From The Sports Desk: Hoopin’ In The Heartland

4 days ago

Sure, Cinderella missed retired connected nan Sweet 16 this year. Our consolation prize? A play of high-quality hoops. On Thursday night, 3 teams from nan heartland, each hailing from nan Big Ten Conference, dominated nan proceedings.

No. 2-seeded Purdue made a last-second tip-in to outlast No. 11 Texas, No. 3 Illinois knocked disconnected No. 2 Houston, and No. 9 Iowa amazed everyone, making its first Elite Eight since nan 1980s.

Over nan adjacent fewer days, location are much stellar matchups to come. By nan extremity of nan weekend, nan Final Four will beryllium set. We person you covered beneath and, arsenic always, astatine NBC News.

Sweet 16 Roundup

Illinois' David Mirkovic drives to nan handbasket against nan Houston Cougars successful nan Sweet Sixteen of nan 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

A Big Ten Conference schoolhouse hasn’t won nan NCAA men’s hoops nationalist title since 2000, but if Thursday is immoderate indication, this could beryllium nan twelvemonth that changes.

The first time of Sweet 16 games ended pinch 3 victorious Big Ten teams — Purdue, Illinois and Iowa. With Purdue and Illinois facing each different successful nan South location last Saturday, astatine slightest 1 Big Ten squad is guaranteed to make nan Final Four.

Facing No. 2-seeded Houston, No. 3 Illinois collapsed its eventual 65-55 triumph unfastened successful nan 2nd half, holding nan Cougars scoreless for astir 7 minutes of crippled time. Illinois is stocked pinch players recruited from Eastern Europe, and it is presently playing arsenic good arsenic immoderate squad successful America.

No. 2-seeded Purdue turned successful nan night’s astir melodramatic decorativeness aft it appeared headed toward different early exit. In six erstwhile tournaments arsenic a No. 3 aliases amended seed, Purdue had mislaid successful nan Sweet 16 aliases earlier 4 times.

On Thursday, nan Boilermakers were connected nan ropes again aft No. 11 Texas tied nan crippled pinch 11.9 seconds to play. But fixed 1 last possession, Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn made a last-second tip-in, disconnected a teammate’s missed layup, to springiness Purdue a 79-77 win.

“It’s winning time,” Kaufman-Renn said. “It’s our occupation to make large plays successful large moments.”

Next up for Purdue: Arizona, which crushed Arkansas, 109-88, by holding each Razorback not named Darius Acuff Jr. successful check.

Meanwhile, Iowa precocious to nan Elite Eight for nan first clip since 1987 successful a 77-71 triumph complete hated rival Nebraska.

It has been a magical first play for Iowa’s Iowa City-born coach, Ben McCollum. McCollum spent 17 seasons coaching astatine nan Division II level, winning 4 nationalist titles and 80.8% of his games, earlier he sewage his first ace astatine Division I successful 2024. He has proven to beryllium a speedy study.

Sweet 16 Preview

Just for illustration Thursday, we identified immoderate cardinal players who could plaything tonight’s Sweet 16 matchups.

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John’s: If nan Red Storm guidelines immoderate chance, they’ll request a large nighttime from Zuby Ejiofor, nan 6-foot-9 elder forward. Ejiofor scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds past information against Kansas. Now he’ll conflict wrong pinch nan Blue Devils’ freshman phenom, Cameron Boozer.

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama: Yaxel Lendeborg tin do conscionable astir everything connected nan hoops court. Standing 6-foot-9, weighing 240 pounds, he’s a unit driving to nan rim. He tin get retired successful transition. But if he’s making 3-pointers, too, for illustration he did past information against Saint Louis, Michigan will beryllium difficult to beat.

No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State: Tom Izzo leans connected constituent defender Jeremy Fears Jr. to tally nan Spartans’ offense, and Fears has compiled 27 assists (!) done nan first 2 rounds of nan tournament. In a tight moment, expect nan shot successful Fears’ hands.

No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee: The Cyclones mislaid Joshua Jefferson to an ankle wounded successful nan first information of nan tournament. He’s expected to beryllium a game-time determination tonight. Jefferson averages 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Whether he plays — and if so, astatine what level — could mean Iowa State makes its first Elite Eight since 2000 aliases heads home.

What We're Reading

With a shot lockout looming adjacent winter, nan Dodgers’ proprietor believes “we’ve sewage to travel up pinch thing that will springiness america immoderate parity.”

Baseball’s caller automatic situation strategy is forcing teams to determine which players will person nan greenish light to initiate challenges.

Tom Brady says he inquired astir returning to play while remaining a number owner.

U.S. Olympic lucky leader Jack Hughes finally fixed nan teeth he broke successful nan golden badge game.

Phillies 3rd baseman Alec Bohm sues his parents for millions, accusing them of misusing his money.

Big-budget assemblage hoops rosters are progressively common, but little truthful successful women’s basketball. But funding by a Reddit co-founder has helped alteration Virginia’s fortunes.

Speaking of women’s assemblage basketball, UConn coach Geno Auriemma thinks that successful nan caller revenue-sharing era, “Title IX authorities is astir apt over.”

Fun communicative here. Sportswriter Tyson Alger deed nan driving scope pinch Derek Radley, nan coach of nan powerhouse women’s play team astatine nan University of Oregon.

What We're Watching

The Sweet 16 continues tonight. Can Rick Pitino and nan Johnnies support their magic going against apical seed Duke? Later, a terrific matchup betwixt 2 fiery coaches, Dan Hurley (UConn) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State). Bless nan referees moving that game.

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