Skip to content
  1. End of Northwestern’s loss to Ohio St. a lot like John Shurna’s career

    Mar 1, 2012, 12:11 AM EDT

    spt-120229-shurna

    The final 3.1 seconds of John Shurna’s career at Welsh-Ryan Arena was a freakishly perfect representation of his four years spent at Northwestern. A program that has never been to the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats have been knocking on the door – a fringe bubble team – for two, maybe even three if you’re generous,…

  2. Temple’s close to clinching A-10 title outright, leaving on top

    Feb 29, 2012, 10:31 PM EDT

    spt-120229-temple

    Temple’s overdue to win the Atlantic 10 outright – it hasn’t done that since 2000 – and it may finally do that before it bolts to the Big East. The No. 23 Owls blew a 10-point lead at the end of regulation before Khalif Wyatt’s game-winning layup in the final seconds of regulation sealed a…

  3. Win at Louisville makes South Florida an NCAA tourney lock

    Feb 29, 2012, 10:06 PM EDT

    spt-120229-southflorida

    If you were reluctant to include South Florida in your field of 68 heading into tonight, an omission now just makes you look silly. Winners of five of their last six – with the only “L” on the road to Syracuse – the Bulls confidence level continues to rise after an impressive 58-52 victory over…

  4. Report: Top ’12 prospect Shabazz Muhammad may be ineligible

    Feb 29, 2012, 8:09 PM EDT

    adidas Super 64 Basketball Tournament

    Shabazz Muhammad is the most sought-after recruit in the country, but any college team currently pursuing has been warned by the NCAA: some of his financial dealings may have rendered him ineligible. The 6-6 wing has a lengthy list of schools he’s considering, which includes Kentucky, UCLA, Duke, Kansas and UNLV, his hometown school. He’d…

  5. Kentucky, John Calipari and the ‘one-and-done’ perception

    Feb 29, 2012, 6:18 PM EDT

    spt-110429-calipari_standard

    All it took was five sentences from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to create a stir regarding his future and Kentucky’s reputation as a place that churns out NBA players under coach John Calipari. “I’m graduating here. I’m not going nowhere. I’m staying at Kentucky,” Kidd-Gilchrist said Saturday. “I’m dead serious. I don’t know why y’all laughing.” Since…

  6. West Coast Conference tournament preview

    Feb 29, 2012, 5:20 PM EDT

    spt-120228-dellavedova

    The West Coast Conference, in its history, has sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament just once. There is a chance that that record could end up being tied this season. Gonzaga and St. Mary’s are locks for the dance, or so says your courageous bracketeers. BYU, on the other hand, probably still has some…

  7. Video: Are UConn and Pitt the most disappointing teams?

    Feb 29, 2012, 5:05 PM EDT

    spt-120229-pitt

    Saturday’s game at Storrs, Conn., feature two teams who might be the season’s most disappointing teams: UConn and Pitt. The defending champs began the season as a Top 5 team, but are 17-12 overall and fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers, a preseason Top 15 team, have fared even worse. They’re…

  8. Bruins’ top recruit ‘still UCLA-bound in June,’ father says

    Feb 29, 2012, 3:44 PM EDT

    kyleandersonhg

    Some were waiting for the fallout from Sports Illustrated’s piece on the seemingly tumultuous state of Ben Howland’s UCLA program. But, for now, the ripple effect is well-contained. Kyle Anderson, the 6-8 guard/forward from St. Anthony (NJ) who signed to play for the Bruins, is firm in his decision to remain with UCLA, according to…

  9. UCLA: Harsh report of Howland’s program ‘disheartening’

    Feb 29, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT

    spt-120229-howlandwear

    UCLA shifted into damage control Wednesday afternoon. Will it help? The school issued a statement responding to a Sports Illustrated story that paints coach Ben Howland as the leader of a program in disarray, tolerant of players misbehaving and ignoring excessive alcohol and drug use. UCLA officials are assessing the situation. “It is disheartening for…

  10. Recruiting rundown: Sleepers commit to Maryland, Pitt

    Feb 29, 2012, 2:45 PM EDT

    spt-110630-turgeon_standard

    For programs that have been cut off the lists of the handful of remaining elite prospects, recruiting in late February is an exercise in finding undervalued sleepers, projecting potential into developing players, and facing facts in adding players that best project to fill a role. Maryland and Pittsburgh each took verbal commitments last week from…

  11. Wednesday’s slate and what to watch

    Feb 29, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT

    spt-120225-kansamissouri7

    Game of the Night: Iowa State @ No. 7 Missouri, 8 p.m. (ESPN3, Big 12 Network) With their win at Kansas State over the weekend, Iowa State ensured that there would be no collapse in Ames this season. What the Cyclones are playing for now, however, is seeding in the NCAA Tournament. With the middle…

  12. Patriot League conference tournament preview

    Feb 29, 2012, 1:23 PM EDT

    spt-120228-mccolum

    What the Patriot League lacked this season in overall talent it made up for in drama down the stretch. Bucknell headed into the final few weeks of the season with a three game lead in the conference standings over both Lehigh and American. But Player of the Year CJ McCollum of Lehigh drilled a last-second…

  13. Bo Ryan on win over Minnesota: ‘This is Big Ten basketball’

    Feb 29, 2012, 1:09 PM EDT

    boRyanYell

    I believe there is an old proverb: If it shoots like Big Ten basketball and plays defense like Big Ten basketball, it must be Big Ten basketball. Bo Ryan echoed that sentiment after his team’s 52-45 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night. After a dismal first half shooting performance (19%), the No. 15 Badgers used…

  14. Ohio Valley conference tournament preview

    Feb 29, 2012, 12:45 PM EDT

    spt-120228-canaan

    I’m not sure if you guys heard about this or not, but the Ohio Valley was pretty thoroughly dominated by one team this season. The Murray State Racers? That ring a bell? Anyone? After running through the OVC slate with just a single loss for the second time in three years, Steve Prohm’s club is…

  15. Recruiting rundown: Kansas hosts blockbuster recruiting weekend

    Feb 29, 2012, 12:02 PM EDT

    adidas Super 64 Basketball Tournament

    The largest and most talent-filled college basketball recruiting weekends typically occur during weekends on campuses while big football games are played, or during Midnight Madness events at the beginning of the season. With that in mind, Kansas’ loaded crew of recruits that took in its thrilling victory over Missouri was exceptional for an in-season weekend…

  16. Championship Week: Day 3 Preview

    Feb 29, 2012, 11:31 AM EDT

    spt-120228-kerron-johnson

    Over the next 13 days, the brackets will start to take shape. Teams with no at-large aspirations will make one final push at the post-season. Teams on the bubble will look to assert themselves as worthy members of “The Big Dance”, and contenders will start priming their engines for a national Championship run. While “March…

  17. Weber State loses Big Sky title; will it cost us a chance to see Damian Lillard?

    Feb 29, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT

    spt-120228-damianlillard

    There’s an argument to be made that Damian Lillard is the best point guard in the country. Better than Kendall Marshall, better than Scott Machado and maybe even better than the Tyshawn Taylor that has graced our presence over the last month and a half of the season. He may be the best NBA prospect…

  18. Atlantic Sun Conference tournament preview

    Feb 29, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT

    rick-byrd

    Belmont’s off to the Ohio Valley next season, which means the Bruins get to spend their final two seasons in the A-Sun dominating the league (35-3 vs. conference foes) and then trying not to stumble in the conference tournament for that automatic bid. And where will they try to clinch the tournament title this season?…

  19. Did Xavier’s loss to St. Louis end their at-large hopes?

    Feb 29, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT

    chris-mack

    Buh bye, Xavier. That’s the only way we can react after seeing St. Louis dismantle the Musketeers in the second half, using a 22-2 run to open the second half and spark the Billikens to a 70-59 win over the Musketeers on Tuesday night. Xavier is now 18-10 overall and 9-5, tied for third, in…

  20. UConn could be most talented ‘last four in’ team in history

    Feb 29, 2012, 9:30 AM EDT

    spt-120228-drummond

    Let’s play a modified version of blind resume for a moment. Suppose you’re a No. 4 or No. 5 caliber NCAA Tournament team. You’re Wichita State, an upstart mid-major that’s playing their best basketball at the right time. You’re elated  that you’ve shot up the dozens of bracketology boards. You’re a real team! A Regional…