South Carolina uses size to overpower UCLA in March Madness
Aliyah Boston had eight points, 14 rebounds and two blocks while reigning national champion South Carolina turned in its latest overwhelming defense-and-rebounding-first performance to beat UCLA 59-43 on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the womenโs NCAA Tournament.
March Madness: Morris, LSU women top Utah, into Elite Eight
Alexis Morris hit two foul shots with 10 seconds to play as No. 3 seed LSU reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2008, beating second-seeded Utah 66-63, Down 64-63, the Utes had a chance to back in front, but Jenna Johnson โ a near 75% foul shooter โ missed both attempts with 4.7 seconds to go.
University of Houston ranked 2nd in the country in ESPNโs early poll for next college hoops season
The college basketball season just ended, but itโs never too early to dream about next seasonโs possibilities, especially with such a bright future expected for University of Houston menโs basketball!
๐ KPRC 2 sports director Randy McIlvoy looks ahead to the UH Cougars Sweet 16 appearance in San Antonio
KPRC 2 sports director Randy McIlvoy is in San Antonio for Thursdayโs NCAA tournament matchup between the University of Houston and University of Arizonaโs basketball teams. This is the Coogs third straight Sweet 16 appearance, and theyโll be battling a tough opponent.
Top takeaways from womenโs Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games
A Supreme Court case being argued this week amid March Madness could erode the difference between elite college athletes and professional sports stars. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)San Antonio is home to the NCAA Womenโs Tournament, and three Texas schools were represented in the Sweet 16. Hereโs a look at how they did on the second weekend in San Antonio:TEXAS A&MThe Aggies and Gary Blair were the earliest to lose, bowing out in the Sweet 16 to Arizona. 1 seed UConn before DiDi Richards hurt her leg. #ncaaW pic.twitter.com/amSH91IEQV โ SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 30, 2021TEXASThe Longhorns pulled two huge upsets in the second round and Sweet 16, beating 3-seed UCLA and 2-seed Maryland on their way to the Elite 8.
What To Watch: Remaining Final Four spots up for grabs
โฆ Gonzaga is seeking to become the first team to make it to the Final Four unbeaten since Kentucky in 2015. 11 seed UCLA (21-9), East Region final, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. โฆ UCLA is back in a regional final for the first time since earning three straight Final Four berths from 2006-08. 6 seed Texas (21-9), Hemisfair Region final, Alamodome, San Antonio. โฆ Texas is in a regional final for the first time since 2016 and seeking its first Final Four appearance since 2003.
Texas womenโs basketball beats Maryland 64-61, advances to Elite Eight
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)(AP) โ Texas put the brakes on Maryland's high-octane offense and the Longhorns are rolling into the Elite Eight as the lowest seed still alive in the women's NCAA Tournament. Collier scored 10 points in the second half and her last basket in the fourth quarter pulled Texas even after Maryland had swung momentum with two baskets, including a 3-pointer. Chants of โTexas Fightโ roared from the Texas fans at the Alamodome after the final buzzer. "They are not letting anybody in that huddle think about anything but win," Schaefer said. Miller scored 21 points to lead Maryland (26-3) but there was just no punch in the offense outside of her.
No. 11 UCLA beats 'Bama 88-78 in OT to reach Elite Eight
11 seed UCLA held on after Alabama's Alex Reese drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation to beat the second-seeded Crimson Tide 88-78 in a Sweet 16 showdown Sunday night. AdSingleton was fouled and made two free throws for UCLA, pushing the lead to 65-62 with 4 seconds to go. But that still gave the Crimson Tide enough time to find Reese, whose tying 3-pointer splashed just before the buzzer. Jahvon Quinerly scored 20 points and John Petty Jr. had 16 for the Crimson Tide (26-7), who have lost eight of their nine games in the Sweet 16. UCLA has beaten Michigan in three of their four NCAA Tournament games, including the 1965 national championship in Portland, Oregon.
ACC ends forgettable season with early NCAA Tournament exit
ACC teams finished with a 4-7 NCAA Tournament record, marking the league's lowest win total and winning percentage in this event since 1979. Duke went 13-11, withdrew from the ACC Tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test and ended a string of 29 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. When the NCAA Tournament brackets came out, the ACC teams with the best seeds were Florida State and Virginia at No. โWe werenโt quite as good at the top,โ Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the first round of the NCAA Tournament. AdThe ACCโs one pleasant NCAA Tournament surprise was Syracuse, which sneaked into the field with a No.
Stanford romps into Elite Eight, 89-62 over Missouri State
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)SAN ANTONIO โ Missouri State had waited two years to get another crack at the Sweet 16 and Stanford, only to watch the Cardinal turn their rematch into a romp. 5 Lady Bears 89-62 to earn a spot in the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament for the 21st time. Elle Ruffridge scored 18 points to lead Missouri State (23-3), a team with a history of punching above its status as a mid-major from the Missouri Valley Conference. And Missouri State was hungry to push for even bigger things after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 tournament and abruptly ended a 26-4 season. โEvery game weโve been down, weโve always come back,โ Missouri State coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said.
Unbeaten Zags keep rolling with 83-65 rout of Creighton
Nembhard had 17 points and eight assists, both season highs, to keep the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed rolling Sunday with a 83-65 rout of fifth-seeded Creighton in the West Region semifinals. Defensively, the Zags held Creighton to 40 points over the final 30 minutes as they methodically turned a 27-25 game into a blowout. โThey just play so fast, so efficient with everything they do," said Marcus Zegarowski, who led Creighton with 19 points. That just about finished off Creighton as the Zags moved within three wins of becoming the first undefeated national champion since Indiana in 1976. Gonzaga: The Zags have won their first three tournament games by a combined 77 points.
What To Watch: men's, women's regional finals start Monday
... Oregon State opponents are shooting just 31.3% overall and 23.1% from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament. That Missouri squad lost a regional final to an Oklahoma team coached by Kelvin Sampson, whoโs now at Houston. โฆ Arkansas is in a regional final for the first time since 1995, when it lost to UCLA in the championship game. โฆ Arkansasโ Justin Smith is averaging 20.3 points and 11 rebounds in three NCAA Tournament games. Arizona and Indiana are both in an NCAA regional final for the first time.
Houstonโs defense locks in, beats Syracuse 62-46 in NCAAs
Now it's taken coach Kelvin Sampson's team somewhere new: the program's deepest NCAA Tournament run since the days of Olajuwon, Drexler and the famed โPhi Slama Jama." Quentin Grimes scored 14 points and Houston's defense locked down on surging Buddy Boeheim, helping the Cougars beat Syracuse 62-46 on Saturday night in the Sweet 16 while holding the Orange to their lowest point total in an NCAA Tournament game. That sent the second-seeded Cougars through to their first regional final in 37 years, earning a matchup with No. โItโs the best defense that that weโve seen this year and they deserved to win,โ coach Jim Boeheim said. Syracuse had shot at least 52% each time while making 29 3-pointers โ but there would be no repeat of that unexpected 2016 Final Four run thanks to Houston's defense.
Davis' jumper gives Arkansas 72-70 win over Oral Roberts
Davonte Davis hit a short jumper with 2.9 seconds left, and Arkansas advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 26 years with a 72-70 win over Oral Roberts in the South Region semifinals Saturday night. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, Oral Roberts stumbled with a series of turnovers and missed shots. โWe gave him a pass option, we gave him a dribble option,โ Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills said. Oral Roberts knew it had a chance to top it against the Razorbacks after playing them earlier in the season. Oral Roberts led by 10 at halftime in Fayetteville on Dec. 20 before Arkansas bullied the Golden Eagles in the second half for an 87-76 win.
Close range: Baylor grinds to Elite 8 in 62-51 win ova 'Nova
Davion Mitchell, a 46% shooter from 3 this season, went 0 for 3 from long range on a 14-point day. Jared Butler scored nine points on 1-for-9 shooting from 3, and MaCio Teague had five points without a 3. The guards did a great job of not settling and probing more.โBecause of that, Baylor shot 53% in the second half, even though it made only one 3. Constantly harassing Villanova shooters who'd carved out space in the first half, Baylor held Villanova to 37.5% shooting in the second and 0 for 9 from 3. Forward Brandon Slater left the game about midway through the second half after landing awkwardly during a fight for a rebound.
Picked last, Oregon State now Elite after beating Loyola
Oregon State won 65-58. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)INDIANAPOLIS โ Picked to finish dead last in the Pac-12, Oregon State instead might be the last one standing. Then the Ramblers, who failed to take advantage of their defense, proceeded to miss 11 consecutive shots as Oregon State flip-flopped between man-to-man and zone defenses. Oregon State built on Warith Alatishe's buzzer-beating bucket to end the first half by getting some shots to go in the second. Oregon State has never played Syracuse, but it beat Houston in the 1966 West Region semifinal and again in the 2009 CBI Tournament.
Reigning womenโs champ Baylor in 12th consecutive Sweet 16
SAN ANTONIO โ Moon Ursin and DiJonai Carrington both had 21 points as reigning womenโs national champion Baylor advanced to its 12th consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 with a 90-48 victory over Virginia Tech on Tuesday night. Queen Egbo had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, along with seven blocked shots for the Lady Bears (27-2). All-America forward NaLyssa Smith finished with 15 points, all but two of those coming after halftime for Baylor. Smith got her second foul only seven minutes into the game, and didn't return until getting two quick layups after the break. She never played in the second half.
โI think weโre going all the way:โ Fans react to UH advancing to the Sweet 16
HOUSTON โ The University of Houston Cougarsโ late game win over Rutgers University had the campus buzzing Monday with talk of a sweet success. The Coogs advanced to the Sweet 16 to take on Syracuse Orange on Saturday. AdDutton also had the following message for Syracuse: โGet ready to lose.โOther students said they think the Coogs will make it all the way this year. โI think weโre going to go all the way. The University of Houston recently launched a retro line of gear in celebration of Phi Slama Jama.
Not rusty: Oregon soars past Iowa 95-80 into Sweet 16
Oregon players celebrate following a second-round game against Iowa. When another kink surfaced in the NCAA Tournament, the resilient, adaptable Ducks shook it off and soared. Chris Duarte scored 23 points and Oregon showed no signs of rust after a long layoff, beating No. 2 seed Iowa 95-80 on Monday to reach the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past five NCAA Tournaments. โWe did and it was a lot of fun.โThe Ducks' sweet offensive movements left the Hawkeyes (22-9) flailing, one game short of the Sweet 16 for the fourth time under Fran McCaffery.
Again, Syracuse makes Sweet 16 as double-digit seed
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)For the third time since 2016, Syracuse is headed to the Sweet 16 as a double-digit seed. โIt's hard to make the Sweet 16. Here are the six double-digit seeds who made the Sweet 16 from 2016-19:2016 SYRACUSE (No. 11 seed)The Bulldogs beat Seton Hall and Utah by a combined 39 points before falling 63-60 to Syracuse in the Sweet 16. Syracuse lost to Duke 69-65 in the Sweet 16.
Grimes helps No. 2 seed Houston rally past Rutgers, 63-60
The Cougars play No. By the time the first half ended, and the Scarlet Knights had forged a 30-27 lead, Rutgers and Houston each had two regulars mired in foul trouble. AdChaney took a seat with his fourth with 15:45 left and the Scarlet Knights went on the attack. And by the time there was 10 minutes to go, the Scarlet Knights had meticulously built a 50-40 lead. UP NEXTThe Cougars play the Orange next weekend for a spot in the Elite Eight.
Buddy Boeheim gets dad back to Sweet 16 as Syracuse tops WVU
Syracuse defeated Syracuse 75-72. 900 when West Virginia beat Morehead State in the first round on Friday. AdSean McNeil scored 23 points to lead the Mountaineers (19-10), who last made the Sweet 16 in 2018. The Orange have advanced to the Sweet 16 each time theyโve been given a double-digit seeding, reaching the Final Four as a 10 in 2016 and the Sweet 16 as an 11 in 2018. AdWest Virginia: West Virginia: Like many Syracuse opponents, the Mountaineers struggled against the 2-3 zone with poor shooting (37.1%) and turnovers (14).
The Latest: Appleby cleared to play for Florida
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)The Latest on the second round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):___7:45 p.m.Florida guard Tyree Appleby has been cleared to play and was in the starting lineup for No. 1 seed in the second round for a third time, joining the 2000 team against Arizona and the 2017 squad against Villanova. Sister Jean Delores Schmidt gave an inspirational pregame prayer to her Loyola Chicago team before the eighth-seeded Ramblers met top-seeded Illinois in Sundayโs second round. UCLA and Abilene Christian face off Monday, assuring that at least one double-digit seed will reach the Sweet 16. This is the first time four teams seeded 13th or worse made it to the second round.
UH Cougars climb to No. 6 in AP Poll
8 in the USA Today Coachesโ poll. This is the highest Houston has been ranked in the AP poll since finishing the 1983-84 season at No. It is the highest ranking for the Cougars in the USA Today Coachesโ poll since checking in at No. During the 2018-19 season, the Cougars appeared in the AP Top 10 for three straight weeks, eventually finishing at No. Prior to the 2020-21 season, the Cougars stood in both national preseason polls for the first time since November 1983.
NCAA relocating 2021 March Madness tournament to one city
The NCAA announced Monday that the entire 2021 tournament will most likely be in Indianapolis and its surrounding areas. Usually, the beginning rounds of the tournament are hosted in different cities. Houston, for example, was set to host part of the Sweet 16 in 2020. Regional rounds were set to be played in Memphis, Denver, Minneapolis, Tennessee, and New York City. Indianapolis, which was already set to host host the 2021 Final Four, is also home to the NCAA headquarters.
Teen gets surprise Sweet 16 present from late father
PORT HURON, Mich. โ A teenage boy got a bittersweet gift from his dad on his Sweet 16, but it was the timing of the gift that made it all the more special. It was the first birthday the teen celebrated without his father. The birthday boy's sister, Chandler Mae Crow, posted on Facebook about the surprise that was left for Johnny Crow. Video of Johnny opening the guitar went viral, with more than 6 million views. Johnny's sister ended her post with a special message for her brother: "Happy 16th birthday buddy.
UH celebrates historic win after clinching spot in Sweet 16
The University of Houston beat Ohio State 74-59 and clinched a spot in the Sweet 16. The last time the Houston Cougars menโs basketball team went to the Sweet 16 was in the Phi Slama Jama days back in 1984. 1, 2 and 3 seed will reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade. But when youโre 33 and 3 , youโre really good at one thing and thatโs winning,โ said Coach Kelvin Sampson. Every 1-, 2- and 3-seed also reached the Sweet 16 in 2009, which was the first time that had happened since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.