Category: Big East

Shaka Smart reaches extension with Marquette after top-10 AP finish

Shaka Smart is staying at Marquette for the foreseeable future, signing an extension on Wednesday.

After leading the Marquette Golden Eagles to their first top-10 finish in the AP Poll since 2003, head coach Shaka Smart and the University of Marquette have reached a contract extension.

First reported by John Fanta of College Basketball on Fox and The Field of 68, Smart’s new contract with the Golden Eagles extends him through the 2029-2030 season. The university later announced the extension via GoMarqutte.com.

“In a very short period of time, Shaka and his staff have done a tremendous job of establishing a winning culture, both on and off the court,” Marquette Vice President & Director of Athletics Bill Scholl said in the press release. “Shaka’s vision for the program is focused on extended, sustainable success.  The individuals who interact with the team on a daily basis are able to observe frequent examples of growth and the excitement around the program is contagious.”

The 2022-2023 season was Smart’s second season with the program after coming to the program for the 20221-2022 season. In that first season with the Golden Eagles, he led them to a 19-13 record and an NCAA Tournament berth as a nine-seed.

Marquette is Smart’s third head coaching job. He previously coached at VCU from 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 where he led the Rams to five straight NCAA tournament appearances including a Final Four berth in 2011. He would lead VCU for Texas in 2015-2016 where he had much less success, making the NCAA Tournament just three times in six seasons. He would decide to leave Austin for Marquette following the 2021 season, signing a six-year deal with the university at the time.

REPORT: 2023 Gavitt Games matchups set

The expected matchups for the 2023 Gavitt Games have been reported.

According to a report from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and College Hoops Today, the 2023 Gavitt Games matchups have been set.

Last year, the Big 10 dominated the Gavitt Games winning six of eight meetings. The Big 10 has won each of the last three Gavitt Games dating back to 2019, winning a total of 17 of 24 matchups.

The Gavitt Tipoff Games are an eight-game series between the Big Ten and Big East conferences similar to the former Big Ten/ACC challenge and is named after former Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt. They were first held for the 2015 season which the two conferences split each of the first three Gavitt Games.

Since 2018, however, it has been heavily dominated by the Big Ten. The Big Ten has won 5-3, 5-3, 6-2, and 6-2 in each of the last four. The 2020 Gavitt Games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2022 Gavitt Games, DePaul and St. John’s were the only Big East team to pick up victories while Penn State, Northwestern, Purdue, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan State all walked away with victories.

DePaul, St. John’s, and Indiana have had the most success in the Gavitt Games winning four games a piece. Additionally, UConn has yet to appear in the games since rejoining the Big East in 2020. They are not scheduled to appear in this year’s matchups.

No dates have yet to be scheduled for this year’s Gavitt Games and there is no expected announcement date at this time either according to Rothstein. Traditionally, the games are held in the second or third week of November.

Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist takes her 29.2 ppg to the WNBA

The women’s basketball talent is deep, but with only 144 roster spots for players in the WNBA, obtaining one of those spots takes more than just being a deeply-talented player.

Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist will forgo her COVID year of eligibility and enter the 2023 WNBA draft. Siegrist led the Wildcats to their first Sweet Sixteen since 2003 and to a 30-7 overall record this season. She led the NCAA in scoring at 29.2 points per game to go with a 9.2 rebounds per game average. She shines both on and off the court as evidenced by her head coach’s remarks after Siegrist announced she would enter the draft.

“The statistical numbers that she recorded are going to be there forever which is so special when you see what Maddy accomplished throughout her amazing career,” said Villanova head coach Denise Dillon. “With that said, when you leave your mark on people as Maddy has there is nothing greater. I think that is by far the greatest accomplishment as a student-athlete where you can be recognized as being an authentic person as opposed to just a great athlete. Maddy will continue to impact the world in whatever she does.”

Siegrist had 20 or more points in all 37 games this year, including 17 games of 30 points or more. This streak of 37 consecutive 20-point game stretch is the longest streak by any women’s or men’s D-1 player this century.

And if that wasn’t impressive enough, she is now the all-time leading scorer in the history of Villanova basketball this season for both men and women and finished her collegiate career with 2,896 points. Additionally, she is the all-time leading scorer in BIG EAST Conference history for men and women.

She has been named the BIG EAST Player of the Year twice and earned first team All-American honors from the Associated Press and USBWA and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year and the Wade Trophy.

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The 2023 WNBA draft will be held on Monday, April 10. It will be exclusively televised on ESPN from 7-9 p.m. EST and available on the ESPN app. The draft consists of three rounds and 36 picks with a total 144 roster spots in the WNBA.

The last 10 No. 1 overall draft picks were:

2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury

2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun

2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm

2017: Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (formerly San Antonio Stars)

2018: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings

2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

This year’s draft class is deep with South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Maryland’s Diamond Miller, and Stanford’s Haley Jones leading the way. However, Siegrist is projected to go high in the draft and the higher a player is drafted the more likely they will see a WNBA roster spot. The women’s basketball talent is deep, but with only 144 roster spots for players in the WNBA, obtaining one of those spots takes more than just being a deeply-talented player.

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PIG ROAST: No. 4 UConn leaves zero doubts in 88-65 win No. 8 Arkansas

Connecticut surely looked like a national title contender in their win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16.

The No. 4 Connecticut Huskies left little doubt on Thursday evening against the No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks in their West Region Sweet 16 matchup. The Connecticut Huskies left little doubt on Thursday evening against the Arkansas Razorbacks in their West Region Sweet 16 matchup.

In the first half, the Huskies dominated in facets but especially on the boards, outrebounding the Razorbacks 22-9 including 14-5 on the defensive side of the ball. They also shot 60.7% from the floor in the first 20 minutes to Arkansas’s mere 33.3%, helping establish a 46-29 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Huskies wouldn’t take their foot off the gas shooting 53.8% including 5-for-11 from beyond en route to an 88-65 win.

Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins led all scorers in the game with 24 points shooting 6-for-13 from the floor including 3-for-9 from three-point range. He also had nine points from the charity stripe as well as two rebounds and three assists.

In the first half, the Huskies dominated in facets but especially on the boards, outrebounding the Razorbacks 22-9 including 14-5 on the defensive side of the ball. They also shot 60.7% from the floor in the first 20 minutes to Arkansas’s mere 33.3%, helping establish a 46-29 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Huskies wouldn’t take their foot off the gas shooting 53.8% including 5-for-11 from beyond en route to an 88-65 win.

Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins led all scorers in the game with 24 points shooting 6-for-13 from the floor including 3-for-9 from three-point range. He also had nine points from the charity stripe as well as two rebounds and three assists.

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Providence lands George Mason head coach Kim English to replace Ed Cooley

Kim English was announced on Thursday as the next head coach of Providence.

The Providence Friars had a whirlwind of the last week after getting eliminated in the Round of 64 by the Kentucky Wildcats, 61-53.

Reports surfaced that Ed Cooley was the top target for the Georgetown Hoyas opening after the school fired Patrick Ewing. Cooley would accept the job and leave Providence after a 12-year stint as the head basketball coach. The Providence, Rhode Island, native opted to leave for a rival Big East school.

The Friars acted swiftly as they were tasked with finding a replacement for Cooley. On Thursday, the school announced they officially hired Kim English of George Mason to take over the men’s basketball program.

The Baltimore native played for the Missouri Tigers before the Detroit Pistons drafted him in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft. After a brief run as a professional, English turned to coaching in 2015 as an assistant with the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. He also served as an assistant with the Colorado Buffaloes and Tennessee Vols before being named George Mason’s head coach in 2021.

During his short tenure with the Patriots, English led George Mason to a 34-29 overall record and 18-16 in A10 conference play. This past season the team finished 20-13 (11-7) but missed out on postseason play.

English will now have the opportunity to run the Friars program.

“I am beyond excited to be named head men’s basketball coach at Providence College,” English said in a release from Providence. “I want to thank Father Sicard and Steve Napolillo for this incredible opportunity. I want to be clear to everyone in Friartown, we are going to do great things at Providence College for a long time. I know that this is a special place with amazing fans, a great tradition and support throughout the community. We look forward to establishing new relationships with the players, the alums and the fans. The work begins now!”

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2023 NCAA women’s Sweet 16: Latest bracket, schedule, and how to watch

There are few surprises with Miami, Colorado, and Ole Miss in the mix of teams, but stalwarts are also accounted for in South Carolina, Iowa, and UConn.

The Sweet 16 is upon us and games begin Friday, March 24. There are four matchups on Friday and four matchups on Saturday. There are few surprises with Miami, Colorado, and Ole Miss in the mix of teams, but stalwarts are also accounted for in South Carolina, Iowa, and UConn.

Sweet 16 Schedule: (All game times are eastern)

Friday, March 24 — Sweet 16

  • No. 4 Villanova vs. No. 9 Miami | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 2 Utah vs. No. 3 LSU | 5 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 6 Colorado | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 5 Louisville vs. No. 8 Ole Miss | 10 p.m. | ESPN

Saturday, March 25 — Sweet 16

  • No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 3 Notre Dame | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN
  • No.1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 UCLA | 2:00 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Ohio State | 4 p.m. | ABC
  • No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Tennessee | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Only two No. 1 seeds remain in the tournament and this is the first time since 1998 that the Sweet 16 will be without two of its No. 1 seeds.

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Report: Georgetown set to hire Providence’s Ed Cooley as head coach

Georgetown could be closing in on their hire to replace Patrick Ewing.

The Georgetown Hoyas’ search for their next head coach following the dismissal of Patrick Ewing appears to be near the finish line. According to multiple reports, the university has pegged Providence head coach Ed Cooley to lead the program going forward.

According to Fox broadcaster and reporter John Fanta, a Big East insider, Georgetown is expected to be offering the long-time head coach upwards of $6 million to take over the program.

Cooley, 53, will leave Providence after 12 seasons with the program, leading the Friars to a 242-153 record over his time with the program. He also led the program to one Big East Regular Season title in 2022 and one Big East Tournament title in 2014.

Cooley was named the Big East Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year for the Friars 2021-2022 season in which they went 27-6 including 14-3 in conference play. The Friars made it to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 before being knocked out by the eventual national champions, the Kansas Jayhawks. During his 12 seasons, the Friars made seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

Prior to his time with Providence, the Rhode Island native also spent five seasons with the Fairfield Stags of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, leading the Stags to a 92-69 record including 58-32 in MAAC play.

Georgetown will hope Cooley will be able to turn around the historic program that has fallen on hard times over the last decade. Under Ewing, the Hoyas were 75-109 including 28-81 in Big East conference games. This past season, they went 7-25 including 2-18 in conference play, a second straight season in which they won less than 10 games after going 6-25 in the 2021-2022 season.

Since the 2012-2013 season, the Hoyas have only made the NCAA Tournament twice. Despite their struggles over the past decade, the program still is top-25 all-time in tournament appearances with 31.

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Look: These women’s college basketball stats may surprise you

LSU’s Angel Reese leads D1 women’s basketball with the most double-doubles with 28 through 30 games with BYU’s Lauren Gustin coming second with 26 double-doubles in 32 games.

The stage is set for the 2023 March Madness Women’s Division 1 NCAA tournament. The First Four games are Wednesday and Thursday, March 15-16. Before the action gets underway, we compiled some interesting statistics for the basketball aficionado.

All stats are current through games Sunday, March 12, 2023. While players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and teams like the University of Connecticut and South Carolina being on the list aren’t surprising, some other teams and players are a bit less expected.

Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist holds the top spot in points per game with 28.9. Following a close second is Drexel’s Keishana Washington with 27.2 and rounding out the top three is the University of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark with 27.0.

While the top-scoring offense is Iowa with 87.5 per game, the top-scoring defense is HBCU Norfolk State with their opponent’s points per game being 50.

LSU’s Angel Reese leads D1 women’s basketball with the most double-doubles with 28 through 30 games with BYU’s Lauren Gustin coming second with 26 double-doubles in 32 games. The two then switch rankings when it comes to rebounds per game with Gustin taking the top spot with 16.6 and Reese taking second with 15.5.

BYU was not selected on Sunday to attend the tournament, so they will compete in the 2023 WNIT Postseason Tournament and will host the Rice Owls on Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m. in the Round of 64. Drexel women’s basketball also continues their season in the WNIT against Fordham on Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 pm ET.

Iowa, LSU, Villanova, and Norfolk State will all be in the 2023 March Madness Women’s Division 1 NCAA tournament, however, so you can catch Reese, Clark, Washington, and Siegrist in action.

For the full information on tournament including the schedule and how to watch the games, see our article here.

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A look at each of the Power Six basketball standings and final matchups

Breaking down each conference’s standings and final matchups of the regular season.

As the calendar turned to March, it put us one day closer to one of the most exciting times in college sports. The basketball world is preparing for some March Madness.

Among the Power Six basketball conferences, plenty of teams are looking to add to their NCAA Tournament resumes prior to the conference tournament’s set to tip off early next week.

The ACC is the lone conference yet to crown their regular-season champion with three teams tied at the top between Miami, Pittsburgh, and Virginia all tied at the top. Miami and Pitt will face off this weekend and UVA needs a victory to earn a share of the regular-season title with the winner of the other game.

Prior to Thursday’s action, College Sports Wire is checking in on each conference’s standings and final matchups of the 2022-23 college basketball season.