Category: NCAAB

Men’s college basketball breakout Robbie Avila gave an understandable reason for transferring to St. Louis

Robbie Avila has picked his new team, and it makes a ton of sense as to why.

One of this past men’s college basketball season’s breakout stars has found a new team.

Former Indiana State center Robbie Avila, the man with the best nicknames in the game, shared with The Field of 68 on Saturday that he’ll be following coach Josh Schertz to St. Louis to join the Billikens this upcoming season as a transfer.

Avila said he got attention from Power 5 schools, but he chose to stick with the coach he played for these past few seasons at Indiana State.

It’s a very understandable decision for Avila, as he’ll be joining a coach he’s got intense familiarity with as he tries to improve his game and perhaps make it at the NBA level one day.

St. Louis will absolutely benefit from adding one of the real mid-major stars from this past year, as we won’t be shocked if the Billikens go dancing next spring in 2025’s March Madness.

We’re very excited to see what’s next for Avila as his college basketball legend will grow in the Show Me State.

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Dawn Staley said Caitlin Clark is ‘the sole reason’ for the ratings boost in women’s college basketball

Dawn Staley said that Caitlin Clark is the sole reason for the ratings boost in women’s college hoops.

While South Carolina topped Iowa in the women’s NCAA national championship game this month, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley is giving sole credit to former Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark for the recent ratings boost in the sport.

Indeed, this year’s tournament drew in record numbers when Clark was on the court. To Staley, the impact that the new Indiana Fever guard had on women’s basketball is immense.

Speaking with 670 The Score about spreading awareness for the sport, Staley argued that Clark is “the sole reason” for the ratings boost the game has experienced recently, and that her popularity helps bring awareness to other deserving athletes in the sport when they play each other.

“Caitlin Clark is the sole reason why viewership has shot through the roof for our game,” Staley told the radio show. “And I think the decision-makers are following suit in making sure that other games are being played besides Caitlin Clark because, if you play Caitlin Clark, you’re going to run up against somebody that you might find that’s pretty good.”

Staley’s sentiments make sense in the way that rising tides lift all boats, and Clark’s popularity absolutely drew audiences in and exposed them to more of the college game’s bright stars.

However, others might argue that while Clark may have been the main reason for the recent ratings boost, there were other standouts in the game that played a key role in the recent elevation of awareness.

Either way, Staley is an authoritative voice in women’s college basketball, and her praise of Clark’s impact on the game holds major credence.

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Geno Auriemma says changing the WNBA eligibility rules could ruin women’s college basketball

Geno Auriemma thinks WNBA eligibility rules should stay exactly as they are to preserve women’s college hoops.

Women’s college basketball is in a place of high interest right now after the careers of stars like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, LSU’s Angel Reese, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso and UConn’s Paige Bueckers.

In fact, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James spoke recently about how that familiarity has generated more star power for the women’s side than the men’s side of the sport.

However, the odds of losing one of those premiere talents after a year could ruin the women’s college hoops altogether, at least to UConn coaching legend Geno Auriemma told ESPN Radio’s “UnSportsmanLike” this week.

As of 2022, domestic women’s college players who are graduating seniors or are at least 22 years old can be eligible for the WNBA Draft. Meanwhile, men’s college basketball players only have to play for a year pre-NBA before turning pro.

To Auriemma, giving women’s basketball athletes the chance to leave after only a year could prove catastrophic.

“It depends whether you want the game to grow or you want to kill it,” Auriemma shared on the show. “If you want to kill it, then let the kids leave after freshman year.

“On the men’s side, it’s become transactional. Everybody’s a free agent. Everybody’s a mercenary. It’s not the kids’ fault. … To me, what helped the women’s game grow is the people in Iowa got to grow up with Caitlin Clark. The people of Connecticut got to grow up with all of my great players. There’s something to be said for that.”

While we’re not sure what the future holds for WNBA eligibility, we do know that Auriemma joins the group who feels things should stay exactly as they are.

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Caitlin Clark fans may have to wait more than half the season if they want to get her WNBA jersey

Fanatics said Caitlin Clark jerseys sold faster than any other athlete in company history.

The Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and will now have plenty of new fans.

It was not exactly a secret that Clark was headed to the Fever with the top selection. Not only did she get a very Indiana-specific NIL deal but local businesses and muralists started the push to bring her to the team long before she heard her name called on draft night.

Yet those who want to support the superstar by buying a jersey of her new team may have to wait a bit longer. While it is for sale via Fanatics, this is listed only as a pre-order.

In fairness, per Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, Clark that fastest-selling jersey on draft night of any athlete in company history.

Per the website:

“This is a special event item. Orders containing this product will be shipped separately. This item will be shipped no later than Wednesday, August 14, 2024.”

For what it is worth, the Fever will have played at least 26 of their 40 games by the date of that shipping estimate.

Of course, while there is a ton of excitement about Clark, it is disappointing for fans who want a jersey sooner rather than later.

It is also frustrating that folks who want to support other players on the Fever, like WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston, do not even have an opportunity to buy her jersey on Fanatics.

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UConn wins back-back NCAA titles despite 37-point showing from Canadian Zach Edey

After over two weeks, 68 teams , and six consecutive elimination rounds, the UConn Huskies (37-3) stand alone as the best College Basketball team in the nation. Connecticut denied the Perdue Boilermakers (34-5) their first NCAA Division I …

After over two weeks, 68 teams, and six consecutive elimination rounds, the UConn Huskies (37-3) stand alone as the best College Basketball team in the nation. Connecticut denied the Perdue Boilermakers (34-5) their first NCAA Division I Championship in program history, defeating them 67-43 and repeating as champions for the first time since the Florida Gators in 2006-07. The win moves the Huskies to third on the all-time list, tying North Carolina at six titles after winning three times over the past decade (2014, 2023, 2024).  

UConn defeated Perdue by a score of 75-60, nearly identical to their 76-59 victory over San Diego State in last season’s final. It was a one man show for the Boilermakers with Canadian Zach Edey putting up over half of his team’s points, scoring 37 to go along with 10 rebounds. This impressive performance was not good enough to get past Connecticut’s four headed monster of Donovan Clingan, Cam Spencer, Stephon Castle, and Tristen Newton who each scored in the double digits. Newton led the charge with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, earning him Most Outstanding Player honours at excellent odds of +650 as the fourth most likely player to win heading into the final. 

With the randomness that March Madness brings, it’s rare to see the two most talented teams still standing at the end, but that was the case this season with UConn opening as the tournament favourites at +400 and Perdue close behind in third at +700 per Fanduel. One of the two teams ranked as number one for more than half of the regular season, and both teams dominated their way to the final, with UConn outscoring opponents by an average of 25 points and Perdue by an average of 19.6 points. 

The Huskies outscored opponents by 140 points and became just the sixth team in tournament history to win all six of their games by double digits. Dating back to last year, they have won 12 straight March Madness games by 13 points or more. They move to 6-0 in Championships games, with all their finals appearances coming since 1999. 

The Boilermakers meanwhile move to 0-2 in finals appearances, reaching their first final since 1969 after becoming just the second No.1 seed to lose in the first round a year prior. Credit the Huskies defence for holding the countries second best three-point shooting team to under 10 attempts for just the second time this season. UConn was happy to allow 37 points on 25 shots to the National Player of the Year with the rest over the team shooting 1/7 behind the arch. 

With the NCAA season concluded, basketball fans can shift their attention back to the NBA. Just four games remain in the regular season, with the Play-In Tournament set to begin on April 16th and the Playoffs on April 20th. Donavan Clingan, Stephan Castle, Zach Edey, and Tristen Newton are all expected to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft, which will take place on June 26th, three days after game 7 of the NBA Finals is scheduled. 

If you are looking to bet on the NBA playoffs, the upcoming NBA draft, or get early futures in for next year’s college basketball season, make sure to check out Ontario sportsbooks for the best betting sites your province has to offer. The Celtics are currently favoured to win the NBA Championship at +185, but the Denver Nuggets are close behind at +325, looking to repeat as champions. The Toronto Raptors have been eliminated from postseason contention, but you can still wager on who they will select in the draft with the 6th overall selection.

Kentucky’s reported men’s basketball coaching candidate list unsurprisingly features big names like Dan Hurley

Kentucky’s reported list of men’s basketball coaching candidates is not a surprise.

Kentucky’s reported list of possible men’s basketball coaching candidates to replace John Calipari is about what you’d expect it to be.

Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones shared on Tuesday night a ranked list of candidates for the school, which understandably had UConn’s Dan Hurley at the top.

Hurley downplayed the idea of him joining the Wildcats after winning his second national title with the Huskies on Monday night, but he didn’t say no outright. It’s very possible that Kentucky could make a Godfather-style offer that Hurley couldn’t refuse, but so could UConn, hypothetically.

Baylor’s Scott Drew was second on the list as a primary backup to Hurley, and Jones added he’d be “very surprised” if that list got past the second option.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan was third, as he’d make a leap back to the college ranks after nearly a decade in the NBA if he decided to take the Kentucky job.

Hurley leaving UConn feels like a shaky proposition after the massive success he’s found at the school, making Drew the most likely option for the job at this juncture to Jones.

Drew won a championship with Baylor in 2021 and has spent more than two decades with the school. However, he’s only 53 and has plenty of coaching ahead of him. Hurley is the slam dunk in this situation, but Drew offers a ton of experience and would be very smart for its own reasons.

We’ll see how this all shakes out, but it’s not surprising to see these three major names linked to one of the biggest college jobs in the country.

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Fresno State Basketball: The Bulldogs Hire Vance Walberg as 20th Head Coach

Fresno State Basketball: The Bulldogs Hire Vance Walberg as 20th Head Coach The Bulldogs end their coaching search with an experienced coaching hire. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Fresno State hires a local winning coach in Vance Walberg. …

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Fresno State Basketball: The Bulldogs Hire Vance Walberg as 20th Head Coach

The Bulldogs end their coaching search with an experienced coaching hire.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Fresno State hires a local winning coach in Vance Walberg.

Fresno, CA–The Fresno State Bulldogs have their man, as an announcement from the athletic department named Vance Walberg as the program’s 20th head coach.

The 67-year-old’s head coaching experience at the D-I level was brief & well over a decade ago in a two season stint at Pepperdine. He led the Waves to an overall record of 14-35 during that time.

It’s a different hire than when Justin Hutson was brought in back in 2018. Walberg’s coaching background spans all levels of basketball, especially in the Central Valley.

Walberg spent twenty-one years (two separate stints) at Clovis West High School in Fresno. Winning 11 state titles from 1989-2002 before moving to the college ranks at Fresno City College between 2002-2006. Posting an overall record of 133-11 & a State Championship to cap off an undefeated 2005 season.

After his time in Malibu, Walberg spent 2008 to 2011 as an assistant at UMASS before making the jump to the NBA coaching ranks. Spending 2012 to 2016 with the Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers & lastly with the Sacramento Kings.

The job is tougher than it appears from the commonly described “a mid-tier job out in a recruiting hotbed state like California” status it gets from bystanders outside the conference.

Though the Bulldogs have never quite found their footing in the Mountain West since joining in 2012. Enjoying five seasons with above .500 records in conference play, most of which came in the latter portion of Rodney Terry’s tenure before darting off to UTEP & eventually the University of Texas.

Since Jerry Tarkanian left, Fresno State has not been to the NCAA Tournament since winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament in 2016. Fresno State also hasn’t won a conference title since way back in 2003 as members of the WAC.

Walberg will inherit a clean slate roster wise heading into next season. With six players in the portal to potentially re-recruit, a part of a new world in college athletics plenty of coaches with his age & resume find tough to navigate.

But his age & status as the oldest hire in program history shouldn’t put a damper on any potential future winning as one of the more successful coaches currently in the Mountain West is sixty-four & enjoying success down in San Diego. Walberg has also won at every head coaching gig he has been at, & Bulldog fans are ready for some winning on the hardwood again.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

Caitlin Clark praised Paige Bueckers ahead of Iowa and UConn’s Final Four game

Caitlin Clark has tremendous respect for Paige Bueckers and how she plays the game.

Ahead of their 2024 women’s NCAA Final Four game, Iowa women’s basketball’s Caitlin Clark praised UConn’s Paige Bueckers and what she’s been able to accomplish in her career.

Clark and Bueckers have known each other since middle school, and the former lauded the latter for her competitive spirit and the way she leads her team when she plays.

It’s a really cool reminder from Clark for how much these athletes respect one another, even when the competition gets fierce with a shared goal on the table.

Clark will be headed to the WNBA after the season while Bueckers will stay in school for another year. It sure sounds like Clark will be cheering Bueckers on as she remains one of college basketball’s true stars.

Bueckers also talked about the possibility that she’ll replace Clark as the sport’s biggest star next season, hoping instead that the focus will shift more to all of the great women’s basketball players at the collegiate level.

These were some really cool insights from two of the game’s great players, who are both winners no matter who wins in the Final Four game on Friday.

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Caitlin Clark learned she won AP Player of the Year with a Wheel of Fortune puzzle

It’s certainly not puzzling to see how Caitlin Clark won this award.

Iowa women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark won her second AP Player of the Year honor this week, and she found out the news in the best way.

During a Hawkeyes team meeting, coach Lisa Bluder revealed a Wheel of Fortune-style game puzzle for Iowa to figure out.

As letters were guessed, it became apparent that it had something to do with Clark, as the team soon celebrated the basketball phenom on her stellar achievement once the puzzle was solved.

If you’re going to find out such fantastic news in your last days as a college basketball player, it might as well be in a fun way like this. Clark looked elated at the recognition, as she definitely earned it for what she’s done this season.

You definitely don’t need a Wheel of Fortune puzzle to remind you of that.

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DJ Burns offered a definitive answer to a possible football career after he’s done at NC State

NFL scouts have been intrigued with the NC State big man.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — NC State’s surprise run to the men’s Final Four was fueled largely in part by the stellar play of big man DJ Burns. And while you’d normally think of a Final Four run as a prime showcase for NBA scouts, it was apparently NFL scouts who came away intrigued with the 6-foot-9, 275-pound senior.

Burns, though, doesn’t seem open to a football career.

Speaking to reporters in Arizona on Thursday, Burns was asked about the interest he’s created amongst NFL evaluators. And Burns made it clear that his interest remains entirely on basketball.

He said he had “zero” desire to play football after his time is done at NC State.

Now, just a couple days earlier, Burns didn’t completely rule out the possibility of football in an interview with Dan Patrick. He said to Patrick that he wasn’t a close-minded person, but would still pursue basketball opportunities first.

It’s obvious is heart is in basketball, and that’s been on display throughout March Madness.