a game. 91-85 Xavier 44.9 seconds left. 96-88 Xavier.
#25 Kentucky at #14 Florida
I feel like Florida is not being talked about enough as defending champions. It might be how they like it. While Kentucky has improved on their play from the start of conference season, they are getting hot after a first punch by Florda 32-26 5 min left in the half.
When it looked like at times Kentucky would make a game of this, Florida has kept it a double digit lead. 75-63 6:30 left.
Every time Kentucky might have a window to come back, Florida shuts it down with its defense and 2nd chance points. Florida 92-83
Penn St at Oregon
Joining this game in the 2nd half, I like to state that Oregon has the most eclectic court in college basketball.
Both teams are not having good seasons, but Penn State may need this more if the have any chance of getting back to .500. 46-43 Oregon with 16 min left.
Oregan wins their 1st conference game 83-72 vs Penn St.
Florida A&M at Jackson St
This is a HBCU showcase game. For big college hoops fans like I myself, this is a good chance to see schools that may not get much recognition unless they get a bid in March. I also like how local TV is part of Allen Media network that focuses on these games.
24-13 JSU with 5:30 left in the 1st half.
Jackson St has an explosive offense. The other thing about them is that they like to get into their offense set quickly. This is why they have increased on their lead to 37-20 as it I challenging to defend this tempo.
Not much has changed in the 2nd half with Florida A&M’s struggles 59-43 80-60 Final
Colorado at # 22 BYU
This game so far appears that both teams are tying to establish momentum and tempo. Right now, Colorado is out playing them with effort. 18 all with 9 minutes left in the half.
Colorado seems to be giving BYU a handful at home. Close game with 12 minutes left 51 all.
After a back and forth, BYU starts to take a 5 point lead and may be establishing their will. 65-60.
It looks like BYU can’t put this game away with some unforced turnovers.
And now a three and we are back to a 2 point game 71-69 Colorado. This will go to the wire as the tempo speeds up.
Nice play by Johnson from Colorado. He is trying to take over before some poor interior defense gives up an And 1. 75-71 with 3:50 left.
Tie game at 78 7.9 seconds left. Missed. Another OVERTIME
Colorado appears to be running out of gas. Geez. BYU runs the offense and the refs call a carry violation. Gutsy call in OT by the ref. Now they say travel. Tomato Tomatoe.
Both these teams are fighting for rebounds and all over the floor. They both want this game. Fans are still mad at the officials since that travel call.
Colorado missed a 1 and 1. Tied at 82. 1:40 left in OT.
Great defense until Aleksej Kosic hits a three and BYU goes up 3. 85-82.
Colorado had good luck and could not hit them. They have to foul. BYU hangs on 90-86. Just a good team knowing how to play in crucial moments.
Hofstra at UNC Wilmington
Now that some other games have ended, I get a chance to watch some of this game with 10 minutes left in the game. Hofstra is starting to pull away 51-45. Hofstra has some shooters. Something to remember in March.
UNCW is now on a run to take the lead. We have 4 minutes left 60-58.
Nolan Hodge just fouled out on a ticky tack foul. Shame. Seniors typically step up in this moment. Let’s see if UNCW can have someone else step up. 10th tie tonight.
Patrick Wessler on UNCW just had a classic great hook shot. This game is very exciting now.
An answer with a three 63-62. Buckle up!
These players are putting on a clinic for how to run an offense. Impressed on this back and forth.
Hofstra just missed an open bunny. 1 minute left after this back and forth 67-66 UNCW.
With 3 seconds left and a foul UNCW should hold on. 70-66 Final. UNCW. What a good game.
#24 Louisville at Baylor
After a close 1st half, Louisville is starting pull away. One thing I like about them is that they don’t let teams who are not as talented as they are hang around. They beat them convincingly.
Baylor is showing a little life as they try to get it down to single digits. 66-55 7 minutes left.
Baylor could never get over the hump and Louisville holds on 82-71.
Miami (FL) at NC State
Have not watch much of this game until late. It has been close. Should go to the buzzer.
26 seconds left and Miami misses the FT but they get it back on the ball going out of bounds. 2 point game. Missed a wide open three. 76-74 NC State.
Missed FT on a 1 and 1 by NC State. Wire time. 8.1 left. Flipping back and forth they call a foul on NC St with Miami shooting a three. Uh oh. 76-74 NC St. Miami wins 77-76 on a 8-0 run.
run.
#13 Purdue at Iowa
Have not watched any of this game and it seems one sided. Purdue up 47-27 with 15:30 left. I will go back when other games are on commercial. 78-47 Purdue.
Grand Canyon at San Jose
Missed most of this game. 94-79 Grand Canyon.
VCU at Richmond
VCU is having a field day over Richmond right now. 44-23 with 2 minutes left in the half.
Richmond is trying to spark some life after halftime.
VCU just got a T. Confused but seems like it was cause of the foul. Not a good time for that.
And now the officials are nitpicking for fouls. This is how you let a team back into a game. 16 minutes left. AND 1. We have a ball game. 53-41.
VCU is out of sorts so far in this half as Richmond creeps back lead is down to 11. 59-48 with 10:49 remaining. Plenty of time.
This is a completely different half of basketball. VCU at the moment does not know what to do. 59-54 and the crowd is really into it.
Richmond with great switching and defense forces a travel. It is in their heads now. 23 point lead at one point.
Suddenly this game is the most exciting. VCU trying to slow this momentum down.
There was a flagrant foul call. I guess by definition it is however I could have seen them not going there. This could completely change the momentum. Missed the FT. Made the 2nd. This might completely turn the momentum.
Will Johnston with an incredible play as the shot clock went down and a foul. 69-64.
After a timeout defense leaves a VCU player Terrence Hill Jr. open for a three. 72-67. You almost think if Richmond played like this sooner this would be different. Large leads are too tough to come back from. Now VCU takes control. 74-67.
VCU 78-67. 9 wins in a row so they are red hot.
West Virginia at UCF
This is an intriguing matchup. Both have signature wins however you could argue both are around the middle of the pack in the Big XII. Both teams could use this win to enhance their resume. Good game so far.
Early in the 2nd half, UCF starts to move the momentum towards them. 36-30.
UCF is establishing its will now. The lead has grown to 10.
This is getting out of hand quickly. Danger time for West Virginia with a timeout.
Looks like WVU is trying to right the ship and slowly come back.
Now it is tied 59 5 minutes left.
WVU has stormed back and took the lead 69-65 with 53 seconds remaining. This is a good comeback and one of the strong resume wins they need. 74-67
#16 Texas Tech at #1 Arizona
This might be more of a defensive game than many think. Arizona is back home after a loss to Kansas Monday. Meanwhile Texas Tech would like to enhance their resume to be among the top teams in the Big XII, especially with Kansas having another road loss. A win would be significant.
Texas Tech in a zone and has a great stop, then travels avoiding a collision. We are tied 32 at the half.
We have a game in the making. Tied at 39. Should be great and one of the game of the day.
Uncharasteristc of Arizona to miss shots late in game. Missed last 7. 66-64 Tech with 25 seconds left.
Why foul?
Too much dribbling the last possession and we are going to another OVERTIME. Christian Anderson with an ill advised play not passing on the last possession. Late game situations folks.
All over the court for a possession. Love it. 70-69 Tex Tech with 2:50 left.
JT Toppin Monster game 29 pts 12 reb. We will breath in OT with a TO. 2:12 left 72-71.
Texas Tech has been collapsing when Arizona goes into the lane, creating traffic and tough shots. Let’s see if Arizona can hit their free throws down 4 with 1:37 left.
Toppin with the tough shot and 77-73 with 1 min left. Wildcats respond. 2 point game.
3 offensive rebounds. Arizona needs to learn how to box out. This loss is on them for not doing so if it stands!
Texas Tech holds on 78-75 in OT. 2Ls in a row for Arizona. Texas Tech will be fits for opponents in March!
Ole Miss is really having a down year. This game shows as they are down 19 at the half 47-39.
Ole Miss has quickly woken up. 6-0 run and it is 49-34.
Miss St is cruising 65-47. This was not really a game 90-78 Miss St.
Georgetown at #6 UCONN
I have seen quite a bit of UCONN this year. They have big leads and kind of let teams back into games before winning. Curious if this happens today vs a team they are more talented then.
UCONN up 12 with 16 minutes left. Nothing surprising here.
And like what I said before, it is a 7 point game where Georgetown has made it a game 69-62. I know my UCONN.
We have a 4-point game. Why they continue to do this?
This game should be over then UCONN fouls a player shooting a 3. We could be back to a 3 point game. Unbelievable. 24.8 left.
This game is a mess right now.
Was there a 10 second violation? If so, Georgetown would have the ball. The officials will check.
HOW DO YOU ADD 0.1 to negate a possible 10 second violation???? UNREAL.
Now UCONN just threw the BALL AWAY. Georgetown Ball with barely no time taken off and a chance to tie. 12.8 left.
Foul before the shot. 2 free throws Georgetown. Missed the 2nd. Foul. Make your free throws! UCONN survives 79-75.
#15 Virginia at Ohio St
This game is at a neutral court in Nashville. Will be interesting to see if Ohio St can get the elusive signature win. They were no match for Michigan when they played them last weekend.
Ohio State is playing very well tonight. Even though Virginia does not play fast, this play favors Ohio St. 49-44.
In a game of runs Virginia took the lead 63-61.
Because of what happened in Connecticut I missed the end of this game. 70-66 Virginia.
Memphis at Utah St
After a close game, Utah St goes on a big run to be up 13 before the 1st half.
Checking back into the 2nd half and Memphis is making a run. 61-51 with 14:30 left.
As much as Memphis is making this a game, they continue to get beat down the floor by Utah State’s fast breaks. 69-55 Utah St 12 min left.
Memphis could never get any closer. Final 99-75 Utah St.
Auburn at #21 Arkansas
I did not watch the 1st half, so it will be interesting to see how Auburn fares. 42-34 Arkansas
Auburn can’t get a stop to save their life right now. Lead is 19 53-34 Arkansas. This is blowout alert. They win easily 88-75.
Marshall at Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern is a fun basketball team the way the move the ball down the court. 43-33 with 3:45 left in the half.
I thought this game was long over. Suddenly Marshall is down 11. 94-83. Some excitement for the evening.
5 players in double figures for Georgia Southern. They are a handful. They end up winning 101-87.
Texas at Missouri
As the case today, other games that had closer scores pulled me away from other games. This is the case here. Texas is up 57-48 with 9 minutes left. I did not watch much of this game as Texas pulled away 85-68.
Nevada at SD State
Years ago, I would say this game would be must see tv as not many knew about the Mountain West. San Diego State is really good again this year and took control most of the game 63-46. Nevada though could be someone to keep your eye on a final bid. 4 minutes left. Final 71-57 SD State the 18-1 run pretty much was the difference.
#12 Gonzaga at Santa Clara
When is the last time ESPN showcased two smaller schools on their network. Santa Clara is the best team you or I have not seen. They should be a contender for an at large bid and they sure shoot like one.
As they entered the 2nd half they have a small lead due to their 3 point shooting 60-55 12:24 remaining.
Gonzaga sparks back and thanks the lead. This is a different style of basketball and shows a little bit of their backyard. Santa Clara is giving them everything and they have to earn every point. 63-60.
This will be the last TV game on the day. 4 point game with 6:55 left as Gonzaga looks to hold on.
Santa Clara just won’t away. Three-point game. With some players in foul trouble this may come to free throws.
Gonzaga is feasting in the paint which is the difference in this game. Santa Clara still has a outside chance in the game though 83-77 90 seconds left.
Final 94-86 Gonzaga. It was not easy though and closer than the score.
Saint Mary’s at Pacific
And to make it even sweeter, the WCC has invaded both ESPN main channels. On the deuce is Saint Mary’s and Pacific. Don’t sleep on Pacific. They are good and they are giving Saint Mary’s all they can handle tonight. 56-50 with 6:38 left in the game down 6.
Pacific is good with a 17-6 record overall. The WCC is good. They will probably get 2-3 at large bids which is a shame. Pacific played well and should be #4. They just need to put this game away and focus on winning more to add to their record. Saint Mary’s needed to come back to win 72-61.
Sunday 2/15
Maryland at Rutgers
A challenge, a travel and a 5 second violation. That was a sequence of play right around 6 minutes before the 1st half. That is about as nice as I can compliment these two teams currently. 18-15 Rutgers.
We are now at half. This is about as sloppy first half of basketball that I have seen all year. Both teams are under .500 and at the bottom of the BIG Ten so I guess that is to be expected. And to get it right on time, the officials have to subject us to who has the possession with 0.7 left. Boos from the crowd and from me at home. AND THEN THEY CALL A FOUL ON RUTGERS!!! This is by far the most exciting thing in this game for ALL the wrong reasons. GEEZ. 27 all. Fitting….
Since the half Rutgers remembered how to run a offense. Maryland has not 44-34 12:30 left.
We are now entering blowout alert territory since Maryland has 13 points with 8:19 left. 52-40.
Maryland has closed this gap some with 5:34 left 55-48.
In the end Rutgers does enough to end their 7 game losing streak. 68-57.
Utah at Cincinnati
Cincinnati jumped out to a lead; however Utah is keeping it close. These are two teams at the bottom of a strong Big XII conference. 37-34.
Utah has played well enough to win here. We will see if they can. 1 minute left and they lead by 1 65-64.
An 8-0 has given the Bearcats the lead 68-65. 8.5 seconds left to see if Utah can tie. Final 69-65 Cincinnati.
Indiana at #8 Illinois
This Illinois crowd is super hyped. It might be for being on CBS, hoping for free nuggets for missed FTs or C: All of the above. Back and forth we go early 8-7 16:30 left.
Both teams appear to not be good offensively which is creating bad passes, steals and run outs. We shall see if this continues. Defense into offense 18-15 Illinois.
Indiana with a major scoring drought 0 in the last 4:08. As soon as I say that they hit a three 24-18 Illinois.
A team did not score for 4 minutes finally hits, and you chuck a contested three? Now they hit two in a row. I think sometimes Illinois does this which lets teams back into the game. Mental note for later.
Lots of action for a 38-31 halftime lead by Illinois. Don’t know why Brad Underwood is hot at half. Indiana has had some spells where they are not doing good things, which explains why they are down.
Indiana is having trouble scoring as Illinois begins their will 49-36 14:10 left.
Illinois’ defense has been really good today. They are not letting Indiana feel comfortable in their offense at any point today. 58-43 7 min left.
In the end Indiana was never really in this game as they could not run their offense properly. Some of that is good defense by Ilinois. Indiana averages 81 ppg. Final 71-51.
Denver at Omaha
Another rare game of two teams on National tv spotlighted. So far Denver is cold however it is early. Both teams have identical records at 13-14. Omaha up early 10-3.
The announcers keep saying I hope you like points. 24-16 Omaha 12 minutes left.
These announcers knew what they are talking about. 49-38 at the half. Omaha.
Denver is trying to close this gap; Omaha is keeping pace. 65-59 11:30 left.
Not much has changed with the lead in this game. Omaha 77-69 3:20 left. Denver has only 4 team fouls.
Hello again and Happy New Year! Welcome to my first blog of 2026. Much has gone on in the world of College Basketball since the change of the calendar. Here are many news and notes to catch you up on!
FBI College Basketball point shaving Scheme
On this past Thursday morning a big story broke where several players from many school were involved in a point shaving scheme to throw games off in order to win in games.
Here are two articles on the details of what took place
One of the bigger named schools on this list was DePaul. It is no secret the program has been rocky ever since 2024 when they had their last NCAA Tournament appearance. Among fans there is always chatter that there is not much else to make this program more irrelevant, and then unfortunately something tops what happened previously.
For those players who are in this FBI indictment, while true innocent until proven guilty, these accusations are damning. All of the schools mentioned will take some sort of PR hit. There are just certain things you do not do in life under any circumstances. Your future career in wherever you go will be followed by these charges over winning some money. It is not worth it.
Going back to DePaul, I went to the Retro Night game vs our biggest rival Marquette on Friday night. It has been a long time since I have seen a DePaul arena as electric as that night. After a 1st half struggle, DePaul came out firing on all cylinders. If you know the December 2nd, 2006 game vs Kansas and that infamous 2nd half, then this game had a similar vibe.
This program has a long way to get back to the glory years of the retro jerseys worn, however you have to start somewhere. We may remember Januaury 16, 2026 as Chicago will remember December 20, 2025 and January 10, 2026 (if you know you know, Bear Down)! Something is emerging in this city in this cold and somewhat snowy winter and I am all for it. Also kudos to Coach Chris Holtmann for celebrating with the students after the game on multiple occasions Friday night- including near campus. It is as almost he knows as well this is a major date and win that can propel this program to relevancy again. And who ever invited the now famous Cheese grater guy from the Bears playoff game (Brandon Martinez) to make an appearance was a genius idea. Pics from the game are below. Kudos to CJ Gunn scoring a career high 31 points in the victory. Stay tuned!
January Men’s Basketball News and Notes
Undefeated teams are falling
The list of undefeated teams are shrinking. Some highlights are Wisconsin playing a great 2nd half last week to beat Michigan on their home floor and Kansas controlling Iowa State at home. Michigan then needed a big effort to beat Oregon this Saturday.
Iowa St is now on a 2-game losing streak after getting blown out at Kansas and losing to Cincinnati this week.
The undefeated teams left are Arizona, Nebraska, and Miami Ohio (who needed Overtime to beat Buffalo Saturday). Side note: Why is Miami Ohio NOT ranked?
This does not mean the teams who lose next are suddenly going to go into a tailspin. As what is great about this sport is that anyone you play on the schedule is going to put their best game forward to beat you if you are undefeated. It happens. I agree with the CBS Sports article and will go one further. There will be no undefeated teams by mid-February.
UCONN looking great
In what was a game they lost previous seasons, UCONN needed a great last few minutes to beat Seton Hall last Tuesday. Their recent wins are not very pretty however they get the job done. They look great as arguably a National Championship contender along with Michigan and Arizona.
Chomp Chomp
How about Florida? Earlier in the season they struggled and did not look like a defending National Champion. Now they are surging after an impressive win Saturday. They have entered the conversation.
Kansas
Kansas had a quality win vs Iowa St after basically being handed a major gift playing TCU at home. In the game against the Horn Frogs, it was mistake after mistake in the last couple of minutes to send the game into OT and then fundamental mistakes. Additionally Darryn Peterson had a gutsy career high32 points Had Kansas lost, it would have been the first 0-2 start since the early 90s. The Big XII is most likely the toughest conference in Division I so the W-L totals be lower than you think.
Kentucky and Tennessee
Has Kentucky found themselves or is Tennessee going the way of St John’s where they may have been over ranked from earlier in the season? It could be both. That was an impressive comeback Saturday by Kentucky being down 17 to win. Anytime I watch Tennessee it looks like they are always struggling in the games you think they should be more dominant and competitive in. This home loss should knock them out the Top 25 Monday.
Women’s Basketball News and Notes
More games as College and NFL football season winds down
Women’s Basketball on TV begins in earnest with some great pre-NFL games Sunday. And a MLK Day Fox will show a Matinee Double Header.
Keep an eye on Texas Tech
At 19-0 they are an undefeated team nobody is talking about.
Here are the remaining undefeated teams left in Women’s Hoops. It will be interesting to see if anyone can run the table by the end of Conference Season. This article thinks UCONN has a shot:
The defending champs had a big win vs Texas in a SEC prime matchup. Texas was one of the more impressive teams in Vegas for the Player’s Era tournament Thanksgiving Weekend.
Remember when I said that Women’s Hoops are in good hands once Caitlin Clark heads to the WNBA. I also mentioned to keep an eye on Audi Crooks from Iowa State as the next emerging star.
Now there is talk about player of the year honors.
Next week the Big East Road Trip heads to Chicago. I should have a recap on the festivities in my next blog.
Also, next week as NFL Saturday games are over for the season, College Basketball will be the main focus. Look for my annual day of watching Men’s Hoops as well soon.
Hi everyone and hope you had a good Thanksgiving Holiday!
As my previous blog stated, I spent last week in Las Vegas for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I was able to catch some of the Player’s Era tournaments going on so here is a summary of that experience.
Tips:
When my family decided to go to Vegas for Thanksgiving, I did not put two together that this would be when Thanksgiving hoops would be played. Since I had vouchers to use from a previous trip, I booked very early in July.
If you find out if some of your teams will be there it is best to plan in the summer. I was able to get a hotel reasonably priced and saved some on the airfare.
The tournament was played on the south end of the Strip in Vegas at the MGM resort area. This was important because what I did not know until a few weeks out is that the F1 race took place the weekend before I arrived on Saturday. There was inconvenience caused by both locals and tourists and they plan to come back long term so this may be something to think about if Thanksgiving falls before or after this race.
Courtesy lasvegasdirect.com
On Monday, there were some challenges getting to the strip due to detours on the roads. Even the bus (the Duece) which connects the Strip to Downtown had detours. Also, plan on paying more for Lyft and Uber due to surges and the assumption the need is high. Taxis are fixed rates so that may be something to think about.
Additionally, why staying near the location of the games was important because until Tuesday, I had no idea walking north in the strip around Caesars and Venetian would be a challenge as some walkways were detoured out. Even on Thanksgiving, they were tearing down the setup from F1. It still is continuing after I left. Traffic got slowly better after Tuesday but still plan on delays where the structure still stood.
Staying at Park MGM was great for a few reasons:
-It was next to MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay where all the games were played.
-It felt like a college atmosphere seeing players, coaches, and fans of many teams all through my hotel and the surrounding area. It was like early Christmas for me being a big College Basketball fan.
-You did not have to go far, saving on transportation costs. If you have never been to Vegas, the distance between some hotels are very deceiving. When I walked from Park MGM to meet my family at the Venetian, with detours, it took me over an hour! It was safe to say the next time I did that, I paid for the DUECE Bus and saved 40+ minutes. This bus is a life savor if you are on a budget. Here is the link to how it works.
The Tournament itself:
If you follow the teams that play and you want to get as much action as possible, then I suggest getting a pass. These can be pricey so if you go that route, get the pass for the entire tournament as opposed to a day pass through the Player’s Era direct site. You will see why in the “Now for the Tournament Games section.”
Because of the large price tag and some unknowns on what my family wanted to do, I did not do this.
In the few weeks and days before I kept checking StubHub to see if prices would go down. You almost need patience the same way you find airline prices.
It was not until I got closer to the event that some prices started dropping closer to $100 and under. In fact, had I not had plans, I could have seen 3 games on Tuesday for about $50. I also got a great deal of 2 games on Wednesday which I will showcase in a bit.
Now the Championship/3rd place game prices did not go down however seeing how dominant Michigan was, I clearly made the better decision on Wednesday 11/27 for the midday sessions.
For the Women’s Player’s Era tournament, only 4 teams were showcased. Those prices dropped sooner to reasonable prices. I definitely would have saw those games if the Men’s prices stayed priced high.
Since many games are on at the same time at two different locations, you have to choose which ones (or teams) were more to your taste.
Now for the Tournament Overview:
Much has been said about the criticism of how this tournament should be run. If you did not know, they do not use a bracket like other Thanksgiving tournaments. The matchups on Monday and Tuesday are set up ahead of time. This is when things get interesting.
Team matchups are then reconfigured based on Wins, Losses, and points the winning team won by. Which meant that the final game on Tuesday (ending between 10 and 11 pm PST) kept the matchups in limbo until late Tuesday/early Wednesday.
So, when I purchased my tickets late Tuesday, I was not 100% sure who I would be seeing at 10 AM local time. Which was about 10-12 hours before tip off.
I get what the organizers are doing. They are creating surprise and intrigue in November to give this tournament a March feel. This I do like since Player’s Era will be the Premiere Tournament for Holiday Hoops in the country.
The concern is for Iowa St who went 2-0 in the tournament (before Syracuse) did not compete for the Championship game since their win margin was less than Gonzaga.
That needs to be tweaked and fixed somehow. I don’t know how they do that other than make the undefeated teams play in a “mini” bracket. That creates additional problems where it makes the tournament longer. You may eventually have to cap the teams somehow.
Below are notes from CBS Sports about some other concerns and tweaks going forward.
The other early issue is that Women’s schools are not as quickly to sign up for this tournament as Men’s schools. There is a NIL pot attached to this so more research and interviews need to go to why only 4 teams were interested. This is also the first year for Women’s basketball so let’s give this a year or two before evaluating.
The number of Men’s team quickly grew in 1 year from 8 to 18. So for that side of the equation, this sets up a path to be the Premiere tournament. It will come at a cost. Does this lessen the excitement and prestige of Maui, Battle 4 Atlantis, or even the ESPN Invitational?
Many games started at 10 or 11 AM Pacific Time in the morning and ended at 10 or 11 PM on both Monday and Tuesday. So they already have the March Feel in terms of games, teams, and competition.
Now for the games and experience:
Here are some pics for the Consolation Game I went to on Wednesday.
Syracuse vs Houston
Spero Dedes and Greg Anthony calling the action
TNT Halftime Studio including Adam Lefkoe, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, and Bruce Pearl
Don’t let the small crowd confuse you. Since the games were split by sessions, it meant that not everyone’s team of fans would be seeing every game. You are in Vegas and I am sure the fans wanted to explore and do more than just basketball in this destination vacation spot.
There was good preparation to make this a “college type” of atmosphere. Both with jumbotron timeout spots, the school song of each team played, and music in between timeouts. Even the halftime had selected fans from both teams competing in basketball related contests.
Since there was plenty of space, I was given permission to find a seat in the 100 level as opposed to my 200 level ticket. I appreciate the MGM Grand staff for doing that. There is much to be said about how you are not getting the same value in Vegas that you used to, so this was a nice gesture that made me appreciate the experience right away.
Syracuse vs Iowa State
Syracuse is going to be a team that will give their opponent fits. The question is do they have enough offense. What made Iowa State take control in the 2nd half is that their offense is great and Syracuse struggled. The final score was more indicative of a blowout as a result.
Milan Momcilovic is a great offensive player. He scored 24 points as Iowa State pulled away.
Notre Dame vs Houston
Post game interview with Kelvin Sampson
This was a very disjointed game. Much of it was due to the officiating. Houston looked like last year’s team early where it appeared they were going to run Notre Dame off the floor. Then the inconsistent officiating allowed Notre Dame to climb back into the game.
Lots of fouls, stoppage in play, review of calls, and free throws. Still the game finished in about two hours. There is much talk about Houston’s play in this Player’s Era tournament. I think they will be fine in the long run. They just need to adjust. As a runner up in 2025’s Final 4, many teams will try to slow down this team like Notre Dame did. As for the Irish, I was not impressed by their play. They will win their fair share of games, but this does not look like a tournament team.
Emmanuel Sharp on Houston will need to consistently play well until Houston can figure out their early season struggles.
Other thoughts
Anyone who thought Gonzaga was not back, think again. And don’t let that Championship Final of this tournament fool you.
Michigan is on another atmosphere. This may be the best team in the nation. They can sustain this play, we will be talking about them in April.
St. John’s may need to go back to the drawing board. They did not have a good showing here. The hype so far is not being met by their play.
Alabama will still be a team vying for the Final Four.
Keep your eyes on Maryland and Buzz Williams.
Auburn is still great post Bruce Pearl.
Rock Chock is back after a down year in Kansas.
Tennessee proved me right about Syracuse as they just lost to them. Still they are a good team and will be in the tournament.
UNLV and Rutgers got good experience here. They have more work to do.
Women’s Tournament
Texas beat defending champion South Carolina. Keep an eye on this as we head towards March.
Note: Updated to showcase the TV coverage for Thanksgiving Week
Hello everyone,
November is flying by. We are already into the heart of Non-Conference College Basketball Season.
While many will keep an eye on Professional Sports including the NFL on Thanksgiving, where the fun is at in my opinion is College Basketball Tournaments. It is the first chance to see how teams can play on a nuetral court well before March. Here are some links to the many tournaments happening beginning this week and next.
And thanks for 506sports.com here is an early guide to all the action happening before and after Thanksgiving. I will update this list fully in the next week so keep checking periodically.
Men’s Basketball TV Schedule– Tournament games in parenthesis.
Women’s Basketball Schedule
Player’s Era 2025 Tournament
I will be in Vegas next week. It happens to coincide with the 2025 Players Era Thanksgiving tournament. If not catching a game or two in person, I will definitely hit up a Sportsbook to watch some of the live action. Stay tuned for a report on the tournament in a early December blog. Here are all the teams playing.
Men’s
Women’s
Wild Game of the season
Check out what took place in West Virginia for Women’s Hoops.
5 players available. No problem!
With only 5 player qualified to play after a scuffle, West Virginia does the unthikable vs Duke.
College Basketball Nuggets 