Welcome to CollegeHoopedia: Home Tweet Home for College Hoops History

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." - Mark Twain

Welcome to CollegeHoopedia.com! This tell-it-like-it-is treasure trove of facts, statistical analysis and edgy opinion is unique because it catalogs the matchless performances of uncommon participants. What's new in college hoops from a historical perspective you can't find anywhere else?

War on Women: Ex-Bakersfield Player/Coach Accused of Pimping in 4 States

March 5th, 2026 - 19:02

Right when you thought you heard everything, you find out you haven't come close. Most observers probably don't even realize Cal State Bakersfield is an NCAA Division I school. But the institution certainly possesses a Grade A scar on its program after former player and assistant coach Kevin Mays was accused of moonlighting as a pimp across multiple states.

Not long ago, this ugly but consequential topic raised its head as a former NCAA Division I player became a central figure before rap icon Sean "Diddy" Combs, mirroring pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's sordid activity, was arrested upon unsealing of an indictment. Brendan Paul, a walk-on who was former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's son (Buddy) prep school teammate, played in 16 games for the Orange in 2018-19 and 2019-20 (first points came from three-pointer against Pittsburgh) before transferring to Fairmont State WV (1.3 ppg in 23 contests in 2021-22). Paul agreed to a plea deal (diversion program lasting six months) to avoid prison after music producer ("The Love Album") and alleged drug "mule" for rap mogul Combs was arrested in Miami six months earlier in late March 2024.

Paul was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of a controlled substance (edibles) after the feds intercepted Diddy's plane at a Miami airport amid raids at his mansions in Los Angeles and Miami. It is unclear to what extent Paul, who reportedly once triggered a separate plane delivery upon forgetting to bring tusi (combination of ecstasy and cocaine) to a music festival in Virginia for his boss, may have cooperated in elaborate Diddy depravity testimony with the feds. Combs, the life of lavish NBA All-Star Weekend parties for many years, partnered with the league to host an All-Style fashion show. "I think I created a very cool, sexy atmosphere that was a little bit different," Diddy told Bleacher Report. He has been embroiled in a dozen lawsuits (reportedly in excess of 120 sexual-abuse victims including more than 20 children with one as young as nine years old) accusing him of vile sex trafficking and sexual abuse featuring horse tranquilizer. Meanwhile, degenerate diddler also launched "Vote or Die!" campaigns to support Democrats (see his video of interview with #QueenofDenial #ShrillaryRotten at 2004 DNC Convention).

A civil lawsuit case stated Paul financially benefitted when he "aided and abetted" trafficking venture for Combs ("we're going to take your souls") and the old Puff Daddy's co-conspirators. According to a complaint affidavit in the case, Paul was also responsible for handling P Diddy's guns and drugs plus paying sex workers in cash for deviant white party freak-offs (law enforcement seized more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant plus sex toys - nearly 800 dildos - and bondage gear). The lewd allegations included recorded blackmail videos at the orgies leaving some victims so fatigued they needed replenishing IV fluids to help recover from the marathon debauchery. Court documents claim self-pleasuring deviant paid $46,000 in 2012 to cover damages to a Manhattan penthouse hotel room following one of his raucous sex sessions before he was given honorary "Key to the City of New York" by embattled NYC Mayor Eric Adams in fall of 2023. Hotel surveillance video from 2016 appeared to show Combs violently attacking, kicking and shoving a former partner at a hotel in Los Angeles area. Amid rumors of naked basketball games, he was denied bail as authorities reportedly expanded racketeering probe to include potential witness intimidation.

Mr. Gratification's silly-season legal counsel insisted lurid white-party bashes were "a lifestyle not a crime" and the excessive amount of lubricants could be explained by buying in bulk from a nearby Costco although retailer said it doesn't sell baby oil in any of its U.S. locations. Believe it or not, Bad Boy Records Co-founder's legal team also compared their client's experience in jail to incarceration of civil rights leader MLK Jr.

Speaking of "slick" lifestyle, did Paul make a seamless transition from corrupt big-time sports? It seems as if perennial Top 20 teams think they're immune to criticism and simply go about their business however in hell they want to be "comfortable" assembling a roster to remain among the elite. Several summers ago marked nearly half of Michigan State's All-Big Ten Conference first-team selections this century running afoul of the law or involved in unseemly lawsuits/incidents after Miles Bridges faced felony domestic violence charge following accusation of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children (pleaded no contest when sentenced to serve three years of probation). Bridges, who is also a rapper under the name RTB MB, previously was fined $50,000 for striking a fan with a mouthpiece.

Out of eligibility or not, a campaign can't go by without having to wade through college basketball's corrosive "Cradles of Criminals" cesspool. Several years ago, former Notre Dame assistant coach Ryan Ayers was charged with three counts of voyeurism and one count of domestic violence. Charges involved his relationships with two women over a four-year span where he allegedly recorded them, without their consent, naked or while having sex with them. Ayers, who averaged 6.5 ppg and 2.4 rpg for UND from 2005-06 through 2008-09 under ex-coach Mike Brey, is also said to have hit one of the females in the face during an altercation in his car. Son of former Ohio State/Philadelphia 76ers coach Randy Ayers abruptly left the less-than-candid Fighting Irish program at start of 2020-21 school year "to pursue opportunities (to do heaven or impish leprechaun knows what) elsewhere." The state's subsequent motion to dismiss charges came after prosecutors twice asked a superior court judge to recuse himself from the case for allegedly making inappropriate comments about an accuser and photographic evidence in the case.

It wasn't that long ago when Georgetown's roster was depleted when majority of four exiting players departed due to off-the-court transgressions. The "hood" ornaments of self-indulgence striving to bask in glory of Hoya Paranoia heroes such as Allen Iverson and Victor Page drove away without admission of or finding of guilt regarding sexual harassment and assault charges including FaceTime "we'll send people after you" threat and complaint that one of the suspects "showed her his erect clothed penis." One of the female accusers expressed fear for her safety and her roommate's safety, alleging assault and battery plus theft of personal property (Playstation 4, Nikon camera among other items with value of $1,625). Seems as if ex-Hoyas coach Patrick Ewing should have taken his "G-men" scholars on "cultural" field trip to g-string Atlanta strip club, where former All-American center admitted twice having oral sex with dancers compliments of the club owner according to testimony in a racketeering trial. At a "bare-it-all" minimum, Ewing could conduct free #MeToo seminar explaining to his pupils how abusing women similar to Georgetown graduate William Jefferson Clinton could be detrimental to their careers if facing an authentic impeachment. Perhaps by now the inept #MessMedia, including "unbiased" Clinton lackey George Step-on-the-truth-to-us and his throat-slitting gesture on ABC to cut input from Donald Trump lawyer, discerned who blew past him as #SickWillie's "whistle" blower relieving his anxieties.

Amid the incessant indiscretions at NCAA DI level and disturbing allegations against Florida's coaching staff, there should be a GoFundMe account for those offended whenever self-promoting mother/daughter duo Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom - women's rights lawyers/extortionists "extraordinaire" - hit the airwaves with doctored evidence and therapeutic crying towels. Prior to making Prince Andrew profusely sweat, boisterous Bloom sought to solicit cash from donors and media outlets for accusers of sexual misconduct alleged about #TheDonald. Unscrupulous Bloom, affiliating with demented demagogue David Brock, offered to sell the victims' Pay-to-Say tales while wanting to pocket a portion for herself as a commission. She persuaded a Democratic donor to pay off one accuser's flip-flopping make-up artist mortgage and tried to get a hefty six-figure payday for a hospitalized woman who eventually declined to come forward despite exponentially-increasing offers up to $750,000. Read Bloom's disgusting emails and text messages if you want to lose your lunch and get an urge to recycle leech lawyer jokes. Misguided Allred/Bloom tandem should make themselves useful by keeping mouths fulls of fellow insufferable Left Coast lunatics/swamp mistresses #NannyPathetic and #MadMaxine via "fohty-five" scoops of #Dimorat diva deluxe (im)peach ice cream.

At any rate, which sexual-deviant B.C. (Bill Clinton or Bill Cosby) should be designated BC (Biggest Conniver)? Moreover, which BCs (Basketball Coaches) should be sued for BC (Bringing to Campus) so many BCs (Bad Characters)? Beyond Clinton's Oral Office, is nothing sacred as father-figure Cosby's silence about numerous female accusations spoke volumes before and as his sexual assault retrial unfolded? We'll never think of Fat Albert and Jell-O pudding in the same way after hearing about a settlement and conviction involving former Temple women's basketball staffer Andrea Constand and Cosby, the school's most famous alumnus. Standards depend upon how much one donates to a university on or off the court/field. Temple's indifferent brass, apparently much too fond of Jello-O pudding samples or Quaaludes lethargic, kept Cosby as a member of its Board of Trustees while many other entities dropped Dr. Huxtable off a cliff quicker than a Ferguson or Baltimore thief mishandling a liquor bottle scampering out of a looted convenience store hurdling debris like an aging track star fantasizing about an aphrodisiac drink. The Cosby Show was finally cancelled as a TU Trustee after Thanksgiving before degenerate's striking number of accusers formed a cathartic coalition. Cigars stored elsewhere, perv prez Clinton must have a freezer full of Jell-O pops spiked with "distinguishing-characteristic" Quaaludes provided by admirer Cos, going blind from who knows what as his attack-dog legal team assaulted his victims again. Have you woke-wondered if #SickWillie's attorney with wallet full of his sex-dollar bills was immersed in negotiating #HarveySwinestein's contract tolerating sexual harassment by acknowledging prospect of pathetic pig, supported by Bloom, paying Cosmic settlements to aggrieved women? #Swinestein had millions of reasons invested in a recent massage-my-ego project.

Excluding slip-and-fall ambulance chasers, what self-respecting attorney would contemplate representing repulsive rollator-requiring #Swinestein? If Jimmy Carter felt comfortable smiling while criticizing "we-know-what-has-to-be-done," then there is an absolute absence of mentally-tough authentic leaders. The NFL essentially ignored domestic violence until Candid Camera delivered demonstrable deviance igniting a cover-up. In sports, what the "presstitutes" miss is that zero tolerance for the troubling "War on Women" needs to be addressed in high school and college before the lack of a moral compass reaches the green room for pink-ribbon and pink-shoe donning pros. Actually, Allred and Bloom missed the boat dwelling on celebrities and politicians when they could have made a fortune focusing on college sports during and after scholars were big man on campus. For instance, former Arkansas State guard Arthur Agee Jr., featured in documentary Hoop Dreams (1994 Oscar-nominated film following prep players in Chicago) was accused of punching a woman in mid-November 2017, causing her to incur three fractured ribs (charges subsequently dropped). In 2018, UMBC earned national acclaim by becoming the first #16 seed to defeat a #1 seed (Virginia) but the Retrievers didn't receive similar headlines only four years earlier when four members of team allegedly gang raped a female athlete at a dormitory in late summer. The deliberate debauchery has existed for decades. Fifty years ago, Pan American was investigated regarding a sexually explicit interracial photo album used in recruitment. Any idea why a Florida State cheerleader reportedly traveled with a Seminoles assistant coach to Chicago in the late 1970s on recruiting trip pursuing guard Raymond McCoy?

Only heaven knew where tawdry allegations would end up in aftermath of legal "Hoop Nightmare" maneuverings against former Memphis guard Derrick Rose, Sacramento Mayor/Depreciated Democrat Kevin Johnson and OTL investigative reporting about Michigan State's pill-pushing Cosby wannabees. Rose, hoop royalty speaking with all the credibility of "sweating-and-learning" Prince Andrew explaining friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, testified he was taught at the NBA's rookie camp to take used condoms with him after sex. Cynically, coach John Calipari could have been referring to Rose's group-effort escapades several years ago when saying "he (great kid) is taking better care of his body than at any other point during his career." Other observers digesting trial accounts of possible Lamar Odom/Tristan Thompson (Kardashi)can-chasing wannabee might view him as the youngest MVP (Most Vile Pervert) in NBA history or that Karma is a bitch when it came to his series of injuries.

Unless you are progressive puke approving of Bernie Sanders' rape-fantasy essay and completely ignore Tara Reade's accusations regarding #Plagiarist Biledumb going farther than hair-sniffing when not on speaker phone with business partner son hideous Hunter, shouldn't there be more reflexive concern for victims rather than impact on roster of team with alleged criminal? According to FBI, about 70% of domestic violence probes fail to result in criminal cases. Those figures coincide with estimates claiming about 2/3 of sexual assault charges involving soup-kitchen college athletes are dropped or not filed similar to couple of TCU hoopers in 2006; multiple Syracuse hoopers in fall of 2007 carrying on SU tradition stemming from bizarre incident involving Villanova cheerleader at 1982 Big East Tournament in Hartford; St. John's players attending a strip club to drown their sorrows following loss at Pittsburgh in 2004; two Michigan State freshmen playing mini-hoop version of strip poker during orientation in fall of 2010 plus three apparently wayward scholars "running a train" in spring of 2015; a Washington player probed in 2010-11; pair of Providence freshman "players" several seasons ago on the heels of recruiting rot revealed upon dismissal of leading scorer after 2009-10 campaign; Wake Forest band member allegation after 2009 NCAA playoff upset defeat against Cleveland State in Miami, and salacious Kansas sexcapade in dormitory housing hoopers relieving stress "running away" from studying for final exams in mid-December 2016. Criminal charges also weren't filed at KU stemming from an alleged elevator exposure incident in mid-May 2007. In light of Marquette failing to report multiple messy incidents to Milwaukee police, can you begin to fathom how many times monopolistic schools covered up "Boys Gone Wild" indiscretions with get-out-of-trouble-free cards to keep rap sheets shorter than stat sheets? If in idealistic denial, read accounts regarding raunchy book written by Kyle Fuller, a starting guard in previous decade for Vanderbilt, the so-called "Harvard of the South."

Forfeiting any recruiting dignity, the MSU and PC freshman felonious activity coupled with Minnesota's frosh porn-star tryout in 2015-16 and Louisville's "Thrill in the Ville" indicate that, at the very least, schools need to improve their background checks. In an era where athletic departments solely review accusations against their own, statistics show disturbing pattern of inaction where athletes are convicted at a much lower rate than the general population. According to a USA Today study during a trial involving wayward Kobe Bryant, prominent athletes are much less likely to be convicted of sexual assault than the average citizen. Consider this stark statistical comparison: 2/3 of the public-at-large is convicted when charged with sexual assault while 2/3 of prominent athletes are exonerated in similar allegations involving the brotherhood of scumbags. Accordingly, can you imagine how many self-serving boosters (such as Sam Gilbert at UCLA) and coaches helped orchestrate and underwrite abortions since Roe vs. Wade decision? Naked thought is as ugly as #Hollyweird mosaic of male celebs exposed as sexual abusers the last few years.

Public-at-large has virtually become numb to the seemingly never-ending sordid shenanigans such as Saint Louis having multiple players suspended for 1 1/2 to 2 years and another expelled before prize prospect Jordan Goodwin was sanctioned stemming from an on-campus apartment incident concluding with three women telling police they were sexually assaulted. Earlier in the decade, SLU had its top two players dropped from the Billikens' roster amid similar accusations. Michigan State's poor judgment, including redacting information on public records to a point where the material became useless, wasn't restricted to basketball obfuscation in order to try to maintain national acclaim. Reports of sexual misconduct by disgraced Dr. Larry Nassar reached at least 14 MSU representatives in two decades before his arrest. MSU is an inspiration to mediocrities everywhere. It missed multiple opportunities to halt Nassar, a graduate of its osteopathic medical school who also served as USA Gymnastics national team doctor while reportedly molesting more than 250 girls and women under the guise of treating them for pain. Circling the wagons before settling with survivors for $500 million, MSU's purported concern for victims included spending $500,000 for dig-up-dirt/peeping Tom monitoring of some of their social media accounts along with journalists. But Spartan Nation has always been suspect, if not textbook lax, in regard to accountability going back to All-American guard Scott Skiles, the nation's second-leading scorer in 1985-86 who incurred two DUI arrests, a drug possession arrest, two jail sentences and 18 days in jail during a 16-month span in mid-1980s. As a result of these numerous indiscretions, Skiles received a whopping one-game suspension. What "train" engineering courses do athletes with "loco-motives" take at maniacal MSU? Manhood Selfie 101 (like Snap-chat sensation Draymond Green). Who do these vain denizens think they are? Did they spike drinks a la P Diddy and Cosby? As Amazon irresistible as #WashingtonCompost owner Jeff Bezos and his intimate texts to girlfriend? Thus, it was no surprise ESPN unearthed that aroused MSU athletes were about three times as likely as other students to be accused of sexual misconduct or domestic violence in complaints made at the "institution." In the aftermath of 2015 Final Four appearance, several Spartan players lured a female student back to their apartment under false pretenses from a local bar and took turns having their way with her. In late February 2021, a judge dismissed a Title IX complaint despite saying case met criteria of incident of actionable sexual harassment and the school's actual knowledge of it.

Tortured observers needed "other stuff" treatment after listening to and watching image-protecting hoops icon Tom Izzo's painful healing and support-for-survivors post-game weasel words weekend following retirement/resignation of school prez and AD. If Izzo has a "part-of-life" soul, he should donate his "sole" income (sneaker endorsement money) to victims of recruits he brought to campus (including post-MSU career) and/or help underwrite MSU paying ESPN's attorneys' fees after Michigan courts ruled the university violated open-records laws. Izzo's contacting witness before school in another sordid incident and unsettling silence was interrupted by seemingly rehearsed remarks such as "I can do whatever I want to do" resembling Slick Rick's smug trivialization during "get your fill in the Ville" than "we'll cooperate with any investigation and always have." Among the things a good Christian man like Izzo might "want to do" is religiously meet with FBI-indicted agent Christian Dawkins to go over their donation endeavors. For candor's sake, let us hope an undergraduate assistant coach didn't live in Izzo's basement completing his degree the season Izzo said he couldn't recall why a rare three-year captain exited the program. Was Izzo also unaware of captain/undergrad aide's child support order? By the way, what is the deal with becoming MSU captain or Final Four "playmaker" in the last 20 years? Did stress of duty contaminate Bridges, Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Travis Walton, Korie Lucious and Keith Appling or did they wash down idiot pills with toxic tap water from Flint? Something sinister surely is in state's water after Michigan and MSU each had an All-American with multiple Final Deplore appearances sued by women claiming they gave them herpes as NBA players. STD seems to have also infected fellow Big Ten Conference member Purdue if lawsuit involving center Isaac Haas had any merit. Enterprising engineering students apparently should have invested more time and energy helping Haas with a different pliable and protective appendage sleeve than designing brace for his fractured right elbow. What could possibly be the genesis for these raw animalistic instincts? UM physician Robert E. Anderson engaged in sexual misconduct (multiple forms of inappropriate examinations) with patients on countless occasions. Dr. "Drop Your Drawers" Anderson worked in various capacities at the university between 1966 and 2003. Other names by which student-athletes referred to him included "Handy Andy," "Goldfinger" and "Dr. Handerson." Similarly, multiple Indiana hoopers including Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller sued their alma mater alleging team doctor repeatedly sexually assaulted them and teammates by subjecting athletes to unnecessary prostate exams in the mid-1990s and IU did nothing to stop him.

After MSU's gymnastics coach was charged with lying about her knowledge of sexual assault complaints, Izzo exhibited similar lack of candor. Amid the airing-of-dirty-laundry debris including an "entitled" walk-on, it didn't appear prudent to put much stock in arousal-discretion dialogue from Earvin Johnson. But MSU's most famous alumnus (even more than ex-ESPN egomaniac #KneelWithJemele) lectured nation as if he was male version of Oprah by calling for the firing of any employee who failed to report sexual assault allegations on campus to the proper authorities. Consider the ravenous source insofar as Johnson admitted his Magical Mystery Tour sexual frivolity included sleeping with 300 to 500 partners per year (entertainment venue featured the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room and sauna). How many enablers resembling "Clintonistas" such as Betty "Hoover" Curry and former DePauw (Ind.) hooper Vernon Jordan, perhaps humming "Do You Believe in Magic?", facilitated indulgence over the decades of decadence? Of course, this great feat of Magic paled in comparison to legendary Wilt Chamberlain's community partnership claim to bedding 20,000 women from coast to coast before and after son of janitor left Philly to drive around the Kansas plains in a souped-up red and white Oldsmobile convertible (with license plate BIG DIPPER) not all that far from NCAA headquarters at the time. "I feel sorry for the Stilt," wrote New York Daily Mirror columnist Leonard Lewin. "When he enters the NBA, he'll have to take a cut in salary." Truth be told, the LA (Lay All) Lakers' debauchery and Olympian appetite for copulation likely didn't originate there; "littering" simply escalated on free-love Left Coast. Perhaps it is time to allow sanctuary-sick and homeless-infested California to go ahead and secede before U.S. version of salty Sodom and Gomorrah turns into bankrupted ruins. Don't look back!

Distributing pain to anyone with belief system, disturbing allegations at Louisville (Chris Jones), Kansas (multiple players) and Duke (Rasheed Sulaimon and Corey Maggette) had their celebrated coaches either making comments as incoherent as their scholars or hiding under their desk memorizing athletic department versions of pleading the fifth. Minnesota and West Virginia endured similar unseemly "violation-of-team-rules" situations in the mid-1980s. Ditto Arizona State in the mid-1990s and priorities across the country haven't improved. Consider an Inside Higher Ed article written about a Syracuse dean facing dismissal for refusing to cover up an assault of a female student on campus by basketball players. Elsewhere, a culture concerning abuse of females frequently goes unchecked at sports factories reminiscent of group assault charges at Arkansas under coaches Nolan Richardson and John Pelphrey resulting in Ray Rice-like initial modest sanctions. UA probably failed to meet #MeToo college-town investigation standards in wake of late summer 2009 frat-house party incident when prosecutor was son-in-law of former athletic director Frank Broyles and brother-in-law of athletic department spokesman. Did the tumult really change much under coach Mike Anderson, who also had more than his share of undignified problem children at Missouri before moving on to St. John's until cast adrift?

Only one in five college-aged female students report their assaults to law enforcement. There are words and there are actions as well as "tough" guys and "cool" guys in this criminal "no-means-no" emphasis. One-sided co-ed boxing apparently needs to get personal before the player-predator issue penetrates thick skulls in establishment media and cavalier campuses. For instance, ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, obsessed with "payday" and "cash" as always, tweeted he doesn't "dig actions away from ring but he (Floyd Mayweather Jr.) is an all-time great." Well, let's "dig" on one easy hipster wannabee layup straight from the grandstanding opening bell. Unless mindset of role model/ex-analyst Dancin' Ray contaminated network judgment across the sports spectrum including Screamin' A. Stiff, no one with an extensive history of domestic abuse charges such as misfit Mayweather should be designated an all-time great in any way, shape or form with or without a cover-your-fanny-like-commish qualifier. Ditto for Florida State's troubled Jameis Winston, who Vitale tweeted was "great to have on your side on Saturday" (at least until Nike severed its relationship with QB before promoting kneeling knucklehead #ColonKrapernick).

Presumably, Dickie V didn't mean late Saturday night with him and Uber driver or at any sort of Winston post-college game celebration leaving an accuser susceptible to dragging through the mud one way or the other (perhaps on a scooter). In a textbook example of Buc-kissing shilling, Vitale bragged about Shameless Jameis joining him at gala in Tampa Bay QB's first appearance as NFL player before the university settled with Winston's accuser for $950,000 in the spring of 2016. Methinks Vitale knows little, if anything, about FSU "football-fixer" associate AD who served time in prison for cocaine distribution. The general public's prevailing ignorance resembles failing to acknowledge the corrupt Clintons' "War on Women" exemplified by #ShrillaryRotten's faith advisor.

If the holier-than-thou press is so concerned about PC-police nickname changing, perhaps they should encourage schools to be more accurate with monikers such as Auburn Whore Eagles, Bailor Needed For Bad News Bears, Cincinnati Barely Can Read 'Cats, UConn Artists, Florida Maters, Florida State Sininoles, Georgetown Beatdowns, Indiana Booziers, Kansas Jailhawks, Louisville Slug-her Breaking Cardinal Rules, Memphis Mafia Malcontents, The U (as in "unsavory"), Michigan State Hard-ons, Minnesota Go-for-hers, Miz-zou Animals, UNCheat Tarrin (Gals in) Heels, Oklahoma Sinners, Syracuse Orange Jumpsuits, TCU Horny Dawgs, UNLV Sincredibles, USC Trojan Ultra Ribbed, X-rated Musketeers, etc. Wherever the #MessMedia and school administrators may have been in same veiled-secret toilet sweeping stench under sullied carpet, someone needs to finish the "movement" and flush them all! Emptying the excrement should include infected hangers-on although prosecutors declined to pursue charges against Baylor's former manager after his arrest early in 2017 on allegations of harassing two women via sexually-explicit social media messages. How could Baylor bear such bewildering behavior while boasting a director of sports ministry on staff? An "I'm-such-a-stud" mindset in culture breeding risky behavior goes way out of bounds to near epidemic proportions as an alarming number of conniving former college hoopers think they're still BMOC when hired by a high school district and victimize vulnerable females.

Amid the extensive flaws, can any of the journalistic jackals unearth whether "The Carolina (Academic) Way" for Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson included a rigorous African and Afro-American independent study course on how to treat the opposite sex, Africa's subjugation of females or discerning the origin of HIV and Ebola virus rather than the importance of Swahili language? If the scheme was solely for GPA boosting, Carolina's 2005 (10 of 15 members were AFAS majors with total of 35 "pretty doggone good" bogus classes over two semesters) and 2009 NCAA titles should of been in jeopardy of being vacated. But the UNC placed on probation for scholastic shenanigans was Northern Colorado; not Carolina. At the very least, for the sake of supplying a good chuckle to offset a portion of the angst, we should be entitled to digest a sampling of prose from those unread Prime Time 10-page papers (assigned mostly A grades with few B+ marks since a few players may have misspelled their names). UNC, admitting "regrettable actions," should have been sanctioned simply because disgraceful no-show classes came under umbrella of Center For Ethics apparently as unethical as seven-layered Comey and FBI toadies Baker/Clinesmith/McCabe/Page/Priestap/Strzok.

UNC paid over $21 million in assorted costs dealing with the scholastic scandal but that exorbitant fee might have been an affordable expense insofar as there was significant savings over these many years when no faculty was necessary to actually provide instruction for bogus book-work. Rather than learning classy pass fakes on the court, the courted players passed by "learning" in fake classes. It's no excuse but, if the let's-not-dwell-on-the-negative media would get off its royal cushion, how many other schools across the nation have comparable compromising courses? A polluted program under current coach Richard Pitino, who brought in troubled transfers Reggie Lynch and Daquein McNeil, isn't exactly virgin territory among power-league members. The Gophers have "hole" history featuring a former Minnesota tutor claiming she wrote or helped write more than 400 papers or pieces of coursework for in excess of 20 Gophers players in the mid-1990s, multiple pre-Lynch/pre-#AlFrankenstein prospects-turned-suspects (Courtney James/Mitchell Lee/Trevor Mbakwe/Royce White) and recent out-of-control athletic director. After academic anemia decades ago involving Creighton's Kevin Ross taking rigorous courses such as theory of baseball and ceramics, the NCAA should remember: "If you don't stand for something (such as higher scholastic standards), you'll fall for anything (excessive number of criminals)." If NCAA movers and shakers didn't do anything meaningful back then addressing scholastic shenanigans, why would we expect them to do something now such as condemn Auburn's class clustering? In this charade, many of the recruits contemptible coaches and media butt kissers drool upon are "self-reliant students" as much as culpable kids of actress Lori Loughlin/Aunt Becky are "authentic athletes."

How in Heel is having athletic department personnel steering players into sham classes for 18 years not, at its core curriculum, a textbook definition of "lack of institutional control?" When will ESPN get to the bottom of the chicanery yielding answers via another orchestrated interview with former coach Roy Williams serving as master of "really-bothered-by-whole-thing" ceremonies featuring backdrop of supportive ex-players? ESPN should have just gone ahead and issued Williams' support group "Game Day" posters for their little pep rally at former big boss' alma mater. Network could have called charade, appearing as if it was created by coke-head Rolling Stone editor, Skipper's short three-hour tour. What most media outlets skip over is the disgusting percentage of prize prospects becoming prime predatory suspects in abusing underage females (including after they leave college).

How difficult would it have been for Williams, instead of pleading educational mission ignorance, to take a few minutes per semester assessing academic progress of each of his players? Didn't he acknowledge there was "class clustering" early in his Carolina head coaching tenure? It is the height of hypocrisy for him and other DI mentors/"fathers" to have a contract bonus provision stemming from APR/graduation rates. Will UNC encourage him to apologize to whistle-blower tutor Mary "Just Keep My Players Eligible" Willingham? Didn't Williams figuratively punch her (triggering death threats in aftermath of additional administration admonishments) by impugning Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary's character saying her illiteracy claims were untrue and totally unfair about a striking number of scholars boasting middle-school reading skills? Said Willingham prior to settling a lawsuit with UNC for $335,000 (about $1,000 per basketball player enrollment in paper class minus attorneys' fees): "I went to a lot of basketball games in the Dean Dome, but Roy never came and sat with me while I tutored his guys." Naturally, the first step to academic-anemia recovery at reformatory is admitting you're a huge hypocrite. Heaven help us if Williams' "sad-time" excuses and pleading ignorance about suspension of guard Jalek Felton - most heralded member of freshman class for defending NCAA champion - are typical of the coaching community level of interest in authentic advancement toward a genuine diploma.

Which is worse - free grades/dean's list for not even attending rogue class (see Rashad McCants), free abuse of female tutor or free rental cars for top returning scorer (P.J. Hairston) linked to an ex-convict? An absence of press accountability in the Carolinas probably is why a Democratic male running for statewide office can chuckle after calling a Republican female sitting governor a "whore." What we have here is a failure to exhibit standards; not so much an inability to thoroughly discuss the (physical and/or verbal) beat-down topic and appease the all-women sports gabfest "We Need to Talk" on CBS. The coaches' Sgt. Schultz "I-know-nothing" routine is insulting spit because they usually know when a regular takes an irregular dump. The NFL and NBA likely will announce policies "to do more," but when will colleges and the media do likewise to mitigate Sharia Law-like malignant message dumping on women? Instead, we get Kansas' Selfless coach creatively saying one of his Adidas-adoring players involved in school probe was "ill" upon missing a couple of games. Truth be told, the sport will remain "sick" if scholastic standards aren't raised while "educators of men" focus more on assembling megaconferences.

The NCAA should embrace the Nwagwu Rules of Engagement. Jackson State guard Chuck Nwagwu's father, a professor at the school, forced the part-time starter to quit the Tigers' team in 1996-97 after receiving a grade of C in two classes. "I am an academician," said the elder Nwagwu. "My job is to educate young black men. That should be the primary objective. Basketball is secondary." Nwagwu's dad also made him move out of the dormitory and canceled his meal tickets. "I had to impress him that school comes first," the Nigerian native said. "He thinks he's going to be the next Michael Jordan." Regrettably, JSU didn't last long as beacon of integrity among HBCU institutions as seven players were arrested five years later and charged with sexual abuse.

What is it about punks flourishing at sports that makes adults fall all over themselves making excuses for abhorrent behavior infecting the sport? Amid the pimpish compartmentalization, there are also "clever" outfits such as Oregon stemming from its timing in waiting to expel three players implicated in an alleged sexual assault in order to avoid a reduction in its Academic Progress Rate score before reaching 2017 Final Four with another player under comparable criminal investigation. Telephone records clearly convey Oregon athletic officials including coach Dana Altman were concerned about a recent recruit and NCAA gumshoes should be, too, instead of whether an assistant coach refereed a scrimmage. Meanwhile, fellow Pac-12 Conference member California adopted a stricter admissions policy when it comes to academics and Indiana embraced a no-admittance policy regarding previous indiscretions. Will Cal and IU set a nationwide trend for increased scholastic and decorum standards or will majority of universities duck the issue? Not if their on-court performances this season are any barometer or the condescending NCAA headquarters remains much more concerned about Indian nicknames and transgender restrooms than ending licking of dames. Can the NCAA, featuring a president informed at the start of this decade about MSU mayhem, at least encourage its members to consider utilizing Norway's syllabus teaching Muslim male migrants how to treat non-veiled women? At times such as Evansville firing coach Walter McCarty midway through 2019-20 season amidst a Title IX probe into alleged sexual misconduct, the ethically-bankrupt atmosphere doesn't appear to be much better at mid-major schools. St. Francis (N.Y.) had two different teammates busted for sex abuse on back-to-back days in early 2014 and an alleged cover-up at North Texas is equally disturbing.

It was a bizarre Halloween(ie) at mid-major Detroit in 2012 when athletic director Keri Gaither and assistant coach Derek Thomas resigned stemming from their extramarital, interracial affair. Ex-Baylor standout Carlos Briggs, another aide under coach Ray McCallum, was the anonymous whistle-blower before his identity was compromised and he was also dismissed. According to lawsuit filed by Briggs, UD players would observe former Western Illinois head coach Thomas slip into Gaither's hotel room after the team's curfew during road games, triggering them to leave their rooms to go stand outside the door to Gaither's room, giggling while they listened to zesty sounds of Gaither and Thomas apparently getting busy. No word if they discerned whether Titan condoms were utilized.

Speaking of "tough, cool and clever" guys resembling deranged DeNiro, Mayweather told CNN that "only God can judge me." But let's play The Almighty role and make things personal prior to enablers going on their merry way "earning" academic-anemia "dollars" off the next round of ill-equipped recruits. Father-figure coaches masquerading as social workers who persuade admissions offices to enroll some of the "exception" vermin should be sued by victims if the abuse is campus connected under their stewardship. As for the #MessMedia (student newspaper had to step up to the plate at Duke), perhaps Vitale's next illuminating book should be "You're Awful, Baby! With a Capital A!: 100 Players I Praised as Great But Glad My Daughters Didn't Date." Striving to avoid turning a blind eye to problem like so many in the press, below we'll give his researchers a head start on the EBOLA (Excessive Beatings are Outlandish of Ladies by Athletes) plague with robust list of scholars to assess en route to him setting a Guinness Book of World Records for most basketball volumes he didn't write, yet having name on covers as author.

Research shows that arrests of college athletes are more than double those of pros. Former Duke starter Jay Bilas has experiential ACC knowledge competing against colorful North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano's suspect squads (735 average SAT score - featuring Chris Washburn at 470 - and excessive number of positive drug tests during the 1980s). While pondering rigorous courses washout Washburn somehow passed to remain academically eligible for more than one season, a cold-blooded question surfaces as to whether the academic anemia at UNC is worse than what occurred at N.C. State, which probably gains the negative nod if only because of Washburn teammate Charles Shackleford's following animal-expert quote: "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious." The "A" in "bring your A-game" in an old ACC ad apparently didn't stand for academics.

If bookish Bilas genuinely knows self-evaluation "toughness" beyond "if they (coaches) knew," the policy wonk will maneuver upstream and shift his passion from lambasting the NCAA about paying these gentlemen and scholars to a lawyer-like focus on stopping the NCAA from preying on players who have little to no business representing universities because they aren't authentic student-athletes (although "Sullen-man" was still enrolled as student when allegations against him surfaced). Granted, such an academic-values modification will translate into an inferior product for him and his network to promote (and for walk-on-water luminaries such as Jim Boeheim, Calipari, Bob Huggins, Izzo, Self plus Rick Pitino to coach for that matter). But does a mediocre Duke player such as Lance Thomas need more than $30,000 as down payment on jewelry? What about multiple Memphis players reporting they were robbed of more than $66,000 worth of vital items for Calipari-coached college students (mink coats, diamond earrings, stereo equipment, flat-screen TV)? Ask CIA jurisprudence jackal John Brennan!

Moreover, former Syracuse bench boss Boeheim wouldn't have an opportunity to be "impressed" about one-and-done Carmelo Anthony's 1.8 gpa before failing to mention if Anthony attended more classes than games his second semester. Did Melo mellow out in Orange-hot Child and Family Studies en route to underwriting Cuse's hoops centerpiece (The Melo Center)? No word yet from blow-hard Boeheim after former Orange hooper/NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb was accused of sexual harassment by a former female colleague at the NFL Network and discarded by ESPN. At least the win-at-all-costs mentality is gender neutral as goalie Hope Solo flew above the Soccer Wars like Han Solo and school spirit took on a whole new meaning among Coastal Carolina's cheerleaders. More coaches are becoming members of the Garbage Collectors Guild as they don't give a rat's ass about anything beyond winning a few more games. What quality of classes could possibly be taken in college by mercenary professional-caliber athletes if a mind-numbing 60% of NBA players file for bankruptcy five years after retirement? Symbolic of a normal DI rescue-mission campaign, more than 50 people were arrested in a sex trafficking sting operation during Final Four weekend in Minneapolis several seasons ago. Instead of paying athletes, just let "sperminator" stallions have free erectile access to on-campus brothels.

In a 2015 sexcapade, a former recruit said he felt as if "I was in a strip club" when visiting Louisville. Georgia Tech apparently felt comfortable transporting impressionable high school prospect directly to jiggle joint. It's almost time to hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete and reboot nearly everything about the sport. A striking number of prominent schools (down to Florida, LSU and Oregon first week of new year not long ago before LSU "won" commitment) recruited power forward Emmitt Williams, who was arrested the previous fall in Florida on sexual battery and false imprisonment charges before charges were dismissed just before Christmas. Zach Harvey, a prize prep prospect in Kansas, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor crimes (endangering a child and breach of privacy) after facing two felony sex crime charges stemming from an alleged incident in March 2017 involving two other teens and an underage girl. Amid a scholastic schedule laden with decidedly non-academic courses, personal character flaws didn't surface solely upon reaching the professional level and power-league members unscathed by female battery are clearly in the minority.

Immersed in an era fraught with human debris devoid of moral compass, ORU committed athletic program suicide during the previous decade when mandating the Titans, who averaged 22 victories annually in their first six seasons at the NCAA DI level in the 1970s, could only sign players without tattoos and new recruits would have to take a "faith exam" as well. Facing unvarnished truth, all hormonal basketball roads seem to lead to liberal lunacy including "tolerant" fans condoning shameless womanizing comparable to Los Angeles Lakers zealot Jack Nicholson. As many local and national press heads should roll as incompetent school administrators if there is anything close to equivalence of their overall hear-no-evil, see-no-evil and speak-no-evil oversight. While much of the lame-stream media looks the other way like referee in waning moments seeking blowout contest to conclude as soon as possible, following are vital facts on what really is outside the lines since ESPN came on the scene in the late 1970s and CBS assumed control of March Madness. High-profile commentators, appearing as if they were drugged, aimlessly address relevant "no-means-no" issues about as much as Cosby and Izzo answered pertinent inquiries. Celebrated coaches such as Altman, Boeheim, Izzo, Greek philosopher Pitino, Self and many of their peers never will "get it" until they're hit in the pocketbook or, God forbid, their daughters are victimized by a cretin. Compare how much power conference/prominent mid-major player air-time was given to "singing the praises" of the following alphabetical list of Three-S "Men" (Stupid, Sin-tillating and Sin-sational) to how much gutless wonders devoted to elaborating on their Hoop Hall of Shame misdeeds against women or offering solutions preventing exploitation of such derelict student-athletes even if the quality of basketball is reduced and might negatively affect ratings, endorsement deals, speaking engagement fees, charity donations or circulations of periodicals:

"If we have one of those cases (sexual assault), that's very problematic," pious retired NCAA President Mark Emmert told USA Today while five of every six universities refused to provide disciplinary records to the publication's network for a "Predator Pipeline" profile despite federal law giving schools explicit permission to provide such information. Question for Emmert: How about hundreds of cases plus one? If they bother to digest this lengthy list (including murders) or discern how often local "Mr.-Fix-It" go-to defense attorney is utilized by athletes, it might be time for Emmert, who earned $4 million annually, and shameful thumb-sucking university presidents to emerge from fetal position in their ivory towers, cease deliberate indifference and finally add a few paragraphs citing penalties for sexual misconduct to 440-page rules book. More to the point, how about elevating scholastic standards to emphasize genuine student-athletes less likely to be involved in sordid activities? Let's face it: Stupid people do dumb things. A correlation connecting delinquency of college cagers and soft-on-crime mindset is certainly an inconvenient truth requiring better leadership than insulated higher-education parasites and lame-stream #MessMedia leeches; not to mention grievance-industry NBA players probably supporting the aforementioned list as much as social scholars do common criminals in #Dimorat-dominated municipalities such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, District of Columbia, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, state of Wisconsin, etc. Even worse are college campuses infected by progressive puke as genesis for every idiotic idea about which nation is polarized.

Shooting Stars: NCAA DI League Tournament Single-Game Scoring Records

March 3rd, 2026 - 6:46

North Dakota's Treysen Eaglestaff came within five points last year of breaking the highest-scoring game in NCAA DI conference tournament history. Did you know the individual boasting highest-scoring game in a DI league postseason tournament is a genuine gamebreaker-turned-lawbreaker? You can find him in prison serving a life sentence without parole after facing felony charges stemming from automobile hijacking, kidnapping the driver by holding a gun to his head and robbing a convenience store following a 3 1/2-year stint in prison for a probation violation. Well, it's Marshall guard Skip Henderson, who erupted for 55 points in the 1988 Southern Conference quarterfinals against The Citadel. Marshall (also C-USA) and Texas Tech (Big 12 and SWC) are the only schools to have two players hold existing league tourney scoring marks in two different NCAA Division I alliances.

After Stetson's Jalen Blackmon in Atlantic Sun two years ago, four mid-major leagues - America East (twice after three-time MVP Jameel Warney's 18-of-22 field-goal shooting nine years ago for Stony Brook), Ivy League (Harvard's Bryce Aiken seven years ago) and Horizon League (Detroit's Antoine Davis five years ago) - provide the only players setting existing NCAA DI conference tournament scoring marks in a tourney final. All-Americans Lennie Rosenbluth (North Carolina) and Cliff Hagan (Kentucky) accounted for the two of following DI league tourney scoring standards (ACC and SEC) standing since the 1950s:

Conference Round Record Holder School HG Opponent Date
America East Final Taylor Coppenrath Vermont 43 Maine 3-13-04
America East Final Jameel Warney Stony Brook 43 Vermont 3-12-16
American Athletic Semifinal Russ Smith Louisville 42 Houston 3-14-14
Atlantic Coast Quarterfinal Lennie Rosenbluth North Carolina 45 Clemson 3-7-57
Atlantic Sun Quarterfinal Reggie Gibbs Houston Baptist 43 Georgia Southern 3-7-89
Atlantic Sun Final Jalen Blackmon Stetson 43 Austin Peay 3-10-24
Atlantic 10 Quarterfinal Tom Garrick Rhode Island 50 Rutgers 3-7-88
Big East Quarterfinal Donyell Marshall Connecticut 42 St. John's 3-11-94
Big Eight Quarterfinal Eric Piatkowski Nebraska 42 Oklahoma 3-11-94
Big Sky First Randy Onwuasor Southern Utah 43 Montana State 3-7-17
Big South Quarterfinal Chris Clemons Campbell 51 UNC Asheville 3-2-17
Big Ten Semifinal Terrence Shannon Jr. Illinois 40 Nebraska 3-16-24
Big 12 First Mike Singletary Texas Tech 43 Texas A&M 3-11-09
Big West First Josh Akognon Cal State Fullerton 37 UC Riverside 3-11-09
Coastal Athletic Semifinal Justin Wright-Foreman Hofstra 42 Delaware 3-11-19
C-USA Semifinal Trey Freeman Old Dominion 42 Western Kentucky 3-11-16
Horizon League First Antoine Davis Detroit 46 Robert Morris 2-25-21
Ivy League Final Bryce Aiken Harvard 38 Yale 3-17-19
Metro Atlantic Quarterfinal Kevin Houston Army 53 Fordham 2-28-87
Mid-American Semifinal Ron Harper Miami (Ohio) 45 Ball State 3-8-85
Mid-Eastern Athletic First Richard Toussaint Bethune-Cookman 49 Morgan State 3-11-03
Missouri Valley Quarterfinal Hersey Hawkins Bradley 41 Indiana State 3-5-88
Mountain West Semifinal Jimmer Fredette Brigham Young 52 New Mexico 3-11-11
Northeast Quarterfinal Rahsaan Johnson Monmouth 40 St. Francis (N.Y.) 3-3-00
Ohio Valley Quarterfinal Charles "Bubba" Wells Austin Peay 43 Morehead State 2-25-97
Pac-12 Quarterfinal Klay Thompson Washington State 43 Washington 3-10-11
Patriot League Quarterfinal Joe Knight Lehigh 45 Colgate 3-4-05
Southeastern Semifinal Cliff Hagan Kentucky 42 Tennessee 3-1-52
Southeastern Quarterfinal Melvin Turpin Kentucky 42 Georgia 3-8-84
Southern Quarterfinal James "Skip" Henderson Marshall 55 The Citadel 3-4-88
Southland Quarterfinal Kenneth Lyons North Texas 47 Louisiana Tech 3-10-83
Southwest Semifinal Rick Bullock Texas Tech 44 Arkansas 3-5-76
Southwestern Athletic unavailable unavailable unavailable TBD unavailable TBD
Summit League Quarterfinal Treysen Eaglestaff North Dakota 51 South Dakota State 3-7-25
Sun Belt Quarterfinal Dee Brown Jacksonville 41 Old Dominion 3-3-90
West Coast Quarterfinal Tim Owens San Francisco 45 Loyola Marymount 3-2-91
Western Athletic Quarterfinal Mike Jones Texas Christian 44 Fresno State 3-6-97

NOTE: Scoring outbursts by Fredette (Mountain West), Garrick (Atlantic 10), Gibbs (Atlantic Sun), Harper (Mid-American), Henderson (Southern), Houston (Metro Atlantic Athletic), Lyons (Southland) and Piatkowski (Big Eight) are also existing school single-game standards. Outputs for Eaglestaff (North Dakota) and Warney (Stony Brook) are highest for those schools at DI level.

Clever Cliff Clavin: Timeless Trivia Tidbits Trace Tantalizing Tourney Trails

March 3rd, 2026 - 6:38

An amazing six-overtime thriller between Connecticut and Syracuse in the 2009 Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinals is relatively easy to remember. But one of the most titillating tourney tidbits among all leagues that gets overlooked because the Southwest Conference is defunct remains Texas Tech's Rick Bullock single-handedly outscoring the "Triplets" from Arkansas (Ron Brewer, Marvin Delph and Sidney Moncrief) by seven points, 44-37, when he set the SWC's single-game tournament scoring record in the 1976 semifinals.

As league tourney action commences, don't hesitate to capitalize on the links for the current Division I conferences cited below to refresh your memory about past champions and events. Following are many of the names and numbers of note only Cliff Clavin knows regarding previous conference tournament competition you can reflect upon as teams tune up for the main event by jockeying for position in the NCAA playoff bracket:

America East - The 1989 North Atlantic Tournament was dubbed the MIT (Measles Invitational Tourney) because all spectators were banned due to a measles outbreak. Delaware competed for 17 years in the East Coast Conference and never won an ECC Tournament championship. But the Blue Hens entered the AEC predecessor, the North Atlantic, in 1992 and won their first-ever title and went to the NCAA playoffs for the initial time. They successfully defended their crown the next year before closing out the decade with another set of back-to-back tourney titles.

American Athletic - In their lone season as members of the conference, Louisville (joined ACC) routed Rutgers (Big Ten), 92-31, in 2014 quarterfinals.

Atlantic Coast - Maryland, ranking fourth in both polls, lost in overtime against eventual NCAA champion North Carolina State, 103-100, in the 1974 final in what some believe might have been the greatest college game ever played. Three players from each team earned All-American honors during their careers - North Carolina State's David Thompson, Tom Burleson and Monte Towe plus Maryland's John Lucas, Len Elmore and Tom McMillen. The Terrapins had four players score at least 20 points - Lucas, McMillen, Owen Brown and Mo Howard - in a 20-point victory over 22-6 North Carolina (105-85) in the semifinals. The Terps, of course, didn't participate in the NCAA playoffs that year because a 32-team bracket allowing teams other than the league champion to be chosen on an at-large basis from the same conference wasn't adopted until the next season. Duke and/or Carolina participated in every tourney final from 1996 until 2021.

Atlantic Sun - Belmont hit 12-of-19 first-half shots from beyond the arc in the 2007 final against top seed East Tennessee State.

Atlantic 10 - Temple reached the tourney semifinals 19 consecutive seasons in one stretch. None of the top four seeds reached the semifinals in 2024.

Big East - St. John's doesn't seem to have any advantage at Madison Square Garden. It lost five consecutive tourney games on its homecourt by an average margin of 11.4 points from 1987 through 1991. DePaul won opening-round league tourney contest in 2009 against Cincinnati after going winless in conference competition during regular season (0-18).

Big Sky - Montana, capitalizing on a homecourt advantage, overcame a jinx by winning back-to-back tournament titles in 1991 and 1992. The Grizzlies had just two losing regular-season league records from 1976 through 1990, but they didn't win the tournament title in that span, losing the championship game five times from 1978 through 1984.

Big South - The No. 1 seed won this unpredictable tourney only five times in the first 17 years. Radford failed to reach the postseason tournament final for nine years until capturing the event in 1998.

Big Ten - Illinois won as many games in the 1999 tourney as the Illini did in regular-season conference competition that season (3-13). Northwestern, en route to its initial NCAA playoff appearance, scored 31 unanswered points in the first half of a 2017 quarterfinal game against Rutgers.

Big 12 - Kansas won the first three championship games from 1997 through 1999 by at least 14 points. No Texas-based member won tourney title until the Longhorns in 2021.

Big West - Pacific didn't compile a winning league record from 1979 through 1992, but the Tigers climaxed three consecutive appearances in the tournament semifinals by advancing to the '92 championship game.

Coastal Athletic - Navy, seeded No. 8 in 1991 in its last year in the tournament before joining the Patriot League, upset top seed James Madison in overtime, 85-82, in the opening round.

Conference USA - Three of four C-USA Tournament champions from 1997 through 2000 won four games in four days. Cincinnati captured six league tournament titles in seven years from 1992 through 1998 in the Great Midwest and C-USA.

Horizon League - The first two tournament winners (Oral Roberts '80 and Oklahoma City '81) of the league's forerunner, the Midwestern City, subsequently shed Division I status and de-emphasized to the NAIA level. ORU, which also won the crown in 1984, returned to Division I status in 1993-94. Butler lost its first 12 games in the tourney until breaking into the win column in 1992.

Ivy League - Harvard aspired to become the fourth different member to win the conference's postseason tournament in the first four years of the event until the alliance tucked tail and ran, cancelling the event due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

Metro Atlantic Athletic - Eight different schools won the tournament title in an eight-year span from 1992 through 1999.

Mid-American - Bowling Green never has won the MAC Tournament. John Whorton, tourney MVP in 1999 when guiding Kent State to its initial NCAA playoff appearance, won $1.3 million with his wife in late 2016 on a NBC game show, "The Wall," created and produced by Akron native LeBron James.

Mid-Eastern Athletic - North Carolina A&T won seven consecutive titles from 1982 through 1988. The Aggies defeated Howard in the championship game each of the first six years of their streak with the middle four of them decided by a total of only 17 points.

Missouri Valley - Indiana State won only two of its next 20 MVC tourney games after All-American Larry Bird led the Sycamores to the 1979 title.

Mountain West - Not once has Air Force reached the championship game of the WAC or Mountain West.

Northeast - The final pitted the top two seeds against each other 11 times in a 13-year span from 1983 through 1995.

Ohio Valley - Former member Western Kentucky reached the championship game in eight of the OVC's first 10 tourneys. Tennessee Tech won only one tournament game from 1975 through 1992.

Pacific-12 - Arizona won the last three tourney finals from 1988 through 1990 by a minimum of 16 points before the league discontinued the event until reviving it in 2002.

Patriot League - No seed worse than third reached the championship game in the first 20 years of event from 1991 through 2010.

SEC - Seven of the 13 tourney MVPs from 1979 through 1991 didn't play for the champion. One of them, LSU's John Williams, didn't even compete in the 1986 title game. Although Kentucky standout center Alex Groza saw limited action in the 1947 tournament because of a back injury, the Wildcats cruised to victories over Vanderbilt (98-29), Auburn (84-18), Georgia Tech (75-53) and Tulane (55-38). UK was also without Converse All-American guard Jack Parkinson (serving in the military), but the five-man all-tourney team was comprised of nothing but Wildcats - forwards Jack Tingle and Joe Holland, center Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones and guards Ken Rollins and Ralph Beard. UK (24) has won more than half of the SEC's tourneys.

Southern - Furman's Jerry Martin, an outfielder who hit .251 in 11 years with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals and New York Mets from 1974 through 1984, was named MVP in the 1971 tournament after the 6-1 guard led the Paladins to the title with 22-, 36- and 19-point performances to pace the tourney in scoring. Two years earlier, former Davidson coach Bob McKillop scored three points for East Carolina against the Lefty Driesell-coached Wildcats in the 1969 SC Tournament championship game.

Southland - North Texas State's Kenneth Lyons outscored Louisiana Tech's Karl Malone, 47-6, when Lyons established a still existing single-game scoring record in the 1983 tournament quarterfinals. Malone led the SLC in rebounding (10.3 rpg) and steals (1.9 spg) that season as a freshman before going on to score more than 30,000 points in the NBA. Two years earlier, McNeese State won a first-round game after going winless in regular-season conference competition.

SWAC - Regular-season champion Grambling State lost by 50 points to Southern (105-55) in the 1987 final. An interesting twist that year was the fact Bob Hopkins, Grambling's first-year coach, had coached Southern the previous three seasons.

Summit League - The first tournament final in 1984 featured two teams with losing league records in regular-season competition (Western Illinois and Cleveland State).

Sun Belt - South Alabama's stall didn't prevent the Jaguars from losing to New Orleans, 22-20, on Nate Mills' last-second jumper in the 1978 final. The next season, the Sun Belt became the first league to experiment with a 45-second shot clock. The four different schools that accounted for the participants in six consecutive finals from 1980 through 1985 went on to join other conferences - UAB, Old Dominion, South Florida and Virginia Commonwealth. Two-time champion Charlotte also abandoned ship.

West Coast - Gonzaga has participated in tourney final for the last 28 years from 1998 through 2025. The top two seeds didn't meet in the championship game until 2000. The most tragic moment in the history of any conference tournament occurred in the semifinals of the 1990 event at Loyola Marymount when Hank Gathers, the league's all-time scoring leader and a two-time tourney MVP, collapsed on his home court during the Lions' game with Portland. He died later that evening and the tournament was suspended. The Lions earned the NCAA Tournament bid because of their regular-season crown and advanced to the West Regional final behind the heroics of Bo Kimble, who was Gathers' longtime friend from Philadelphia.

Western Athletic - The tourney's biggest upset occurred in 1990 when No. 9 seed Air Force defeated No. 1 seed Colorado State in the quarterfinals, 58-51. Hawaii's Carl English, averaging 3.9 points per game as a freshman during the regular season, had a season-high 25 in a 78-72 overtime victory against host Tulsa in the 2001 final.

Runaway Winners: Navy Midshipmen Dominate Patriot League Competition

March 2nd, 2026 - 9:32

Eight years ago, Virginia became the first ACC member since Duke in 1999-00 to win the regular-season league title by as many as four games in final standings. The most dominant club in conference competition this season was Navy (won Patriot League by six games with 17-1 mark after averaging nine defeats in PL play the previous 15 years). The Jon Perry-coached Midshipmen incurred their lone league loss at American University (65-51). In an incredible achievement, Perry is a rookie bench boss at DI level. By contrast, luminaries Nate Oats and Brad Stevens were relatively close to Perry by being in their third campaigns when dominating leagues with Buffalo and Butler, respectively.

No power league in the last 12 years has had a team finish atop conference standings by at least five games. Colgate was the first school to be so dominant in back-to-back regular-season conference competition (2022-23 and 2023-24) since Stephen Curry-led Davidson to Southern Conference crown by six games in 2007-08. Following is a list of most dominant league titlists in that span finishing at least six games ahead in standings (listed in reverse order):

Season League Champion (Coach) Conference Mark GA
2025-26 Navy (Jon Perry) Patriot League 17-1 +6
2023-24 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 16-2 +6
2022-23 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 17-1 +6
2021-22 Longwood (Griff Aldrich) Big South/North 15-1 +7
2021-22 Vermont (John Becker) America East 17-1 +6
2020-21 Navy (Ed DeChellis) Patriot League/South 12-1 +6
2019-20 New Mexico State (Chris Jans) Western Athletic 16-0 +6
2017-18 Buffalo (Nate Oats) Mid-American/East 15-3 +6
2014-15 Murray State (Steve Prohm) Ohio Valley/West 16-0 +6
2013-14 Wichita State (Gregg Marshall) Missouri Valley 18-0 +6
2013-14 Florida (Billy Donovan) SEC 18-0 +6
2011-12 Kentucky (John Calipari) SEC 16-0 +6
2011-12 Middle Tennessee State (Kermit Davis) Sun Belt/East 14-2 +6
2009-10 Butler (Brad Stevens) Horizon League 18-0 +6
2007-08 Davidson (Bob McKillop) Southern/South 20-0 +7

Runaway Winners: Navy Midshipmen Dominate Patriot League Competition

March 2nd, 2026 - 9:32

Eight years ago, Virginia became the first ACC member since Duke in 1999-00 to win the regular-season league title by as many as four games in final standings. The most dominant club in conference competition this season was Navy (won Patriot League by six games with 17-1 mark after averaging nine defeats in PL play the previous 15 years). The Jon Perry-coached Midshipmen incurred their lone league loss at American University (65-51). In an incredible achievement, Perry is a rookie bench boss at DI level. By contrast, luminaries Nate Oats and Brad Stevens were relatively close to Perry by being in their third campaigns when dominating leagues with Buffalo and Butler, respectively.

No power league in the last 12 years has had a team finish atop conference standings by at least five games. Colgate was the first school to be so dominant in back-to-back regular-season conference competition (2022-23 and 2023-24) since Stephen Curry-led Davidson to Southern Conference crown by six games in 2007-08. Following is a list of most dominant league titlists in that span finishing at least six games ahead in standings (listed in reverse order):

Season League Champion (Coach) Conference Mark GA
2025-26 Navy Jon Perry Patriot League 17-1 | +6
2023-24 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 16-2 +6
2022-23 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 17-1 +6
2021-22 Longwood (Griff Aldrich) Big South/North 15-1 +7
2021-22 Vermont (John Becker) America East 17-1 +6
2020-21 Navy (Ed DeChellis) Patriot League/South 12-1 +6
2019-20 New Mexico State (Chris Jans) Western Athletic 16-0 +6
2017-18 Buffalo (Nate Oats) Mid-American/East 15-3 +6
2014-15 Murray State (Steve Prohm) Ohio Valley/West 16-0 +6
2013-14 Wichita State (Gregg Marshall) Missouri Valley 18-0 +6
2013-14 Florida (Billy Donovan) SEC 18-0 +6
2011-12 Kentucky (John Calipari) SEC 16-0 +6
2011-12 Middle Tennessee State (Kermit Davis) Sun Belt/East 14-2 +6
2009-10 Butler (Brad Stevens) Horizon League 18-0 +6
2007-08 Davidson (Bob McKillop) Southern/South 20-0 +7

Hot Stove League: MLB March Transactions Regarding Ex-College Hoopers

March 1st, 2026 - 13:37

Former San Diego State hooper Graig Nettles, a six-time All-Star third baseman, was moved from one MLB franchise to another twice in the mid-1980s during March. Fellow All-Stars Gene Conley (Washington State) and Sammy White (Washington) were principals in MLB trades this month after earning All-PCC North Division first-team acclaim as hoopers. Nettles, Conley and White are among the following ex-college hoopers involved in MLB off-season transactions during the month of March:

MARCH

1: INF Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) traded by the Boston Braves to Chicago Cubs in 1948. . . . C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) traded by the St. Louis Browns to Washington Senators in 1944.
4: OF-DH Champ Summers (led SIU-Edwardsville in scoring in 1969-70 after doing likewise with Nicholls State in 1964-65) traded by the Detroit Tigers to San Francisco Giants in 1982.
5: RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler hoops All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by Indianapolis (American Association) in 1942.
8: RHP Vince Colbert (averaged 14.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg for East Carolina in 1966-67 and 1967-68) traded by the Texas Rangers to Cleveland Indians in 1973.
10: OF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg as Tampa freshman in 1961-62) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to Cleveland Indians in 1966. . . . LHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) acquired from Dallas (American Association) by the Kansas City Athletics as part of a minor league working agreement.
11: RHP Ben McDonald (started six times as freshman forward for Louisiana State in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) traded by the Cleveland Indians to Milwaukee Brewers in 1998.
13: C-UTL Billy Sullivan Jr. (Portland hoops letterman in 1927-28) purchased from the Detroit Tigers by Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942.
14: 3B Wally Gilbert (Valparaiso hoops captain in early 1920s) traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to Cincinnati Reds in 1932.
15: RHP Ray Fisher (1910 Middlebury VT graduate was "class" basketball participant) awarded off waivers from the New York Yankees to Cincinnati Reds in 1919. . . . RHP Dave Giusti (made 6-of-10 field-goal attempts in two games for Syracuse in 1959-60) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to Oakland Athletics in 1977. . . . C Art Kusnyer (led Kent State in field-goal percentage in 1965-66 as team's third-leading scorer and rebounder) traded by the Chicago White Sox to California Angels in 1971. . . . RHP Jim Todd (played for Parsons IA before averaging 16 ppg with Millersville PA in 1968-69) shipped by the Chicago Cubs as player to be designated to Seattle Mariners in 1977 to complete trade made six months earlier.
16: LHP Amir Garrett (averaged 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg for St. John's under coach Steve Lavin in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before redshirt transfer year at Cal State Northridge) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to Kansas City Royals in 2022. . . . 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by Cincinnati Reds in 1939. . . . C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) traded by the Boston Red Sox to Cleveland Indians in 1960 before deal was voided when he refused to report to his new team.
17: RHP Mike Barlow (Syracuse hoops substitute from 1967-68 through 1969-70) traded by the California Angels to Toronto Blue Jays in 1980. . . . RHP Marty McLeary (Mount Vernon Nazarene OH academic redshirt), a Rule 5 draft pick, returned by the Montreal Expos to Boston Red Sox in 2000.
19: RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) traded by the Detroit Tigers to Cleveland Indians as part of three-team swap also involving New York Yankees in 1974. . . . LHP Willie Prall (Upsala NJ hooper) traded by the San Francisco Giants to Chicago Cubs in 1974.
20: UTL Mel Roach (averaged 9.3 ppg for Virginia in 1952-53) traded by the Cleveland Indians to Philadelphia Phillies in 1962. . . . SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) traded by the Chicago Cubs to Milwaukee Braves in 1954. . . . LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) traded by the Seattle Mariners to Chicago White Sox in 2006.
21: SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending school's streak of 12 straight losing records) traded by the New York Mets to Philadelphia Phillies in 1988. . . . OF Bryant Alyea (Hofstra's leading scorer and rebounder in 1960-61 after finishing runner-up in both categories previous season) traded by the Washington Senators to Minnesota Twins in 1970. . . . CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) traded by the Cleveland Indians to Detroit Tigers for OF-1B Tito Francona in 1959. . . . INF Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to Chicago White Sox in 1982.
23: INF Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) purchased from Buffalo (International) by the Cincinnati Reds in 1934. . . . OF-1B Jim Hickman (Ole Miss freshman hooper in 1955-56) traded by the Chicago Cubs to St. Louis Cardinals in 1974.
24: 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) purchased from the Atlanta Braves by Montreal Expos in 1988.
25: UTL Leo Burke (averaged 9.2 ppg for Virginia Tech in 1952-53 and 1953-54) purchased from the Los Angeles Angels by St. Louis Cardinals in 1963. . . . RHP Bobby Humphreys (four-year hoops letterman graduated from Hampden-Sydney VA in 1958) purchased from the Detroit Tigers by St. Louis Cardinals in 1963. . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) traded with another player by the Atlanta Braves to Cleveland Indians for CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) and another player in 1997. . . . 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) traded by the San Francisco Giants to St. Louis Cardinals in 1959.
26: RHP Frank Linzy (listed on Oklahoma State's freshman hoops roster in 1959-60) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1972. . . . OF-1B Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to Chicago White Sox in 1987. . . . INF Rob Sperring (averaged 8.7 ppg and 2.9 rpg for Pacific from 1968-69 through 1970-71) traded by the San Francisco Giants to Houston Astros in 1977. . . . RHP Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) traded by the Oakland Athletics to Chicago Cubs in 1984.
27: RHP Dan Fife (averaged 12.6 ppg and 4.9 rpg as Michigan's) third-leading scorer each year from 1968-69 through 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) traded with cash by the Detroit Tigers to Minnesota Twins for RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) in 1973. . . . OF-INF Tony Phillips (juco teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd with New Mexico Military) traded by the San Diego Padres to Oakland Athletics in 1981. . . . OF Kite Thomas (averaged 5.1 ppg for Kansas State in 1946-47) traded by the Washington Senators to Chicago White Sox in 1954. . . . RHP Monte Weaver (hoops center for Emory & Henry VA in mid-1920s) purchased from the Washington Senators by Boston Red Sox in 1939.
29: RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan hoops letterman from 1933 through 1935) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to Boston Braves for C-OF Don Padgett (freshman in 1934 excelled in multiple sports for Lenoir-Rhyne NC) in 1947. . . . RHP Curly Ogden (competed as hoops center for Swarthmore PA in 1919, 1920 and 1922) purchased from the Washington Senators by Baltimore (International) in 1927.
30: LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5 ppg for East Tennessee State in 1976-77 and 1977-78 under coach Sonny Smith) traded by the Kansas City Royals to San Francisco Giants in six-player swap in 1982. . . . RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler hoops All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) purchased from the New York Yankees by St. Paul (American Association) in 1941. . . . 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) traded by the New York Yankees to San Diego Padres in 1984 for LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) and a player to be designated. . . . RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) traded by the Chicago White Sox to Oakland Athletics in 1978. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln MO in scoring average in 1955-56) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to Cincinnati Reds in 1969. . . . LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) purchased from the Los Angeles Dodgers by Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan Central) in 2010.
31: RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) traded with two other players by the Milwaukee Braves in 1959 to Philadelphia Phillies for INF Johnny O'Brien (two-time All-American with Seattle was first college player to crack 1,000-point plateau in single season by scoring 1,051 in 37 games in 1951-52) and two other players. . . . SS Rich Hacker (member of Southern Illinois' 1965-66 freshman hoops squad) traded by the New York Mets to Montreal Expos in 1971. . . . C Duane Josephson (led Northern Iowa in scoring in 1962-63 and 1963-64 under coach Norm Stewart) traded by the Chicago White Sox to Boston Red Sox in 1971. . . . RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) purchased from the Cincinnati Redlegs by Seattle (PCL) in 1955.

OFF-SEASON WHEELING AND DEALING PREVIOUS FOUR MONTHS
MLB February Transactions Involving Former College Hoopers
MLB January Transactions Involving Former College Hoopers
MLB December Transactions Involving Former College Hoopers
MLB November Transactions Involving Former College Hoopers

Happy Birthday! March Celebration Dates For A-As and Hall of Fame Coaches

March 1st, 2026 - 13:34

North Carolina (eight) and Duke (six) combine for 13 All-Americans born in the month of March. Duke is among three different North Carolina universities providing a striking number of 11 All-Americans born on the 14th of March. Two Oklahoma State All-Americans were born on the 6th of the month, two from Purdue on the 12th and two from Duke on the 18th. Following is a day-by-day calendar of All-Americans and Hall of Fame coaches born in March:

MARCH

1: All-American Mayce "Chris" Webber (1973/Michigan).
2: Hall of Fame coach Denzil "Denny" Crum (1937/Louisville).
3: All-Americans Allan Hornyak (1951/Ohio State), Markus Howard (1999/Marquette), Jim Jarvis (1943/Oregon State) and Corey Kispert (1999/Gonzaga).
4: All-Americans Melvin Ejim (1991/Iowa State), Draymond Green (1990/Michigan State), Jack Parkinson (1924/Kentucky), Jared Sullinger (1992/Ohio State) and Obi Toppin (1998/Dayton) plus Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams (1945/American University, Boston College, Ohio State and Maryland).
5: All-Americans Mason Plumlee (1990/Duke), Scott Skiles Sr. (1964/Michigan State), Wally Szczerbiak (1977/Miami of Ohio), Mike Warren (1946/UCLA) and Reggie Williams (1964/Georgetown).
6: All-Americans Armando Bacot Jr. (2000/North Carolina), Walter Clayton Jr. (2003/Florida), Eric "Sleepy" Floyd (1960/Georgetown), Josh Hart (1995/Villanova), John Jenkins (1991/Vanderbilt), Gale McArthur (1929/Oklahoma A&M), Shaquille O'Neal (1972/Louisiana State), Marcus Smart (1994/Oklahoma State) and Irv Torgoff (1917/LIU).
7: All-Americans Luke Maye (1997/North Carolina), Wally Palmberg (1912/Oregon State), Andy Phillip (1922/Illinois), Bob Rensberger (1921/Notre Dame) and Jeff Withey (1990/Kansas).
8: All-Americans Marvin Colen (1915/Loyola of Chicago), Robbie Hummel (1989/Purdue), Kenny Smith (1965/North Carolina) and Charles "Buck" Williams (1960/Maryland) plus Hall of Fame coach George Keogan (1890/St. Louis, Valparaiso and Notre Dame).
9: All-Americans Frank Burgess (1935/Gonzaga), Adonal Foyle (1975/Colgate), Chris Jackson (1969/Louisiana State), Jeff Lamp (1959/Virginia), Ed Mullen (1913/Marquette), Wayne Simien (1983/Kansas), Darrell Walker (1961/Arkansas) and Ron Widby (1945/Tennessee) plus Hall of Fame coach Ralph Miller (1919/Wichita, Iowa and Oregon State).
10: All-Americans Austin Carr (1948/Notre Dame), LeRoy Ellis Sr. (1940/St. John's), Kirk Haston (1979/Indiana) and Mark Workman (1930/West Virginia).
11: All-Americans Vince Boryla (1927/Denver), Elton Brand (1979/Duke), Anthony Davis (1993/Kentucky) and Jim McMillian (1948/Columbia).
12: All-Americans Charlie Bell (1979/Michigan State), Norm Cottom (1912/Purdue), Carsen Edwards (1998/Purdue), Bob Houbregs (1932/Washington), John Richter (1937/North Carolina State), Isaiah "J.R." Rider (1971/UNLV) and Doron Sheffer (1972/Connecticut) plus Hall of Fame coaches Ed Diddle (1895/Western Kentucky) and Eddie Sutton (1936/Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State).
13: All-Americans Bobby Jackson (1973/Minnesota), Glen "Max" Morris (1925/Northwestern) and Jack Parr (1936/Kansas State).
14: All-Americans Marvin Bagley III (1999/Duke), Stephen Curry (1988/Davidson), Marv Huffman (1917/Indiana), Larry Johnson (1969/UNLV), Clyde Lee (1944/Vanderbilt), Henry Logan (1946/Western Carolina), Bill Morris (1920/Washington), Paul Nowak (1914/Notre Dame), Charlie Share (1927/Bowling Green State), Gerry Tucker (1922/Oklahoma) and Wes Unseld (1946/Louisville) plus Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins (1930/Texas-El Paso).
15: All-Americans Lawrence Butler (1957/Idaho State), Terry Cummings (1961/DePaul), Kevin Loder (1959/Alabama State), Kevin McCullar Jr. (2001/Kansas), Jabari Parker (1995/Duke) and Don Schlundt (1933/Indiana).
16: All-Americans Toney Douglas (1986/Florida State), Blake Griffin (1989/Oklahoma), Bob Harris (1927/Oklahoma A&M), Porter Meriwether (1940/Tennessee State), Dave Quabius (1916/Marquette) and Jalen Smith (2000/Maryland) plus Hall of Fame coach Arthur "Dutch" Lonborg (1898/Northwestern).
17: All-Americans Danny Ainge (1959/Brigham Young), Sam Bowie (1961/Kentucky), Johnny Juzang (2001/UCLA), Kyle Korver (1981/Creighton), Clyde Mayes (1953/Furman), Thomas Robinson (1991/Kansas) and Willie Somerset (1942/Duquesne).
18: All-Americans Sherron Collins (1987/Kansas), Kris Dunn (1994/Providence), George Kok (1922/Arkansas), Mike Lewis (1946/Duke), Jeff Mullins (1942/Duke) and Win Wilfong (1933/Memphis State) plus Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean (1898/Indiana and Stanford).
19: All-Americans Larry Fogle (1953/Canisius), Casey Jacobsen (1981/Stanford), Scott May (1954/Indiana), Andre Miller (1976/Utah) and Bill Spivey (1929/Kentucky) plus Hall of Fame coaches Guy Lewis (1922/Houston) and Jim Phelan (1929/Mount St. Mary's).
20: All-Americans Daron "Mookie" Blaylock (1967/Oklahoma), Ken Charlton (1941/Colorado), Chuck Darling (1930/Iowa), Marcus Denmon (1990/Missouri), Bob Lewis (1945/North Carolina), Steve Logan (1980/Cincinnati), Ronnie Perry Jr. (1958/Holy Cross) and Pat Riley (1945/Kentucky).
21: All-Americans Miles Bridges (1998/Michigan State) and Mike Olliver (1959/Lamar).
22: All-Americans Marcus Camby (1974/Massachusetts), Ed Macauley (1928/St. Louis) and Danny Schultz (1943/Tennessee).
23: All-Americans Joseph Forte (1981/North Carolina), Kyrie Irving (1992/Duke), Rich Kelley (1953/Stanford) and Jason Kidd (1973/California).
24: All-Americans Chris Bosh (1984/Georgia Tech), Terrance "T.J." Ford (1983/Texas) and Mike Woodson (1958/Indiana).
25: All-Americans James Anderson (1989/Oklahoma State), Kyle Lowry (1986/Villanova), Lawrence Moten (1972/Syracuse) and Leon Wood (1962/Cal State Fullerton).
27: All-Americans Danny Fortson (1976/Cincinnati), Tom Hammonds (1967/Georgia Tech), Tyler Kolek (2001/Marquette), John Kotz (1919/Wisconsin) and Chris Lofton (1986/Tennessee).
28: All-Americans Rick Barry (1944/Miami FL), Chris Corchiani (1968/North Carolina State), Len Elmore (1952/Maryland), Justin Jackson (1995/North Carolina) and Jerry Sloan (1942/Evansville).
29: All-Americans Kay Felder (1995/Oakland), Walt Frazier (1945/Southern Illinois), Ed Ratleff (1950/Long Beach State) and Dennis Wuycik (1950/North Carolina) plus Hall of Fame coach Jack Gardner (1910/Kansas State and Utah).
30: All-Americans Wyndol Gray (1922/Bowling Green State), Jerry Lucas (1940/Ohio State), Joe Richey (1931/Brigham Young) and Oscar "Ossie" Schectman (1919/LIU).
31: All-Americans Don Barksdale (1923/UCLA), Dennis DuVal (1952/Syracuse), Herman "J.R." Reid (1968/North Carolina), Chris Smith (1939/Virginia Tech) and Steve Smith (1969/Michigan State).

Birthdays in January for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in February for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in March for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in April for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in May for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in June for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in July for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in August for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in September for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in October for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in November for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in December for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches

On This Date: March Calendar For Magical Moments in NCAA Hoops History

March 1st, 2026 - 13:26

Existing single-game rebounding records for San Francisco (Bill Russell) and Santa Clara (Ken Sears) were set on the same day (March 4) in West Coast Conference competition in 1955. Two Philly Big 5 institutions - Penn (37 points by Keven McDonald) and La Salle (35 by Michael Brooks) - had players establish school NCAA Tournament single-game scoring marks in the same regional (East) on same day (12th in 1978). Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (44 points) and Auburn's Chris Morris (36) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards in the same contest in 1988 (March 17). Two years apart in the late 1980s, Reggie Williams and Charles Smith set and tied Georgetown's single-game scoring mark in NCAA tourney competition on the same day (March 19). Sixty-five years apart, Bill Logan and Luka Garza set and tied Iowa's standard on the same day (March 22). In another oddity, Yale's single-game scoring and rebounding marks against a major-college opponent were established in the same game against Harvard in 1956. Following is a day-by-day calendar citing memorable moments in March major-college basketball history:

MARCH

1 - Kentucky's Cliff Hagan (42 points vs. Georgia in 1952 semifinals) set SEC Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . New Hampshire's Matt Alosa (39 vs. Hartford in opening round of 1996 North Atlantic Conference Tournament at Newark, DE/tied school mark), Saint Louis' Anthony Bonner (45 at Loyola of Chicago in overtime in 1990), Southern Illinois' Dick Garrett (46 vs. Centenary in 1968) and Southern Utah's Davor Marcelic (43 at Cal State Northridge in 1991/subsequently tied) set school Division I single-game scoring records. . . . Larry Jeffries (40 vs. Abilene Christian in 1969) had highest-scoring game for Trinity TX in season when school made its lone NCAA DI Tournament appearance. . . . In 1952, Penn State and Pittsburgh combined for only nine field-goal attempts (fewest in a game since 1938). . . . North Carolina State ended South Carolina's school-record 32-game winning streak (43-24 in 1934) and Southern Methodist's school-record 44-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Texas A&M (43-42 in 1958). . . . East Tennessee State's Tommy Woods (38 vs. Middle Tennessee State in 1965) and Holy Cross' Tom Heinsohn (42 vs. Boston College in 1956) set school single-game rebounding records. Heinsohn also scored 51 points against BC to become the only player in NCAA history to collect more than 50 points and 40 rebounds in single contest against major-college opponent. . . . Chris Collier (23 vs. Centenary in 1990) set Georgia State's single-game rebounding record against a DI opponent.
2 - Junior forward Ralph Jukkola became the only Louisiana State teammate to outscore NCAA all-time leading scorer Pete Maravich in a regular-season game (22-17 in 74-71 loss at Tennessee in 1968) when Pistol was limited to fewer than 20 points for the lone time in college. Jukkola averaged 9.1 ppg in his three-year varsity career compared to Maravich's lofty mark of 44.2 ppg. . . . Campbell's Chris Clemons (51 points vs. UNC Asheville in 2017 Big South quarterfinals) and San Francisco's Tim Owens (45 vs. Loyola Marymount in 1991 WCC quarterfinals) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Colgate's Jonathan Stone (52 vs. Brooklyn in 1992), McNeese State's Michael Cutright (51 at Stephen F. Austin in double overtime in 1989), New Mexico's Marvin Johnson (50 vs. Colorado State in 1978) and Southern Methodist's Gene Phillips (51 at Texas in 1971) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Johnson's output is also a Western Athletic Conference record in league competition. . . . Oklahoma tied an NCAA single-game record by converting all 34 of its free-throw attempts (against Iowa State in 2013). . . . Penn State's school-record 45-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Penn (85-79 in 1955). . . . Jameel Warney (23 vs. UMBC in 2016 America East Conference Tournament quarterfinals) set Stony Brook's single-game rebounding record against a DI opponent.
3 - Jacksonville's Dee Brown (41 points vs. Old Dominion in 1990 quarterfinals) set Sun Belt Conference Tournament single-game scoring record and Monmouth's Rahsaan Johnson (40 vs. St. Francis NY in 2000 quarterfinals) set Northeast Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Drake's Philip "Red" Murrell (51 vs. Houston in overtime in 1958), Lafayette's Bobby Mantz (47 vs. Wilkes College PA in 1958), Maine's Jim Stephenson (54 vs. Colby in 1969), St. John's Bob Zawoluk (65 vs. St. Peter's in 1950), Santa Clara's Carlos "Bud" Ogden (55 at Pepperdine in 1967), Temple's Bill Mlkvy (73 at Wilkes College PA in 1951), Tulsa's Willie Biles (48 vs. Wichita State in 1973/subsequently tied his own mark), UNLV's Trevor Diggs (49 vs. Wyoming in 2001) and Weber State's Jerrick Harding (46 vs. Montana State in overtime in 2018) set school single-game scoring records. Mlkvy scored an incredible 54 unanswered points for the Owls. Diggs' output is also a Mountain West Conference record in league competition. . . . Florida State's Al Thornton (45 vs. Miami in 2007) and Tennessee-Martin's Lester Hudson (42 vs. Tennessee Tech in 2009) set school single-game scoring records against a Division I opponent. . . . Kentucky's Adolph Rupp became the coach to compile 800 victories the fastest with a 90-86 win at Auburn in 1969 (974 games in 37th season). . . . Army's Todd Mattson (24 vs. Holy Cross in 1990), Iowa's Chuck Darling (30 vs. Wisconsin in 1952) and Minnesota's Larry Mikan (28 vs. Michigan in 1970) set school single-game rebounding records.
4 - Marshall's Skip Henderson (55 points vs. The Citadel in 1988 Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Asheville, NC) and Montana State's Tom Storm (44 vs. Portland State in 1967) set school single-game scoring records against an NCAA Division I opponent. Henderson's output is also highest-scoring contest in NCAA history for a DI league postseason tourney. . . . Lehigh's Joe Knight (45 vs. Colgate in 2005 quarterfinals) set Patriot League Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Villanova's school-record 72-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by St. Francis PA (70-64 in 1958). . . . San Francisco's Bill Russell (35 vs. Loyola Marymount) and Santa Clara's Ken Sears (30 vs. Pacific) set school single-game rebounding records in WCAC contests in 1955. . . . Chattanooga's Mindaugas Katelynas (21 at Appalachian State in 2005 Southern Conference Tournament semifinals) and Notre Dame's Collis Jones (25 vs. Western Michigan in 1971) set school single-game rebounding records against a Division I opponent. . . . One of the most tragic moments in college basketball history occurred in semifinals of 1990 West Coast Conference Tournament at Loyola Marymount when Hank Gathers, the league's all-time scoring leader and a two-time tourney MVP, collapsed and died on his homecourt during the Lions' game with Portland.
5 - Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (41 points vs. Indiana State in 1988 Missouri Valley quarterfinals) and Texas Tech's Rick Bullock (44 vs. Arkansas in 1976 SWC semifinals) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Cal State Northridge's Mike O'Quinn (39 vs. Eastern Washington in overtime in 1998 Big Sky Tournament quarterfinals at Northern Arizona/subsequently tied), Cornell's George Farley (47 at Princeton in 1960), Houston Baptist's Darius Lee (52 vs. McNeese State in quadruple overtime in 2022), Michigan's Cazzie Russell (48 vs. Northwestern in 1966/subsequently tied by Rudy Tomjanovich), Minnesota's Eric Magdanz (42 at Michigan in 1962/subsequently tied), Southeastern Louisiana's Cedric Jenkins (39 at New Orleans in 2015/tied) and Wichita State's Antoine Carr (47 vs. Southern Illinois in 1983) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Lee's output tied HBU's all-time scoring mark. . . . Carnegie Tech's Melvin Cratsley set Eastern Intercollegiate Conference single-game scoring record with 34 points vs. West Virginia in 1938. . . . Boston University's Kevin Thomas (34 vs. Boston College in 1958), Delaware State's Kendall Gray (30 vs. Coppin State in 2015), Pacific's Keith Swagerty (39 vs. UC Santa Barbara in 1965) and Saint Louis' Jerry Koch (38 vs. Bradley in 1954) set school single-game rebounding records. . . . Baylor's Jerome Lambert (26 vs. Southern Methodist in 1994) and Wyoming's Leon Clark (24 vs. Arizona in 1966) set school single-game rebounding records against a DI opponent.
6 - Texas Christian's Mike Jones (44 points vs. Fresno State in 1997 quarterfinals) set WAC Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Duquesne's Ron Guziak (50 vs. St. Francis PA at Altoona in 1968), Minnesota's Ollie Shannon (42 vs. Wisconsin in 1971/tied), Missouri's Joe Scott (46 vs. Nebraska in 1961) and Sam Houston State's Senecca Wall (45 vs. Texas-Arlington in double overtime in 2001 Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals) set school Division I single-game scoring records. . . . Ohio State set an NCAA single-game record by making 14 consecutive three-point field-goal attempts (against Wisconsin in 2011).
7 - Houston Baptist's Reggie Gibbs (43 points vs. Georgia Southern in 1989 TAAC quarterfinals), North Carolina's Lennie Rosenbluth (45 vs. Clemson in 1957 ACC quarterfinals), Southern Utah's Randy Onwuasor (43 vs. Montana State in triple overtime in 2017 Big Sky first round) and North Dakota's Treysen Eaglestaff (51 vs. South Dakota State in overtime in 2025 Summit League quarterfinals) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Lehigh's Daren Queenan (49 vs. Bucknell in double overtime in 1987 ECC Tournament semifinals at Towson State), Notre Dame's Austin Carr (61 vs. Ohio University in first round of 1970 NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional), Rhode Island's Tom Garrick (50 vs. Rutgers in 1988 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at West Virginia/tied mark) and Saint Mary's Jordan Ford (42 vs. Pepperdine in double overtime in 2020 WCC Tournament quarterfinals) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Carr's output is also an NCAA playoff single-game record and output by Garrick is are single-game mark in league tourney. . . . Oklahoma State center Arlen Clark established an NCAA standard for most successful free throws in single game without a miss by converting all 24 of his foul shots against Colorado in 1959. . . . In 1928, Butler beat Notre Dame, 21-13, in inaugural game at legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse, which was the largest basketball arena in the U.S. at the time and retained that distinction until 1950. . . . Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (30 vs. Western Kentucky in 1970 first round) and Southern California's John Rudometkin (31 vs. Utah in 1960 first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
8 - Kentucky's Melvin Turpin (42 vs. Georgia in 1984 quarterfinals) tied Cliff Hagan's SEC Tournament single-game scoring standard. . . . Harvard's Brady Merchant (45 vs. Brown in 2003), Miami of Ohio's Ron Harper (45 vs. Ball State in 1985 Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals) and Vanderbilt's Tom Hagan (44 at Mississippi State in 1969) set school single-game scoring records. Harper's output is also a MAC tourney single-game scoring mark. . . . Brown's Gerry Alaimo (26 vs. Rhode Island in 1958) and Georgia's Bob Lienhard (29 vs. Louisiana State in 1969) set school single-game rebounding records against a Division I opponent.
9 - Greg Ballard (43 points at Oral Roberts in 1977 NIT first round) set Oregon's single-game scoring record. . . . Marcus Mann (28 vs. Jackson State in 1996) set Mississippi Valley State's single-game rebounding record against a Division I opponent. . . . Houston's Elvin Hayes (49 vs. Loyola of Chicago in 1968 Midwest Regional first round), Marquette's Terry Rand (37 vs. Miami of Ohio in 1955 East Regional first round) and Texas-El Paso's Jim "Bad News" Barnes (42 vs. Texas A&M in 1964 Midwest Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Bill Butler (34 vs. Boston College in 1968 East Regional first round) tied St. Bonaventure's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
10 - North Texas State's Kenneth Lyons (47 points vs. Louisiana Tech in 1983 Southland quarterfinals), Northwestern's Michael Thompson (35 vs. Minnesota in 2011 Big Ten opening round) and Washington State's Klay Thompson (43 vs. Washington in 2011 Pac-12 quarterfinals) set single-game scoring records in their respective conference tournaments. Lyons' output is also a school single-game scoring record. . . . Paul Williams (45 at Southern California in 1983) set Arizona State's single-game scoring record. . . . John Lee (41 vs. Harvard in 1956) set Yale's single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. . . . Lamar's school-record 80-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Louisiana Tech (68-65 in 1984 Southland Conference Tournament championship contest). . . . Ed Robinson (32 vs. Harvard in 1956) set Yale's single-game rebounding record. . . . Johnny O'Brien (42 points vs. Idaho State in 1953 West Regional first round) set Seattle's NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.
11 - Connecticut's Donyell Marshall (42 points vs. St. John's in 1994 Big East quarterfinals), Texas Tech's Mike Singletary (43 vs. Texas A&M in 2009 Big 12 opening round), Hofstra's Justin Wright-Foreman (42 vs. Delaware in 2019 CAA semifinals), Old Dominion's Trey Freeman (42 vs. Western Kentucky in 2016 C-USA semifinals), Cal State Fullerton's Josh Akognon (37 vs. UC Riverside in 2009 Big West opening round) and Bethune-Cookman's Richard Toussaint (49 vs. Morgan State in 2003 MEAC first round) set single-game scoring records in their respective conference tournaments. . . . Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (52 vs. New Mexico in 2011 Mountain West Tournament semifinals at Las Vegas), Montana's Anthony Johnson (42 at Weber State in 2010 Big Sky Tournament final) and Nebraska's Eric Piatkowski (42 vs. Oklahoma in 1994 Big Eight Tournament quarterfinals at Kansas City) set school single-game scoring records. Outputs for Fredette and Piatkowski are also single-game scoring records in their respective conference tourneys. . . . Indiana (95) and Michigan (57) combined for an NCAA single-game record of 152 rebounds in 1961. Walt Bellamy (33) set IU's individual rebounding record in the contest. . . . Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (36 vs. Western Kentucky in 1960 Mideast Regional semifinal) and Utah's Jerry Chambers (40 vs. Pacific in 1966 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
12 - Bradley's Bob Carney set NCAA Tournament single-game record by converting 23 free-throw attempts (against Colorado in 1954 West Regional semifinals). . . . Stony Brook's Jameel Warney (43 points vs. Vermont in 2016 America East final) tied conference tournament single-game scoring mark. Warney's output is also a school standard since moving up to NCAA Division I level. . . . DePaul's George Mikan (53 vs. Rhode Island State in 1945 NIT semifinals), Fairleigh Dickinson's Elijah Allen (43 vs. Connecticut in 1998 NCAA Tournament East Regional first round) and Navy's David Robinson (50 vs. Michigan in 1987 NCAA Tournament East Regional first round) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Allen's output also set a Northeast Conference NCAA playoff scoring standard and Robinson's output established a Colonial Athletic Association NCAA playoff scoring mark. . . . Syracuse outlasted Connecticut, 127-117, in six overtimes in 2009 Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinals in longest postseason game in NCAA history. . . . Georgia's Willie Anderson (35 vs. Kansas State in overtime in 1987 West Regional first round), Kentucky's Dan Issel (44 vs. Notre Dame in 1970 Mideast Regional semifinal), La Salle's Michael Brooks (35 vs. Villanova in 1978 East Regional first round) and Penn's Keven McDonald (37 vs. St. Bonaventure in 1978 East Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (30 vs. Iowa in 1970 Mideast Regional semifinal) and Penn State's Jesse Arnelle (25 vs. Kentucky in 1955 East Regional third-place game) tied their own school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks. . . . Morehead State's Dan Swartz (39 vs. Marshall in 1956 Midwest Regional first round) set Ohio Valley Conference NCAA playoff single-game scoring record. . . . Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak (43 vs. Washington in 1999 Midwest Regional first round) set Mid-American Conference NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard in a 59-58 win. Never before has a player exhibited such dominant solo act in NCAA tourney history as Szczerbiak accounted for an incredible 72.9% of Miami's offensive output.
13 - Vermont's Taylor Coppenrath (43 points vs. Maine in 2004 final) set America East Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (32 vs. Central Michigan in 1977 Mideast Regional first round), Colorado's Cliff Meely (32 vs. Colorado State in 1969 Midwest Regional semifinal), Duke's Jeff Mullins (43 vs. Villanova in 1964 East Regional semifinal), Holy Cross' Togo Palazzi (32 vs. Wake Forest in 1953 East Regional semifinal), Oklahoma State's Bob Mattick (35 vs. Texas Christian in 1953 West Regional semifinal), San Francisco's Ollie Johnson (37 vs. UCLA in 1965 West Regional final), Tennessee's Ernie Grunfeld (36 vs. Virginia Military in 1976 East Regional first round), Texas Christian's Lee Nailon (32 vs. Florida State in 1998 Midwest Regional first round) and Washington's Bob Houbregs (45 vs. Seattle in 1953 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. . . . Brigham Young made the largest comeback in NCAA playoff history, erasing a 25-point deficit to beat Iona (78-72 in 2012 First Four). Iona scored 55 points in first 16 minutes before collecting only three field goals and seven points over the next 16 1/2 minutes.
14 - Louisville's Russ Smith (42 points vs. Houston in 2014 semifinals) set American Athletic Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. Smith's output also set a school mark for most points against a major-college opponent. . . . Indiana's Don Schlundt (41 vs. Notre Dame in 1953 East Regional final), North Carolina State's David Thompson (40 vs. Providence in 1974 East Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Providence's Austin Croshere (39 vs. Marquette in 1997 South Regional first round), St. Bonaventure's Fred Crawford (34 vs. Rhode Island in 1961 East Regional first round/subsequently tied), Santa Clara's Dennis Awtrey (37 vs. Long Beach State in 1970 West Regional third-place contest) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (37 vs. Kansas State in 1964 Midwest Regional final) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Billy Knight (34 vs. Furman in 1974 East Regional semifinal) tied Pittsburgh's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Wyoming's Fennis Dembo (41 vs. UCLA in 1987 West Regional second round) set Western Athletic Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring mark.
15 - Arizona State's Byron Scott (32 vs. Kansas in 1981 Midwest Regional second round), Boston College's John Bagley (35 vs. Wake Forest in 1981 Mideast Regional second round), Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson (56 vs. Arkansas in 1958 Midwest Regional third-place contest), George Mason's George Evans (27 vs. Maryland in 2001 West Regional first round), Louisville's Junior Bridgeman (36 vs. Rutgers in 1975 Midwest Regional first round), North Carolina's Lennie Rosenbluth (39 vs. Canisius in 1957 East Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Rutgers' Phil Sellers (29 vs. Louisville in 1975 Midwest Regional first round), Virginia Commonwealth's Rolando Lamb (30 vs. Marshall in 1985 West Regional first round/subsequently tied) and West Virginia's Rod Thorn (44 vs. St. Joseph's in 1963 East Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. . . . Houston's Rob Gray (39 vs. San Diego State in 2018 West Regional first round) set American Athletic Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
16 - Kentucky's Kenny Walker (11-of-11 vs. Western Kentucky in 1986 Southeast Regional second round) became only player in NCAA Tournament history to make all of more than 10 field-goal attempts in a single playoff game. . . . Temple's Fred Cohen (34 vs. Connecticut in 1956 NCAA Tournament East Regional semifinals) set school and NCAA Tournament single-game rebounding records. . . . Nate Thurmond (31 vs. Mississippi State in 1963 Mideast Regional third-place game) set Bowling Green's single-game rebounding record against a Division I opponent. . . . Alabama's Antonio McDyess (39 points vs. Penn in 1995 East Regional first round), Arkansas' Mario Credit (34 vs. Loyola Marymount in 1989 Midwest Regional first round), Loyola of Chicago's Jerry Harkness (33 vs. Illinois in 1963 Mideast Regional final), Northwestern's Bryant McIntosh (25 vs. Vanderbilt in 2017 West Regional first round), Pittsburgh's John Riser (34 vs. Notre Dame in 1957 Mideast Regional third-place contest), Southern Methodist's Jim Krebs (33 vs. St. Louis in 1957 Midwest Regional third-place contest), Virginia's Richard Morgan (33 vs. Providence in 1989 Southeast Regional first round/tied by him two days later) and Wake Forest's Len Chappell (34 vs. St. Joseph's in overtime in 1962 East Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. McIntosh's output occurred in Northwestern's first-ever tourney contest. JeQuan Lewis (30 vs. Saint Mary's in 2017 West Regional first round) tied Virginia Commonwealth's NCAA playoff single-game scoring mark. . . . Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble (45 vs. New Mexico State in 1990 West Regional first round) set West Coast Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
17 - Texas' Travis Mays (23-of-27 vs. Georgia in 1990 Midwest Regional first round) tied NCAA Tournament single-game record for most free-throws made. Mays (44 points), Auburn's Chris Morris (36 vs. Bradley in 1988 Southeast Regional first round), Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (44 vs. Auburn in 1988 Southeast Regional first round), Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (31 vs. North Carolina State in 2023 South Regional first round), Dayton's Roosevelt Chapman (41 vs. Oklahoma in 1984 West Regional second round), DePaul's Dave Corzine (46 vs. Louisville in double overtime in 1978 Midwest Regional semifinal), Mississippi's Stefan Moody (26 vs. Brigham Young in 2015 First Four), New Mexico State's Teddy Allen (37 vs. Connecticut in 2022 West Regional first round), Oregon State's Gary Payton Sr. (31 vs. Evansville in 1989 West Regional first round), Texas A&M's Acie Law IV (26 vs. Louisville in 2007 South Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Virginia Tech's Glen Combs (29 vs. Indiana in 1967 Mideast Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Mays' point production is the highest in tourney history for an individual never named an All-American. Hawkins' output is also Missouri Valley Conference's NCAA playoff record. . . . Harvard's Bryce Aiken (38 vs. Yale in 2019 final) set Ivy League Tournament single-game scoring mark. . . . Maurice Stokes (43 vs. Dayton in 1955 NIT semifinals) set Saint Francis (PA) single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. . . . In 1939, Villanova defeated Brown, 42-30, in the first NCAA Tournament game ever played. . . . Al Inniss (37 vs. Lafayette in 1956 NIT first round) set St. Francis NY single-game rebounding record.
18 - Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer (11 three-pointers vs. Michigan in 1990 West Regional second round) became the only player in NCAA playoff history to make more than 10 three-point field-goals in a single playoff game. . . . Iowa State's Lafester Rhodes (34 points vs. Georgia Tech in 1988 East Regional first round), Louisiana State's Bob Pettit (36 vs. Washington in 1953 national third-place contest/subsequently tied), Minnesota's Willie Burton (36 vs. Northern Iowa in 1990 Southeast Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Syracuse's Gerry McNamara (43 vs. Brigham Young in 2004 Phoenix Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Richard Morgan (33 vs. Middle Tennessee in 1989 Southeast Regional second round) tied his own Virginia NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
19 - Louisiana State's Shaquille O'Neal (11 rejections vs. Brigham Young in 1992 West Regional first round) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most blocked shots. . . . Texas Southern's Aaric Murray (38 points vs. Cal Poly in 2014 First Four) became only HBCU player to score more than 30 in a single NCAA Division I Tournament game. . . . Baylor's LJ Cryer (30 vs. Creighton in 2023 second round), Butler's Shelvin Mack (30 vs. Pittsburgh in 2011 Southeast Regional second round), Georgetown's Reggie Williams (34 vs. Kansas in 1987 Southeast Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Kansas State's Jacob Pullen (38 vs. Wisconsin in 2011 Southeast Regional second round), Massachusetts' Marcus Camby (32 vs. Maryland in 1994 Midwest Regional second round), Memphis' Roburt Sallie (35 vs. Cal State Northridge in 2009 West Regional first round), Michigan's Glen Rice (39 vs. Florida in 1988 West Regional second round), Nebraska's Eric Piatkowski (29 vs. New Mexico State in 1993 East Regional first round), Oklahoma's Stacey King (37 vs. Auburn in 1988 Southeast Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Wisconsin's Michael Finley (36 vs. Missouri in 1994 West Regional second round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Georgetown's Charles Smith (34 vs. Notre Dame in 1989 East Regional second round) and North Carolina State's Rodney Monroe (40 vs. Iowa in 1989 East Regional second round) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks.
20 - Duke's Mike Krzyzewski passed North Carolina's Dean Smith (65 victories) for the most coaching wins in NCAA Tournament history with a 63-55 second-round triumph against Mississippi State in 2005 Austin Regional. . . . Michigan State's Adrien Payne (17-for-17 from free-throw line vs. Delaware in 2014 East Regional opener) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most successful foul shots without a miss. Payne (41 points), California's Lamond Murray (28 vs. Duke in 1993 Midwest Regional second round), Florida State's Sam Cassell (31 vs. Tulane in 1993 Southeast Regional second round), Missouri's Willie Smith (43 vs. Michigan in 1976 Midwest Regional final), Penn State's Jesse Arnelle (25 vs. Southern California in 1954 national third-place contest/tied his mark next season), South Carolina's Tom Riker (39 vs. Fordham in 1971 East Regional third-place contest) and Villanova's Howard Porter (35 vs. Penn in 1971 East Regional final) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Iowa State's Dedric Willoughby (34 vs. UCLA in 1997 Midwest Regional semifinal), Minnesota's Bobby Jackson (36 vs. Clemson in 1997 Midwest Regional semifinal) and Texas A&M's Josh Carter (26 vs. Brigham Young in 2008 first round) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks. . . . Princeton's Bill Bradley (58 vs. Wichita in 1965 national third-place contest) and UNLV's Armon Gilliam (38 vs. Wyoming in 1987 West Regional semifinal/tied eight days later by teammate Freddie Banks) set NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards for the Ivy League and Big West Conference, respectively. Bradley's output is the highest in any Final Four contest. . . . UCLA's Gail Goodrich (18 vs. Michigan in 1965 championship contest) established Final Four single-game record for most free throws made.
21 - UNC Wilmington's John Goldsberry became only player in NCAA Tournament history to make as many as eight three-pointers without a miss in single playoff game (against Maryland in 2003 South Regional first round). . . . Drake's Jonathan Cox (29 vs. Western Kentucky in overtime in 2008 West Regional first round), Illinois' Deron Williams (31 vs. Cincinnati in 2004 Atlanta Regional second round), Miami's Jack McClinton (38 vs. Saint Mary's in 2008 South Regional first round), Mississippi State's Charles Rhodes (34 vs. Oregon in 2008 South Regional first round), Vanderbilt's Matt Freije (31 vs. North Carolina State in 2004 Phoenix Regional second round) and Washington State's Paul Lindemann (26 vs. Creighton in 1941 Western Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Shaquille O'Neal (36 vs. Indiana in 1992 West Regional second round) tied Louisiana State's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Davidson's Stephen Curry (40 vs. Gonzaga in 2008 Midwest Regional first round) and North Carolina Central's Jeremy Ingram (28 vs. Iowa State in 2014 East Regional first round) established NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks for the Southern Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively.
22 - The only time in major-college history two undefeated teams met in a national postseason tournament was 1939 NIT final between Loyola of Chicago and Long Island University (LIU won, 44-32). . . . University of Chicago ended Penn's school-record 31-game winning streak (28-24 in 1920) and LIU ended Seton Hall's school-record 41-game winning streak (49-26 in 1941 NIT semifinals). . . . Duquesne's Jim Tucker (29 points vs. Illinois in 1952 East Regional final), Iowa's Bill Logan (36 vs. Temple in 1956 national semifinal/subsequently tied), Kansas' Clyde Lovellette (44 vs. St. Louis in 1952 West Regional final), St. John's Bob Zawoluk (32 vs. Kentucky in 1952 East Regional final), Stanford's Brook Lopez (30 vs. Marquette in 2008 South Regional second round) and Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver (29 vs. Northern Kentucky in 2019 West Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. In 2021, Luka Garza (36 vs. Oregon in West Regional second round) tied Iowa's standard.
23 - Hal Lear (48 points vs. Southern Methodist in 1956 NCAA Tournament national third-place contest) set Temple's single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. In addition to Lear, Clemson's Gabe DeVoe (31 vs. Kansas in 2018 Midwest Regional semifinal), Gonzaga's Brandon Clarke (36 vs. Baylor in 2019 West Regional second round/subsequently tied by Drew Timme on same date vs. UCLA in 2023 West Regional semifinal) and Oregon's Tajuan Porter (33 vs. UNLV in 2007 Midwest Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. . . . San Francisco's Bill Russell (27 vs. Iowa in 1956 championship contest) established Final Four single-game mark for most rebounds. . . . Kansas State's Markquis Nowell (19 vs. Michigan State in overtime in 2023 East Regional semifinal) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most assists.
24 - Askia Jones (62 points vs. Fresno State in 1994 NIT quarterfinals) set Kansas State's single-game scoring record. . . . Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox (39 vs. UCLA in 2017 South Regional semifinal) set NCAA Tournament single-game scoring standard by a freshman. . . . Florida's KeVaughn Allen (35 vs. Wisconsin in overtime in 2017 East Regional semifinal), Indiana State's Larry Bird (35 vs. DePaul in 1979 national semifinal) and Purdue's Glenn Robinson Jr. (44 vs. Kansas in 1994 Southeast Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Connecticut's Kemba Walker (36 vs. San Diego State in 2011 West Regional semifinal) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks.
25 - Eventual 10-year N.L. OF Frankie Baumholtz scored a team-high 19 points for Ohio University in 1941 NIT final defeat against LIU. . . . Connecticut's Ray Allen (36 points vs. UCLA in 1995 West Regional final/subsequently tied), Dartmouth's Audley Brindley (28 vs. Ohio State in 1944 Eastern Regional final), Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott (40 vs. Minnesota in 1990 Southeast Regional final), St. Joseph's Jack Egan (42 vs. Utah in 1961 national third-place contest) and Xavier's Jordan Crawford (32 vs. Kansas State in 2010 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
26 - UCLA's Bill Walton (44 points vs. Memphis State in 1973) set NCAA Tournament championship game scoring record by sinking a Final Four standard 21-of-22 field-goal attempts (95.5%). Walton's output remains a school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . DePaul's Mark Aguirre (34 vs. Penn in 1979 national third-place game) set Final Four single-game scoring mark by a freshman. . . . Buddy Hield (37 vs. Oregon in 2016 West Regional final) tied Oklahoma's NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.
27 - Alabama set NCAA Tournament single-game record with 25 three-point field goals in win against Brigham Young in 2025 regional semifinal. . . . Arizona's Caleb Love (35 points vs. Duke in 2025 East Regional semifinal) and Western Kentucky's Jim McDaniels (36 points vs. Kansas in 1971 national third-place contest) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records and Ben Gordon (36 vs. Alabama in 2004 Phoenix Regional final) tied Connecticut's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Garrison Mathews (44 at North Carolina State in 2019 NIT) established Lipscomb's single-game scoring mark at Division I level.
28 - UNLV's Mark Wade (18 vs. Indiana in 1987 national semifinal) set Final Four single-game record for most assists. Teammate Freddie Banks established Final Four mark for most three-point field goals with 10. Banks established the Big West Conference mark and tied the Rebels' NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard with 38 points against IU. Also tying school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks were Iowa State's Dustin Hogue (34 vs. Connecticut in 2014 East Regional semifinal) and North Carolina's Al Wood (39 vs. Virginia in 1981 national semifinal). Wood's output set scoring record for NCAA Tournament national semifinal game.
30 - Doremus Bennerman (51 points vs. Kansas State in 1994 NIT third-place game at Madison Square Garden) set Siena's single-game scoring record. . . . Juan Dixon (34 vs. Kansas in 2002 national semifinal) established Maryland's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
31 - Villanova made Final Four-record 18 three-pointers (2018 national semifinal vs. Kansas). . . . Kansas' Jeff Withey (7 rejections vs. Ohio State in 2012 national semifinal) set record for most blocked shots in a Final Four game since they became an official statistic. . . . Duke made the largest comeback in Final Four history, erasing a 22-point deficit to defeat Maryland (95-84 in 2001 national semifinal).

APRIL

3 - John Morton (35 points vs. Michigan in 1989 national final) set Seton Hall's existing NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.

Memorable Moments in February College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in January College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in December College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in November College Basketball History

Miami of Ohio Snaps MAC Streak of 67 Years in Row Without Unbeaten Team

February 27th, 2026 - 20:54

Indiana, the last NCAA Division I school to go undefeated (32-0 in 1975-76 50 years ago), is also the last team to go unbeaten in Big Ten Conference competition. The Mid-American (67 straight years since 1957-58) was the only league posting a longer streak than the Big Ten without an undefeated team in conference play until Miami of Ohio achieved the feat this year. Analyst Dick Vitale, rather than chronically currying favor with the big boys energizing ESPN elitism, should always be promoting the MAC. After all, he has firsthand experience dealing with league rigors, losing his first six games against MAC members when coaching independent Detroit.

The Big East Conference and Northeast Conference remain as leagues never having an undefeated club since their alliances were formed in the early 1980s. Upon the Pac-12 bowing out with no undefeated league team during its final 46 seasons of existence, following are the five longest current streaks of more than 40 campaigns without a member going unbeaten in league competition:

Conference (Years) Last Unbeaten Team in League Play Coach (Overall Record)
Big Ten (50) Indiana in 1975-76 Bob Knight (32-0)
Big East (47) None since inaugural season (1979-80) never achieved in league
Pac-12 (47) UCLA in 1977-78 Gary Cunningham (25-3)
Northeast (45) None since inaugural season (1981-82) never achieved in league
Coastal Athletic Association (43) William & Mary in 1982-83 Bruce Parkhill (20-9)

Senior Celebrations: Parental Perspective at Heart-Tugging Home Finale

February 26th, 2026 - 19:47

Naturally, coast-to-coast parental pride displayed during Senior Night or Day the end of February and early March doesn't necessarily need to stem from athletics. Amid proper priorities (including not always being offended by characters in Dr. Seuss books), your child didn't have to be the best but he had to try his level best even amid a disruptive coronavirus.

A parent knows life goes on after the anticipation of a senior salute. But how can a mom and dad express appreciation for all of the memories shared together?

Adding sports as a factor for authentic student-athletes makes the lessons-learned equation more complex. Culminating at bittersweet senior celebration, it takes a significant amount of resilience to endure withdrawal from all of the devotion and emotion, last-second decisive shots, motivational talks coping with occasional slump, chance to dance in postseason competition, title dream dashed in close contest, team awards banquet, etc., etc., etc.

Who would have thought the first time he picked up a ball that he would make such a difference and stand so tall? Reflecting on all they've experienced, the parent is fortunate to still have a pulse whether their offspring is a walk-on or walks to center court as team standout.

It's easy enough to substitute girl for boy in the following poem portraying a parent trying to come to terms with an impending spread-their-wings departure; whether it be from high school to college or from college to the "real world." These reflections might be therapeutic if you went through a similar range of emotions amid whatever success your own flesh and blood enjoyed along the way.

Lord, there's a little thing I need to know
Where in the world did my little boy go?
Perplexed from time to time but one thing I know today
I'm a proud parent beyond words; what more can I say
Kids go through stages but not with this sort of speed
It was only yesterday he was unable to read
Wasn't it just months ago he went from crawl to walk
Hard-headed as a mule; certainly knew how to balk
Took one day at a time raising him the very best we could
Now inspires those around him just like we believed he would
High achiever turning a corner in his life
He has got what it takes to cope with any strife
Can't carry a tune but set school shooting star records
Now, the game-of-life clock dwindles from minutes to seconds
So angels above please watch over him daily
Although some of his antics may drive you crazy
He represents everything that I value the most
For that very reason, I'm offering a toast
But if he feels sorry for himself and about to give up
Do not hesitate to give him a gentle kick in the rump
Remembering what I did wrong but at least a couple things right
Always said you could do it; just try with all your might
I just yearn to see all of his grandest plans come true
God, it's my turn to have a great commission for You
Be with him, bless him and give him nothing but success
Aid his climb up that mountain; settle for nothing less
Guide his steps in the dark and rain
Pick up the pieces and ease any pain
Time to share our best with the remainder of the world
It is much like having a family flag unfurled
How can a once infant son make grown man cry
Groping for right words trying to say goodbye
To me, he'll always be a pure and spotless lamb
Cradled in our arms or holding his little hand
If I was Elton John, I'd tell everyone this is "Your Poem"
Simply sing how wonderful life was with you in our home
My soul swells with pride at any mention of you
How long gone are you going to be; wish I knew
Sure don't believe it is at all out of line
To seek to rebound for you just one more time
Although you're going to be many miles away
I will see you in my heart each and every day
So go down that windy path; don't you dare look back
You've found faith; it will keep you on the right track
He's headed for real world and all it offers
But first, here are your final marching orders
Always do the very best you possibly can
Refuse to lose even when you don't understand
There's no telling the goals you will be able to reach
By giving proper respect to instructors who teach
Aspire each and every day you wake
Not to waste a single breath you take
Might as well let all of your ability show
Because those gifts turn to dust whenever you "go"
Don't bury your talents in the ground
Lend helping hand to those you're around
I'll never forget the times when you were all you could be
Rose to the occasion and sent playoff game to OT
Cherish all the moments - the hugs and tears
For all your passion play through these years
My little guy is bound far beyond a Final Four
Poised for more success; prosperity at his door
All things are possible; he has found out
How much I love him is what I'm thinking about
Wherever you go, you'll be best from beginning to end
To that most truthful statement, I say Amen and Amen
After Senior Night, I'll stroll into your off-limits room
Try to keep my composure when it seems like doom and gloom
You will always be on my mind
But nothing like gut-wrenching time
When I ask the Lord a big thing I need to know
Where in His big world will His maturing man go?

The Thrill is Gone: Six Former Final Four Schools Winless in 21st Century

February 23rd, 2026 - 11:27

Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections emphasized by Dr. Fraudci, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, a significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making more than 10 NCAA playoff appearances, six former Final Four participants - Penn, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Seattle, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - have combined to go winless in the NCAA tourney thus far in 21st Century. A year ago, St. John's won its first playoff game since 2000.

DePaul and USF each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the previous 35 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an alphabetical list of schools with more than 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:

School (Playoff Appearances) Recent NCAA Tournament Travails
Boston College (18) no appearance previous 15 tourneys; winless previous 17 tourneys
Charlotte (11) no appearance previous 19 tourneys; winless previous 23 tourneys
DePaul (22) no appearance past 20 tourneys; one victory previous 35 tourneys
George Washington (11) one victory previous 30 years
Georgia (12) winless previous 22 tourneys; one victory previous 28 tourneys
Holy Cross (13) posted first win since 1953 10 seasons ago in play-in game
Idaho State (11) winless previous 47 tourneys
Old Dominion (12) one victory previous 29 tourneys
Penn (24) winless previous 30 tourneys; one victory previous 44 tourneys
Pepperdine (13) no appearance previous 22 tourneys; one victory previous 42 tourneys
San Francisco (17) winless since 1979
Santa Clara (11) no appearance previous 28 tourneys
Seattle (11) winless since 1964; no appearance since 1969
Southern Methodist (12) winless previous 36 tourneys
Texas-El Paso (17) winless previous 32 tourneys
Weber State (16) winless previous 25 tourneys
Wyoming (16) one victory previous 37 tourneys

Bo Knew Scoring: USL's Lamar Posted Highest Average For New DI Program

February 18th, 2026 - 20:47

Only three individuals for first-year major-college teams averaged more than 30 ppg in Division I maiden voyage. The trio each achieved the feat in the same season (1971-72) when the nation's top three scorers were Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (36.3 ppg), Oral Roberts' Richie Fuqua (35.9) and Illinois State's Doug Collins (32.6) set existing school DI records for highest scoring average in a single campaign. Fuqua, a Chattanooga, Tenn., product, nearly caught Lamar by averaging 41.4 points to Lamar's 38.7 in their last 10 outings.

Lamar and fellow junior Ed Ratleff of Long Beach State became the only set of former high school teammates to be named NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans together. USL's 90-83 early-season victory over visiting Long Beach might have been one of the best intersectional matchups few people know about or remember. Lamar and Ratleff attended East High in Columbus, Ohio, where another one of their teammates was Nick Conner, a starter for Illinois. They were seniors on a 1968-69 undefeated high school squad (25-0 record) winning the state AA title and extending its winning streak to 49 games.

Lamar's explosiveness sparked USL to a 25-4 record. He scored 51 points in back-to-back road games (at Louisiana Tech and Lamar) en route to becoming the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring at both the college and university divisions. Bo also knew how to light up a scoreboard in postseason competition, averaging 29.2 ppg in six NCAA DI Tournament assignments in 1972 and 1973 (eighth best in playoff history/minimum of six contests).

Collins was the star player under Will Robinson, the first black head coach for a predominantly white Division I school. ISU had its first black player before 1920. Oddly, Rich Herrin, Collins' high school coach at Benton (Ill.), never had an opportunity to coach an African-American player in his 29 small-town seasons of high-school coaching before he was hired by Southern Illinois after the 1984-85 campaign, guiding the Salukis for 13 years.

Lamar, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 74, might be the most dynamic player ever for an institution in inaugural year at major-college level. Long-range bomber is the only player ever to lead the nation in scoring in initial campaign for a school at DI level. If there had been a three-point shot at the time, he easily would have averaged more than 40 ppg - probably closer to 45 ppg.

Lamar combined with center Roy Ebron (23 ppg) to comprise the most prolific one-two scoring punch for a first-year DI program in NCAA history. There has been only two other first-year programs boast a pair of players with averages in excess of 20 ppg - Fairfield (swingman Patrick Burke/20.3 and guard Jim Brown/20.2 in 1964-65) and James Madison (forwards Steve Stiepler/20.9 and Pat Dosh/20.3 in 1976-77).

The only individual in the last five decades to average over 25 ppg for school in inaugural year at DI level is Hampton guard Jafonde Williams (25.7 ppg in 1995-96). Only two players averaged more than 20 ppg for a first-year DI program thus far in the 21st Century - Utah Valley guard Ronnie Price (24.3 in 2004-05) and Incarnate Word TX guard Denzel Livingston (20.3 in 2013-14). Following is a list of the 22 players - six of them from HBCU institutions - averaging at least 22 ppg when a school participated in its initial season at major-college level since classification commenced in the late 1940s:

Player Pos. First-Season DI School Scoring Avg./Year
Dwight "Bo" Lamar G Southwestern Louisiana 36.3 ppg/1971-72
Richie Fuqua G Oral Roberts 35.9 ppg/1971-72
Doug Collins G Illinois State 32.6 ppg/1971-72
Purvis Short F Jackson State 29.5 ppg/1977-78
Johnny O'Brien G Seattle 28.6 ppg/1952-53
Dan Swartz C Morehead State 28.6 ppg/1955-56
Frankie Sanders F Southern LA 27.4 ppg/1977-78
Billy Reynolds F Northwestern State 26.4 ppg/1976-77
Walt Walowac G-F Marshall 26.1 ppg/1953-54
Jafonde Williams G Hampton 25.7 ppg/1995-96
James Outlaw G North Carolina A&T 24.9 ppg/1973-74
Richie Guerin G Iona 24.7 ppg/1953-54
Ronnie Price G Utah Valley 24.3 ppg/2004-05
Lewis Jackson F Alabama State 23.9 ppg/1982-83
Bailey Alston G Liberty 23.9 ppg/1988-89
Terry Sykes F Grambling 23.8 ppg/1977-78
Jesse Dark G Virginia Commonwealth 23.1 ppg/1973-74
Roy Ebron C Southwestern Louisiana 23 ppg/1971-72
Gary Tyson G Eastern Michigan 22.4 ppg/1973-74
Ronnie Valentine F Old Dominion 22.4 ppg/1976-77
Win Wilfong G-F Memphis State 22.1 ppg/1955-56
Art Beatty C American University 22 ppg/1966-67

Presidential Candidates Way: Ex-College Hoopers Blossoming Into Politicians

February 16th, 2026 - 7:57

Much is written about college basketball in the daily newspaper sports pages, weekly/monthly specialty magazines and on the internet. But you might be surprised the extent to which the written word beyond The Audacity of Hoop, much of it outside the world of sports, emanates from former college basketball players who became politicians.

For instance, politician extraordinaire Dean Rusk, Davidson's most noted alumnus pre-Stephen Curry who wrote his memoirs in the book As I Saw It, was a star center in the late 1920s and early 1930s with former Davidson President Dr. D. Grier Martin (1957 until 1968).

"Basketball at Davidson reminds me of the old French proverb, 'Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose,'" said Rusk, who served as Secretary of State under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam War era. "The game itself has been revolutionized since I played it. We once beat North Carolina 17-12; it was not a slowdown game. We both were trying like everything. What has remained the same has been the sheer fun of it, the stimulation of competition, the experience of losing as well as winning and the recognition that basketball is a sport in which a small college can take on the big fellows."

Former Princeton All-American Bill Bradley, a three-term U.S. Senator (Democrat-N.J.) until 1995, took on the "big fellows" as a presidential candidate in 2000 and wrote a book called We Can All Do Better. Bradley, a tax and trade expert with a strong voice on race issues and campaign finance reform, authored two basketball volumes (Life on the Run in 1976 and Values of the Game in 1998).

"The lessons learned from it (basketball) stay with you," Rhodes Scholar Bradley wrote of the sport he still loves. "I was determined that no one would outwork me."

The information is as difficult to pry loose as liberal lunatics in #MessMedia acknowledging deceased Rush Limbaugh was infinitely more talented than them (see Sandy Eeyore's inept foreign-policy speech, episodes of CBS' Margaret Brennan describing free-speech holocaust and CNN's Kaitlan Collins promote legal fund for shoot-in-back murderer a colleague fawned over because of his abs) for decades, transcripts of #ShrillaryRotten's overpaid speeches before Wall Street benefactors and ledger detailing Congressional slush-fund payouts regarding representatives trafficking in creepy stuff. You might not know it, but there is a striking number of luminaries who displayed determination in the political arena and wrote books after "working the crowd" in a college basketball arena. Majority of them boasted a mite more dignity than disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and backtracking press puke previously fawning over him.

Democratic political consultant Thomas "Tad" Devine, who averaged 2.4 ppg and 1.1 rpg with Brown in 1975-76, was senior advisor in Al Gore's 2000 and John Kerrey's 2004 Presidential campaigns. Devine was also the chief strategist for rape-fantasy essayist Bernie Sanders' 2016 Presidential run. Essentially, the following lineup represents a rebuttal to the chronic complainers who cite national-stage politicians generally and writers specifically as individuals who don't know anything about sports generally and college hoops specifically. In deference to Presidents' Day, following is an alphabetical list of additional politicians-turned-authors who played the game:

SCOTT BROWN, Tufts (Mass.)
Stunning upset victory in special election in January 2010, becoming the first Republican elected to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate since 1979. Brown, filling the Senate seat that opened when Ted Kennedy died the previous August, drove his GMC Canyon pickup with over 200,000 miles on it everywhere during a savvy campaign. Authored a book Against All Odds released in 2011.

At Tufts (class of '81), he was known as "Downtown" Scotty Brown because of his long-range marksmanship. Averaging 9 ppg as a freshman in 1977-78, he earned an ECAC Rookie of the Week award that season. As a sophomore, he averaged 9.9 ppg and scored 35 points in a victory against Bowdoin. As a junior, he made 54.3% of his shots and had back-to-back games of 26 and 25 points against Curry and Trinity, respectively, en route to averaging 10.8 ppg. Senior co-captain capped his career with a 10.3-point scoring average, including a 35-point outburst against Brandeis. "He was not born with great basketball attributes," said his coach (John White) in a feature about Brown during his senior season. "He has gone beyond his limitations, which is very admirable." Converted more than half of his career field-goal attempts (422 of 853). Brown's 6-0 daughter, Ayla, was a starting guard most of her career with Boston College from 2006-07 through 2009-10, posting career highs of 18 points against Clemson and 14 rebounds against Wake Forest. Ayla has also released three albums after being a semifinalist in the fifth season of "American Idol," impressing the judges with her rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Reflection."

ROBERT CASEY, Holy Cross
Pennsylvania's 42nd governor served two terms from 1987 to 1995 after winning in his fourth attempt for the office. Casey, a coal miner's son, ran in the Democratic presidential primary in 1996. Pro-life candidate suffered from a rare hereditary disease that caused him to become a heart-liver transplant recipient. He died in late May, 2000, at the age of 68.

He was a 6-2 freshman in 1949-50 when Holy Cross senior Bob Cousy was an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American. The 6-2 Casey averaged 1.3 ppg in 1950-51 and 1952-53. Excerpt from Casey's 1996 autobiography Fighting for Life: "I remember best the moments I was on the court with Cousy. He was an icon in the making - a genius with a basketball. Our freshman team provided cannon fodder for Cousy and the rest of the varsity team in practice. What I remember most about Cousy was that he was always the first guy on the court at night, refining his moves a hundred times before practice even started."

WILLIAM COHEN, Bowdoin (Maine)
Moderate Republican was Secretary of Defense in President Clinton's administration after serving as a Senator from Maine. He moonlighted as an author and had a stint in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. Cohen's first bask in the national spotlight came when he voted, as a House member, to impeach President Nixon. In 1992, he pushed to reauthorize the "independent counsel" law and became a founder of the Republican Majority Coalition. "In team sports, there's a game plan," Cohen said in Ira Berkow's Court Vision. "When you're talking military it's still a game plan, but it's a war plan.

It's either how to prevent a war from taking place or what happens if you have to go to war and how you structure your forces, what happens if, what are the contingency plans, what is the escalation. All of that is not identical to a game plan, but it's training and practice." Cohen wrote The New Art of the Leader among several books, including mysteries, poetry and (with George Mitchell) an analysis of the Iran-contra affair. His second wife is author Janet Langhart, who was known as "First Lady of the Pentagon" during Cohen's tenure as Secretary.

The New England Basketball All-Star Hall of Fame inductee led Bowdoin in scoring all three varsity seasons from 1959-60 through 1961-62 (career-high 16 ppg as a junior). "A two-handed set shot was obsolete in college when I was playing, but I shot it," Cohen said. "I was able to shoot it from very far and get it off very fast. Dolph Schayes was kind of a role model for me."

ROBERT J. DOLE, Kansas
Represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate from 1969 to 1997. Senate majority leader from 1985 to 1987 and again starting in 1995 when he began his third quest for the Republican presidential nomination. He was the Republican nominee for Vice President as Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ben Cramer described Dole as a good player who "could handle the ball, shooting that newfangled one-hand push shot, and big and tough under the boards." Member of Kansas' freshman basketball team in 1942-43 for one semester before enlisting in the Army during World War II, where his right shoulder was destroyed in a mortar barrage in the Italian mountains. He spent 39 months in and out of hospitals, returning to his hometown of Russell, Kan., to recuperate from the wound that also cost him a kidney. A book about his recovery, A Soldier's Story, was published in 2005.

JOHN H. GLENN JR., Muskingum (Ohio)
U.S. Senator (Democrat from Ohio) for 24 years and former astronaut. In 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Nearly 40 years later, he became the oldest human to enter space when he joined the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998. Among the seven candidates who lost to Walter Mondale for the 1984 Democratic Party nomination.

In Glenn's memoir, he wrote: "I went out for the freshman basketball squad and made that, but I noticed that while I had not gotten any faster or grown any taller, the other players had." He also played freshman football in college before World War II interrupted his career. "Each individual has to prepare himself to do his very best, whether it's in an individual or team sport," Glenn said. "In team sports, you have to have great teamwork to reach any goal, which is exactly what we have to do in life after athletics and college."

AL GORE, Harvard
Democratic Presidential nominee against George W. Bush in 2000 waged a long-shot campaign for president in 1988, when he was 39. Vice President in Bill Clinton's administration was a Senator from Tennessee after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1985. Shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize after his film An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary on global warming, won an Academy Award. Gore's book with the same title was published concurrently with the theatrical release. For the "Unabomber" crowd that believes dinosaurs became extinct because they burped and farted too much, he subsequently wrote similar environmental-related books called The Assault on Reason, Our Choice and Earth in the Balance.

Gore averaged 2.8 ppg for Harvard's 12-4 freshman team in 1965-66. In the biography Inventing Al Gore, he was described as "rarely playing but working on his game incessantly." His competitive drive led him to challenge roommates "out of the blue" to push-ups, a vestige of the boyhood regimen imposed by his Senator father. He "wanted to challenge you or himself, intellectually or physically. He was always, 'I bet I can beat you at the last thing you did.'"

LEE H. HAMILTON, DePauw (Ind.)
Vice Chairman of 9/11 Commission and co-chair of Iraq Study Group in 2006 was a leading Democratic voice on foreign policy and a steadying force in the House of Representatives for 34 years from 1965 through 1998. He chaired three committees - Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Joint Economic - and was the ranking minority member of the House International Relations Committee. Representing Indiana's Ninth District, he retained not only his crew cut but also his moderate, common-sense approach and a Methodist work ethic that got him to his office nearly every day before 6 a.m. Wrote a book called How Congress Works and Why You Should Care.

Ranked fourth on DePauw's career scoring list when he graduated in 1952. The 6-4 Hamilton led the team in scoring as a junior (11.4 ppg) and was the second-leading scorer as a sophomore (9.8 ppg) and senior (10.9 ppg).

VANCE HARTKE, Evansville
Mayor of Evansville before serving as U.S. Senator from Indiana (1959-77). Democrat ran for President in 1972 as an anti-war candidate, finishing as high as fifth in the New Hampshire Primary. He wrote four books, including "The American Crisis in Vietnam."

Graduated in 1940.

HENRY "HANK" HYDE, Georgetown/Duke
Starting out as a Democrat, he became a 12-term Republican Congressman from Illinois and eventual chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. His towering stature as a lawmaker made him the ideal GOP point-man to lead an impeachment inquiry of President Clinton. Wrote books called Moral Universe and Forfeiting Our Property Rights.

He was a forward-center for Georgetown's 1943 NCAA Tournament runner-up that compiled a 22-5 record. The 6-3 Hyde scored two points in a 53-49 victory over a Chicago hometown team, DePaul, and fellow freshman George Mikan in the Eastern Regional final (playoff semifinals) before going scoreless in a championship game loss against Wyoming. "I can only say about the way I guarded him (Mikan scored one point in the second half) that I will burn in purgatory," Hyde deadpanned. "The rules were considerably bent." The next season as a Naval trainee at Duke, he earned a letter but was scoreless in the Blue Devils' 44-27 Southern Conference championship game victory over North Carolina. Hyde served as an ensign in the Asiatic and Pacific Theaters during World War II before re-enrolling at Georgetown, where he graduated in 1947. Twenty-one years later, Clinton earned his diploma from the same university. Sketch of Hyde in Georgetown guide: "Possesses a pivot shot, difficult to stop, and a shot made while cutting from the bucket to give his scoring threats a double edge."

TOM McMILLEN, Maryland
Co-chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness under Bill Clinton. Elected in 1987 as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland. From 1991 to 2003, he served on the Knight Foundation's Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics investigating abuses within college sports. He is co-author of Out of Bounds, a book on sports and ethics in America.

The 6-11 center averaged 20.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in three seasons for Maryland from 1971-72 through 1973-74. Member of 1972 U.S. Olympic team is the only player in Terrapins history to have a career scoring average above 20 ppg. Averaged 8.1 points and four rebounds in 11 NBA seasons (1975-76 through 1985-86) with four different franchises.

GEORGE MITCHELL, Bowdoin (Maine)
Devout Democrat assumed position as Majority Leader in 1989 after arriving in the Senate from Maine in 1980. The son of a janitor received more than 80% of the vote in 1988. He served as independent chairman of talks that culminated in the signing of the Northern Ireland peace accord in April, 1998 and was tapped by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to spearhead an investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs by players. Mitchell served as Disney Chairman of the Board from March 2004 until January 2007. He has written several books - Not For America Alone, World on Fire and Making Peace.

Wiry point guard was a senior in 1953-54 when he scored eight points in eight games.

SAM NUNN, Georgia Tech
Democratic Senator from Georgia retired in 1996 after four six-year terms. Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, who served in the Coast Guard, helped defeat President Clinton's intention to allow open gays and lesbians in the military. He authored books on working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

His sketch is included in the 1957-58 Georgia Tech guide as a non-scholarship sophomore. However, Nunn is not included in the 1957-58 school scoring statistics, which include all players who scored, and is not listed on the 1958-59 roster. His son, Brian, played for Emory University in Atlanta.

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, Occidental (Calif.)
U.S. Senator from Illinois outlasted Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election before defeating Republican John McCain to become the nation's first African-American commander-in-chief. Authored a book entitled Audacity of Hope.

The 6-1 1/2 lefthander played on Occidental's junior varsity squad in 1979-80 before transferring to Columbia and subsequently attending Harvard Law School. In Dreams From My Father, Obama described basketball as a comfort to a boy whose father was mostly absent, and who was one of only a few black youths at his school in Hawaii. "At least on the basketball court I could find a community of sorts," he wrote. Pickup basketball was his escape from the sport of politics. Brother-in-law Craig Robinson, a two-time Ivy League MVP with Princeton, was Oregon State's coach when Obama was elected.

PAUL SARBANES, Princeton
Democrat served as a member of House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977 and Maryland Senator from 1977 to 2007. Consistent and staunch advocate for Greek-American issues. His son, John, held dad's old House seat.

Teammate of Chuck DeVoe (co-founder of ABA's Indiana Pacers), John Emery (president of McGraw-Hill publishing division) and Dave Sisler (MLB pitcher) scored 19 points in 12 games in 1951-52, including a made free throw against Dayton in East Regional third-place game.

ALAN K. SIMPSON, Wyoming
U.S. Senator from Wyoming (1978-96) was a staunch conservative and loyal lieutenant to Republican leader Bob Dole. Simpson's father, Milward, served in the same capacity (1962-67). The younger Simpson, who garnered 78% of the vote in 1984, served as chairman of Veterans' Affairs and Social Security and Family Policy. He charmed the Washington establishment with his earthy wit and folksy wisdom, becoming somewhat of a media darling because of his pithy quotes. Simpson authored a book Right in the Old Gazoo - a lifetime of scraping with the Press.

Forward-center earned a letter in 1952-53 after scoring seven points in six games for a team that went on to participate in the NCAA Tournament. He also played football for the Cowboys.

MILWARD SIMPSON, Wyoming
Governor of Wyoming (1954-58) and U.S. Senator from Wyoming (1962-67). Prior to holding elective office, he was a member of his alma mater's Board of Trustees and was the board's president for several years. His son, Alan, played basketball and football for Wyoming in 1952-53 before becoming a U.S. Senator.

Leading scorer for 1918 Wyoming team with 11.6 ppg. He also captained the school's football and baseball teams. Winner in the sports category as Wyoming Citizen of the Century.

JOHN THUNE, Biola (Calif.)
South Dakota member of House of Representatives from 1997 to 2003 until the Republican defeated Democratic Senate leader Tom Daschle in 2004. Successor to Mitch O'Connell as Republican Senate Leader.

The 6-4 Thune played two seasons (1979-80 and 1982-83), averaging 1.9 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 37 games while shooting 40% from the floor and 73.3% from the free-throw line. His father, Harold Thune, was a starting guard for Minnesota in 1940-41 and 1941-42.

MORRIS "MO" UDALL, Arizona
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1961 to 1991) and candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Brother of former Secretary of the Interior Stew Udall served as Chairman of the House Interior and Insular Affairs. Stemming from his wit, columnist James J. Kilpatrick labeled him "too funny to be president," which wound up being the title of his autobiography.

He was the Wildcats' captain and second-leading scorer with an average of 10 ppg for the 1946-47 Border Conference titlist finishing with a 21-3 record. The next year, he was the leading scorer (13.3 average) on an Arizona squad that successfully defended its league crown. The 6-5, 200-pound forward-center was named to the first five on the 1947-48 Border Conference all-star team and finished second in the league in scoring. He played with Denver in the National Basketball League in 1948-49.

Jailhouse Jocks: Hall of Shame Shenanigans Might Kill College Hoops' Image

February 13th, 2026 - 8:31

Between 1980 and 2020, the average price of tuition, fees, plus room and board for an undergraduate degree increased 169%. Instead of academic/diversity-driven exemptions and exceptions, it's too bad the institutions of lower learning didn't bother to raise scholastic and enrollment standards or at least devote portion of their endowment largesse toward conducting authentic background checks. It seems at times the NCAA should simply adorn coach/probation officer in a Statue of Liberality suit and inscribe: "Give me your troubled, your deranged, the wretch refuse . . . ." In essence, that message is their recruiting spiel. Much like abortion, we've become desensitized to sordid stories of smart-asset athletes getting in trouble. Three seasons ago, Washington, D.C. product Darius Miles' arrest and subsequent indictment for capital murder after Alabama backup junior forward allegedly provided gun fired at a car in an area know as "The Strip," killing a 23-year-old woman. Miles, denied bond three times, still awaits start of trial after early December date was delayed.

This morbid concern for big-time athletics reared its ugly head again recently when Eric Cobb, who played for South Carolina (1.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg in 2015-16 under coach Frank Martin) and Connecticut (3 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 2017-18 and 2018-19 under coaches Kevin Ollie and Dan Hurley), was arrested in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., and accused with murdering his mother. According to investigators, a neighbor heard a woman screaming "He's going to kill me." When officers unwrapped blankets and towels around victim near a bloody rear doorstep, she had multiple gunshot wounds to her head, stomach and left leg. A trash can on the curb contained 14 spent 9mm shell casings and multiple bullet holes were found in the home's main hallway.

Inconceivably, 11 different power-conference members in the last 10 years are known to have a former or current hooper charged with murder. For instance, in the fall of 2023 former Arizona center Chance Comanche was in custody regarding accusation he fatally strangled an escort while in Las Vegas. Her remains were found in a ditch covered with rocks in desert area. There should just be a class-action lawsuit against some school and athletic departments for allowing someone like the accused murderers remotely close to their programs. Ditto innumerable females around the nation who should be seeking counsel upon impacted by social scholars involved in "War on Women" on college campuses.

One certainly can't count on the #MessMedia to do its job to help thwart the collegiate crap, let alone scummy George Soros, Somalian scam artists and the FTX Crypto fraud showering #Demonrats with campaign funds before going bankrupt. The unraveling Washington Compost, which previously described ISIS terrorist Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi as an "austere religious scholar," expressed its usual affinity for human debris by commending the alleged shooter (Christopher Jones Jr.) for overcoming a rough childhood. Are you kidding me? Jones allegedly told his victims he shot on a bus "you are always messing with me." But it's also college administrators and press puke messing with students specifically and public generally bringing athletes to campus who have no business being there. What will it take for some people to realize there is a tremendous risk allowing the admissions office to abdicate to athletics department solely to try to win a few more games? If priorities aren't modified, some coaches should be arrested for impersonating a warden.

NCAA (National Collection of Abusive Athletes). Seems as if that is what the organization's acronym should be in wake of former Missouri hooper James "Jed" Frost shooting and killing his estranged wife and himself inside the Dallas County medical examiner's office. Several years ago, George Mason signee Cameron Walker's was arrested with a GA high school teammate by SWAT team on murder charges and criminal attempt to commit armed robbery following recent death of a man in drug-related case at parking lot (allegedly sold drugs out of apartment via social media). The Patriots' program, coached at the time by former Mizzou player Kim English (moved on to Providence), had lauded Walker's toughness and "competitive edge." In an era when getting correct answer in mathematics is deemed racist, some edgy ill-informed GMU students exhibiting questionable priorities were concerned with wanting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh fired from a summer teaching position despite widely-discredited sexual misconduct allegations against him. No word on how many GMU students might have been involved in abortion-related protests at Kavanaugh's residence before or after a man was accused of threatening to assassinate him.

Disgruntled steamy-romance novelist Stacey Abrams, in the aftermath of multiple gubernatorial defeats, probably should be throwing #Dimorat diva's weight behind voting for moral compass classes in GA. Beneath its glitz and glamour, college basketball has a description-defying unruly rap sheet of human viruses appearing to include Tulane's Teshaun Hightower, who was denied bond after Georgia transfer's arrest and charge of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and battery following an investigation in a fatal shooting in spring of 2020.

Another disturbing report bubbled up when Jarion Childs, a three-time CAA leader in steals (1997-98 through 1999-00), was killed in his hometown of Groton, Conn., in late June 2004 after an alleged "steal" of another kind - breaking into a Dairy Queen shortly after midnight. He was shot by the store's owner after prying the back door's lock with a crowbar and allegedly striking the owner three times with the crowbar. A local news channel reported that Childs, who led American University in assists each of his last two years, may be responsible for multiple murders in southeastern Connecticut. One elderly bedridden victim reportedly was "cared for" by Childs' sister working for home health care business called Good as Gold. The state police forensic lab apparently matched Childs' palm prints (usually good-as-gold evidence) to a set lifted from the window at victim's house.

The unruliness has spiked in recent years. While some selective-outrage fans might be more disappointed at Keith Appling's performance in final college game (2 points/0 rebounds/2 assists/4 turnovers/5 fouls in East Regional final vs. UConn), the former All-Big Ten Conference selection's manhunt arrest and murder charge regarding shooting death of a relative surfaced after team captain fled in newer model, tan-colored Buick Regal with girlfriend as getaway driver. Officers assisting at crime scene found a black revolver reportedly wrested from Michigan State's leader in assists from 2011-12 through 2013-14 deposited on the front lawn a few feet from green MSU ball cap. A vital question begs answering: Where's the accountability for school administration and athletic department with admittance standard allowing such a troubled individual to Dr. Larry Nassar's campus (sentenced in spring of 2023 to up to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder)? They should have promptly known something was amiss after disturbing strip miniature basketball incident during freshman orientation in September 2010. Didn't Spartans coach Tom Izzo proclaim Appling had "whole different perspective" after visiting him in jail in mid-December 2017 before turning attention to female victims of his recruits? Izzo mistakenly thought Appling was "becoming better at dealing with the real world." Instead of arranging etiquette and ethics classes for antisocial athletes she covered or covered up for, don't be surprised if self-absorbed journalistic jackal/ESPN reject Jemelle Hill blames "supremacist" #TheDonald, WV Senator Joe "White Dude" Manchin or untrustworthy Caucasian police officer on apprehension of hallowed hooper from The Atlantic contributor's hood (alma mater). "Keith is a killer (player)," his former AAU coach said. In public-school educated misguided minds, Appling has assembled rap-sheet street cred to become next BLM martyr like career criminals Andrew Brown Jr., Jacob Blake, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd or Freddie Gray (a/k/a ambulance-chasing attorney Ben Crump's black cash cows).

In February of 2021, the hoop wickedness extended to Logan Kelley, a Rutgers walk-on in 2012-13 arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, for killing a strip club employee. Kelley pleaded guilty (sentenced to 22 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of about $40,000) to walking up behind the victim and fatally slicing her neck with a knife while she was speaking with another man in a hallway. Nightclubs and bars not serving food were supposed to be closed amid coronavirus restrictions, but the strip club/brothel enterprise apparently was operating anyway. In late summer of 2020, Romero Collier, a freshman with Niagara in 2015-16, was arrested and charged with one count each of first- and second-degree murder, first- and third-degree robbery and first-degree criminal use of a firearm. In mid-summer of 2021, Post University CT juco recruit Raekwon Drake was charged with first-degree murder after shooting a man in the head who chased him with other Hispanics and ran away with his dog in the heart of Chicago.

Entering dangerous terrain when comparing cancerous athletes to the public-at-large segment of our population, there is a seemingly congested intersection populating hot hoop prospects who become prime suspects. Rarely exposed to the rigid word "no," some of the hero worshiped think the world revolves around them and develop a sordid sense of "out-of-bounds" entitlement. Many of the misguided go from the brink of the pros to the clink with black-and-white striped (or orange) clothes.

"When you are among the high-flying adored, your view of the world becomes blurred," wrote psychologist Stanley Teitelbaum of the flouting-of-the-law behavior in the book "Sports Heroes, Fallen Idols: How Star Athletes Pursue Self-Destructive Paths and Jeopardize Their Careers."

"Off the field, some act as if they are above the rules of society; hubris and an attitude of entitlement become central to the psyche of many athletes. They may deny that they are vulnerable to reprisals and feel omnipotent and grandiose as well as entitled."

Sounds almost like lame-stream legacy press failing to pressure authorities to get their hands dirty and clean up collegiate cesspool. In the meantime, an excessive number of depraved derelicts can't resist and make the toxic transition from game-breakers to lawbreakers when seduced by the dark side such as "looting reparations." There have been a striking number of heart-breaking stories rocking the world of sports, derailing dreams and creating miscreants who are poster boys for bad behavior. In order to try to comprehend the absence of a moral compass in some communities, Billy Moore, who participated in killing the nation's No. 1 prep prospect (Chicago's Ben Wilson) in late 1984, said "I'm not a criminal" after serving nearly 20 years in prison. In aftermath of teenager Kyle Rittenhouse's "guilty verdict" killing clown-show careers of attorneys prosecuting him, you almost expected Plagiarist Biledumb Administration, via spokesperson Ka-ringe Worthy, to deem hardened hoopers as mere protesters and finally have then VP Cacklin' Commie-la do something for which she is competent (arrange bail money). An astonishing number of professional athletes/social scholars sounded off on the verdict with as much expertise as hideous Hunter's artistry.

Idaho professor Sharon Stoll was not surprised when sports pages occasionally read like a police blotter focusing on 15 minutes of shame such as former Minnesota guard Daquein McNeil charged with arson in Baltimore in the summer of 2017 in connection with the homicide of a man who happened to be staying at the vacant house.

"In sport, we have moved away from honorable behavior," said Stoll, who operated the Center for Ethical Theory and Honor in Competitive Sports and conducted a 17-year study during which 72,000 athletes filled out questionnaires. "The environment of athletics has not been supportive of teaching and modeling moral knowing, moral valuing and moral action. Many of these young people have no sense of what is acceptable behavior."

It's unnerving when active or former narcissistic players go from the big time breaking ankles to the big house donning ankle bracelets. Infinitely more disconcerting is when deaths are involved amid the life and crimes. Despite some of the repulsive garbage, college hoops is too great a game to be ruined by moral malfeasance including a seven-footer from Duluth, Ga., reportedly recruited by Florida Gulf Coast, North Florida and Winthrop facing serious charges (robbery and assault with intent to commit a crime) in connection to the murder of a man several years ago; a Pitt-Greensburg letterman charged with criminal homicide involving his ex-girlfriend; Denver's Coban Porter sentenced to six years in prison in wake of pleading guilty to vehicular homicide-DUI and vehicular assault after running a red light and killing a female Uber driver just before 2 a.m. in mid-January 2023, and Toledo high school star Carl Banks pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a shooting death in 2017.

Who are "reimagine" morons going to call when in dire straits or "reparations" thefts occur? Do they have emergency number for Ghostbusters? Mandated re-education camp (antithesis of "Hands Off! Don't Loot!"), including forced viewing of MSLSD's nauseating lineup soiled by Joyless Reid and tax cheat Al "Not So" Sharpton, might be on horizon for those individuals principled enough to state the obvious. But instead of "gangstas," why not support #BlueLivesMatter to avoid testing positive for stupid? Amid insane woke emphasis on defunding police rather than promoting more cooperation with law enforcement to diffuse longstanding snitches-get-stitches culture, we get former Oklahoma All-American Blake Griffin among prominent athletes and activists such as statuesque social scholar Kim Kardashian seeking clemency for Julio Jones, a black man on death row in Oklahoma stemming from crime (first-degree murder of local businessman) he claims he didn't commit. Griffin's father, Tommy, coached Jones on an undefeated state titlist in high school before he was slated to try to walk-on with the Kelvin Sampson-coached Sooners in fall of 1999. A two-hour ABC episode on "20/20" was an abridged version of the documentary series, "The Last Defense."

The accompanying "Thugs R Us" hoop-horror summaries aren't designed to defile hoopdom. Actually, if college basketball can survive such unsavory incidents and classless ambassadors, it must be a helluva sport. It's nearly the equivalent of our country surviving #Dimorat dolts pulling respective leech-like heads out of butts and "reclaiming their time" in nominee hearings. At any rate, how many schools wouldn't be tainted if they had just embraced modest academic standards rather than NABC drooling over eliminating emphasis on ACT and SAT results? How about more critical thinking about law and order than critical race theory? What went awry for the following alphabetical list of slam dunkers who wound up in the slammer after murder/manslaughter probes?

Richie Adams, UNLV (coached by Jerry Tarkanian) - A 1989 conviction for larceny and armed robbery led to a five-year prison term for the two-time Big West Conference Tournament MVP. Following his parole, Adams was convicted of manslaughter in September 1998 after being accused of stalking and killing a 14-year-old Bronx girl in a housing project where both lived. The girl's family said Adams attacked her because she rejected his advances. Adams, nicknamed "The Animal" because of his intense playing style, was considered a defensive whiz and led the Rebels in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots for their PCAA champions in 1983-84 and 1984-85. "I used drugs occasionally, when I wanted to do it," Adams said. "When I went to play basketball, if I needed a pain reliever, I would sniff some cocaine." His trouble with the law escalated in 1985, a day after he was drafted in the fourth round by the Washington Bullets, when the two-time All-PCAA first-team selection was arrested for stealing a car. In high school, Adams and several teammates allegedly stole their own coach's auto.

Clifford Allen, UNLV (Jerry Tarkanian) - November 1985 J.C. signee by the Rebels was sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading no contest to second-degree murder as part of a plea bargain in the 1989 death of a man in Milton, Fla. Allen, a native of Los Angeles, said in a recorded statement that he used a steak knife to kill a 64-year-old guidance counselor after the man allegedly made sexual advances in the counselor's trailer. Allen, driving the victim's auto when he was arrested, enrolled at several jucos and also reportedly considered an offer to play for Tim Floyd at New Orleans.

Justin "Spider" Burns, Cal State Fullerton (Bob Burton) - Two-year starter for the Titans (10.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg in 2005-06 and 2006-07; second-leading rebounder as junior and senior) was arrested in Jackson, Miss., in the spring of 2011 on a murder charge related to the strangulation slaying of his ex-girlfriend the previous fall. Her body was found by target shooters in a valley desert area under a pile of blackened rocks. According to Burns' arrest report, the brother of rapper Jason Douglas Burns (a/k/a WorldWideWebbb) was the last person to be seen with the West Covina, Calif., resident and had argued with her the night before she was killed after coming to Las Vegas to visit him. In the weeks after her burned body was found, his father (former UNLV player Michael "Spiderman" Burns) refused to cooperate with police about his son's whereabouts, the report said. Spider committed suicide (suffocation by strangulation) at the age of 39 in June of 2023 in prison.

Ritchie Campbell, Hawaii commitment (Riley Wallace) - Just days after leading scorer in Western New York high school history (for 27 years) left jail following stint there stemming from involvement with alcohol and drugs (weapons charge linked to August 1993 arrest while driving stolen vehicle), he was fiddling with a gun at 3 a.m. in spring of 1994 while drunk at his girlfriend's house. The weapon went off and the bullet struck a woman he didn't know (10 years older than him) in the back of her neck. After the mother of a baby girl died two days following the shooting, J.C. recruit was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and served 17 years in prison. In July 1992, a jury acquitted him of attempted murder and other charges involving a shootout with Buffalo police during the summer of 1991.

Jeff Clifton, Middle Tennessee State (Bruce Stewart)/Arkansas State (Nelson Catalina) - Two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection (1992-93 and 1993-94) who tied ASU's DI single-game scoring record with 43 points was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest in fatal beating of his two-year-old son. He was charged with capital murder and abuse of a corpse (hiding it about 40 miles away for more than a year) after the toddler's remains were found in early December 2015 in a vacant lot.

Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech (Paul Hewitt) - All-ACC third-team selection as a freshman in 2006-07 was sentenced to 23 years as part of a plea deal stemming from charges of murder and gang activity (sentence subsequently reduced to 10 years before he was released in spring of 2023). Charged in late August 2011 after a woman was a drive-by shooting victim on a Southeast Atlanta street by someone inside a dark-colored SUV. The mother of four wasn't the intended target in what appeared to be retaliation for a $50,000 robbery of jewelry in the spring when Crittenton was a victim. Crittenton, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge in late January 2010 and received probation, was suspended 38 games by the NBA after he and teammate Gilbert Arenas acknowledged bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room following an altercation stemming from a card game on a team flight. While out on bond, Crittenton was arrested in mid-January 2014 in drug sting taking down more than a dozen persons accused of selling multiple kilos of cocaine and several hundred pounds of marijuana.

Ke'Vonte Davis and Jamontae Davis, Columbia State Community College TN - Brothers were charged with criminal homicide in connection with fatal shooting outside a Nashville high school in late January 2016 (victim shot four times in torso). The altercation stemmed from a lingering dispute over a girl. At the time of shooting, Jamontae Davis (Tennessee State signee in fall of 2012) attended Odessa College (Tex.) and had been kicked off team following arrest for allegedly assaulting a woman. Kevonte Davis was sentenced to five years' probation with a split confinement sentence (already in jail for 90 days and remained there until completing six months behind bars). Jamontae Davis was sentenced to two years' probation without confinement upon conviction of criminally negligent homicide.

Howell Emanuel "Trai" Donaldson III, St. John's (Steve Lavin) - Ordered held without bond following arrest by Tampa police after four separate shooting murders in six-week period during fall of 2017 involving victims ranging in ages from 22 to 60. A McDonald's manager received $110,000 reward for helping crack the case when coworker contacted police officer doing paperwork in restaurant after Donaldson asked her to hold bag containing loaded .40 Glock firearm while alleged serial killer went to nearby business to arrange a payday loan. Police said AT&T cellphone data put him in area of each killing and a hoodie seen in released surveillance videos was found in his Ford Mustang. Sports management major walked onto St. John's team during 2011-12 season when Lavin missed majority of year recovering from cancer surgery and only had seven scholarship players available. The 6-0 guard never played in a game for the program.

Carlton Dotson, Baylor (Dave Bliss) - Junior college recruit was sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Baylor roommate/teammate Patrick Dennehy with a hand gun in the summer of 2003. Dennehy, shot twice above the right ear, was New Mexico's leading rebounder (7.5 rpg) in 2001-02 under coach Fran Fraschilla before he was dismissed from the squad when Ritchie McKay succeeded Fraschilla. Dotson was arrested upon telling FBI agents he shot Dennehy after the player tried to shoot him. Bliss was fired by Baylor, the world's largest Baptist school, before reports surfaced about his direct involvement in a Hall of Shame cover-up attempting to hide drug use and NCAA violations within his program by encouraging an assistant coach and Bears players to depict the slain Dennehy as a drug dealer.

Raekwon Drake, Post CT after two jucos (Moberly MO and Wabash Valley IL) - Sentenced in early December 2024 to 14 additional years in prison for the "execution-style" killing with a 9-mm handgun of man who ran off with Drake's $4,000 French bulldog in the summer of 2021. Jury found Chicago product guilty of second-degree murder (shooting robber in head as thief was lying on ground).

James "Jed" Frost, Missouri (Norm Stewart) - Shot and killed his wife and himself in November 2022 inside the Dallas County medical examiner's office six months after she filed for divorce. Frost was a member of Mizzou's regional finalist team as a senior in 1993-94.

Brad Greene, Arizona (Bruce Larson) - Member of Black Panther Party twice went to prison. Chicago native served 8 1/3 years following conviction in circumstantial evidence case as part of group involved in murder of a policeman in mid-June of 1970. Arrested again in late 1979 while on parole and was incarcerated another 10 years. He averaged 8.3 ppg and 2.6 rpg for UA in 1966-67 and 1967-68.

DeAndre "Dre" Harrison, San Jacinto Junior College commitment (Scott Gernander) - Pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and received 10-year sentence in capital murder case. Brother of St. John's star D'Angelo Harrison was among seven men allegedly in a Tahoe van in drug deal gone bad in late May 2010 in parking lot outside a Dave & Buster's in Houston entertainment complex.

Parish Hickman, Michigan State (Jud Heathcote)/Liberty (Jeff Meyer) - Spartans regular for three seasons before transferring and becoming Liberty's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1992-93 pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 3-to-15 years in prison for the January 2001 murder of a Detroit man outside a Westside gas station. Acquitted after appearing before a federal judge on cocaine charges in the spring of 1991 following his on-campus arrest at MSU.

Jerome "Lenny" Holly, Texas Tech (James Dickey)/Arizona State (Bill Frieder) - Found guilty in the fatal shooting of a man and the wounding of another outside a New Mexico nightclub in mid-September 2003 during a dispute over drugs (both victims shot in back). SWC freshman of the year in 1992-93 before attending a juco and transferring to ASU, where he was plagued by medical problems (placed on prescription medication after suffering seizure and losing consciousness while driving in Los Angeles).

Baskerville Holmes, Memphis State (Dana Kirk) - A starting forward who averaged 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Tigers' 1985 Final Four team, he was arrested twice for domestic violence. Later, Holmes, an out-of-work truck driver, and his girlfriend were found shot to death March 18, 1997, in an apparent murder-suicide in Memphis. Three children were at home at the time of shootings. He was 32.

LaKeith Humphrey, Kansas State (Lon Kruger)/Central Missouri State (Jim Wooldridge) - Sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder in the late November 2006 death of his former girlfriend, who was shot through her bedroom window about 3:40 a.m. in his hometown of Memphis. Humphrey, a J.C. recruit, averaged 12.6 ppg and 3.6 apg for K-State's NCAA playoff team in 1988-89.

Joe Hurst, Iowa State (Glendon Anderson) - While on three-year probation for robbing CTA bus drivers, Hurst shot a Chicago patrolman to death and wounded his partner with bullet to the face in 1967 during a traffic stop. When Cyclones regular in 1963-64 was sentenced to death, self-proclaimed minister of the House of Islam told the judge, "Life and death is in God's hands. I may have been an instrument in (cop's) death, but it must have been his time to go." After the U.S. Supreme Court declared a moratorium on capital punishment in 1972, Hurst was resentenced to 100 to 300 years in prison. Controversial Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx (remember mishandling of Jussie Smollett probe) inexplicably dropped her opposition to his parole bid, rankling police officers when 77-year-old Hurst was freed by parole board in late February 2021.

Lawrence Ingram, Murray State (Ron Greene) - Juco recruit who played in 17 games for the Racers' 1983 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion was sentenced to 20 years in prison for first-degree reckless homicide in early November 2017 killing at a squalid homeless encampment under a Milwaukee freeway overpass. Ingram abused cocaine and his criminal record began in 1988 with a conviction for robbery.

Joeviair Kennedy, Western Michigan (Steve Hawkins) - Convicted of armed robbery and a weapons charge but acquitted of murder, he was sentenced to at least 17 years in prison in the fatal shooting of a student at an off-campus apartment in December 2016 theft where he and a co-defendant allegedly got marijuana, a cellphone and about $25. Kennedy, a 6-4 redshirt guard who averaged 3.1 ppg in eight WMU contests, said a former Muskegon high school teammate sentenced to life in prison pulled the trigger.

William Langrum II, McLennan County Community College TX (Kevin Gill) - Starting power forward and H.S. teammate of Georgia Tech/NBA star Chris Bosh on Texas' 4A state championship club in 2002 (declared national champion by USA Today) was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole when a jury found him guilty of capital murder after a 50-year-old woman was stabbed to death with a hunting knife in a purse robbery outside her Dallas-area condominium in the fall of 2011 as she returned from church. In the aftermath of killing her, Langrum and an accomplice went to a different portion of Dallas and began stalking another potential victim before police arrested them. Coincidentally, Bosh's mother was the subject of a drug trafficking probe in December 2017.

Jeremiah Ligon, Clarion PA (Marcess Williams) - Dropped out of college in 2016 after less than a semester. In late 2024, he was ordered to serve 14 to 34 years in state prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder in a shooting in fall of 2019. A tracking device was placed on the victim's vehicle and Ligon had an app on his phone to track movements.

Robert Littlejohn, Purdue (Gene Keady) - Junior college recruit who served as starting center for NCAA tourney team in 1984-85 was sentenced to 60 years in prison after conviction of chasing and stabbing a woman to death during fight in fall of 2019 in Fort Wayne, Ind. The 21-year-old female collapsed right in the middle of the street.

Leonel Marquetti, Southern California (Bob Boyd and Stan Morrison)/Hampton (Hank Ford) - Former McDonald's All-American was sentenced to life in prison without parole after being found guilty of first-degree murder in a March 25, 2010, slaying in Plant City, Fla. Prosecutors portrayed Marquetti as a hoarder who was jealous of a wrongly-assumed relationship with an ex-girlfriend, a German-born dog breeder. Marquetti shot a white handyman four times - once as he faced him and three times as his victim lay face down. Jurors also found him guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and false imprisonment. The Los Angeles native averaged 4.8 ppg in 1978-79 and 1979-80 with USC before transferring.

Howard McNeil, Seton Hall (Bill Raftery) - Convicted at Norristown, Pa., in early February 1999 of third-degree murder in the stabbing death of a suspected prostitute. Police said the woman's skull was cracked when she was pushed into a wall before being stabbed to death. According to prosecutors, McNeil also stole a safe filled with drugs from the house. McNeil, an All-Big East Conference third-team selection as a junior in 1980-81 before being declared academically ineligible late in senior season, was found guilty of related drug and theft charges, but not convicted on more serious first- and second-degree murder charges. In 1976, he shot a friend in the head with a handgun at a Valentine's Day party, but was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and avoided jail.

Branden Miller, Montana State (Mick Durham) - Sentenced to 120 years in prison (100 for deliberate homicide, 10 for use of a weapon and 10 for tampering with evidence) after he was charged with murder in late June 2006 in the shooting death of a suspected cocaine dealer whose body was found at the school's agronomy farm. Investigators said the murder weapon was one of two .40-caliber handguns Miller bought from a pawn shop two weeks before the incident. He was the Bobcats' third-leading scorer in 2004-05 before becoming academically ineligible.

Ali Mohammed and Lavell White, Allan Hancock Community College CA (Tyson Aye) - Teammates were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole stemming from a late 2014 botched robbery of a drug dealer ending in murder. During the trial, witnesses testified that the killing occurred while Mohammed and White were in midst of a crime spree including burglarizing homes and robbing another drug dealer. They celebrated New Year's Eve by shooting off the murder weapon.

Mike Niles, Cal State Fullerton (Bobby Dye) - After playing briefly with the Phoenix Suns, the enforcer for the Titans' 1978 West Regional finalist, before booted from the squad due to academic anemia, was convicted in late January 1989 of hiring a man to murder his wife and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. She died of a shotgun blast to the back of her skull from close range. According to the prosecution, Niles arranged to pay $5,000 to kill his wife, a prison guard, to collect $100,000 from a life insurance policy. A witness testified that Niles said he wanted his wife killed because she "messed me out" of money from basketball. The cycle of violence continued when his aspiring rapper son, Brandon, was buried at 17, the victim of a gunshot to the chest by a rival gang.

Stephen O'Reilly, North Florida (Matthew Driscoll) - Virgin Islands product who played briefly for UNF in 2009-10 was charged in the fatal stabbing of a roommate in Gwinnett County (Ga.) in late March 2013. The roommate, suffering from sickle cell anemia, was stabbed more than 18 times by assailant with a butcher knife.

Terry Pettis, Fresno State (Ray Lopes) - Sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder and armed robbery in the death of a junior college student who was behind the wheel of a car while her boyfriend sold marijuana in the seat next to her. Pettis had been arrested in his hometown of Minneapolis in May 2004 on charges of killing the woman when she tried to drive away during a botched drug robbery the previous month in Fresno, Calif., at a secluded lot near an apartment building. The crime was so grisly that the judge decided jurors couldn't see an autopsy photo showing the bullet's impact on the teenager's head. Pettis, a starting point guard for the Bulldogs in 2002-03 and 2003-04 before he was suspended for not completing a treatment program, pleaded no contest in September 2003 to misdemeanor vandalism and battery charges involving his girlfriend.

Bryan Randall, Dartmouth (Paul Cormier) - Facing a pending divorce, All-Ivy League selection in 1986-87 and 1987-88 dropped his two youngest children in the murky waters of an Orlando-area office park lake in mid-September 2003 (two-year-old girl drowned and four-year-old boy saved only by fate's hand and a passing fisherman) before loading his two older sons into the family's Dodge Durango and intentionally swerving in front of an oncoming semitrailer slicing his SUV nearly in two on the interstate (killing him and the one son bearing his name). In a suicide letter found in the wreckage, jobless-and-despondent Randall, who led Ivy League in assists as a senior, wrote he wanted to kill himself and his children because he disapproved of how his estranged wife cared for them. Randall, slapped with a restraining order hinging on sordid charges of sexual humiliation and blackmail, had discovered her infidelity by tapping their home's phone. In the late 1990s, he filed for bankruptcy and had bank foreclose on his condominium in Silver Spring, Md., prior to accepting a job with WorldCom before the telecom giant collapsed.

Derrick Riley, Fresno State (Boyd Grant)/Fresno Pacific - Part-time starter for FSU in 1984-85 was convicted of second-degree murder of his wife and unborn child and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. He was accused of suffocating his wife, who was 7 1/2 months pregnant with their second child, after her body was found floating in a Bakersfield area aqueduct in early February 1994. Court papers said there had an argument over his using drugs and theft of a church's cash box.

Aaron Smith, Wyoming (Joby Wright) - Junior college recruit who averaged 5.2 ppg in 1994-95 and 1995-96 was found guilty of first-degree murder for shooting a construction worker in back of the head in early August 2005 (victim reportedly owed him about $400 from gambling debt from late 1990s).

Andre Smith, Xavier (Skip Prosser) - Son of Tulsa All-American Bingo Smith was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence as part of a plea deal. Prosecutors say he used a survival tool that included a machete and a saw to kill his Russian teenage friend in May 2004 in his apartment complex. Andre played for the Musketeers in mid-1990s.

Troy Smith, Louisville (Denny Crum) - Regular for three NCAA playoff teams in the early 1990s served one year of a 5-to-25-year prison term for the February 1994 involuntary manslaughter death of the mother of his infant son at her Cincinnati apartment. Police said the couple had been drinking when the woman was "body-slammed" to the floor during an argument, fracturing herskull and dying a few hours later.

Brett Studdard, Wyoming (Benny Dees) - Junior college recruit who averaged 4.3 ppg for the Cowboys in 1991-92 and 1992-93 shot his former girlfriend to death (once in the back and once in head) before committing suicide in the fall of 2003 in Cobb County (Ga.). The altercation occurred two days after a permanent restraining order was issued prohibiting him from contacting the pharmacist.

Johnathan Turner, Ranger Junior College TX (Billy Gillispie) - Arrested for murder in spring of 2014 following an argument with roommate over a video game. He was indicted for manslaughter in summer of 2014 and pleaded guilty in summer of 2015 (sentenced to seven years deferred probation).

Shaun Warrick, Maryland-Eastern Shore (Lawrence Lessett Jr.) - Convicted Valentine's Day killer was sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without parole (plus 16 to 32 years for burglary and firearms charges) in late summer 2015 after a Philadelphia jury deadlocked on whether he should get the death penalty for murdering his ex-girlfriend and her cousin (each shot multiple times). Warrick did not testify in his defense and declined to speak before sentencing. The jury did not hear about Warrick featured in 2007 on America's Most Wanted after accusations of shooting two other students and stabbing a third (acquitted of attempted-murder charges in that case). He had been convicted of a misdemeanor escape charge in summer of 2004 when brought into a police barracks and ended up fleeing. In 2005, he was convicted of illegally possessing a gun on a public street (serial number obliterated) but still competed in 15 games for UMES in 2005-06. In summer of 2008, he was arraigned on charges of delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, receiving a stolen firearm and possession of marijuana.

Bobby Washington, Iowa (Sharm Scheuerman) - Paroled less than seven years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder following racially-laced pizza parlor/bar shooting in late summer 1964 using his roommate's .25-caliber handgun. The victim, a drunk father of four children barred from several taverns in town, was shot four times in the chest and neck. "I can't let people disrespect me," said Washington, who averaged 5.3 ppg in 1958-59 and 1959-60 before flunking out and serving stint in U.S. Army.

Kass Weaver, Wisconsin (Steve Yoder)/Richmond (Dick Tarrant and Bill Dooley) - Two-time All-CAA selection was charged in fall of 2021 with allegedly killing his toddler son before stashing the body in a garage freezer for at least 2 1/2 years. His wife told cops that at times he tied her up with an electrical cord and burned her with a curling iron.

Decensae White, Texas Tech (Bob Knight)/Santa Clara (Kerry Keating)/San Francisco State (Paul Trevor) - Arrested on a murder charge as part of an elaborate plot, including a Russian mobster, where a Louisiana rapper (Lil Phat) was killed in a revenge drive-by shooting the summer of 2012 in the parking deck of a hospital as his fiancee was preparing to give birth. White, extradited to Georgia in May 2013 before striking a deal with the prosecution, testified he was the one tracking Lil Phat's movements (after stealing 10 pounds of marijuana) via a GPS device installed in a rented white Audi vehicle. The vagabond hooper averaged 4.7 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Texas Tech in 2006-07 and 2007-08, 3.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg in 10 games with Santa Clara in 2008-09 and team highs of 12.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg for San Francisco State in 2012-13.

Armond Williams, Illinois-Chicago (Jimmy Collins) - 2004 Horizon League Tournament MVP after earning all-conference second-team honors the previous season when pacing alliance in field-goal shooting (63.9%) was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder for shooting the doorman at a Windy City bar in March of 2019.

Jayson Williams, St. John's (Lou Carnesecca) - All-Big East Conference second-team selection in 1988-89 pleaded guilty in January 2010 to aggravated assault and served 18 months in prison for accidentally killing a limousine driver in his bedroom. Williams, boasting 25 stitches above his right eye after being charged with drunken driving when crashing his SUV into a tree the previous week, was awaiting retrial on a reckless manslaughter count before pleading guilty to to the lesser count. He had been cleared by jurors in the spring of 2004 of aggravated manslaughter, the most serious charge against him, but was found guilty of four lesser charges. He faced 55 years in prison if convicted on all counts stemming from a February 14, 2002, shooting with a 12-gauge shotgun of a limo driver at his mansion and an alleged attempt to make the death look like a suicide. Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter, but the jury deadlocked on a reckless-manslaughter count. Williams gave the driver's relatives $2.5 million to settle a civil suit. He had been charged in early 1995 with possession of a concealed dangerous weapon and reckless endangerment after firing a handgun at a hubcap on an empty truck lot at local arena. In late April 2009 following his wife filing for divorce claiming he was abusive, adulterous and had a drug problem, Williams was zapped with a stun gun by police in a lower Manhattan hotel suite after the reportedly suicidal athlete resisted attempts by officers to take him to a hospital. The next month, he was charged with assault after allegedly punching a man in the face outside a North Carolina bar, but charges were dropped. In January 2010, Williams was charged with driving while intoxicated after crashing his Mercedes into a tree in lower Manhattan (sentenced to an additional year in prison). In early February 2016, Williams was charged with drunken driving after hitting a utility pole along a road in a rural Delaware town, triggering him entering a rehabilitation facility. Part of his daily prison routine was writing "Humbled - Letters From Prison," which described tragedies in his life, including the deaths of his sisters (two from AIDS/one murdered) and being molested by his uncle when he was 10. His two daughters denounced St. John's in fall of 2022 for its decision to induct their father into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame. The Williams sisters accused their dad of being a "deadbeat," an alcoholic, failing to provide adequate financial support plus never making amends for emotional and verbal abusiveness.

Oscar Williams Jr., Utah State (Dutch Belnap) - The Aggies' assists leader in multiple categories from his mid-1970s exploits was sentenced to two life prison terms without the possibility of parole for the 1982 shooting death of his wife. Prosecutors contended that he murdered her to collect $220,000 worth of life insurance benefits after he failed in an effort to hire a contract killer. Toy Williams, a 24-year-old model, was shot at least five times in an alley near the couple's Las Vegas apartment after returning from her job at a nearby shopping mall.

Roy Williams, Cleveland State (Kevin Mackey and Mike Boyd) - Junior college recruit was suspended while facing a rape charge stemming from an on-campus incident at a fraternity party involving an honor student in early November 1990. He was questioned by California authorities the previous year about the suspicious death of a Compton College female student, whose body was found in the trunk of her gray Toyota car. Williams, the last person seen with her according to police, initially told investigators the student body vice president and peer counselor overdosed at a San Diego crack house the two had visited. In the spring of 1991, he pleaded innocent to charges of killing two young women and raping and attempting to strangle a third female. An attorney defending him threatened to sue over disclosure that his client was convicted of murder in California in 1981 when he was 14 and reportedly served nearly five years in California youth institutions. In early 1993, Williams pleaded guilty to the two killings.

Stanley Woods, Furman (Joe Williams) - Convicted of murder and originally sentenced to die in a January 1983 trial stemming from armed robbery and killing of a service station attendant in February 1981. The conviction was subsequently overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court because of remarks the prosecution made about him not testifying in his own behalf. In a second trial, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life plus 25 years. The 5-10 guard averaged 2.5 ppg in 1976-77 and 1977-78.

Erikk Wright Jr., Coppin State commitment (Ron "Fang" Mitchell) - Junior college wing for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 2013-14 was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to 16 to 32 years in prison as well as five years of consecutive probation following a shooting in spring of 2016 outside a popular nightclub in Chester, Pa. Video evidence reportedly depicted Wright stepping off a curb to shoot the victim in the back as he crawled away for his life.

Chris Yates, Wisconsin-Green Bay (Dick Bennett) - Forward who averaged 3.2 ppg from 1987-88 through 1991-92 was sentenced to 15 years to life behind bars for the stabbing murder of his mother in spring of 2006. Addicted to crack cocaine, he previously was sentenced to five years in prison after found guilty of armed robbery in 1992. Following release from prison, criminal record for Michigan native reportedly included domestic violence and violating a restraining order.

Mark Yavorsky, San Diego (Phil Woolpert) - Backcourtmate of Bernie Bickerstaff for two seasons averaged 8.4 ppg from 1963-64 through 1965-66. In a neighbor's living room, where his mother had sought refuge, Yavorsky stabbed her to death with a three-foot antique saber in June 1979. Found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, a judge ruled him innocent by reason of insanity. In Yavorsky's disturbed mind, the murder was a reenactment of scene from a Greek tragedy in which he had been cast. After his release from a state hospital, he was in and out of custody, at one juncture escaping from a group home in downtown San Diego, taking off on a cross-country foray. The crime inspired a movie entitled My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done.

Mid-Major Bench Bosses After Coaching Multiple Power-Conference Members

February 12th, 2026 - 9:15

Kansas City's Mark Turgeon is the latest head coach aligning with a mid-major school after previously piloting multiple power-conference members. Following is an alphabetical list of 11 mentors from multiple power-league members swallowing their pride by currently toiling in more obscurity at mid-major level:

Active Head Coach Current Mid-Major School Previous Multiple Power-League Schools
Steve Alford Nevada (since 2019-20) Iowa (1999-00 through 2006-07) and UCLA (2013-14 to 2018-19)
Tommy Amaker Harvard (since 2007-08) Seton Hall (1997-98 through 2000-01) and Michigan (2001-02 through 2006-07)
Billy Gillispie Tarleton State (since 2020-21) Texas A&M (2004-05 through 2006-07), Kentucky (2007-08 and 2008-09) and Texas Tech (2011-12)
Stan Heath Eastern Michigan (since 2021-22) Arkansas (2002-03 through 2006-07) and South Florida (2007-08 through 2012-13)
Andy Kennedy UAB (since 2020-21) Cincinnati (2005-06) and Mississippi (2006-07 to 2017-18)
Steve Lavin San Diego (since 2022-23) UCLA (1996-97 through 2002-03) and St. John's (2010-11 through 2014-15)
Chris Mack College of Charleston (since 2024-25) Xavier (2009-10 through 2017-18) and Louisville (2018-29 to 2021-22)
Cuonzo Martin Missouri State (since 2024-25 after stint from 2008-09 through 2010-11) Tennessee (2011-12 through 2013-14), California (2014-15 through 2016-17) and Missouri (2017-18 through 2021-22)
Frank Martin Massachusetts (since 2022-23) Kansas State (2007-08 through 2011-12) and South Carolina (2012-13 through 2021-22)
Herb Sendek Santa Clara (since 2016-17) North Carolina State (1996-97 through 2005-06) and Arizona State (2006-07 through 2014-15)
Mark Turgeon Kansas City Texas A&M (2007-08 through 2010-11) and Maryland (2011-12 to 2021-22)

Retirement Plans: Coaches Slept On It/Wept On It/Thought On It/Drank To It

February 11th, 2026 - 10:34

It's patently clear not every coach departs with pomp-and-circumstance style such as luminaries John Wooden, Al McGuire, Ray Meyer, Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski when they bowed out. From 1964 to 1975 with Wooden at the helm, UCLA won an NCAA-record 10 national titles, including seven straight from 1967 through 1973. McGuire's goodbye in 1977 with an NCAA title marked Marquette's eighth straight season finishing among the Top 10 in a final wire-service poll. Meyer directed DePaul to a Top 6 finish in a final wire-service poll six times in his final seven seasons from 1978 through 1984. Smith won at least 28 games with North Carolina in four of his final five seasons from 1992-93 through 1996-97. Coach K tied Wooden by reaching Final Four with Duke for 13th time in his swan song.

But fond farewells are the exception, not the rule, in coping with Father Time. Several years ago, Notre Dame's Mike Brey should have asked Smith pupil Roy Williams, who registered a losing ACC record (16-20) over his final two campaigns before retiring. That was more league losses than Williams incurred over a five-year span when NCAA titles bookended no-show class seasons from 2005 through 2009. How many school all-time winningest mentors such as Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (incurred at least 14 defeats in six of last seven seasons) rode off into the sunset donning at least a partial black hat rather than a white one? How much they may have tarnished their legacy is debatable but hanging around too long probably caused a few of the following alphabetical list of celebrated coaches losing a portion of their luster:

Last of Unbeatens: Miami of Ohio is Eighth Mid-Major in Past 15 Campaigns

February 10th, 2026 - 10:25

No NCAA Division I men's team has compiled an undefeated record since Indiana 50 years ago in 1975-76. Miami of Ohio, compiling longest win streak in Mid-American Conference history, was the last unbeaten team this season after Arizona bowed at Kansas, ending the Wildcats' shot at becoming the 20th team in history to enter the NCAA Tournament with an unblemished record.

Despite Virginia's success seven seasons ago, the historical odds are against Miami capturing the NCAA title because only four final undefeated teams in the previous 46 years - Duke '92, UConn '99, Florida '06 and UVa '19 - went on to capture the national crown. Actually, there is a higher likelihood that Miami won't even participate in the NCAA playoffs.

Three years ago, New Mexico fell into a "shut out" of NCAA tourney category with SMU and Clemson. The Lobos joined Arizona State in 2017-18 as final-unbeaten schools registering losing marks the remainder of campaign upon sustaining initial setback. Prior to probation-shackled SMU 10 seasons ago, Clemson (winner of its first 17 outings in 2006-07), was the only school in this last-of-the-unbeaten category since IU to fail to participate in the NCAA playoffs. The Tigers finished runner-up in the NIT before SMU moved up to power-conference status by joining the ACC.

The total of 52 clubs previously in this "final-undefeated" category combined to compile an average 30-5 season record. Following in reverse order are vital facts on final unbeaten teams since the Hoosiers a half-century ago:

Season Last Unbeaten (Wins) First Defeat Date Score Final Record/Postseason
2025-26 Miami of Ohio (24)* TBD TBD TBD TBD
2024-25 Tennessee (14) at Florida 1-7-25 73-43 30-8/Regional Final
2023-24 Houston (14) at Iowa State 1-9-24 57-53 32-5/Regional Semifinal
2022-23 New Mexico (14) at Fresno State 1-3-23 71-67 22-12/NIT First Round
2021-22 Baylor (15) Texas Tech 1-11-22 65-62 27-7/Second Round
2020-21 Gonzaga (31)* Baylor 4-5-21 86-70 31-1/NCAA runner-up
2019-20 San Diego State (26)* UNLV 2-22-20 66-63 30-2/NCAA cancelled
2018-19 Michigan (17) at Wisconsin 1-19-19 64-54 30-7/Regional Semifinal
2018-19 Virginia (16) at Duke 1-19-19 72-70 35-3/NCAA Champion
2017-18 Arizona State (12) Arizona 12-31-17 84-78 20-12/NCAA Play-In
2016-17 Gonzaga (29)* Brigham Young 2-25-17 79-71 37-2/National Runner-up
2015-16 Southern Methodist (18) at Temple 1-24-16 89-80 25-5/Probation
2014-15 Kentucky (38)* vs. Wisconsin 4-4-15 71-64 38-1/NCAA Final Four
2013-14 Wichita State (35)* vs. Kentucky 3-23-14 78-76 35-1/Second Round
2012-13 Michigan (16) at Ohio State 1-13-13 56-53 31-8/NCAA Runner-up
2011-12 Murray State (23)* Tennessee State 2-9-12 72-68 31-2/Second Round
2010-11 Ohio State (24) at Wisconsin 2-12-11 71-67 34-3/Regional Semifinal
2009-10 Kentucky (19) at South Carolina 1-26-10 68-62 35-3/Regional Final
2008-09 Wake Forest (16) Virginia Tech 1-21-09 78-71 24-7/First Round
2007-08 Memphis (26) Tennessee 2-23-08 66-62 38-2/National Runner-up
2006-07 Clemson (17)* at Maryland 1-13-07 92-87 25-11/NIT Runner-up
2005-06 Florida (17)* at Tennessee 1-21-06 80-76 33-6/NCAA Champion
2004-05 Illinois (29)* at Ohio State 3-6-05 65-64 37-2/NCAA Runner-up
2003-04 Saint Joseph's (27)* vs. Xavier 3-11-04 87-67 30-2/Regional Final
2002-03 Duke (12) at Maryland 1-18-03 87-72 26-7/Regional Semifinal
2001-02 Duke (12) at Florida State 1-6-02 77-76 31-4/Regional Semifinal
2000-01 Stanford (20) UCLA 2-3-01 79-73 31-3/Regional Final
1999-00 Syracuse (19) Seton Hall 2-7-00 69-67 26-6/Regional Semifinal
1998-99 Connecticut (19) Syracuse 2-1-99 59-42 34-2/NCAA Champion
1997-98 Utah (18) at New Mexico 2-1-98 77-74 30-4/NCAA Runner-up
1996-97 Kansas (22) at Missouri (2OT) 2-4-97 96-94 34-2/Regional Semifinal
1995-96 Massachusetts (26)* George Washington 2-24-96 86-76 35-2/NCAA Final Four
1994-95 Connecticut (15) at Kansas 1-28-95 88-59 28-5/Regional Final
1993-94 UCLA (14) at California 1-30-94 85-70 21-7/First Round
1992-93 Virginia (11) at North Carolina 1-20-93 80-58 21-10/Regional Semifinal
1991-92 Duke (17) at North Carolina 2-5-92 75-73 34-2/NCAA Champion
1991-92 Oklahoma State (20) at Nebraska 2-5-92 85-69 28-8/Regional Semifinal
1990-91 UNLV (34) vs. Duke 3-30-91 79-77 34-1/NCAA Final Four
1989-90 Georgetown (14) at Connecticut 1-20-90 70-65 24-7/Second Round
1988-89 Illinois (17) at Minnesota 1-26-89 69-62 31-5/NCAA Final Four
1987-88 Brigham Young (17)* at UAB 2-6-88 102-83 26-6/Sweet 16
1986-87 DePaul (16) at Georgetown 1-25-87 74-71 28-3/Regional Semifinal
1985-86 Memphis State (20) at Virginia Tech 2-1-86 76-72 28-6/Second Round
1984-85 Georgetown (18) St. John's 1-26-85 66-65 35-3/NCAA Runner-up
1983-84 North Carolina (21) vs. Arkansas 2-12-84 65-64 28-3/Regional Semifinal
1982-83 UNLV (24) at Cal State Fullerton 2-24-83 86-78 28-3/Second Round
1981-82 Missouri (19) Nebraska 2-6-82 67-51 27-4/Regional Semifinal
1980-81 Oregon State (26)* Arizona State 3-7-81 87-67 26-2/Second Round
1979-80 DePaul (26)* at Notre Dame (2OT) 2-27-80 76-74 26-2/Second Round
1978-79 Indiana State (33)* vs. Michigan State 3-26-79 75-64 33-1/NCAA Runner-up
1977-78 Kentucky (14) at Alabama 1-23-78 78-62 30-2/NCAA Champion
1976-77 San Francisco (29) at Notre Dame 3-5-77 93-82 29-2/First Round

*All-time top winning streaks.
NOTES: North Carolina lost in Pine Bluff, Ark. . . . Saint Joseph's lost in Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Dayton.

Big Sin Sendek's Santa Clara Success Obscured By Gonzaga & Saint Mary's

February 9th, 2026 - 8:22

Santa Clara's streak of five straight 20-win seasons under coach Herb Sendek has been overwhelmed by success of Gonzaga and Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference. Sendek is on the precipice of becoming the 45th coach in NCAA history to reach the 600-win plateau. He'll join following list of 11 coaches with at least 600 triumphs but never reaching Final Four:

Coach (DI Seasons) Division I Career Record NCAA Playoffs
Cliff Ellis (46) 833-566 (.595) with South Alabama/Clemson/Auburn/Coastal Carolina from 1975-76 to 2023-24 10 tourneys (8-10 record)
Charles "Lefty" Driesell (41) 786-394 (.666) with Davidson/Maryland/James Madison/Georgia State from 1960-61 through 2002-03 13 (16-14)
Ed Diddle (42) 759-302 (.715) with Western Kentucky from 1922-23 through 1963-64 three (3-4)
Ralph Miller (38) 674-370 (.646) with Wichita State/Iowa/Oregon State from 1951-52 through 1988-89 10 (5-11)
Leonard Hamilton (37) 660-506 (.566) with Oklahoma State/Miami FL/Florida State from 1986-87 through 2024-25 11 (14-11)
Bob McKillop (33) 634-380 (.625) with Davidson from 1989-90 through 2021-22 10 (3-10)
Norm Stewart (32) 634-333 (.656) with Missouri from 1967-68 through 1998-99 16 (12-16)
Fran Dunphy (33) 625-380 (.622) with Penn/Temple/La Salle from 1989-90 through 2024-25 17 (3-17)
*Steve Alford (31) 639-351 (.645) with Missouri State/Iowa/New Mexico/UCLA/Nevada from 1995-96 to 2025-26 13 (11-13)
Stew Morrill (29) 620-294 (.678) with Montana/Colorado State/Utah State from 1986-87 through 2014-15 nine (1-9)
*Herb Sendek (32) 595-420 (.586) with Miami of Ohio, North Carolina State, Arizona State and Santa Clara from 1993-94 to 2025-26 eight (7-8)

*Active coaches (records through February 8).

Misplaced Priorities: Will Florida and St. John's Live Up to Preseason Hype?

February 8th, 2026 - 8:49

Florida (ranked 3rd in AP's preseason poll) and St. John's (5th) seem to have corrected course but need to avoid slumps down the stretch to finish campaign ranked among Top 20. A year ago, Connecticut finished out of the AP's Top 20 for the second time in 14 seasons after being ranked in preseason Top Five while preseason #1 Kansas become the third PS top-ranked school in 12 years to fail to finish season among ranked clubs.

There are additional such tarnished squads failing to live up to enormous preseason hype. The last 26 teams in this great-expectations category incurred at least double digits in defeats. Following is a chronological list of the first 30 clubs included among preseason Top 5 selections since 1968-69 but finishing out of the AP's final Top 20 poll:

Preseason Top 5 Team Season Preseason AP Ranking Coach Record Top Players For Disappointing Squad
Notre Dame 1968-69 4th Johnny Dee 20-7 Austin Carr, Bob Arnzen, Bob Whitmore, Dwight Murphy, Collis Jones and Sid Catlett
Purdue 1969-70 3rd George King 18-6 Rick Mount, Larry Weatherford, George Faerber, Bob Ford, William Franklin and Tyrone Bedford
Southern California 1971-72 3rd Bob Boyd 16-10 Paul Westphal, Joe Mackey, Ron Riley, Dan Anderson and Mike Westra
Florida State 1972-73 2nd Hugh Durham 18-8 Reggie Royals, Lawrence McCray, Otis Cole, Benny Clyde and Otis Johnson
Indiana 1976-77 5th Bob Knight 14-13 Kent Benson, Mike Woodson, Wayne Radford and Derek Holcomb
Kansas 1978-79 5th Ted Owens 18-11 Darnell Valentine, Paul Mokeski, John Crawford, Wilmore Fowler and Tony Guy
DePaul 1984-85 3rd Joey Meyer 19-10 Tyrone Corbin, Kenny Patterson, Dallas Comegys, Marty Embry, Tony Jackson and Kevin Holmes
Indiana 1984-85 4th Bob Knight 19-14 Steve Alford, Uwe Blab, Stew Robinson, Dan Dakich, Delray Brooks and Daryl Thomas
Louisville 1986-87 2nd Denny Crum 18-14 Herbert Crook, Pervis Ellison, Tony Kimbro, Mark McSwain, Keith Williams, Kenny Payne and Felton Spencer
Michigan State 1990-91 4th Jud Heathcote 19-11 Steve Smith, Matt Steigenga, Mike Peplowski and Mark Montgomery
Clemson 1997-98 5th Rick Barnes 18-14 Greg Buckner, Terrell McIntyre, Harold Jamison and Tony Christie
Auburn 1999-00 4th Cliff Ellis 24-10 Chris Porter, Doc Robinson, Scott Pohlman, Daymeon Fishback, Mamadou N'diaye and Mack McGadney
UCLA 2001-02 5th Steve Lavin 21-12 Jason Kapono, Billy Knight, Matt Barnes, Dan Gadzuric and T.J. Cummings
Arizona 2003-04 4th Lute Olson 20-10 Hassan Adams, Salim Stoudamire, Channing Frye, Andre Iguodala and Mustafa Shakur
Michigan State 2003-04 3rd Tom Izzo 18-12 Paul Davis, Chris Hill, Kelvin Torbert, Maurice Ager and Alan Anderson
Missouri 2003-04 5th Quin Snyder 16-14 Arthur Johnson, Rickey Paulding, Linas Kleiza, Jimmy McKinney, Travon Bryant and Jason Conley
Georgia Tech 2004-05 3rd Paul Hewitt 20-12 Jarrett Jack, B.J. Elder, Will Bynum, Luke Schenscher and Isma'll Muhammad
Michigan State 2005-06 4th Tom Izzo 22-12 Maurice Ager, Paul Davis, Shannon Brown and Drew Neitzel
Louisiana State 2006-07 5th John Brady 17-15 Glen Davis, Tasmin Mitchell, Terry Martin, Garrett Temple and Darnell Lazare
Texas 2009-10 3rd Rick Barnes 24-10 Damion James, Avery Bradley, Dexter Pittman, J'Covan Brown, Gary Johnson and Dogus Balbay
Kansas State 2010-11 3rd Frank Martin 23-11 Jacob Pullen, Rodney McGruder, Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels
Michigan State 2010-11 2nd Tom Izzo 19-15 Kalin Lucas, Draymond Green, Durrell Summers, Delvon Roe and Keith Appling
Connecticut 2011-12 4th Jim Calhoun 20-14 Andre Drummond, Jeremy Lamb, Ryan Boatright, Alex Oriakhi, Shabazz Napier, Roscoe Smith and Tony Olander
Kentucky 2012-13 3rd John Calipari 21-12 Willie Cauley-Stein, Archie Goodwin, Ryan Harrow, Julius Mays, Nerlens Noel, Alex Poythress and Kyle Wiltjer
Kentucky 2013-14 1st John Calipari 29-11 Willie Cauley-Stein, Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee, Alex Poythress, Julius Randle and James Young
Texas 2021-22 5th Chris Beard 22-12 Timmy Allen, Christian Bishop, Marcus Carr, Dylan Disu, Jase Febres, Andrew Jones, Tre Mitchell and Courtney Ramey
Kentucky 2022-23 4th John Calipari 22-12 CJ Fredrick, Chris Livingston, Antonio Reeves, Jacob Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe, Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wheeler
North Carolina 2022-23 1st Hubert Davis 20-13 Armando Bacot, Leaky Black, RJ Davis, Puff Johnson, Caleb Love and Pete Nance
Michigan State 2023-24 4th Tom Izzo 20-15 Jaden Akins, Coen Carr, Carson Cooper, Malik Hall, A.J. Hoggard, Tre Holloman, Mady Sissoko and Tyson Walker
Connecticut 2024-25 3rd Dan Hurley 24-11 Solomon Ball, Hassan Diarra, Samson Johnson, Alex Karaban, Aidan Mahaney, Liam McNeeley, Tarris Reed Jr., Jayden Ross and Javlin Stewart
Kansas 2024-25 1st Bill Self 21-13 KJ Adams Jr., Flory Bidunga, David Coit, Hunter Dickinson, Rylan Griffen, Dajuan Harris Jr., Zeke Mayo, Shakeel Moore and AJ Storr

Most Memorable Moments From Former College Hoopers in NFL Super Bowls

February 7th, 2026 - 7:49

Former NCAA Tournament hoopers Antonio Gates (Kent State) and Tony Gonzalez (California) - two of the top three tight end reception leaders in NFL history - never participated in the Super Bowl. The absence of their 22 combined years as NFL All-Pros helped open the door for some other ex-college hoopers to emerge in the Super Bowl spotlight. Following are the 10 most memorable plays in Super Bowl history - good and bad - involving former college hoopers:

  1. Jacoby Jones (Lane TN hooper in 05-06) - Ravens WR supplied Super Bowl record 109-yard kickoff return for a touchdown opening the second half of SB XLVII against the 49ers.
  2. Don Beebe (Aurora College IL 84/JV) - Despite trailing by 35 points, Bills WR delivered iconic hustle play in Super Bowl XXVII against the Cowboys when stripping Leon Lett of the ball for a touchback just before the showboating defensive end crossed the goal line following running more than 60 yards after fumble recovery.
  3. John Mackey (Syracuse 61) - Colts TE had 75-yard reception on a deflected pass from Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas early in second quarter for first touchdown of game in Super Bowl V against the Cowboys.
  4. Andre Rison (Michigan State 86-88) - Packers WR opened scoring in Super Bowl XXXI with a 54-yard touchdown reception from Brett Favre on their first pass play against the Patriots.
  5. Otis Taylor (Prairie View A&M in early 60s) - Chiefs WR tallied a game-long 46-yard touchdown reception from Len Dawson (Purdue 57) to cap off scoring in Super Bowl IV. Taylor broke a sideline tackle attempt from Vikings LCB Earsell Mackbee (averaged 3.4 ppg for Utah State in 1964-65 as teammate of All-American Wayne Estes).
  6. Antwan Randle El (Indiana 99) - Steelers WR threw flea flicker 43-yard touchdown pass to game MVP Hines Ward to cap off scoring in Super Bowl XL against the Seahawks.
  7. Jordan Norwood (Penn State 07) - Broncos backup WR, escaping numerous Panthers defenders upon receiving punt, returned it for Super Bowl-record 61 yards in second quarter of Super Bowl 50.
  8. Bob Griese (Purdue 65) - Dolphins QB sacked for a 29-yard loss by Cowboys RDT Bob Lilly late in opening quarter of Super Bowl VI.
  9. Roger Staubach (Navy 63) - Five-time Pro Bowl TE Jackie Smith, lured out of St. Louis Cardinals retirement by Cowboys, was a little off-balance but flubbed the easiest of touchdown catches from Staubach hitting him right in numbers in third quarter of Super Bowl XIII four-point setback against the Steelers.
  10. Percy Howard (Austin Peay State 73-75) - Cowboys backup WR had a 34-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl X. It was one-hit wonder's only NFL reception. A Hail Mary pass in his general direction from Staubach at game's end was foiled by the Steelers.

On This Date: Former College Hooper Norwood Tackled February 7 Super Bowl

February 7th, 2026 - 7:46

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as ingrate #ColonKrapernick, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-honor shatterproof achievement - three members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is exhaustive research you can tackle regarding former college basketball player Jordan Norwood making a name for himself on February 7 in Super Bowl 50 following 2015 season:

FEBRUARY 7

  • Denver Broncos WR Jordan Norwood (Penn State hooper in 2006-07) returned a punt 61 yards in second quarter of 24-10 win against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 following 2015 season.

Ranking 60 Premier Former College Hoopers Participating in NFL's Super Bowl

February 6th, 2026 - 7:26

Excluding wondering about the variety of grub to be consumed at Super Bowl LX party, college basketball enthusiasts might rather want to enjoy know which former hoopers impacted the championship contest over its 60-year history. Emphasizing criteria including multiple appearances, following is a list ranking 60 former varsity hoopers - including multiple athletes from mid-majors Idaho, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Southern, Texas-El Paso and Utah State - impacting Super Bowl history the most from schools currently at the NCAA DI level:

Rank Four-Year College Hooper Current DI School/Hoop Season(s) Super Bowl Participation Summary
1. Roger Staubach Navy 63 Cowboys QB completed 61-of-98 passes for 744 yards and eight touchdowns in four Super Bowls (VI, X, XII and XIII). Receivers for three of his TD passes were former major-college hoopers (Mike Ditka/Billy Joe DuPree/Percy Howard).
2. Rodney Harrison Western Illinois 93 SS with Chargers contributed one solo tackle in Super Bowl XXIX. After switching coasts and joining Patriots, he registered team-high eight solo tackles in SB XXVIII, game-high 10 solo tackles in SB XXXIX and game-high 11 solo tackles in SB XLII.
3. Len Dawson Purdue 57 Chiefs QB completed 28-of-44 passes for 353 yards in Super Bowls I and IV. Threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Otis Taylor.
4. Preston Pearson Illinois 65-67 RB returned two kickoffs for 59 yards with Colts in Super Bowl III. Six years later with Steelers, he returned one kickoff for 15 yards in SB IX. After shifting to Cowboys, he rushed five times for 14 yards, caught game-high five passes for 53 yards and recovered one fumble in SB X; rushed three times for 11 yards and and caught game-high five passes for 37 yards in SB XII, plus rushed once for six yards and caught two passes for 15 yards in SB XIII.
5. Ed "Too Tall" Jones Tennessee State 70-71 Cowboys LDE amassed a total of 13 solo tackles in three Super Bowls in four-year span (X, XII and XIII). He also contributed one fumble recovery in SB XIII.
6. Otis Taylor Prairie View Chiefs WR caught a total of 10 passes for 138 yards in two Super Bowls (I and IV). His 31-yarder from Len Dawson helped set up KC's first score in second quarter of inaugural SB. Taylor tallied a game-long 46-yard touchdown reception to cap off contest's scoring in SB IV.
7. Junious "Buck" Buchanan Grambling 59 Chiefs RDT collected five solo tackles and a sack in Super Bowl I before tying for team high with five solo tackles plus a sack in Super Bowl IV.
8. Bob Griese Purdue 65 Dolphins QB completed 26-of-41 passes for 295 yards and one 28-yard touchdown covering back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls (VI, VII and VIII).
9. Ronnie Lott Southern California 80 49ers DB amassed total of nine solo tackles in four Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XIII and XXIV) with a high of four in SB XXIII.
10. Donovan McNabb Syracuse 96-97 Eagles QB completed 30-of-51 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XXXIX.
11. Antwaan Randle El Indiana 99 Steelers WR caught three passes for 22 yards, returned two punts for 32 yards in Super Bowl XL and threw flea flicker 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward to cap off scoring in Super Bowl XL before catching two passes for 50 yards including team-long 37-yarder in SB XLV.
12. Brad Johnson Florida State 88-89 Buccaneers QB completed 18-of-34 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns (bridging both halves) plus rushed once for 10 yards in Super Bowl XXXVII.
13. London Fletcher St. Francis (Pa.) 94 Rams MLB collected game-high seven solo tackles in Super Bowl XXXIV and two solo tackles in SB XXXVI.
14. Terrell Owens UT Chattanooga 94-96 Seven weeks after breaking his leg, Eagles WR registered team highs of nine pass receptions and 122 receiving yards (long of 36) in Super Bowl XXXIX.
15. John Mackey Syracuse 61 Colts TE caught a total of five passes for 115 yards in two Super Bowls (III and V). He had a 75-yard TD reception on a deflected pass from Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas for their initial score in SB V.
16. Joe Kapp California 57-58 Vikings QB completed 16-of-25 passes for 183 yards and rushed twice for nine yards in Super Bowl IV.
17. Billy Joe DuPree Michigan State 72 Cowboys TE recorded one solo tackle in Super Bowl X and caught a total of six passes for 83 yards and one touchdown in subsequent back-to-back SBs (XII and XIII).
18. Keith McKeller Jacksonville State 83-86 Bills TE caught at least one pass in four consecutive Super Bowls (XXV through XXVIII).
19. Harold Carmichael Southern 69-70 Eagles WR caught five passes for 83 yards from Ron Jaworski in Super Bowl XV.
20. Johnny Sample Maryland-Eastern Shore Colts DB supplied five solo tackles and an interception in Super Bowl III.
21. Tommy Polley Florida State 97 Rams RLB tied for team high with seven solo tackles in Super Bowl XXXVI.
22. Andre Rison Michigan State 88 Packers WR caught two passes for 77 yards in Super Bowl XXXI. He opened game's scoring with 54-yard touchdown reception from Brett Favre.
23. Martellus Bennett Texas A&M 06-07 Patriots TE caught five passes for 62 yards from Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI.
24. Earsell Mackbee Utah State 65 Vikings LCB managed six solo tackles in Super Bowl IV.
25. Bobby Bell Minnesota 61 Chiefs LLB recorded total of five solo tackles in Super Bowls I and IV.
26. Cornell Green Utah State 60-62 Cowboys SS contributed a total of four solo tackles in back-to-back Super Bowls (V and VI).
27. Adalius Thomas Southern Mississippi 97-98 Patriots OLB contributed five solo tackles and two quarterback hits in Super Bowl XLII.
28. Don Blackmon Tulsa 78 Patriots ROLB had five solo tackles in Super Bowl XX.
29. Chris Burford Stanford 59 Chiefs WR caught four passes for 67 yards in inaugural Super Bowl including first-ever pass reception.
30. Julius Thomas Portland State 07-10 Broncos TE caught four passes for 27 yards from Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLVIII.
31. Dave Robinson Penn State 61 Packers LB registered two solo tackles and returned a fumble recovery 16 yards in Super Bowl II.
32. George Martin Oregon 73 Giants LDE manufacutred a safety by tackling John Elway in end zone for only second-quarter score in Super Bowl XXI.
33. Art Shell Maryland-Eastern Shore Raiders starting LT in Super Bowls XI and XV. Went on to coach the team for seven years from 1989 through 1994 and 2006.
34. George Starke Columbia 69-70 Redskins starting RT in back-to-back Super Bowls (XVII and XVIII).
35. Wayne Moore Lamar 66-69 Dolphins starting LT in back-to-back Super Bowls (VII and VIII).
36. Ron Widby Tennessee 65-67 Cowboys P recorded 40.2 average on total of 14 punts in back-to-back Super Bowls (V and VI).
37. Mike Ditka Pittsburgh 59-60 Cowboys TE rushed once for 17 yards and caught a seven-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl VI.
38. Jordan Norwood Penn State 07 Broncos backup WR returned one punt for 61 yards in second quarter of Super Bowl 50.
39. Percy Howard Austin Peay State 73-75 Cowboys backup WR provided a 34-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl X. It was one-hit wonder's only NFL reception. A Hail Mary pass in his direction from Roger Staubach at game's end was foiled by the Steelers.
40. Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston Valparaiso 52 Packers starting LG in first two Super Bowls.
41. Alfred Williams Colorado 90 Starting RDE for Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII amassed two solo tackles in SB the next year.
42. Jim Duncan Maryland-Eastern Shore Colts RCB delivered one solo tackle, one fumble recovery and four kickoff returns for 90 yards in Super Bowl V.
43. Julius Peppers North Carolina 00-01 Panthers LDE provided two solo tackles in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
44. Napoleon Harris Northwestern 98-99 Raiders starting MLB notched two solo tackles in Super Bowl XXXVII.
45. Billy Kilmer UCLA 60 Redskins QB completed 14-of-28 passes for 104 yards and contributed two nine-yard rushes in Super Bowl VII.
46. Charlie West Texas-El Paso 68 Vikings DB returned three kickoffs for 46 yards and two punts for 18 yards in Super Bowl IV before returning two kickoffs for 28 yards in SB VIII.
47. Marlin Briscoe Nebraska-Omaha 65 Dolphins WR had two of QB Bob Griese's six pass completions in Super Bowl VIII.
48. Ephraim Salaam San Diego State 97 Falcons starting RT as a rookie in Super Bowl XXXIII.
49. Gerald Perry South Carolina 84/Southern 87 Broncos starting LT in Super Bowl XXIV.
50. Derrick Ramsey Kentucky 76 Patriots TE caught two passes for 16 yards in Super Bowl XX.
51. Brad Jackson Cincinnati 98 Ravens backup LB contributed one solo tackle and one fumble recovery in Super Bowl XXXV.
52. Tony Dungy Minnesota 74 Steelers DB recorded one solo tackle in Super Bowl XIII. He went on to become the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl (XLI with Colts).
53. R.W. McQuarters Oklahoma State 96-97 Giants CB returned three punts for 25 yards in Super Bowl XLII.
54. David Verser Kansas 78 Bengals WR returned five kickoffs for 52 yards in Super Bowl XVI.
55. Tom Mitchell Bucknell 64 Colts TE-WR caught one pass for 15 yards from Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III.
56. Ordell Braase South Dakota 53-54 Colts DE contributed one solo tackle in Super Bowl III.
57. Charles Philyaw Texas Southern 74-75 Raiders DE provided a solo tackle in Super Bowl XI.
58. Reggie Carolan Idaho 60-62 Chiefs TE caught one pass for seven yards in first quarter of Super Bowl I to set up missed field-goal attempt.
59. Marvin Washington Texas-El Paso 85-86/Idaho 88 Broncos DE managed one solo tackle in Super Bowl XXXIII.
60. Dick Capp Boston College 64 TE member of Packers special teams recovered a punt return fumble leading to field goal just before time expired in first half of Super Bowl II.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling February 6 NFL Super Bowls

February 6th, 2026 - 7:15

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as ingrate #ColonKrapernick, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-honor shatterproof achievement - three members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is exhaustive research you can tackle regarding former college basketball players making a name for themselves on February 6 in football at the professional level (especially Philadelphia Eagles tandem of Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens in Super Bowl XXXIX following 2004 season):

FEBRUARY 6

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) threw three touchdown passes in a 24-21 setback against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX following 2004 season. Eagles WR Terrell Owens (UTC-Chattanooga hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) caught nine of McNabb's passes for 122 yards (both team highs). Patriots SS Rodney Harrison (averaged 7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3 apg and 1.6 spg for Western Illinois in 1992-93) had two interceptions and game-high 10 solo tackles.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antwaan Randle El (member of Indiana's 1999 NCAA Tournament team coached by Bob Knight) caught a team-long 37-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger late in opening quarter and ran for two-point conversion midway through fourth period in a 31-25 setback against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV following 2010 season.

  • Atlanta Falcons WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) named NFL Pro Bowl MVP following the 1993 season.

Ex-Purdue Cagers Len Dawson and Bob Griese Threw Super Bowl TD Passes

February 5th, 2026 - 8:39

In football feedback prior to a ballyhooed game such as Super Bowl LIX, there is a natural inclination to focus on the quarterback matchup. If adding an emphasis on college basketball to the equation, you should know Purdue alums Len Dawson (played hoops in 1957) and Bob Griese (1965) were involved in three Super Bowl QB duels in a four-year span featuring signal callers who each played major-college varsity basketball. Dawson won SB IV with the Kansas City Chiefs against Minnesota Vikings (23-7 vs. Cal 57-58 hooper Joe Kapp) before Griese split back-to-back Super Bowls against the Dallas Cowboys (lost to Navy 63 hooper Roger Staubach, 24-3, in VI) and Washington Redskins (defeated UCLA 60 hooper Billy Kilmer, 14-7, in VII).

Dawson (IV) and Staubach (VI), each named a Super Bowl MVP in a three-year span, both hooked up with fellow college cagers for touchdowns in SB competition. The initial basketball TD connection in Super Bowl history was Dawson's game-long 46-yard pass reception to Otis Taylor (Prairie View A&M backup forward in era following glory years of pro standout Zelmo Beaty) capping off scoring in SB IV. Taylor eluded Vikings DB Earsell Mackbee, a hoops teammate of Utah State All-American Wayne Estes in 1964-65.

Receivers for three of Staubach's eight TD passes in four SB appearances were former major-college hoopers. The fourth-quarter basketball bounty for Staubach went to:

  • Mike Ditka (Pittsburgh 59-60) capping off game's scoring with seven-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl VI.
  • Percy Howard (Austin Peay State 73-75) with a 34-yard catch capping off scoring in Super Bowl X.
  • Billy Joe DuPree (Michigan State 72) via a seven-yarder in SB XIII.

Joining Howard among ex-college hoopers catching passes from Staubach in Super Bowl X was Preston Pearson (Illinois 65-67), who competed for three different pro franchises in the SB (also Baltimore Colts III and Pittsburgh Steelers IX). Although none of Pearson's catches found end-zone pay-dirt, he provided game highs of five pass receptions from Staubach for "America's Team" in two Super Bowls (X and XII). In Super Bowl XXXIX, former NCAA Tournament hoopers Donovan McNabb (Syracuse 96-97) and Terrell Owens (UT Chattanooga 94-96) hooked up for nine pass receptions and 122 receiving yards with the Philadelphia Eagles although none for a TD. Where are such incredible versatile athletes like this these days?

Pages

Subscribe to Front page feed