INSIDER
Louisville tabs Charleston's Pat Kelsey to become Cardinals' head coach, AP source says
Read full article: Louisville tabs Charleston's Pat Kelsey to become Cardinals' head coach, AP source saysLouisville has reached an agreement with College of Charleston coach Pat Kelsey to become the Cardinalsโ next menโs basketball coach, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
Newton leads No. 2 UConn past St. John's 95-90 and into first Big East title game since 2011
Read full article: Newton leads No. 2 UConn past St. John's 95-90 and into first Big East title game since 2011Tristen Newton had 25 points and nine assists as No. 2 UConn advanced to the Big East championship game with a rollicking 95-90 victory over St. Johnโs at Madison Square Garden.
Pitino wears all white, St. John's shreds No. 15 Creighton 80-66 for best win under new coach
Read full article: Pitino wears all white, St. John's shreds No. 15 Creighton 80-66 for best win under new coachDaniss Jenkins scored a season-high 27 points and St. Johnโs shredded No. 15 Creighton 80-66 for its best win under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
Pitino: NCAA enforcement arm `a joke' that's `of no value anymore' and `should be disbanded'
Read full article: Pitino: NCAA enforcement arm `a joke' that's `of no value anymore' and `should be disbanded'With legal disputes escalating over the use of name, image and likeness compensation in the recruitment of college athletes, Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino believes itโs time for the NCAA to stand down when it comes to policing member schools.
No. 1 UConn wins 10th straight, beats St. John's 77-64 at MSG without injured Alex Karaban
Read full article: No. 1 UConn wins 10th straight, beats St. John's 77-64 at MSG without injured Alex KarabanCam Spencer had 23 points, freshman Stephon Castle scored a season-best 21 and top-ranked UConn pulled away from St. Johnโs for a 77-64 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Sanogo, UConn send Pitino, Iona packing from March Madness
Read full article: Sanogo, UConn send Pitino, Iona packing from March MadnessAdama Sanogo scored 10 of his 28 points in the first five minutes of the second half as fourth-seeded UConn took control and beat Rick Pitinoโs Iona Gaels 87-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Louisville escapes major sanctions in hoops bribery case
Read full article: Louisville escapes major sanctions in hoops bribery caseAn independent panel has placed the Louisville basketball program on two years of probation and fined it $5,000, but spared the school major penalties from NCAA allegations leveled in the aftermath of a federal investigation of corruption in college basketball.
Clayton, Joseph secure Iona's 72-68 win over No. 10 Alabama
Read full article: Clayton, Joseph secure Iona's 72-68 win over No. 10 AlabamaNelly Joseph and Walter Clayton Jr. made key free throws in the final seconds to lift Iona over No. 10 Alabama 72-68 in an opening-round game at the ESPN Events Invitational on Thursday night.
Coronavirus doesn't care that it's the NCAA Tournament
Read full article: Coronavirus doesn't care that it's the NCAA TournamentThe Indiana Farmers Coliseum scoreboard goes dark after a first round NCAA college basketball tournament game between Iowa and Grand Canyon Saturday, March 20, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)If you didnโt pay attention to college basketball until the NCAA Tournament, the good news is you didnโt miss much. The loss marked the second time in the Cavaliersโ last three NCAA Tournament appearances โ this time as a No. โHe kind of got his legs under him and he was really, really good in the second half,โ Self said afterward. โI mean really, really good.โ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and updated bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket
Dressed down: Alabama rolls over Pitino, Iona 68-55
Read full article: Dressed down: Alabama rolls over Pitino, Iona 68-55This time, Pitino had his worst seed ever and second-seeded Alabama (25-6) was too much. AdโI thought their kids came ready to play,โ Alabama coach Nate Oats said. Iona forced 14 turnovers, and Alabama had trouble getting an open look for most of the first 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we didnโt have enough weapons to beat Alabama.โIona also got dominated 42-26 in rebounds, a stat Pitino said surprised him. Alabama is in the tournament with its best seeding in history, on the strength of its first SEC Tournament title in 30 years.
6 officials out of NCAA Tournament after 1 tests positive
Read full article: 6 officials out of NCAA Tournament after 1 tests positiveThe coliseum is one of six venues hosting NCAA Tournament games later this week. One referee tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him and five others who went out to dinner with him, out of the tournament. Though the NCAA brought plenty of backup referees, the mass departure served up yet another illustration of how things can go wrong. โIt's not ever going to be perfect in a pandemic,โ NCAA vice president Dan Gavitt said. Iona took its two tests in the same day, and Gavitt said the change had been OK'd by the NCAA medical advisory group and the local health department.
March Madness: 68 teams punch ticket; the hard part awaits
Read full article: March Madness: 68 teams punch ticket; the hard part awaits"Testing, practice, getting on the bus in Philadelphia, waiting for that reply, that response time to say, โWeโre all negative here. In the biggest adjustment to a normal March Madness, all the games will be played in and around Indianapolis over 19 days. More about that bracket: A few bubble teams are coming from unexpected places, namely UCLA and Michigan State. Teams like Louisville, Saint Louis, Colorado State and Mississippi would gladly trade places with them. In one of many first-of-its-kind moves made to accommodate a one-of-a-kind tournament, the NCAA put team Nos.
Life on the bubble: Brackets set for return of March Madness
Read full article: Life on the bubble: Brackets set for return of March Madness(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)The biggest unknown leading into a March Madness bracket reveal more than a year in the making had little to do with bubble teams or top seeds. โThere were a lot of different things about this year's selection process,โ said committee chairman Mitch Barnhart, the athletic director at Kentucky. But all it takes is a single COVID outbreak to upend the finely calibrated beauty of that plan. Like Virginia and Kansas, Duke pulled out of its conference tournament last week because of COVID-19. Players will have to produce negative tests for seven days before arriving in Indianapolis to be eligible to play.
The Latest on Selection Sunday: NCAAs start with SWAC vs NEC
Read full article: The Latest on Selection Sunday: NCAAs start with SWAC vs NECVirginia was forced to withdraw from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Saturday because of a single COVID-19 case. They were already missing David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna, who both tested positive before the conference tournament. Pitino is the fifth coach to lead five teams to the NCAA Tournament, joining Lon Kruger and Tuby Smith. The Cougars routed Cincinnati in the AAC final, ending the Bearcats hope of slipping into the NCAA Tournament field of 68 as an automatic qualifier. 7 Houston and Cincinnati, which needs to win to get in the NCAA field.
Pitino back in the NCAA Tournament with MAAC champs Iona
Read full article: Pitino back in the NCAA Tournament with MAAC champs IonaAsante Gist scored 18 points and Pitino took his record-tying fifth school to the NCAA Tournament with Ionaโs 60-51 victory over Fairfield on Saturday in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship. Next stop, the all-Indiana NCAA Tournament. Gistโs absence was short-lived and he hit a 3 in his return to send the Gaels on their way to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament. Iona had completed a good run under Tim Cluess, who made six NCAA Tournament appearances and won five MAAC Tournament titles in nine seasons before stepping down for health reasons, when it hired Pitino. BIG PICTUREIona: Pitino joined Lon Kruger and Tubby Smith as the only coaches to take five programs to the NCAA Tournament.
March Madness? Pitino's whole 1st season at Iona maddening
Read full article: March Madness? Pitino's whole 1st season at Iona maddeningForced to pause four times this season because of the virus, once for nearly two months, the Gaels need to win their conference tournament this week to make the NCAA Tournament. When Iona hired the Hall of Fame coach last March 14, there was no celebration for the new biggest man on campus. Weโre trying to make the best of it in very difficult times,โ Pitino said. Perhaps things couldโve been different if the NCAA went with Pitinoโs May Madness concept. Basketball-wise weโll get through it and hopefully have a normal basketball season next year.โ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
The Latest: Big West hoops tournaments banning spectators
Read full article: The Latest: Big West hoops tournaments banning spectators(AP Photo/Aaron Doster, File)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Big West Conference will hold its menโs and womenโs basketball tournaments without spectators, including family and guests of the teams. The Big Westโs board of directors decided to start the season without fans in attendance. AdPelicans officials say they are hoping to allow as many as 4,000 fans per game later this season. The Cleveland Browns and Cavaliers have been permitted to have a limited number of fans at games during the pandemic. AdThe governor said about 1,700 to 1,800 fans should be allowed to attend Devils games under the new rules.
The Latest: Pitino calls for delayed start to basketball
Read full article: The Latest: Pitino calls for delayed start to basketballThe Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Iona coach Rick Pitino is calling for a delayed start to the college basketball season as COVID-19 cases rise across the country. Many schools are still trying to fill out schedules with the season set to start on Nov. 25. Saturday's game in Leipzig had been in doubt after four Ukraine players and one staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. ___AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has tested positive for the coronavirus. ___The Croatian soccer federation says midfielder Marcelo Brozovic has tested positive for the coronavirus.