Tag: 2024 NCAA Tournament

Clemson softball’s tournament outlook- Is a national seed possible?

Clemson is at the mercy of other teams, but if it can take care of business through the ACC tournament, there’s a good chance the Tiger earn a regional.

After being left out of Softball America’s top-25 poll for the second week straight, Clemson finds itself in a precarious spot.

Despite the national site’s snub, the Tigers are ranked No. 23 in the RPI rankings, which holds more weight when the selection committee decides tournament seedings. So, is there a way to clinch a national seed and earn a Clemson regional?

Technically, yes, but the Tigers have to go on a run through the ACC Tournament. Like the NET in Basketball, home and away games are weighted differently. With an away series this weekend against Louisville, a loss won’t hurt as bad, but the Cardinals are No. 47 in the RPI. Losing the series could push Clemson further down, potentially pinning them against a higher seed like Texas or Oklahoma.

Right now, the Tigers are at the mercy of teams around the country. Clemson must move as close to No. 16 as possible in the RPI to have a chance at hosting a regional. However, a strong run in the ACC tournament could help.

Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Duke all rank above the Tigers. Clemson only has control of its side of the bracket, but the further they go into the tournament, the more likely those three teams lose.

FSU and Tech also have second-to-last-place in the ACC Syracuse left on their schedules. As the No. 102 team in the RPI, a win won’t do anything to help FSU or Virginia tech, but a couple of losses to Syracuse would do a lot for Clemson’s chances at a national seed.

Former Texas A&M men’s basketball player becomes back-to-back national champion at UConn

Hassan Diarra officially hit the individual jackpot by parlaying a spot on the Aggies bench into becoming a back-to-back national champion.

On Monday night in Arizona, a former Texas A&M men’s basketball player officially hit the individual jackpot by parlaying a spot on the Aggies bench into becoming a back-to-back national champion.

After two seasons in College Station, guard Hassan Diarra entered the transfer portal in 2022 and eventually chose the University of Connecticut as his next home. Choosing to play for Dan Hurley and the Huskies was ultimately a wise one as Diarra won his second consecutive title earlier this week.

In 13 minutes of action, Diarra tallied 9 points on 4-of-6 field goal attempts and 1-of-2 from 3-point range with 2 rebounds. In a battle of top seeds, UConn beat Purdue 75-60.

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being in his fourth collegiate season, Diarra has the option to return to school for one more year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears very likely that he joins his peer, women’s hoops star Paige Bueckers, in coming back for one more year with the Huskies.

Diarra’s most memorable moment in Aggieland came during the 2022 SEC Tournament second round when he hit an overtime game-winner against Florida.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan, who helped the Huskies win back-to-back championships. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 31 minutes in UConn’s 75-60 win over Purdue in the national championship game on Monday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and was the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 37 points on 15-of-25 shooting, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes in Purdue’s 75-60 loss to UConn in the national championship game on Monday.

Edey is a polarizing figure as a draft prospect. After opting out of last year’s draft, he returned for his senior season at Purdue and put up monster numbers. In 35 games, he averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He led Purdue to a No. 1 seed.

The concern with the 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man is his mobility and slowness. If he can’t improve in those areas, he might not survive as an NBA center.

On the Thunder, Edey would add serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. However, he ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn to Final Four win

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn to Final Four win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament concluded, the top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, five rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes in UConn’s 86-72 win over Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey leads Purdue to Final Four win

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey leads Purdue to Final Four win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament concluded, the top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 40 minutes in Purdue’s 63-50 win over NC State in the Final Four on Saturday.

Edey is a polarizing figure as a draft prospect. After opting out of last year’s draft, he returned for his senior season at Purdue and put up monster numbers. In 35 games, he averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He led Purdue to a No. 1 seed.

The concern with the 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man is his mobility and slowness. If he can’t improve in those areas, he might not survive as an NBA center.

On the Thunder, Edey would add serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. He ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

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Joe Girard’s heartfelt message to Clemson fans

Clemson Basketball: Few players in the history of Clemson basketball left more of an impact in just one season than senior guard Joe Girard did.

Few players in the history of Clemson basketball left more of an impact in just one season than Joe Girard did.

The Glens Falls, N.Y. native, who transferred to Clemson from Syracuse after legendary coach Jim Boeheim announced his retirement last year, helped lead the Tigers to only their second all-time Elite Eight appearance — and first since 1980.

With his decision to transfer to Clemson, Girard gave the Tigers not only an instant scoring threat; he lended a certain layer of credibility to the program.

Girard averaged 15 points per game for Clemson and played in all 36 contests this season. He had a 25-point night in the Tigers’ ACC opener at Pitt and had nine games with 20 or more points, including a season-high 26 against Boston College on January 13.

Girard scored 19 points in the Tigers’ 89-82 loss to Alabama on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Girard took to social media to issue a special heartfelt message to Clemson fans.

“Clemson family,

“I just wanted to give you all a big thank you! Although I was only here for a year, you guys gave me a home away from home.

“To Coach Brownell & staff, the managers, and my incredible teammates, thank you for giving me another historic run in March Madness capped off with an Elite 8!

“The decision to transfer here was everything I wanted and more.

“I’m proud to be able to call myself a Clemson Tiger for life. Tiger Pride! -JG3 Out”

NC State’s Final Four run continues recent stretch of ACC dominance in NCAA Tournament

The Atlantic Coast Conference has found success in the Final Four with the latest run from NC State.

It’s going to be weird watching the Final Four with no UNC in it, but we’ll be fine.

Thursday’s loss to Alabama was certainly heartbreaking, but there’s no denying that what North Carolina did was special. The Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament entirely last year, came back with a majority of the same players and won their first, outright ACC Regular Season Title since 2016.

Right now, college basketball’s attention (UNC fans, too) has turned to rival NC State.

The Wolfpack wouldn’t be playing in the Final Four if it weren’t for Michael O’Connell’s game-tying, buzzer-beating shot in the ACC Tournament Semifinal against UVA. Cavaliers guard Isaac McKneely bricked the front end of a one-and-one, NC State pushed it up court, then O’Connell drained an insane attempt.

The Wolfpack later won that game in overtime, downed North Carolina in the ACC Championship and now sport a 9-game winning streak. They’ll be playing the Zach Edey-led Purdue Boilermakers in the Final Four on Saturday, April 6 at 6:09 p.m. ET

With NC State’s win over Duke, it became the fifth different ACC program to reach a Final Four in the past five NCAA Men’s Tournaments.

Please excuse sports blogger Danny Neckel’s typo in the post. He even has some fun with it in the comment thread.

Miami represented the ACC last year, making its first Final Four appearance in school history. UNC and Duke, two of the conference’s premier programs, did the same in 2022. No ACC program made the Final Four in 2021, COVID cancelled the 2020 Big Dance, while UVA won it all in 2019.

I rarely root for NC State, but how can you not fall in love with them when they’re led by DJ Burns, who has unofficially become America’s Sweetheart?

The Wolfpack’s bruising, Shaq-esque center already has two 20-point games in the NCAA Tournament, including a 29-point explosion on Easter against Duke. When Burns isn’t terrorizing opponents on the court, he’s smiling and acting as NC State’s fun-loving, big-hearted hero.

Will the Wolfpack be able to continue their Cinderella run against Purdue?

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

 

How to buy Iowa 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four tickets

Iowa women’s basketball is headed back to the Final Four. Want to watch Caitlin Clark finish her career in person? Tickets still remain for as little as $416.

Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes are headed to the 2024 Final Four.

No. 1 Iowa defeated No. 3 LSU 94-87 in a rematch of last year’s National Championship game.

Clark led the Hawkeyes with 41 points 12 assists and seven rebounds.

SHOP: Iowa Hawkeyes Final Four tickets

Iowa will take on the winner of Monday night’s Elite Eight matchup between JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans and Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies.

Limited tickets to the women’s Final Four are still available, and at the time of publication are available for as little as $416.

The Final Four will be played on Friday, April 5 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Final Four tickets give access to both Iowa’s game and the matchup between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 North Carolina State.

Weekend passes are also available, giving access to both Final Four games on Friday and Sunday night’s National Championship. Weekend passes are available for as little as $878.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Iowa Final Four tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/9OX9gG9″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop women’s Final Four weekend passes” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/bxmP5ZG”]

How to buy Iowa 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four tickets

Iowa women’s basketball is headed back to the Final Four. Want to watch Caitlin Clark finish her career in person? Tickets still remain for as little as $416.

Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes are headed to the 2024 Final Four.

No. 1 Iowa defeated No. 3 LSU 94-87 in a rematch of last year’s National Championship game.

Clark led the Hawkeyes with 41 points 12 assists and seven rebounds.

SHOP: Iowa Hawkeyes Final Four tickets

Iowa will take on the winner of Monday night’s Elite Eight matchup between JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans and Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies.

Limited tickets to the women’s Final Four are still available, and at the time of publication are available for as little as $416.

The Final Four will be played on Friday, April 5 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Final Four tickets give access to both Iowa’s game and the matchup between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 North Carolina State.

Weekend passes are also available, giving access to both Final Four games on Friday and Sunday night’s National Championship. Weekend passes are available for as little as $878.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Iowa Final Four tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/9OX9gG9″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop women’s Final Four weekend passes” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/bxmP5ZG”]