Tag: Arizona Wildcats

Report: All-Pac-12 guard Pelle Larsson to forgo eligibility after declaring for NBA draft

Larsson was named to the All-Pac-12 second team after averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Arizona senior Pelle Larsson will reportedly forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2024 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Larsson was named to the All-Pac-12 second team after averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 42.6% shooting from 3-point range in 36 games. He scored in double figures 27 times, including a season-high 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds on Feb. 8.

The 6-foot-6 guard became the 55th player in program history to score 1,000 career points after three years (1,073). He is one of seven players in the country since the 1996-97 season to record at least 1,200 points, 500 rebounds and 100 steals on 49% shooting from the field.

Larsson, who was born in Sweden, began playing professional basketball at 16 years old. He played one season each with RIG Lulea and BC Lulea in the Swedish Basketball League before joining Utah as a freshman for the 2020-21 season.

The 23-year-old has represented Sweden at the junior several times and once at the senior level, most recently in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup European qualifiers. He averaged 6.3 points and two rebounds in four appearances.

Larsson is considered a potential second-round pick in the draft this year, given his ability to affect games in a variety of ways. He can score at each level and is highly touted for his vision, acting as a connector on offense at times.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Duke finalizing agreement to take on Kansas in Las Vegas for neutral site game, per Jon Rothstein

Duke and Kansas are finalizing an agreement for a non-conference matchup in November.

Duke’s already challenging non-conference schedule for 2024 is about to get even more difficult.

Jon Scheyer and his soon-to-be-revamped Blue Devils team will take on another college basketball blue blood in Kansas this November.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, one of college basketball’s biggest insiders, confirmed that the two legendary programs are in the process of finalizing a November matchup in Las Vegas.

No official announcement is imminent, and a date and time have yet to be decided upon, but things are in motion behind the scenes.

The last time these two titans faced off was in the Champions Classic in 2022, Jon Scheyer’s first season as Duke’s head coach following the departure of Coach K. Kansas went on to win that game 69-64 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Jayhawks finished the game on a 15-5 run over the final 4:37. In total, Duke is 8-6 all-time against the Jayhawks.

Bill Self will bring a revamped roster as he looks to improve upon a less-than-stellar season by Kansas standards. The Jayhawks made the Sweet 16, but they were often injured and didn’t have the depth necessary to compete.

The Jayhawks have been aggressive and active in the transfer portal, landing new names like AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, and Michael Ajayi for their roster. They also are returning Hunter Dickinson and Dajuan Harris.

If the two schools reach a final agreement, Duke will play Arizona, Kentucky, and Kansas as part of its non-conference schedule in 2024.

Report: Arizona WR Jacob Cowing visiting 49ers on Wednesday

The Arizona WIldcats wide receiver grabbed 90 receptions with 13 touchdowns in his final season in Tuscon.

Although the NFL draft is nearly a week away, there is still time for prospects to make visits at different NFL facilities across the league.

On Wednesday, the San Francisco 49ers reportedly welcomed an All-Pac 12 honorable mention to town for a visit. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Jacob Cowing is visiting the 49ers on Wednesday.

Via @AaronWilson_NFL on Twitter:

After three seasons at UTEP, Cowing transferred to Arizona for his final two seasons of college football. At Arizona, Cowing had back-to-back seasons with 85 or more receptions. In his senior year, Cowing recorded 90 catches for 848 yards while snatching a career-best 13 touchdowns. Cowing’s 13 touchdown receptions tied for sixth-best in the country last year.

Cowing put an exclamation mark on the end of his college career with seven catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. Cowing was named Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP after his red-hot performance against the Sooners.

After the season, Cowing was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

The first round of the NFL Draft is set for next Thursday, April 25.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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2025 NCAA basketball championship odds: Who is favored? Will UConn 3-peat?

Looking at the 2025 NCAA basketball championship odds as the 2023-24 season just wrapped up.

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It’s never too soon to think about next season.

While the UConn Huskies were finishing off the Purdue Boilermakers Monday in Glendale, Ariz, other programs — and players — have already set their focus on what it will take to get to the 2025 National Championship Game in San Antonio’s Alamodome next April 7.

Numerous players have entered the transfer portal, from FAU G Johnell Davis to Arizona C Oumar Ballo. Davis reportedly will test the waters and enter the NBA Draft.

Florida G Walter Clayton Jr., LSU G Jalen Cook and even USC G Bronny James are among a group who have declared or reportedly will declare for the upcoming draft.

Coaches are on the move, too. Sources have John Calipari leaving Kentucky for SEC rival Arkansas. He would replace Eric Musselman, who is headed to USC … which lost Andy Enfield to SMU.

So, who will win the championship next season?

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

2025 NCAA basketball championship odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, April 8, at 11:56 p.m. ET.

THE FAVORITES

  • Duke Blue Devils +1100 (bet $100 to win $1,100)
  • Kansas Jayhawks +1200
  • Alabama Crimson Tide +1500
  • Houston Cougars +1500
  • North Carolina Tar Heels +1500
  • UConn Huskies +1800

THE CONTENDERS

  • Arizona Wildcats +2000
  • Kentucky Wildcats +2000
  • Baylor Bears +3000
  • Gonzaga Bulldogs +3000
  • Purdue Boilermakers +3000
  • Tennessee Volunteers +3600
  • Texas Longhorns +3600

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YOU NEVER KNOW

  • Arkansas Razorbacks +4000
  • Auburn Tigers +4000
  • BYU Cougars +4000
  • Illinois Fighting Illini +4000
  • Iowa State Cyclones +4000
  • Creighton Bluejays +4500
  • Marquette Golden Eagles +4500

NOTEWORTHY ???

  • Michigan Wolverines +5000
  • Miami Hurricanes +5000
  • Florida Gators +5500
  • Michigan State Spartans +5500
  • Ohio State Buckeyes +5500
  • St. John’s Red Storm +5500
  • UCLA Bruins +5500
  • Villanova Wildcats +5500
  • Wisconsin Badgers +5500

+6000

San Diego State Aztecs | USC Trojans

+8000

Indiana Hoosiers | Kansas State Wildcats

Louisville Cardinals | Virginia Cavaliers

Washington Huskies

+10000

Iowa Hawkeyes |  Oklahoma Sooners

Oregon Ducks |  Syracuse Orange

+15000

Colorado Buffaloes | NC State Wolfpack

Northwestern Wildcats | Notre Dame Fighting Irish

+25000

Arizona State Sun Devils

+30000

FAU Owls | Stanford Cardinal

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

LONGEST SHOTS (+50000 each)

McNeese Cowboys |  Oakland Golden Grizzlies

Oregon State Beavers | UC Irvine Anteaters

Vermont Catamounts | Yale Bulldogs

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 on Twitter/X.  Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

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Images from Clemson’s win over Arizona in the Sweet 16

Some of the best images from Clemon’s Sweet 16 victory over No. 2 Arizona.

Their ticket to the Elite 8 has been punched. The Clemson Tigers were able to fend off a blue blood program to return to the Elite 8 round for the first time since 1980.

Head coach Brad Brownell came into the season on the proverbial hot seat but this showing has certainly removed any thought of replacing him as the man in charge of the Tigers basketball program.

Guard Chase Hunter led the way for Clemson wth 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Forward PJ Hall was once again key for the team’s success with 17 points and eight rebounds. The other forward, Ian Scheffelin added another 14 points as the Tigers earned the improbable victory.

On Arizona’s side, Caleb Love, Oumar Ballo, and Jaden Bradley combined to pour in 46 of the Wildcats’ 72 points. Bradley did so coming off the bench.It wasn’t enough as the University of Arizona missed out on the Elite 8 once again but this time they made it past the opening weekend unlike last season.

Check out these images from the Clemson game ahead of their matchup with Alabama on Saturday.

Poor shooting prevents an RJ Davis-Caleb Love rematch in the Elite 8

Star UNC guard RJ Davis and Arizona guard Caleb Love, a former Tar Heel, both shot horrendously from the field last night in Sweet 16 losses.

Coming into the NCAA Tournament, one of the greatest storylines to watch for was a potential battle between UNC and Arizona.

Why? It would’ve pit reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis against his former backcourt mate, Caleb Love, who is the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year. The two remain friendly with each other, despite the rumored drama that much of Tar Heel Nation speculated to Love transferring.

It appeared the Tar Heels and Wildcats were on track to play each other – until upsets in Thursday night’s Sweet 16.

North Carolina was outplayed by an ever faster Alabama squad, while Clemson looked like the early-season version of itself, against one of the NCAA Tournament’s biggest chokers.

Two major reasons behind UNC and Arizona’s poor play were horrid shooting nights from Davis and Love, who shot a combined 0-of-18 from deep.

Davis was overall 4-of-20 from the field, but made 8-of-9 free throw attempts. Love was a bit better at 5-of-18, but still not impressive.

It’s difficult to imagine these two never helped North Carolina win a National Championship, but poor shooting nights like these certainly don’t help their cases. Every good player is bound to have a bad shooting night, but it stings extra when those nights come on the biggest stage of college basketball.

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

Caleb Love and RJ Davis make unfortunate history on Thursday

Former Tar Heels teammates Caleb Love and RJ Davis both went 0/9 from 3-point range during upset losses on Thursday night, the first team two players did so on the same night in NCAA Tournament history.

Caleb Love and RJ Davis aren’t both wearing Carolina blue anymore, but the former teammates shared some accidental (and unfortunate) solidarity on Thursday night.

Both Davis’s North Carolina Tar Heels and Love’s Arizona Wildcats lost in the Sweet 16, and neither guard had a game to their usual standards. In fact, they each had one of the worst games of their careers.

Davis, the All-American Tar Heels star, finished with 16 points on 4/20 shooting. Love, the former Tar Heel who sent Duke packing in the Final Four two years ago, finished with 13 points on 5/18 shooting. Both players went 0/9 from beyond the arc.

Not only had neither player finished 0/9 from distance before, but two such performances in one night was unprecedented. Literally.

According to former ESPN researcher Jared Berson, Thursday night was the first time in NCAA Tournament history that two different players from 0/9 or worse from 3-point range on the same day.

Add it all up, and the former North Carolina teammates went a combined 9/38 (23.7%) from the floor and 0/18 from behind the 3-point line.

Duke villain Caleb Love struggles in Arizona’s upset Sweet 16 loss

Caleb Love, who helped UNC defeat Duke in Coach K’s final home game and final NCAA Tournament game, bowed out of this year’s bracket earlier than hoped after Arizona lost to Clemson on Thursday.

One upset loss can’t outweigh all the pain Caleb Love caused Duke fans two years ago. But it feels nice.

Love and the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats lost to No. 6 Clemson 77-72 on Thursday night alongside his Arizona teammates.

Love began his career with North Carolina, and he forever etched himself into Blue Devils lore in March 2022. He helped UNC upset the Blue Devils on senior night, the final home game of five-time national champion Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching career. In that same postseason, he hit the game-clinching 3-pointer to send Duke and Coach K home in the Final Four.

Love transferred to Arizona for the 2023-24 season, but even though he was in the Pac-12, he and the Wildcats came to Cameron and beat the Blue Devils again in the second game of the year.

This time around, however, Love couldn’t summon any heroics. The senior and this year’s Pac-12 Player of the Year finished 5/18 from the floor and 0/9 from three. He scored only 13 points.

His teammates didn’t fare much better as Arizona shot 37% from the floor and 18% from beyond the arc.

The Wildcats, the No. 2 seed in the West region, became the first top-two seed eliminated from March Madness.

Clemson advances to play Alabama, who defeated No. 1 North Carolina on Thursday night.

How to buy Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tickets in Los Angeles for 2024 NCAA Tournament West Regional

Want to watch March Madness and the Sweet 16/Elite 8 live in Los Angeles this weekend? Tickets are still available for as little as $113.

Only 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament, and four of them will be playing in Los Angeles this weekend.

This year, March Madness returns to L.A. as the Crypto.com Arena is set to host a weekend of Sweet 16 and Elite matchups that will eventually send one team onto Phoenix and the Final Four.

SHOP: L.A. Regional Sweet 16 tickets

Tickets to Los Angeles’ Sweet 16 action give access to both games and as of publication are still available for as little as $113.

No. 2 Arizona kicks off the Sweet 16 on Thursday when they take on No. 6 Clemson at 7:09 p.m. EDT.

That game will be immediately followed by No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Alabama.

SHOP: UNC vs. Alabama and Arizona vs. Clemson tickets

If you want to catch all the action, weekend passes are still available for as little as $185.

The weekend passes include access to both of Thursday’s Sweet 16 games and Saturday’s Elite Eight showdown between the winners of Thursday night’s games.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop NCAA Tournament L.A. weekend passes” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/YLv5XQ2″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop NCAA Tournament L.A. Sweet 16 tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/Rlye14d”]

How to buy Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tickets in Los Angeles for 2024 NCAA Tournament West Regional

Want to watch March Madness and the Sweet 16/Elite 8 live in Los Angeles this weekend? Tickets are still available for as little as $113.

Only 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament, and four of them will be playing in Los Angeles this weekend.

This year, March Madness returns to L.A. as the Crypto.com Arena is set to host a weekend of Sweet 16 and Elite matchups that will eventually send one team onto Phoenix and the Final Four.

SHOP: L.A. Regional Sweet 16 tickets

Tickets to Los Angeles’ Sweet 16 action give access to both games and as of publication are still available for as little as $113.

No. 2 Arizona kicks off the Sweet 16 on Thursday when they take on No. 6 Clemson at 7:09 p.m. EDT.

That game will be immediately followed by No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Alabama.

SHOP: UNC vs. Alabama and Arizona vs. Clemson tickets

If you want to catch all the action, weekend passes are still available for as little as $185.

The weekend passes include access to both of Thursday’s Sweet 16 games and Saturday’s Elite Eight showdown between the winners of Thursday night’s games.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop NCAA Tournament L.A. weekend passes” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/YLv5XQ2″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop NCAA Tournament L.A. Sweet 16 tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/Rlye14d”]