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FINAL FLAW: DUKE IMPLODES

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Miracle UConn Comeback Sends Huskies to Final Four

WASHINGTON DC  – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – UConn’s Braylon Mullins missed his first four 3-point attempts on Sunday. On his fifth, the freshman sank one of the all-time great shots in NCAA Tournament history.

Mullins nailed a 35-footer with 0.4 seconds remaining, and No. 2 seed UConn completed a miraculous 19-point comeback to defeat No. 1 Duke 73-72 and reach its third Final Four in four years.

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“Yeah, still a loss of words. Still processing all of what just happened,” Mullins said. “Man, I’m just happy that was the one that went down tonight.”

Mullins’ heave marked the only time UConn (33-5) led in the East Region final since 2-0. It came after opting not to foul on a Duke inbound play with 10 seconds remaining.

The Blue Devils (35-3) neared halfcourt before Silas Demary Jr. deflected Cayden Boozer’s pass and Alex Karaban fed Mullins, who squared his feet and let fly.

Now Mullins is returning to Indiana for a Final Four, a year after he earned McDonald’s All-America honors there with Greenfield-Central High School.

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“When I saw him release it, I was like, ‘That really might go in’,” Karaban said. “It went in, and the Indiana kid sent us to Indianapolis.”

Tarris Reed Jr. scored 26 points and finished a rebound shy of his third tournament double-double to keep the Huskies in it while they struggled from beyond the arc.

UConn finished 5 of 23 there (21.7%) after hitting just 1 of their first 18, yet still snapped the nation’s longest active winning streak at 14 games.

“What the hell did you just say, 1 for 18?” UConn coach Dan Hurley responded in the postgame press conference, covering his face in disbelief. “I knew it was bad. I kept asking the assistant coaches, and no one would tell me what it was.”

Demary finished with 11 points, and Solo Ball and Mullins each had 10 as UConn remained alive for a third national title under Hurley and seventh overall.

“It’s been a season where we’ve been dealt with injuries to key players at critical points of the year that we’ve had to overcome, and we’ve had to show a lot of fortitude and resilience and just kind of claw our way through the season,” Hurley said. “Thought just the game was a microcosm of that. We fought, we clawed, put ourselves in position to take advantage of a mistake that they made.

“And one of the most brilliant shooters you’ll ever see shoot a basketball made an incredible, legendary March shot.”

The Huskies will face No. 3 seed Illinois, which eliminated No. 9 Iowa 71-59 on Saturday in the South Region final, in Saturday’s early game.

Cameron Boozer scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds in what is likely his final collegiate game, with the Naismith Award favorite likely to be an NBA draft lottery selection in June.

“I’m just super thankful for it all,” Boozer said. “I’m hurting right now. We’re all hurting. I wish I could have gave more for those guys.”

His freshman twin Cayden finished with 15 points and six assists before committing the fatal turnover — one of eight after halftime — and Dame Sarr had 10 points.

Coach Jon Scheyer finished a game shy of back-to-back Final Four appearances in his fourth season as Mike Krzyzewski’s successor.

“We just gave them easy baskets,” Scheyer said. “We just had to secure the ball better, and that’s a recipe to put yourself in that position.”

Karaban keyed a game-winning 8-2 stretch by sinking his only 3 of the contest — after averaging 22 points in his first three tournament games – with 50 seconds left for a 70-69 deficit.

Cameron Boozer pushed Duke up 72-69 on a basket, then Demary sank one of two free throws when Duke fouled intentionally with 10 seconds remaining.

Sarr inbounded from the baseline to Cameron Boozer, who returned the pass, then found Cayden Boozer on the left, who dribbled forward and then tried to pass over a trap.

Demary deflected it, Mullins reached it and fed Karaban on the wing. Cameron Boozer closed on Karaban, who returned the ball to Mullins.

“I think we were all just trying to get the ball out of whoever had the ball in their hands and trying to make a play on the ball,” Mullins said. “Silas made an incredible, incredible play, and everything else just happened as it is.”

The Huskies tackled their deficit in pieces, first cutting an early 19-point deficit to 15 by halftime, then using an 8-1 run to get within seven.

After Duke restored its lead to double figures, another 10-2 UConn run closed it to within 67-65 when Solo Ball took advantage of Isaiah Evans’ turnover, raced up the court and completed a three-point play with 3:42 left.

–Ian Quillen, Field Level Media

March Madness: Elite Frontcourt Clash

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CHICAGO – (Wire Service Preview) – Top-seeded Michigan and sixth-seeded Tennessee both feature playmaking guards who have shined along the path to Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Midwest Region final.

Chicago remains the “City of the Big Shoulders,” though, and the Elite Eight matchup between the Wolverines (34-3) and Volunteers (25-11) ought to oblige as two physical front lines prepare to tussle.

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“I think our frontcourt is the best frontcourt in the country,” Tennessee sophomore forward J.P. Estrella said, “and we’ve got another frontcourt coming on Sunday that we’re super excited about (facing).”

The 6-foot-11 Estrella was seated when he delivered an accurate tale of the tape on himself and teammates Nate Ament and Felix Okpara.

“We’re some big dudes,” Estrella said. “I mean, we’ve got three dudes in the starting lineup that are 6-10 and above.”

Michigan boasts similar bulk behind 6-9 forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. alongside 7-3 center Aday Mara.

True to the setting, the Wolverines know they’ll have to elevate their effort to earn the program’s first trip to the Final Four since 2018 while denying the Volunteers the first berth in school history.

Collecting 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, the versatile Lendeborg sparked a 90-77 victory against fourth-seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Johnson Jr. and Mara combined for 15 points and 12 boards, a so-so contribution by their standards.

Wolverines coach Dusty May lauded the play of reserve guards Trey McKenney (17 points) and Roddy Gayle Jr. (16 points) as “incredible” before showing confidence that the Michigan frontcourt would earn more praise soon enough.

“It was a game where our front line didn’t have their best stuff, for whatever reason,” May said. “And those guys will play much better on Sunday, because they don’t ever have two bad  games.”

Tennessee handled second-seeded Iowa State in the other Midwest Region semifinal, winning 76-62 while roaring to a 43-22 advantage on the glass.

With the Cyclones missing top rebounder and second-leading scorer Joshua Jefferson (ankle), the Volunteers outmuscled them throughout the night.

Ament led the way with 18 points and guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 16, while Okpara (12 points, 10 rebounds) and fellow big man Jaylen Carey (11 points, 10 rebounds) both posted double-doubles.

Wolverines point guard Elliot Cadeau stressed that the team can’t stray from defensive basics against Tennessee.

“Effort. Communication. Talking a lot,” Cadeau said.

Sunday marks Tennessee’s third straight Elite Eight appearance under coach Rick Barnes, who is aiming to lead a program to the Final Four for the first time since he took Texas there in 2003.

The Volunteers underwent significant roster turnover from the second-seeded team that lost to top seed 69-50 Houston in the Midwest Region final a season ago.

“This year, we’re going to come out with fire,” said Okpara, who had four points and nine rebounds in that game. “We’re going to get the job done.”

Michigan defeated Tennessee 76-68 in a South Region second-round game in 2022.

– Field Level Media

Foster Returned to Tough Duke Team

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WASHINGTON DC – (Wire Service Preview) – After proving their mental fortitude in the Sweet 16, Cameron Boozer’s No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils will try to defeat this decade’s most successful program when they meet the No. 2 UConn Huskies in Sunday’s NCAA East Regional final.

Boozer has posted double-doubles in all three tournament games for Duke (35-2) to continue a season that has made the freshman forward the Naismith Award favorite.

Meanwhile, his Blue Devils teammates have gotten healthier.

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In Friday’s 80-75 victory over St. John’s, junior guard Caleb Foster willed himself back to action 20 days after sustaining a right foot fracture and scored all 11 of his points after halftime to help his team overcome a 10-point deficit.

“First time playing in a few weeks, he’s sore and recovering like you would expect, but nothing concerning,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “We want him to just continue to be himself, his leadership, his ability to get downhill, just making plays himself and really more of what he did yesterday.”

Center Patrick Ngonba II has also been able to provide minutes off the bench in the last two games after he missed about three weeks with right foot soreness.

At a program that frequently re-loads with NBA Draft Lottery-bound talent like Boozer, that duo provides precious experience from last year’s Final Four squad. So does sophomore guard Isaiah Evans, who had his best game of the tournament with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting to lead Duke’s rally against the Red Storm.

“Just being able to insert our names in history definitely means a lot,” said Evans of possibly reaching consecutive Final Fours. “Like you said, a lot of people haven’t done that. With Duke having the history it has, to be one of the people that did something different, it means a lot to me.”

As impressive as Scheyer’s three consecutive Elite Eight appearances are in four seasons as Mike Krzyzewski’s successor, it’s Dan Hurley’s Huskies (32-5) who are seeking a third national title in four years.

And to limit Boozer, Hurley will lean on senior center Tarris Reed Jr., who has stepped up a level this tournament.

“I think with Tarris or any player, I think just at some point you hope that the light switch comes on in time,” Hurley said. “Maybe it’s the life or death urgency to this time of year. … When he plays at the level that he’s capable of playing at, we can beat any team in the country, and he’s as good as any center in the country.”

NCAA Regional: Pitino vs Duke Madness

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WASHINGTON DC – (Staff and Wire Service Preview) – James Naismith Award favorite Cameron Boozer and Duke will continue their pursuit of the program’s sixth national title and first since coach Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement when they face coach Rick Pitino’s resurgent St. John’s in Friday night’s East Regional semifinal.

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Boozer posted his 20th and 21st double-doubles in the first two rounds of the tournament as No. 1 seed Duke (34-2) survived a scare in a 71-65 win over No. 16 Siena, then comfortably handled No. 9, TCU by a 81-58 score.

The freshman forward could have a healthier squad behind him Friday. Center Patrick Ngongba II (right foot soreness) is cleared to play a second game after returning from a 19-day layoff against TCU. Caleb Foster (right foot fracture) will be a game-time decision as he tries to play for the first time since a win against North Carolina in the regular-season finale March 7.

“Pat responded well. You never know how that’s going to go. He’s on track to play again (Friday), which is a really big deal for us,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “Then Caleb, I just go back to when he got hurt, he told me, ‘Look, if I do this and work every day, you got to promise me you’ll let me put this uniform on again with our guys.’

Pitino is in his 14th Sweet 16 appearance and first with St. John’s (30-6) during a season that has represented a renaissance for coach and program alike.

Pitino was let go by Louisville after the 2016-17 season amid multiple scandals, eventually returned to coaching college ball at Iona after a three-year layoff, and moved to St. John’s for the 2023-2024 season.

Under Pitino, No. 5 St. John’s reached its first NCAA Tournament in six years last season, and is now making its first Sweet 16 showing since 1999. At age 73, he has no intention of this being a last hurrah.

“I just missed it every single day I was out of it,” Pitino said Thursday. “So I realized there’s no reason to try and get out because I knew how much I missed it.”

Dylan Darling sank a running layup at the buzzer to decide the Red Storm’s 67-65 win over No. 4 seed Kansas in the second round last weekend.

Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 79-53 first-round victory against No. 12 Northern Iowa. He is the Red Storm’s top producer, averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

He’ll be tasked with trying to limit Boozer and Duke on the glass, where the Blue Devils have outrebounded opponents by a plus-11 margin this year.

“Obviously just a special talent coming in as a freshman, really smart player, understanding the game pretty well,” Ejiofor said. “It’s never a one-man job, especially with Boozer. Really talented, really physical. We just got to make sure he sees bodies and really just get at them, apply the pressure, press for 40 minutes.”

– Field Level Media

NCAA Basketball: Izzo in March

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WASHINGTON DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Repeat after me … “January (January), February (February), Izzo, April (April).

Coach Tom Izzo will attempt to coach Michigan State one step closer to his ninth Final Four when they meet a familiar UConn squad in Friday night’s NCAA Tournament East Regional semifinal.

Izzo’s third-seeded Spartans (27-7) have had a relatively comfortable trip through the tournament, easing past No. 14 North Dakota State 92-67 and outlasting No. 6 Louisville 77-69.

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And they’ve done it in an increasingly uncommon manner, relying on a core group of upperclassmen that have spent their entire collegiate career with the same program.

The starting quartet of senior forward Jaxon Kohler, senior center Carson Cooper, junior guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and junior forward Coen Carr have played 14 combined seasons under Izzo.

The 71-year-old Izzo says that adds a level of satisfaction to the journey, both for himself and his players, during an era of near-constant mobility.

“Hell yeah, it makes it exciting,” Izzo said. “I still think all these kids moving around, someday they’re going to have to come back to someplace, and they ain’t going to come back to it.

“Everybody talks about how good (the ability to switch schools easily) is for the kids. I think in the end the kids are the ones that lose. I’m not going to lose. Big deal. Have a good year, bad year, I can leave tomorrow. It’s the kids that are going to lose.”

Each member of that quartet has scored in double figures this season. Against North Dakota State, Cooper had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Against Louisville, it was Carr with 21 points and 10 boards.

In No. 2 seed UConn (31-5), the Spartans will face a similarly experienced group that starts four upperclassmen, and arguably a similarly minded coach in Dan Hurley.

It’s also a team they met back in an October preseason exhibition, although Huskies leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr. was absent with a hamstring injury.

For Hurley’s team, the lesson was the kind of physicality it would take to be competitive against elite opposition.

“Yeah, we were very intentional about trying to schedule them for that game right before the opener so we could really identify our vulnerabilities in that game,” Hurley recalled. “I think we gave up six or seven free-throw rebounds in that game, our transition defense was a joke, we got assaulted on the glass. There was a lot there in that game that we were able to show the guys this week when we got manhandled.”

Silas Demary Jr. (ankle) should be available Friday. The point guard missed UConn’s 82-71 win against Furman to open the tournament, but played 22 minutes off the bench in a 73-57 win over No. 7 UCLA in the second round.

Reed posted career bests with 31 points and 27 rebounds in the first-round win, exceeding the senior’s previous rebounding high by nine. Alex Karaban had 27 points against UCLA while Reed had 10 points and 13 rebounds for his 12th double-double.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

March Madness Round-Up

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SAN JOSE – (Staff and Wire Service Recap) – Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a shot with 0.7 seconds left to give the second-seeded Boilermakers a 79-77 win over 11th-seeded Texas in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region semifinals on Thursday night.

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Purdue’s Braden Smith drove to the lane on the final possession, and his jumper bounced off, right to the hands of Kaufman-Renn, one of three starters for the Boilermakers (30-8) who were part of the team that played in the 2024 NCAA final.

Kaufman-Renn finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, making 8 of 10 shots from the floor. Fletcher Loyer scored 18 points and Smith added 16 for Purdue, which will face No. 1 Arizona in the regional final on Saturday for a trip to the Final Four.

Texas (21-15) got 29 points from Tramon Mark, the most by a Longhorn in the NCAA tourney since Kevin Durant had 30 in 2007. He hit 11 of 15 from the field and 5 of 7 from 3-point range. The Longhorns shot 51.8% overall, 55.6% in the second half.

No. 1 Arizona 109, Arkansas 88

Brayden Burries scored 23 points and fellow freshman Koa Peat added 21 as the Wildcats rolled past the Razorbacks in the West Region semifinals at San Jose.

Arizona (35-2) matched its school record for wins by shooting 63.8% from the field, advancing to its first Elite Eight since 2015.

Burries finished 7 of 11 from the field, while Peat made 8 of 11 shots.

Arkansas (28-9) got 28 points from freshman Darius Acuff Jr., who scored 88 in three tourney games. The Razorbacks were called for two flagrant fouls and two technicals, one on coach John Calipari. Billy Richmond III was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul with 7:14 left.

SOUTH

No. 3 Illinois 65, No. 2 Houston 55

David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler produced double-doubles as the Fighting Illini parlayed a 17-0 second-half run into a victory over the Cougars in the South Regional semifinals at Houston.

Illinois (27-8) advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons. The Fighting Illini will face a Big Ten rival, ninth-seeded Iowa, on Saturday with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Mirkovic paired 14 points with 10 rebounds. Wagler posted 13 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Emanuel Sharp led Houston (30-7) with 17 points. Kingston Flemings added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Cougars, who shot just 34.4%.

No. 9 Iowa 77, No. 4 Nebraska 71

Bennett Stirtz scored a team-high 20 points, Tate Sage added 19 and the Hawkeyes rallied from a first-half, double-digit deficit to defeat the Cornhuskers in the South Regional semifinals at Houston.

Stirtz provided Iowa (24-12) with its first lead at 68-65 via a 3-pointer with 2:10 left. That ignited a decisive closing stretch from Iowa, which advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987 while dashing Nebraska’s bid for its first Elite Eight appearance.

Pryce Sandfort paced the Cornhuskers (28-7) with 25 points, while Braden Frager added 16. That duo combined to shoot 11 of 18 from behind the arc for the Cornhuskers, who missed 18 of 24 3-point shots in the second half after going 7 of 14 from deep before intermission.

–Field Level Media

Illinois to Face Iowa for Final Four Berth

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Serice Report) –  David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler produced double-doubles as third-seeded Illinois parlayed a 17-0 second-half run into a 65-55 victory over second-seeded Houston on Thursday in the South Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

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The Fighting Illini (27-8) advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons. They will face a Big Ten rival, ninth-seeded Iowa (24-12), on Saturday with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Wagler responded to a driving layup from Joseph Tugler that pulled the Cougars (30-7) to within 27-26 by sinking a second-chance layup at the 17:37 mark of the second half. That ignited the decisive rally for Illinois, with Jake Davis and Mirkovic adding layups off dribble penetration before Davis knocked down a second-chance 3-pointer that extended the lead to 36-26.

Mirkovic and Ben Humrichous later added 3-pointers as the Illini extended their lead to 44-26. The Cougars went six-plus minutes without scoring before Milos Uzan hit a trey with 11:18 left.

Mirkovic paired 14 points with 10 rebounds. Wagler posted 13 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Andrej Stojakovic scored 13 points off the bench, including nine in the first half to keep the Illini afloat.

Emanuel Sharp led the Cougars with 17 points and led a furious rally that closed the deficit to seven in the waning moments. Kingston Flemings added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for Houston, which shot just 34.4%.

Only Stojakovic appeared able to play through the first-half slog.

Houston missed its first seven shots yet pulled even at 3-3 when Sharp drilled a 3-pointer at the 15:12 mark, thanks in part to Illinois’ 1-for-10 start. Mirkovic lifted the Illini to a 14-10 lead when he followed his trey with a layup, only for Tugler to tie it with consecutive hook shots.

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Stojakovic sank a difficult turnaround jumper that beat the shot-clock buzzer, giving Illinois a 21-14 lead. Wagler pushed the Illini to their largest advantage of the first half at 24-16 with a 3-pointer at the 3:23 mark.

The Cougars cut that deficit to 24-22 entering the break when Flemings beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer. Houston shot 27.3% and committed five turnovers in the first half, but the Illini countered with 35.7% shooting and scored only two points from seven offensive rebounds.

– Field Level Media

BC Eagles Hire Murray

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston College hired Luke Murray, son of comedian and motion picture star Bill Murray.

“That’s the fact, jack,” they said.

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BC turned to a proven title-winning assistant coach with the hiring of UConn’s Murray, placing a key member of Dan Hurley’s staff in charge of a rebuild in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Murray, 40, has been with the Huskies since 2021 and is widely credited inside the program as one of the architects of an offense that powered back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.

Boston College athletic director Blake James framed the hire as a modern reset for the program.

“Today marks a turning point in Boston College Men’s Basketball,” James said. “In Luke Murray, we have found a leader who does not just understand the modern landscape of college basketball – he has helped define it. His role in building a national championship caliber program, his sophisticated offensive vision, and his relentless pursuit of excellence make him the perfect fit to lead our student-athletes.”

Murray is also the son of legendary comedic actor Bill Murray, who has been a regular presence around UConn basketball games in recent seasons.

“I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to lead the Boston College men’s basketball program,” Murray said. “Boston College alumni and fans will find our program defined by a standard of excellence, and our team will play an unselfish, tough and highly competitive brand of basketball.”

Before arriving in Storrs, Murray built a long assistant-coaching resume with stops that included Louisville (2018-21) and Xavier (2015-18), along with stints under Hurley at Rhode Island (2013-15) and Wagner (2010-11). He will remain with UConn through the NCAA Tournament with the second-seeded Huskies set to face third-seeded Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Washington, D.C.

–Field Level Media

March Madness: Sweet 16 Showdown

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SAN JOSE – The lowest-seeded team left in the NCAA Tournament will try to continue its unexpected run when No. 11 Texas faces No. 2 Purdue in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night.

The Longhorns (21-14) are the sixth team to go from the First Four to the Sweet 16, getting there by knocking off No. 11 North Carolina State, No. 6 BYU and No. 3 Gonzaga. The last two games were in Portland, Ore., making this the second trip to the West Coast in as many weeks without much downtime in between.

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“I’m incredibly proud of our group, the resiliency that we’ve shown,” Texas coach Sean Miller said. “We caught fire in about a 10-day period. We were grateful just to have the opportunity to be in the tournament, and then we kind of entered this second weekend as a dangerous team.”

Purdue (29-8) beat No. 15 Queens and No. 7 Miami (Fla.) to notch its fourth Sweet 16 appearance in five seasons and third in a row. That run includes a trip to the NCAA title game in 2024, and the Boilermakers have three starters left from the team that fell to UConn in the finals.

The Boilermakers were No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 but dipped to as low as 18th during the regular season. They’re on a six-game win streak that includes beating Midwest Region top seed Michigan in the Big Ten tournament championship game 80-72 on March 15.

“We’ve just been collectively better defensively,” said Purdue coach Matt Painter, whose team has held the last five opponents under 48% shooting after the seven previous foes shot at least 51%.

Texas is in its first year under Miller, who previously coached at Xavier (twice) and Arizona. The Longhorns made it to the Elite Eight in 2023 under Rodney Terry, but he was fired last March following a First Four loss to Miller’s Xavier squad.

It’s been an uneven season, struggling in nonconference play and then starting 3-5 in the Southern Conference. Texas won five in a row, only to drop five of six down the stretch and end up in the First Four.

“I think the one thing about this tournament that you learn is the best team doesn’t always win in this tournament,” Miller said. “It’s the team who plays the very best on that particular day. Where we began (the season) and where we ended are two different places.”

Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn have each played at least 145 games for Purdue, a rarity in college sports. Smith is the NCAA career assists leader, with 1,091, breaking Bobby Hurley’s 33-year-old record in the first round, and all three Boilermakers average 14 points per game.

Texas’ leading scorer is Dailyn Swain, at 17.4 per game, but in the three NCAA Tournament games, 7-foot sophomore Matas Vokietaitis has been the main offensive weapon. He had 17 points and nine rebounds against Gonzaga after going for 23 points and 16 rebounds against BYU.

The Longhorns could be without senior guard Jordan Pope, who is dealing with an ankle injury suffered against Gonzaga. He had 17 in that game and averages 13.1 for the season.

A win for Texas would make it the second No. 11 seed in three years to reach the regional finals. North Carolina State got to the Final Four in 2024. The 2021 UCLA squad joined VCU (2011) as teams to go from the First Four to the national semifinals.

–Field Level Media

March Madness: Big Ten Showdown

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HOUSTON – For Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, there was ample familiarity in reviewing how the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers’ next opponent, Iowa, dispatched both Clemson and Florida en route to the South Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

For the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (23-12), imposing their will comes via exerting control. While film study reveals what Iowa aims to accomplish, the Cornhuskers have firsthand knowledge of the Hawkeyes’ preferred style of play.

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When the teams meet for a third time this season on Thursday, the onus will fall on Nebraska to prevent the Hawkeyes from doing what they do best.

“When you look at the two games that we played earlier this year — Iowa with the way that they controlled pace and controlled tempo, I thought they did a great job with that in those first two (NCAA Tournament) games,” Hoiberg said. “They get up 10 early on Clemson and did the same thing, got a double-digit lead against Florida, and they were able to control pace and tempo for the entire game.

“That was the story, I thought, in our two games as well. They do as good a job as anybody.”

The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers (28-6) split a pair of Big Ten conference games during the regular season, with Iowa claiming a 57-52 home victory on Feb. 17 before Nebraska closed the conference slate with an 84-75 overtime win three weeks later in Lincoln.

There will be few secrets between Iowa and Nebraska when the rubber match tips off. Throughout the season, teams add wrinkles to their approaches, often deleting those that prove unsuccessful. The team best able to execute something new might have the advantage in pursuit of an Elite Eight berth.

“We’ve kind of opened the entire playbook,” Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast said. “Throughout the season, we’ve added new sets, we’ve gone away from some things that teams scouted.

“So, yeah, just everything’s open, and we got a bunch of guys with a high basketball IQ, so that definitely helps with just having a huge amount of sets that we can go to.”

Bennett Stirtz scored 25 points, including 10 of the Hawkeyes’ final 14 points, in the triumph over Nebraska. He shot 4 of 10 and totaled 11 points in the rematch. While Stirtz, an Associated Press All-America honorable mention, is the linchpin for Iowa, the senior guard fully grasps that his influence on the game goes beyond simply scoring. His assertiveness against the Cornhuskers will be paramount.

“They obviously did a great job, and I wasn’t on my A game that game,” Stirtz said. “So unfortunately, I didn’t play well at all, but that’s a testament and credit to them. Their defense was ready to go, and I didn’t really get many looks, many clean looks at the rim or from 3.

“So it’s not a big worry because even if I don’t get any looks and lots of eyes are on me, then Cam (Manyawu) or Kael (Combs) or any of the other guys on the team will get looks. So, yeah, just trying to get everyone involved, and if I need to go score a bucket, hopefully, I can do that (Thursday).”

Three of the four South Region semifinalists represent the Big Ten. The Iowa-Nebraska winner could face third-seeded Illinois, which will take on No. 2 Houston, for a spot in the Final Four. The chore of preparing for a familiar foe would be revisited in that event.

The challenge required to advance this far for the six remaining Big Ten teams is a badge of honor.

“I think the night-in, night-out grind prepared us,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum said. “I do think sometimes it can hurt you, too. Meaning you get exposed a lot, and if you get exposed too much, eventually it can break you.

“Fortunately, we’ve got a really tough team, and so it didn’t break us when we got exposed quite often. It just sharpened us up a little bit and got us ready for the postseason.”

–Field Level Media