March Madness is racing toward the national championship game. The beloved annual tradition that is the NCAA Tournament opened with bracket busters and overnight stars — Oakland’s Jack Gohlke and Oregon’s Jermaine Couisnard, anyone? — emerging out of nowhere. Who will win it all? UConn is the No. 1 overall seed and an overwhelming pick … Read more
GLENDALE, Ariz. — GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — At the Final Four this week, they will play for a trophy and the right to cut down the nets. Also at stake: Olympic gold medals. In one of the increasingly urgent peculiarities of big-time college sports, the financial fates of college basketball players and their brethren will … Read more
The 2024 version of March Madness has apexed with a trio of streak busters in the desert. N.C. State is in the Final Four for the first time since Jim Valvano ran around trying to find someone to hug after the 1983 national championship. Purdue and big man Zach Edey will make their first Final … Read more
DALLAS — Duke coach Jon Scheyer reached out to North Carolina State’s Kevin Keatts after the Wolfpack had won five games in as many days in the Athletic Coast Conference Tournament, including a win over the Blue Devils in the middle of that run. “I was just so impressed,” Scheyer said Saturday. “I said I … Read more
LOS ANGELES — Every time Clemson tried to cut down its deficit, Alabama fired up a 3-pointer. Over and over and in such quick succession that the Crimson Tide looked like a video game. Mark Sears made seven 3-pointers and Alabama recovered from its early long-distance woes with 16 3s to beat Clemson 89-82 on … Read more
DETROIT — Dalton Knecht was all over the court, jumping into passing lanes for steals, shooting 3-pointers, driving and dishing to set up teammates for shots. He wasn’t alone. Tennessee, with its relentless defense from logo to rim and unselfish offense, was too much for Creighton. Knecht had 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and … Read more
LAS VEGAS — Given the numerous upsets that led to last year’s unusual Final Four and the many bids stolen in this season’s conference tournaments, bettors aren’t inclined to go chalk when laying wagers for the NCAA Tournament. “People are loving some (under)dogs,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “We’ve taken all this money on … Read more
The story of March Madness figures to look a lot like the story of the regular season that led up to it: a healthy cross-section of very good teams, few dominant ones and no strong consensus on who’s the best bet to be cutting down nets at the Final Four in Arizona. Defending champion Connecticut … Read more
March Madness wouldn’t be March Madness without the excitement of those early upsets in the NCAA Tournament. The 68-team field won’t be announced until Sunday, but it’s a safe bet one or more high seeds will get bounced early. Purdue was a 23 1/2-point favorite when it went out in the first round to No. … Read more
