Month: March 2022

By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Eli Brooks returned for one final college season with the goal of helping Michigan reach the Final Four. Defying expectations, the Wolverines are halfway there. Brooks scored seven of his 23 points in the final 3½ minutes and the 11th-seeded Wolverines booked the most surprising of their five straight Sweet 16 appearances, beating third-seeded Tennessee 78-68 on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “I’m just trying to live in the moment right now and cherish the time we have with the people in my life right now at Michigan and enjoy the process of going through Rick Owens Shoes this tournament again and having that chance of getting our last goal,” said Brooks, a fifth-year senior. ...

By TIM BOOTH, AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Drew Timme gathered his Gonzaga teammates at midcourt, pointed at the scoreboard showing a 10-point halftime deficit for the top overall seed and expressed a few choice words. Timme's goal was to spark his teammates with words. He did it with his play on the court, too. Or as Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said, “the Drew Timme effect came into play.” Timme scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half, and Gonzaga rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat No. 9 seed Memphis 82-78 on Saturday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Trailing at the half for only the fourth time this season, Gonzaga leaned on its star junior to reach its seventh straight Sweet 16. The Bulldogs (28-3) ...

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Rafael Nadal defeated Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (0), 5-7, 6-4 Thursday to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in a match featuring obscenities, underhand serves, a point penalty and smashed rackets. Nadal improved to 19-0 this year, the third-best start to a season since 1990. “Happy about that third set because it wasn't easy after the end of the second. It was terrible for me,” he said. “But I hold it emotionally, and mentally, I think I was ready to keep fighting.” So was Kyrgios. After the post-match handshake, Kyrgios walked to his seat and smashed his racket on the court. It bounced up and away, nearly striking a ball boy standing at the back of the court. Kyrgios walked off to a m...

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Sports Writer BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — New Mexico State coach Chris Jans was in the hallway of KeyBank Center preparing his pregame speech as Richmond celebrated the day's first victory by a No. 12 seed in a nearby locker room. “I stopped and watched them. It gave me chills to think about what that would feel like for us,” he said. “Was really, really hoping we’d get to feel that as well.” The Aggies did just that. Teddy Allen scored 37 points and New Mexico State won Golden Goose Sneaker  an NCAA Tournament game for the first time almost three decades, upsetting fifth-seeded Connecticut 70-63 Thursday night to become the second No. 12 seed to advance out of the first round. The Aggies (27-6) will face fourth-seeded Arkansa...

After the 15th-seeded Peacocks bounced storied Kentucky from the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night, they calmly exchanged handshakes with the Wildcats before heading over to the opposite sideline to celebrate with a small contingent of true believers. The tiny Jesuit school from Jersey City, New Jersey, got 27 points from Daryl Banks III as it took down basketball royalty, beating second-seeded Kentucky 85-79 in overtime and sending countless brackets into the digital wastebasket. “It was an amazing feeling,” Banks said. “You grow Hokas Shoes  up you watching March Madness, the tournament, so to let that sink in — knowing the game was over — it felt really good.” The Peacocks became the 10th No. 15 seed to win a first-round game since the tournament expanded to 6...