Tag: arizona basketball

Arizona’s strong form continues to bolster Wisconsin basketball’s resume

Arizona’s strong form continues to bolster Wisconsin basketball’s resume

After dropping just six points against the Wisconsin Badgers on Nov. 15, Arizona star guard Caleb Love came alive against No. 3 Iowa State on Monday.

Searching for its first signature win of the 2024-25 season, the unranked Wildcats faced a 71-68 deficit with just 2.2 seconds remaining. Love, who had scored 11 points prior to the game’s final sequence, received the inbounds pass with thousands of Wildcat fans praying for a miracle.

Luckily for them, the veteran guard delivered.

From 60 feet away, Love nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the contest at 71 apiece and send the game into overtime. In that five-minute period, the former North Carolina Tar Heel added eight more points to his total to finish with 22 on the night.

 

The win was easily the most impressive for Arizona all season and immediately bolstered its likelihood of returning to national hierarchies. Iowa State, which had dropped just two games prior to Monday’s game, falls to 17-3 with the heartbreaking loss.

Most notably for Wisconsin fans, the team’s early-season win over the Wildcats, which held the No. 9 position in the AP Poll at the time, looks much more impressive.

In that game, Wisconsin star wing John Tonje dropped a career-best 41 points  off 21-of-22 from the free throw line to set the tone for the Badgers’ 2024-25 season. Love, the hero on Monday, accounted for only six.

All four of Wisconsin’s losses prior have now arrived against teams in the top 20 of the NCAA NET Ranking.

This could prove even more beneficial if the Badgers defeat Maryland in College Park on Jan. 29 and Northwestern on Feb. 1. If Greg Gard’s group accomplishes that, fans should expect Wisconsin to continue to rise near the nation’s top 10.

Bryce James continues family tradition of spurning Ohio State with Arizona commitment

Bryce James is officially an Arizona Wildcat.

Bryce James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has officially committed to a college basketball program.

On Wednesday, the young James shared on Instagram that Arizona will be his next stop once he finishes his playing days at Sierra Canyon.

Bryce James follows in the college basketball footsteps of his brother, Bronny James, who played a season at USC before joining his dad in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Funny enough, Ohio State was one of the teams trying to land Bryce James, who will now play for Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats.

Outside of Ohio State, Notre Dame and Duquesne also offered Bryce James ahead of his Arizona commitment, per Rivals.

Tough luck, Buckeye fans.

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Wisconsin basketball vs. Arizona: Full matchup preview for Friday’s game

Wisconsin basketball vs. Arizona: Full matchup preview for Friday’s game

Wisconsin basketball (3-0) returns to the hardwood for its fourth game of the 2024-25 slate on Friday night for a matchup against the Arizona Wildcats (2-0).

The Badgers enter the contest after a 87-56 win over Appalachian State last Sunday. The performance was easily UW’s most impressive of the season — the Badgers rattled off a 23-0 scoring surge in the first half to virtually seal the triumph at the Kohl Center.

Arizona, meanwhile, is 2-0 to start the year with an average margin of victory of 43.5 points per game. Its most recent win arrived in a 58-point triumph over Old Dominion on Nov. 9.

Led by guard Caleb Love, Arizona rosters seven players who score at least nine points per game. The Wildcats hold the No. 9 ranking in the nation and have become one of the top programs across the entire sport.

Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CT on Peacock. Before that point, here is a full preview of how the Badgers and Wildcats match up:

Statistical Preview

KenPom Rating:

  • Wisconsin: No. 39 overall (No. 34 offense, No. 63 defense)
  • Arizona: No. 7 (No. 11 offense, No. 12 defense)

ESPN BPI

  • Wisconsin: No. 27 overall (13.2) — No. 5 in the Big Ten
  • Arizona: No. 4 overall (19.4) — No. 2 in the Big 12

2024-25 Averages:

  • Wisconsin: 83.7 points per game (47% shooting, 37 % from three), 61.3 points allowed per game (42% shooting allowed, 38% from three)
  • Arizona: 97.5 points per game (50% shooting, 32% from three), 54 points allowed per game (37% shooting allowed, 29% from three)

ESPN Matchup Predictor:

  • Arizona 62.1% chance to win, Wisconsin 37.9%

Wisconsin Key Players

  • G John Blackwell (12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1 steal on 39% shooting)
  • G Max Klesmit (16 points, 1.0 rebound, 2.0 assists, 3.0 steals on 43% shooting)
  • Wing John Tonje (17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists on 55% shooting)
  • C Steven Crowl (10 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists on 48% shooting)
  • F Nolan Winter (10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1 assist on 70% shooting)

Arizona Key Players

  • G Caleb Love (13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds on 46% shooting)
  • F Tobe Awaka (11.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks on 69% shooting)
  • G Jaden Bradley (11.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 50% shooting)
  • G KJ Lewis (11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks on 56% shooting)
  • F Carter Bryant (9 points, 2.5 rebounds, on 58% shooting)

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Prediction, betting odds

Spread: Arizona favored by 4 1/2

Moneyline: Arizona minus-115, Wisconsin plus-105

Over/Under: 152 1/2

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.

Wisconsin has played extremely well in all three second halves of their first three games of the 2024-25 season. Backed by 17.7 points per contest from transfer wing John Tonje, the Badgers have put together an extremely efficient season from all three levels of the hardwood. UW also opened its season with two 7-footers down low in Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter, a potentially lethal threat against smaller lineups.

Unfortunately for UW, Arizona accounts for 51 rebounds per game and leans on a well-rounded attack from nearly every player in its rotation. In fact, seven players muster at least nine points per appearance.

Prediction: Arizona 92, Wisconsin 78

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Wisconsin basketball to honor program legend on Nov. 15 vs. Arizona

Wisconsin basketball to honor program legend on Nov. 15 vs. Arizona

Wisconsin basketball will honor recent Hall of Fame inductee Bo Ryan on Nov. 15 against the Arizona Wildcats at the Kohl Center.

The program, which will also celebrate members of its Final Four squads from 2014 and 2015, will raise a banner commemorating Ryan that will adorn the Kohl Center’s rafters forever.

It’s no coincidence that this dedication will arrive against the Wildcats. Ryan coached Frank Kaminsky and company to victories over Arizona in both 2014 and 2015. Both wins were a critical part of each team’s NCAA Tournament runs.

In early October, Ryan was officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside basketball legends including Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Michael Cooper and Walter Davis.

Ryan served as Wisconsin’s head coach for 15 seasons. By the time of his retirement in 2015, he had led UW to a a 364-130 overall record, 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Final Fours and one national championship game during his time manning the sidelines.

Before his time in Madison, Ryan led the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to four NCAA Division III Tournament titles in 1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999. He is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s storied history.

All-American guard returns to Badgers men’s basketball opponent

All-American guard returns to Badgers men’s basketball opponent

Caleb Love, one of the nation’s best college basketball players, announced Wednesday that he is returning to Arizona for the 2024-2025 season.

The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team will square off with him and the Wildcats in the regular season opener on Friday, November 15, at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin faced Arizona last season, dropping the contest 98-73 in Tucson and Love compiled 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in the game.

Love was nearly a member of the Big Ten ahead of this past season, announcing that he was transferring to Michigan, but he ultimately ended up with the Wildcats instead.

Greg Gard’s squad in Madison will be undergoing some significant reorganizing as both primary guards Chucky Hepburn (Louisville) and AJ Storr (Kansas) transferred this offseason while senior forward Tyler Wahl graduated.

John Blackwell and Kamari McGee stand out as two returning players that could see significant workload increases while the team also added guard Camren Hunter (Central Arkansas), forward Xavier Amos (Northern Illinois) and wing John Tonje (Missouri).

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Arizona crashes out of NCAA Tournament vs Clemson, ending Pac-12 hopes of a Final Four

Caleb Love shot way too many 3-pointers. He went 0 for 9. Arizona couldn’t defend late. The Wildcats are out.

The Arizona Wildcats were the best team in the Pac-12 Conference this season. They won the regular-season league championship in the conference’s final year. They were a No. 2 seed at the NCAA Tournament. They reached the Sweet 16 and played an opponent seeded four lines lower. Yet, the Wildcats have made a habit out of losing NCAA March Madness games as a much higher seed. They couldn’t break that habit in a loss on Thursday to the No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers.

Arizona fumbled the bag again in March, ending the Pac-12’s hopes of sending a team to the Men’s Final Four in its final basketball season. Oregon, Colorado and Washington State all reached the second round but were eliminated, leaving Arizona as the Pac’s only hope. That hope was extinguished against Clemson, and it happened in a very familiar way.

Arizona struggled this season whenever Caleb Love struggled. Love was 5 of 18 from the field, 0 for 9 from 3-point range. He took way too many threes when Arizona was having success getting to the free throw line. Love shot Arizona out of the game. Teammate Kylan Boswell also struggled, going 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. Arizona was too reliant on one or two players. The Wildcats also played terrible defense in the final two minutes, getting carved up by Clemson cuts to the basket with no one being there to protect the rim.

It’s up to women’s basketball to deliver a Final Four appearance (maybe more) for the Pac-12 in its final act before death.

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Brad Brownell on Clemson being built for moments like their Sweet 16 win over Arizona

Brad Brownell continually told his team that they are built for this.

Brad Brownell and the Clemson men’s basketball team are making a statement in the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the Tigers have defied odds with three straight underdog wins landing them in the Elite 8. 

Their latest win came in the Sweet 16 as No. 6 Clemson stunned No. 2 Arizona 77-72 in the NCAA’s West Regional on Thursday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Tigers caught fire at the right time, leading to a deep run in March Madness that has yet to show signs of slowing down. 

After the win, Brownell discussed how this Clemson team is built for moments like these. The team’s experience and their time in the ACC have allowed them to be prepared for the big moment. 

“We talked about it at halftime – guys, they’re going to make another run or two. We used the phrase, ‘We’re built for this.’ We can handle this,” said Brownell. “We have confidence in our team. We’ve won some big-time road games this year, we’ve played a very challenging schedule.”

“Again, my point that the ACC is much better than everybody maybe assumes is bearing fruit again, and I just think the league prepares us for these kinds of games,” Brownell said. “I’ve got an older team. These guys have seen a lot, done a lot, and experienced success. So, I’m just really happy that they were able to withstand it, and we executed some things really well down the stretch.”

The Tigers have been underdogs game after game in the tournament, with their matchup against Alabama in the Elite 8 being no different. Even so, Clemson has thrived as the underdog of late and for most of this season. 

Watch Brad Brownell discuss Clemson advancing to the Elite 8 on SportsCenter

Brownell made an appearance on SportsCenter after the Tigers advanced to the Elite 8.

Clemson basketball secured their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980 with an exhilarating 77-72 victory over No. 2 seed Arizona in the NCAA’s West Regional. The Tigers delivered crucial plays in the closing moments, including a clutch layup by Chase Hunter and a decisive breakaway layup from Dillon Hunter, sealing the win in a tense matchup at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Led by Hunter’s game-high 18 points, Clemson displayed a balanced scoring effort, with key contributions from Ian Schieffelin and PJ Hall. Despite Arizona’s attempts to stage a comeback, Clemson maintained control for much of the game, capitalizing on turnovers and strong performances from their bench players.

It was an excellent win for the program, headlined by outstanding coaching from Tigers head coach Brad Brownell. Following the win, Brownell appeared on SportsCenter to discuss the win and the team’s advancing to the Elite 8. Check out the video below.

Clemson advances to the Elite 8 as the underdog run continues

Clemson advances to the Elite 8 with a huge win over Arizona.

Clemson basketball secured their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980 with a gritty 77-72 win over Arizona in the NCAA’s West Regional.

This hard-fought victory showcased Clemson’s determination, with key players like Hall and Schieffelin stepping up when it mattered most. Despite Arizona’s relentless pressure, Clemson capitalized on turnovers and bench contributions to head into halftime with a 39-31 lead.

Chase Hunter’s clutch layup and-one, followed by a breakaway layup from his brother Dillon in the closing seconds, sealed the victory for Clemson. This win against No. 2 Arizona is the highest-seeded team Clemson has ever defeated in an NCAA Tournament game.

Led by Chase Hunter’s game-high 18 points, Clemson showcased resilience and determination throughout the game. Despite Arizona’s second-half surge, Clemson maintained control, leading for all but 20 seconds of the game. With standout performances from players like Ian Schieffelin and PJ Hall, Clemson’s victory was a testament to their teamwork and tenacity on the court.

The Tigers now have three wins in the NCAA Tournament, all three coming as underdogs. Clemson is thriving under the pressure, which has made this run that much more exciting.

The Tigers’ next challenge is the West Regional Finals. They will face the winner of North Carolina vs. Alabama.

Watch Chase Hunter ice the game as Clemson takes down Arizona in the Sweet 16

Watch Chase Hunter put the finishing touches on Clemson’s huge Sweet 16 win over Arizona.

Clemson basketball secured a spot in the Elite Eight in a thrilling matchup with a 77-72 win over No. 2 seed Arizona in the NCAA’s West Regional. This marks a significant achievement for Clemson, as it’s their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980, showcasing the team’s resilience and determination on the court.

Throughout the game, Clemson maintained a narrow lead, with key plays from players like Hall and Schieffelin contributing to their success. Despite facing pressure from Arizona, Clemson capitalized on turnovers and bench contributions, leading to a halftime advantage of 39-31. The team’s strong shooting performance, particularly from bench players like Wiggins and Godfrey, propelled them to a double-digit lead in the first half, setting the stage for their victory and advancement to the Elite Eight.

When the game was in crunch time and the Tigers held a 72-70 lead with 25 seconds left on the clock, Chase Hunter iced the game and continued his historic tournament run for the Tigers. Check out Hunter’s bucket below.