Tag: Sweet Sixteen

Jim Larrañaga celebrated Miami’s huge upset over Houston with the sweetest dance moves

Jim Larrañaga is such a legend.

Miami basketball coach Jim Larrañaga has led the Hurricanes to the Elite Eight for the second season in a row, and he has reason to celebrate.

Nijel Pack (8-12 FG, 7-10 3P) scored 26 points while Isaiah Wong (5-11 FG, 1-2 3P) added 20 points during the win. Now, after convincingly defeating Houston, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region, the Hurricanes have excellent momentum and will advance for another round of March Madness.

The vibes are high, too, as Larrañaga enjoyed a fun postgame exchange in the locker room with his team. Watch as the 73-year-old former Naismith College Coach of the Year showed off some delightful dance moves in front of his team:

This isn’t the first example of Larrañaga, who trolled Charles Barkley after leading Miami to the Sweet 16 last season, having fun on the dance floor.

We’ve seen Larrañaga share some classic celebration dances for years.

More than seven years ago, we got to watch him as he learned how to whip and how to nae nae. If his team is able to advance another round and win in the Elite Eight, who knows what kind of dancing we can see next!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5x3v4hcz7e10g image=]

[lawrence-related id=1865888,1862805,542059,663889]

Michigan State basketball does not crack top 10 in Bleacher Report’s Sweet 16 power rankings

Michigan State doesn’t crack top ten in Bleacher Report’s Sweet Sixteen power rankings

When you have Tom Izzo on your bench, you are never a true underdog in March. However, this Michigan State basketball squad hasn’t quite earned buy-in around the college hoops landscape, which isn’t exactly surprising considering its up-and-down season.

On Wednesday, Bleacher Report put out its NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 power rankings, and the Spartans didn’t crack the top 10. They came in No. 11.

Bleacher Report had MSU at No. 35 to start the tournament, so it has made quite the climb to get to 11.

Here is a small blurb from that article:

‘Steely. Or should I say steal-y? Michigan State was not a turnover-forcing team during the regular season, entering the dance on a 10-game streak of six or fewer steals. But the Spartans had seven against USC and nine more against Marquette, pacing them to victory despite an unusual lack of made three-pointers. If they keep defending like that AND the shots start falling, maybe the Big Ten’s 22-year title drought finally comes to an end.’

[pickup_prop id=”32608″]

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Best quotes from Tom Izzo at pre-Sweet 16 press conference

Best quotes from Tom Izzo at pre-Sweet Sixteen press conference

Michigan State basketball is still dancing after knocking off Marquette on Sunday and has a matchup with the red-hot Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday.

Before the game, Tom Izzo spoke to the media on Tuesday to discuss his team, the tournament and the upcoming opponent.

You can find the best quotes from that press conference below.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

March Madness: Should Razorbacks offense run through Devo Davis?

Davis has been building his offensive game for this period, and Musselman should not ignore who has the hot hand on the team. 

Yes.

I know, not much of an intro, but the answer to this question is simple.

This kid is like my son, I love this kid!! – Arkansas head coach, Eric Musselman, after 72-71 win over Kansas in NCAA Tournament.

The reason why I think Devo Davis should be the Razorbacks’ primary ball-focal point on offense for the rest of the tournament isn’t very complex: he has been the best offensive player on the floor for the Hogs in the first two opening rounds. 

Leading the hogs to an “upset” win over Kansas, Davis marked a new career-high with 25 points, 21 of them coming in the second half. This performance is fresh off his 16 points and defensive prowess against Illinois in the first round. 

If it weren’t for Davis, the Hogs would’ve suffered from a double-digit loss, possibly even a blowout. Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr. — two players who will be first-round drafts picks in June — combined for 1-10 from the field and 0-4 from the three-point line. Smith actually went scoreless for the first time in his young collegiate career.

And against Illinois, they went 6-22 combined. This doesn’t mean these players aren’t good, both are still going to be lottery picks, but it does show that in the tournament, freshmen aren’t usually the guys to lean on.

Davis, along with Ricky Council IV, has been the veteran leadership for the Hogs this entire season. Once it was apparent that the Hogs would have a rough season due to injuries and inconsistency, Eric Musselman looked at his junior for the leadership they needed to survive a very unusual season. 

Are there any Xs and O’s as to why Davis should be the primary focal point in the Hogs’ offense? Probably but so far, Davis’s experience and on-the-floor leadership is the catalyst to Hogs going to the sweet sixteen, especially against Kansas.

Once labeled as just a defensive player with little offensive skill, Davis not only scored the basketball in the second half against Kansas, but he controlled Arkansas’s pace on offense, which gave freedom to Council to be the explosive scorer he was early in the season.

An experienced guard is essential in a run to the Final Four. Davis has been building his offensive game for this period, and Musselman should not ignore who has the hot hand on the team.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Alabama earns top overall seed in 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament

The Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball team enters March Madness as the top overall seed.

Alabama men’s basketball has earned the top overall seed in the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament after an impressive season that has netted the program an SEC regular season championship and an SEC Tournament title.

Nate Oats has continued to improve the program throughout his time in Tuscaloosa, and the 2022-2023 season has been his best yet. Now, the Crimson Tide will have its eyes set on one goal: winning a national championship.

Two seasons ago, Alabama won the SEC regular season and tournament, as the team has done this season, and made it all the way to the Sweet 16, but lost in overtime to UCLA.

According to the recently-revealed bracket, Alabama will play the winner of Southeast Missouri State and Texas A&M-CC.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball as March Madness begins and the NCAA Tournament gets underway.

[mm-video type=video id=01gvbwx9ngfvwvgtt72p playlist_id=01eqbz6mkdd99nyvkm player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gvbwx9ngfvwvgtt72p/01gvbwx9ngfvwvgtt72p-754d306e74aac5787a0ad12282051946.jpg]

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Auburn gymnastics moves on to Sweet Sixteen

Auburn, along with SEC rival Kentucky, advanced to the next round of the NCAA postseason.

The postseason isn’t over just yet for the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn’s gymnastics team will advance to the NCAA’s gymnastics Sweet Sixteen after being one of the two best teams in its group in Thursday’s afternoon quad-meet. The Tigers’ 197.500 was enough to defeat Southern Utah and the SEC rival Georgia Bulldogs and punch their ticket to the next round of the postseason, but the SEC rival Kentucky Wildcats bested Auburn with a score of 197.750.

The Tigers will be most proud of their score on beam, their highest of the night. Auburn netted a 49.975 on the event and freshmen [autotag]Sunisa Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag] both got to put on a clinic — Lee was awarded the highest score of the meet with her beam routine, scoring a 9.975, and Groth supplemented it nicely with a 9.95 of her own.

The last of Auburn’s All-American trio, senior [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag], dazzled as well. Gobourne tied for the event win on the floor with a 9.95. Gobourne also contributed with a 9.85 on the vault and on the uneven bars.

Auburn will now wait until Saturday at 5 p.m. CT for the Sweet Sixteen portion of the regional. The Tigers will face the two best teams from Thursday night’s group of Denver, Ohio State, Iowa State and the Florida Gators, the undisputed SEC champions.

[mm-video type=video id=01fc3nvn8m2kr82e2417 playlist_id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fc3nvn8m2kr82e2417/01fc3nvn8m2kr82e2417-8c6546133feeff7c7a95040e77ba96fd.jpg]

[vertical-gallery id=19557]

Alabama can’t overcome free throw woes, loses to UCLA in Sweet 16

The Alabama Cimson Tdie and UCLA traded shots and fouls till the very end in a Sweet 16 matchup that sums up what March Madness is all about

No. 2 seed Alabama has had their 2020-2021 season ended, courtesy of the No. 11 seed UCLA Bruins.

The Crimson Tide’s free throw shooting was pitiful, only making 11 of 25 shots from the line.

Their ability to shoot the three was also poor, as they shot just over 25%.

Jahvon Quinerly led the team in scoring with 20 points, but still only shot eight for 22 on field goals.

Alabama managed to bring down 46 rebounds, with Keon Ellis and Herbert Jones tied for the team lead at nine a piece.

The game went back and forth with numerous lead changes and trips to the fould line. Both coachs had to manage their players with fould trouble

UCLA’s Johnny Juzang fouled out at a critical point in the game with just over two minutes remaining.

Nat Oats was forced to keep Keon Ellis on the bench with four fouls late in the game, as well as Herbert Jones, who had three fouls with only a few minutes left.

The game was extended into overtime as Alex Reese heaved a deep three from near the logo to tie the game.

Unfortunately for the Crimson Tide, the overtime performance was lackluster.

No. 11 UCLA will face No. 1 Michigan in the Elite Eight.