Report: OKC Thunder sign Saint Mary’s Alex Ducas to two-way deal

Report: Thunder sign Saint Mary’s Alex Ducas to two-way deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed undrafted rookie Alex Ducas to a two-way deal, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The 23-year-old played in five college seasons with Saint Mary’s from 2019-24. He was a starter for his last three collegiate campaigns with the Gaels.

In 34 games last season, Ducas averaged 9.9 points on 45.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He shot 43.8% from 3 on 5.4 attempts. At 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, he has great size for a guard.

Ducas’ addition fills in one of the three two-way slots for the Thunder. They will likely sign Keyontae Johnson and Ajay Mitchell to the other two spots.

Expect Ducas to spend most of next season with the G League’s OKC Blue. He’ll get a chance to make his pro debut in the summer league for the Thunder.

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USC men’s basketball will face Saint Mary’s on Thanksgiving Day

USC beefs up its nonconference schedule with a Thanksgiving tournament for the second straight year.

USC men’s basketball has a prime opponent on its nonconference schedule this coming season. The Trojans, whose roster has been filled primarily with arrivals from the transfer portal in a hectic two-month period under new coach Eric Musselman, will face the Saint Mary’s Gaels and coach Randy Bennett on Thanksgiving Day. It’s the second straight year that USC will play a game on Thanksgiving. Last year the Trojans played Seton Hall. The game will be in Palm Desert, California, near the site of the Indian Wells tennis tournament. The game is part of the Acrisure Classic, with USC then facing Arizona State or New Mexico on Friday depending on Thursday’s results.

These two games should give USC a strength of schedule boost. New Mexico was an NCAA Tournament team last season. Saint Mary’s was a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament one year ago. If SMC remains a strong team this coming season, a win over the Gaels would significantly boost USC’s resume.

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Former USC basketball signee commits to Saint Mary’s, Randy Bennett

A former USC commit lands in Moraga, California, with Randy Bennett and Saint Mary’s.

Four-star recruit Liam Campbell, a former USC basketball signee, has found a new home. He requested a release from his national letter of intent to the Trojans in April. This happened after Andy Enfield left to become the head coach at SMU, as reported by On3 Sports. Campbell has now signed with the Saint Mary’s Gaels and Randy Bennett. Campbell becomes as one of the top recruits in the school’s history.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard is ranked as the nation’s No. 79 overall prospect in the Class of 2024, the No. 16 shooting guard, and Idaho’s top overall recruit, according to 247Sports.

Campbell will play for Bennett, the five-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year. Saint Mary’s is coming off a 26-8 season, a WCC regular-season championship, the WCC Tournament title, and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Campbell, an Idaho native, chose Saint Mary’s over Boise State, Utah, Colorado State, UCLA, Santa Clara, Utah State, Washington State, Stanford, and others.

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Notre Dame hockey fans can Paint the Ice at Compton Family Ice Arena

Unleash your inner Picasso on the ice.

Notre Dame’s season wasn’t that great as it finished with a 15-19-2 record and lost its final five games. But that isn’t deterring the Irish from giving their fans a final opportunity to gather at Compton Family Ice Arena one final time before turning the page to next season.

It has become common in recent years for hockey teams to invite fans to paint their ice surface at the end of the season before they melt the ice. The Irish are providing that chance during their annual Paint the Ice event, which first was held in 2018.

Season-ticket holders will receive early entry beginning at 5 p.m. along with a photo opportunity in the Irish’s locker room. The general public will be allowed in from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Notre Dame students, faculty and staff can take part throughout the event, as can Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students.

Prepare to show off your best artistic work on the ice. I would fail miserably at it because I can’t paint or draw to save my life. For those who can though, hold nothing back. But make sure there’s room for other people to paint, too.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Andy Enfield could reunite with former USC players before Colorado State game in Phoenix

Wednesday in Phoenix, #USC – Colorado State is preceded by #Wyoming vs Saint Mary’s. Former Trojans Ethan Anderson and Max Agbonkpolo play for the Cowboys.

Andy Enfield’s USC Trojans face the Colorado State Rams at approximately 8 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday night in Phoenix. Before the game, he might have a chance to say hello to a few of his former players.

There are three games inside the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wednesday. USC is in the nightcap, but before the Trojans play Colorado State, the Wyoming Cowboys face Saint Mary’s. (Notably, Colorado State beat Saint Mary’s on Sunday.)

You might recall that Ethan Anderson and Max Agbonkpolo, two members of USC’s 2022 NCAA Tournament roster, transferred to Wyoming to play for coach Jeff Linder. They will lead the Cowboys against Saint Mary’s.

Andy Enfield had to look at Saint Mary’s game film because the SMC-Colorado State game involves USC’s Wednesday night opponent. Enfield will surely take a brief look at Wyoming-Saint Mary’s. Maybe he’ll be able to say hi and give a hug to two former Trojans.

He might also look at how Saint Mary’s adjusts its offense, a few days after being shut down by Colorado State. Enfield might be able to carry some information into the Colorado State game, which USC urgently needs in order to boost its odds of making the NCAA Tournament.

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UCLA vs Saint Mary’s Prediction, Game Preview: NCAA Tournament Second Round

UCLA vs Saint Mary’s prediction, NCAA Tournament Second Round game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Saturday

UCLA vs Saint Mary’s prediction: NCAA Tournament Second Round pick and college basketball game preview.


UCLA vs Saint Mary’s Game Preview, NCAA Tournament Second Round How To Watch

Date: Saturday, March 19
Game Time: 7:10 pm
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
How To Watch: TBS
Records: UCLA (4 seed, 26-7)
Saint Mary’s (5 seed, 26-7)
Region: East

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NCAA Tournament Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

Indiana vs Saint Mary’s Prediction, Game Preview: NCAA Tournament First Round

Indiana vs Saint Mary’s prediction, NCAA Tournament First Round game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Thursday

Indiana vs Saint Mary’s: NCAA Tournament First Round prediction and college basketball game preview.


Indiana vs Saint Mary’s Game Preview, NCAA Tournament First Round How To Watch

Date: Thursday, March 17
Game Time: 7:20 pm
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
How To Watch: TBS
Records: Indiana (12 seed, 21-13)
Saint Mary’s (5 seed, 25-7)
Region: TBS

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NCAA Tournament Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

A bettor turned $520 from a day of college basketball upsets into $40K

Why buy a PS5 when you can win thousands of dollars?

Saturday was, by every measure, one of the craziest days ever in men’s college basketball. Seven of the top-10 ranked teams, including the entire top-six, all were on the road at respective conference rivals. All, unthinkably, lost. It’s the first time in history on the men’s side that seven top-10 teams — again, including the entire top-six — all lost on the same day. Mind you; this was in February. Not March.

(Checks calendar again.)

Yep, still February.

On a day of such chaos, it pays to be a prudent bettor ready to strike on the figurative once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That’s exactly what one bettor did with, oh, just about $520, with a three-leg underdog parlay — while betting against No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 2 Arizona, and No. 1 Gonzaga.

They turned it into $40,000.

This bettor probably would’ve otherwise used the money on a new PS5 (if they could find one) and a copy of Horizon Forbidden West. Instead, they decided to try their luck with college basketball and (a little under half) of unprecedented history. There are worse decisions to make.

Oh, and in case you were curious, the bettor made out well on a three-leg parlay considering the circumstances. A $100 six-leg parlay moneyline bet on an upset of each top-six team would’ve netted you $37,500.

March is right around the corner. If all goes well, we’re definitely about to see more upset parlays like this hit in the perfect spot.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Everything to know about NBA G League pre-draft evaluation process

Rookie Wire obtained every detail possible about the NBA G League pre-draft evaluation process, including all of the known invitations sent.

Rookie Wire obtained every detail possible about the NBA G League pre-draft evaluation process, including all of the known invitations sent.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many draft-eligible prospects not invited to the NBA combine have had trouble getting all of their information to team-decision makers in advance of the 2020 NBA Draft. To combat this, the NBA G League is offering a greater opportunity to be evaluated by team decision-makers.

This information included below was shared with USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire on the condition of anonymity because the person who shared the details was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

While the G League Elite Camp was canceled this year, a “select number” of participants were given the chance to share virtual evaluations through both shooting drills and an NBA pro day.

Prospects who agreed to participate will use HomeCourt, a mobile basketball training application, to record on-court workouts. The results will be shared with NBA team staffers through the app.

Players were encouraged to have two staffers with them in the gym to assist with the process. The coaches and trainers were required to wear a face mask and gloves during the workout.

NBA Evaluation: 8 Shooting Drills (based on previous editions of the Draft Combine)

  • Warm-Up/free-throws (50 shots)
  • Spot-Up shooting (50 shots)
  • Shooting off dribble/pull-up jumpers (30 shots)
  • Mid-Range/off the catch (20 shots)
  • 3-point drill /3-pointers off the catch (20 shots)
  • Side-mid-side/3-point jumpers on the move (2 minutes)
  • 3-point endurance/catch-and-shoot at game speed (5 minutes)
  • Cool down/free-throws (50 shots)

Each shooting drill can be completed a max of three times. Only the best score is uploaded into the NBA Player Evaluation platform for all NBA teams to access the data and video.

This is how the results look, as obtained by Babcock Hoops’ Derek Murray:

NBA Pro Day: 45-Minute Open Workout

  • This workout allows the draft prospect to share the unique
    aspects of his game through a 45-minute open workout.
  • Players are prohibited from partaking in live competition against any other draft-eligible and/or other players, including: informal scrimmages, pick-up games (e.g., 2-on-2), defensive drills (e.g., pick-and-roll coverage, post defense, etc.), offensive drills (e.g., Pick-and-Roll / Pop situations)
  • Pro Day must be a half-court workout.
  • Pro Day is an open workout for up to 45 minutes. If a player does NOT use the full 45 minutes, that is OK.
  • Must be completed on the same date as shooting drills. The player is allowed a 10-minute break in between.

KNOWN INVITATIONS

USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire was able to obtain a list of prospects invited to participate in this process. Note that others may have been included as well, though these were the names we can confirm at this time. 

Tres Tinkle, Oregon State

Malik Fitts, Saint Mary’s

Trevelin Queen, New Mexico State

Freddie Gillespie, Baylor

Jordan Ford, Saint Mary’s

Rayshaun Hammonds, Georgia

Jon Teske, Michigan

Emmitt Williams, LSU

Anthony Lamb, Vermont

Austin Wiley, Auburn

Isiaha Mike, SMU

Nate Darling, Delaware

Kamar Baldwin, Butler

Caleb Homesley, Liberty

Anthony Cowan, Maryland

Dwayne Sutton, Louisville

Steven Enoch, Louisville

Osasumwen Osaghae, Florida International

Kylor Kelley, Oregon State

John Mooney, Notre Dame

Xavier Sneed, Kansas State

EJ Montgomery, Kentucky

Quinton Rose, Temple

Jordan Bowden, Tennessee

Jake Toolson, BYU

Samir Doughty, Auburn

Terry Armstrong, South East Melbourne

Eli Pemberton, Hofstra

Kouat Noi, Cairns

Sacar Anim, Marquette

Jeff Dowtin, Rhode Island

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