Turgeon still hoping for long postseason run at Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland coach Mark Turgeon has a roster that in many ways reflects the new normal in college basketball. His leader in minutes last season left early for the NBA. Another starter departed as a transfer. But the Terrapins added several transfers of their own, and with Eric Ayala and Donta […]
Big 12 Notebook: Transition for national champion Baylor
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — No. 8 Baylor is in a period of transition with some key departures from last year’s national championship team. The losses include the Bears’ top three scorers — All-America junior guard Jared Butler and fellow guards MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell — and Mark Vital, the leading rebounder. Coach Scott […]
Expansion talk looms over Big 12 hoops as season draws near
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chris Beard got right to it. His Texas Longhorns will have a target on their backs. “We’ve already begun talking to our players about how difficult it’s going to be,” he said. “But it’s really no different than anywhere else I’ve ever coached. If you’re going to try to be […]
As Ben Johnson takes over, Gophers put the ‘new’ in new look
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New Minnesota coach Ben Johnson might have been wise to start the first practice with some get-to-know-you icebreakers before moving onto the shooting, passing and defense drills. Johnson has been heavily emphasizing the team concept in the takeover of a program he’s trying to revive 18 years after he finished playing for […]
Coach Izzo says he’s ticked off Michigan State is unranked
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State is unranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll for the first time in a decade and its Hall of Fame coach isn’t happy about it. “It does tick me off,” Tom Izzo said Wednesday. Izzo is not alone. “I’m mad, too,” senior guard Gabe Brown said. Expectations […]
UAB Blazers basketball newcomer Jamal Johnson heading back home
The 2021-22 roster for the University of Alabama-Birmingham men’s Basketball team presents a big revamp with eight new players. Jamal Johnson, son of former NBA player Buck Johnson, is one of them.
Buddy Boeheim intent on making Syracuse an ACC contender
Jim Boeheim is quick with a smile as he gets set to begin a season that will be oh-so-different in his long career at Syracuse — he’ll be coaching sons Buddy and Jimmy. “Obviously, it’s fun. It’s great to be able to do that,” Jim Boehim said Tuesday. “They’re good players.” They’ll be counted on […]
Keatts, Wolfpack again looking for NCAA Tournament trip
Kevin Keatts has had North Carolina State routinely pushing for 20-win seasons in his first four years, though he has just one NCAA Tournament berth – partly through bad luck – to show for it. The plan is to make those trips a more consistent outcome, starting with this year’s team that has Keatts excited […]
BC looks to rebuild again, this time under Earl Grant
BOSTON (AP) — Coming to a program that’s had one winning season in its last 10, Boston College coach Earl Grant knows it’s likely going to be a tough first year on the job. “It won’t be a smooth ride,” he said. “If I was trying to get from here to London, there would probably […]
No. 17 Ohio St looks to rebound from early tournament exit
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The new season can’t start soon enough for the No. 17 Ohio State Buckeyes, who were left frustrated after an unexpected early exit from last spring’s NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes were on a roll and came in as the South Region’s No. 2 seed, only to be taken down in the […]