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Basketball

Xavier names Richard Pitino as new basketball coach

Richard Pitino reacts in the 1st half

There will be more than one Pitino in the Big East next season.

Xavier hired Richard Pitino, the son of St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, as its basketball coach on Tuesday night. This followed an opening created when Sean Miller left to take the Texas job on Monday.

Richard Pitino takes over the Xavier program after spending four years at New Mexico, where he led the Lobos to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. New Mexico finished the season with a 27-8 record and was eliminated by Michigan State 71-63 in the second round of the NCAAs on Sunday.

“Xavier is one of the great brands in all of college basketball,” Richard Pitino said in a statement. “It has always been a dream of mine to coach in the Big East. The Cintas Center is going to be rocking. I can’t wait to get to work.”

The younger Pitino was named Mountain West Coach of the Year this season after the Lobos won the conference’s regular-season title. He has a record of 88-49 at New Mexico and an overall career record of 247-186.

Xavier acted quickly after Chris Mack announced he would remain at the College of Charleston. Had Mack decided to return to Xavier, where he coached the Musketeers for nine seasons, it would have been the second time he followed Miller as coach at the Cincinnati school.

This is Richard Pitino’s fourth head coaching position. He was at Florida International in 2012-13 and then spent eight seasons at Minnesota.

“He has proven himself as a winner as a head coach at New Mexico and has an impressive resume of success before that as a head coach at Minnesota.

His success as an assistant stood out, especially his time working for his father, Rick Pitino, at Louisville, and Billy Donovan at Florida,” athletic director Greg Christopher said in a statement.

“We had tremendous interest in our head coaching position. It became clear that Richard was the right fit for Xavier to take us to championship success in the Big East and NCAA Tournament.”

Richard Pitino said last week that a school’s level of investment in the basketball program would play a big role in whether he would leave New Mexico for another job.

“Do I think that NIL and rev share (revenue sharing) is everything? No, I don’t, but if you don’t have it, you have no chance,” he said. “I think the balance of power has greatly, shifted, and those conversations any coach has with any AD or whatever, that’s going to be the first thing is, what’s the investment looking like and what will it be down the road? Coaches are still getting fired for not winning enough games.”

Richard Pitino celebrates after the team’s win

The move means father and son will coach against each other at least twice every season in the Big East

They have faced off four times before, including this season when St. John’s beat New Mexico at Madison Square Garden in November.

Rick Pitino was the 2024-25 Big East Coach of the Year after guiding St. John’s to its first outright regular-season conference championship in 40 years.

The elder Pitino traveled from New York to Cleveland to attend his son’s game on Sunday. St. John’s, the No. 2 seed in the West Region, lost to Arkansas 75-66 on Saturday in Providence, Rhode Island.

Richard Pitino, who will be 43 when next season starts, inherits a Musketeers program that regained its strength during Miller’s second stint at the school. Xavier has made the NCAA Tournament two of the past three years, including a 22-12 record this season.

By rallying past Texas in the First Four, the 11th-seeded Musketeers advanced to the main bracket before losing to No. 6 seed Illinois 86-73 in the first round.

After a mixed tenure at Minnesota, Pitino experienced success at New Mexico. He led the Lobos to their first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances since 2013-14.

Last Friday’s 75-66 victory over Marquette was the Lobos’ first win in the tournament since 2012.

“I would say now more so than younger in my career, I understand it’s not about an out-of-bounds play or a turnover. It’s about the program that you build,” Richard Pitino said. “I think when you’re a young head coach in the Big Ten especially, you’re just trying to kind of establish yourself.

Humbly speaking, I’m not worried about that anymore. I’m just worried about doing my very best to help my players and my staff to help put them in the best positions possible.”

It’s uncertain whether some of his former players at New Mexico will join him at Xavier. Lobos guards Donovan Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year, and Tru Washington entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

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NBA (Basketball)

Jimmy Butler made his return to Miami, where the Heat cruised to a victory and received heavy boos

Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green in the time out

Some fans cheered when he came out, while many others booed. Every time he got the ball during the game, there was a lot of booing from all corners of the arena.

In the end, Jimmy Butler’s return to Miami was a success for the Heat.

Before the game on Tuesday night, the Heat honored Butler’s 5½ years with the team by showing a tribute video in the arena as part of the Golden State Warriors’ starting lineup introduction. That was one of the few highlights for the Warriors, as Butler scored 11 points in a 112-86 defeat.

“I got a lot of love for this city, for the fanbase here,” Butler said after the game. “The video was nice. I won’t say there was a lot of emotions, though.”

Butler seemed to watch the 40-second video as he said he would, though he added that it didn’t matter to him whether the Heat made one or not. He received a warm welcome from Heat public-address announcer Michael Baiamonte, who introduced him the same way as when Butler played for Miami, and Butler waved to acknowledge the crowd’s reaction.

It was a little unusual for him, though. When he got to the arena, Butler took a few extra moments to figure out where to go.

“I was confused,” Butler said. “Haven’t been on this side in a minute.”

He says there are no hard feelings between him and the Heat, even though he was traded to the Warriors about a month and a half ago after a difficult ending to his time with Miami, which included being suspended by the team three times in his final weeks there.

The tribute video featured many of Butler’s memorable moments from his time with the Heat, including the famous image of him looking tired and slumped over a courtside barrier during a game in the 2020 NBA bubble.

“The energy in the building was great,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “If you’re a competitor, you love this kind of environment. We didn’t do any kind of extra motivational speech.”

Jimmy Butler arrives for the game

Warriors coach Steve Kerr might not fully agree with that

“I think the main part of Jimmy’s return was the Heat were ready, and Spo had them ready,” Kerr said.

This was an important game for the Heat, who are working to make up for the losses from a 10-game losing streak that ended earlier this week. It was one of their best performances of the season, as they never trailed, held the Warriors to 40% shooting, and made an impressive 68% of their 3-point shots.

“Was this like a regular game? Yeah, I think so,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said. “The circumstances, who was coming in here, we were ready a little more. But for me, it was a regular game.”

Butler was unhappy with the Heat for not offering him a contract extension and had problems with his role in the last few weeks of his time with the team. The Heat weren’t pleased with how Butler missed about 25% of their games and how he aired his complaints publicly in his final months.

Butler got his extension — two years, $111 million — from the Warriors, and Golden State is now 16-4 in his first 20 games. To be fair, two of those four losses, including Tuesday’s, came when Stephen Curry was out of the lineup.

“We definitely need 30 back,” Butler said, referring to Curry by his jersey number. “We want him to be right. We’re still expected to put up a better effort than we put up the last two games. But if he’s back, I think it’s going to be different.”

Fans, as they often do when a top player leaves their team, have been vocal with their anger towards Butler on social media. Butler knows his time in Miami didn’t end well, but he believes both sides share responsibility for the messy departure.

Golden State Warriors players look up from the sidelines in the 2nd half

“I wonder if they look at the Heat the same way,” Butler said. “It ain’t like I was the one who was doing everything. It’s got to be 50-50, maybe 51-49 — 49 towards them, 51 towards me. But there’s no way that I was the cause of all of this.”

Butler was suspended for a total of 14 games with the Heat before being traded. However, the Heat have a tradition of welcoming back players who were All-Stars or champions with the team. Butler was an All-Star in Miami and helped the team reach three Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals.

He was booed when he touched the ball after the game started, although there were some cheers when he scored the first basket for the Warriors. Not much else went his way, and when the game ended, he greeted a few friends courtside before heading to the Warriors’ locker room.

The Warriors have a day off in Miami on Wednesday, allowing Butler to spend another day with his kids, who are still in South Florida, before the team leaves for New Orleans on Thursday.

“This one’s over with,” Butler said. “Put it behind us, go eat some food and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Josh Hart sets new Knicks franchise record with his ninth triple-double of the season

Josh Hart looks to pass in the 1st half

On a night when Josh Hart set a New York Knicks franchise record that stood for 56 years, he chose to give the game ball to a teammate who played just three minutes.

It was another selfless act in a season full of them for the eight-year veteran.

Hart broke the Knicks’ franchise record for single-season triple-doubles (9), which had been set by star player-turned-broadcaster Walt “Clyde” Frazier in 1969. Hart achieved this by posting 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in New York’s 128-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

“It’s a blessing,” Hart said. “I’ve got a great, high-character group of guys. It means I’ve played at least nine good games so far.”

Despite his achievement, Hart gave the game ball from the win to Kevin McCullar Jr., who scored his first NBA basket in his first NBA game after a long recovery from a left knee injury.

“For me, that’s an easy decision,” Hart said. “That record is cool and a blessing, but that record is going to get broken at some point, hopefully later rather than sooner. But getting your first NBA points: No one can take that away from you. It’s important he got the game ball for that, and that’s an easy decision for me.”

Hart had not recorded a triple-double in his first six NBA seasons with the Lakers, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers. But in his two-plus seasons with New York, Hart has become a stat sheet-filling machine.

He has 15 triple-doubles in the past two seasons, matching LeBron James’ total in that period, and is only surpassed by Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“The way he does it is special,” said Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. “It’s all energy and effort and for the betterment of the team.”

“I’m just happy that Josh gets stats on the sheet that shows the impact he’s making on the game, because I feel there’s much more stats that don’t show up on the stat sheet that he does for our team. So I’m happy he’s having this moment where the effort, the sacrifice he puts in for our team to be the best version of ourselves is showing up on the stat sheet.”

Hart’s historic performance was matched by Towns as well. The two became the first Knicks teammates to post triple-doubles in the same game in the franchise’s 79-season history.

Karl Anthony Towns and Dwight Powell in the 1st half

“(Hart) breaking the (triple-double) record was a great accomplishment,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “To have (Towns) do it as well, that’s pretty special.”

Towns had six assists in the first quarter and had equaled his season high (7) by halftime. He finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, marking his third career triple-double — and first since Jan. 30, 2022, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Early on in the game it just seemed like the cuts (to the basket) were open,” Towns said. “My teammates were trusting me off the ball in the middle of the floor, and I just wanted to repay them for that trust.”

Hart remembered playing alongside James and former Lakers teammate Lonzo Ball when they each recorded a triple-double in Los Angeles’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 15, 2018. He appreciated being part of NBA history twice.

“I was in LA when (James and Ball) did it, and that sounded really dope,” Hart said. “Now it’s full circle and I’m in that same situation with (Towns), and it was really dope. It was a blessing.”

But for Towns, what mattered most was the win. The Knicks improved to 45-26 and won their second straight.

“It means a lot that we got it in a win,” Towns said. “At the end of the day, New York appreciates the wins more than the triple-doubles. So it’s perfect for the city that they got a ‘W’ on this day.”

Categories
College Football

Deion Sanders’ push for NFL-like intersquad scrimmages in college football is gaining support among coaches

Deion Sanders speaks in the Big 12 NCAA college football

With Football Bowl Subdivision programs planning for a 105-man roster limit this fall, American Football Coaches Association executive director Craig Bohl said he expects that the NCAA will eventually allow NFL-style intersquad practices and scrimmages.

“If a couple programs choose to explore this, I think it’s going to be something that could have some real legs to it,” Bohl told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently suggested that a school should be allowed to host a team from another school for a few days of joint practices before they play an exhibition game. This could possibly replace the traditional intrasquad spring game. In response to Sanders, Syracuse coach Fran Brown posted on social media that he would be willing to take his team to Colorado for a three-day visit.

When asked if Colorado had requested a waiver for this, CU athletics spokesman Steve Hulbert texted to the AP, “We are working with the NCAA and the Big 12 Conference. There are currently no updates.”

Bohl mentioned that “there is quite a bit of appetite” among coaches to hold intersquad practices and scrimmages, even as soon as this spring. The motivation comes from the 105-man roster limit, which is expected to be officially approved next month when the settlement of the House vs. NCAA antitrust lawsuit is finalized.

The average FBS roster was 128 players last year, and coaches are looking for ways to manage the reduced number of players. Bohl explained that intersquad practices between teams from different conferences, who won’t play each other during the season, would help with this. This issue is especially important for teams competing for the College Football Playoff.

One concern Bohl raised is that participating in intersquad practices could lead to players being scouted by personnel directors from the other team, which might result in tampering.

“Do I really want to expose my guys?” Bohl said a coach asked him. “They’re going to have their general manager out there taking notes on what kind of ability a certain player has. How you get that worked out, I don’t know.”

Deion Sanders acknowledges the fans

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule explained that he canceled the Cornhuskers’ traditional televised spring game, partly because of the risk of other teams scouting his players and possibly attempting to recruit them through the transfer portal.

Rhule, who took part in intersquad practices when he was the coach of the Carolina Panthers, said he would support the Huskers practicing for a few days with another team. However, he expressed doubts that a rule change would happen soon.

“If anybody can do it, coach Sanders can,” he said, adding that Syracuse’s Brown could also be convincing. “If that happened, I would certainly look into all that has to offer.”

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said he would be open to bringing the Bedlam series back with Oklahoma in the spring if the rules changed. He imagined two practices against the Sooners each year or one per year in a home-and-home setup, replacing the spring game, with the two programs splitting the ticket gate for name, image, and likeness money.

“We’re moving toward the NFL, why not do that?” Gundy said. “So I think it’d be a great idea.”

This could attract attention since Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference last year, bringing a historic rivalry that had lasted over a century to an end.

Gundy suggested how it might work if the rule were in place this year. He said the Cowboys could practice at Oklahoma on April 12, the same day Oklahoma had planned an event to replace its traditional spring game. He also suggested that Oklahoma could visit Oklahoma State the following week, replacing the Cowboys’ spring game.

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NBA (Basketball)

Warriors Struggle Without Curry as Jimmy Butler’s Miami Return Lacks Impact

Warriors Struggle Without Curry as Jimmy Butler’s Miami Return Lacks Impact
Warriors Struggle Without Curry as Jimmy Butler’s Miami Return Lacks Impact

Jimmy Butler downplayed his return to Miami as just another game, but his performance suggested otherwise. Scoring only 11 points in a 26-point Golden State Warriors loss, it was far from the impact he likely envisioned. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat, struggling in recent weeks, suddenly looked re-energized.

Butler received a tribute video before tip-off, but the Miami crowd greeted him with a lukewarm response. However, his presence seemed to motivate his former team, as they played with renewed intensity.

Warriors Struggle Without Curry, Facing a Tough Battle for Playoff Positioning

Without Stephen Curry, who remains sidelined due to injury, the Warriors have dropped two straight games, putting them in a precarious playoff position. While they technically hold the No. 6 seed, they are tied in losses with the Clippers, who own the tiebreaker.

The team faces a tight race to secure a playoff spot rather than having to fight through the play-in tournament. Their upcoming schedule offers some relief, with expected wins against New Orleans and San Antonio, but each loss at this stage could prove costly.

Warriors Struggle Without Curry as Jimmy Butler’s Miami Return Lacks Impact
Warriors Struggle Without Curry as Jimmy Butler’s Miami Return Lacks Impact

The Warriors’ inconsistency has left them in a vulnerable position. If they fail to secure a direct playoff spot, they could find themselves in a risky play-in scenario. As of now, they would face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 7-8 matchup—a team that reached the conference finals last season and boasts a formidable duo in Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.

A loss there would force them into a do-or-die game against Sacramento or Phoenix. Even if they advance, they would face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, making their playoff path extremely challenging.

Butler’s Passivity Raises Concerns as Warriors Struggle Without Their Star Leader

Despite his overall strong season with the Warriors, Butler has been somewhat passive offensively, particularly when finishing at the rim. He contributed only two points in the first half against Miami, and by the time he became more aggressive, the Warriors were already trailing significantly.

His reluctance to attack the basket, combined with Bam Adebayo’s defensive dominance, limited his effectiveness. This lack of assertiveness was reflected in his single free-throw attempt, highlighting a key issue for Golden State.

Butler was never intended to be the primary scorer for this Warriors team—that role belongs to Curry. However, his ability to step up in crucial moments will be vital come playoff time. While his methodical playing style has its advantages, it can sometimes turn into passivity.

Golden State hopes that the high-intensity version of Butler, often seen in the postseason, will emerge when needed. But on this particular night in Miami, both Butler and the Warriors fell flat, reinforcing the urgency to get Curry back and regain momentum.

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Featured

Challenge Sir Bani Yas Debuts as UAE’s First Full-Distance Triathlon in 2025

Challenge Sir Bani Yas Debuts as UAE’s First Full-Distance Triathlon in 2025
Challenge Sir Bani Yas Debuts as UAE’s First Full-Distance Triathlon in 2025

Triathlon history is set to be rewritten as Challenge Sir Bani Yas makes its highly anticipated debut on 5 April 2025. This landmark event will be the first in the region to feature a full-distance 226km race, promising an unforgettable endurance challenge.

Athletes from across the globe will converge on the breathtaking island, marking the start of Challenge Family’s northern hemisphere season. With a spectacular course set against stunning natural landscapes, the event is expected to be a defining moment for the sport in the UAE.

Thousands of Athletes Compete Across Distances in Action-Packed Challenge Sir Bani Yas

Over the weekend, 3,000 age group participants will compete across multiple distances, including long, middle, and Olympic races. Meanwhile, 60 elite athletes will battle it out over the middle-distance race, ensuring an action-packed competition.

With the course offering a unique challenge unlike any other, athletes will be tested on their endurance, strategy, and adaptability. The race is poised to attract triathlon enthusiasts worldwide, setting a high standard for future endurance events in the region.

Challenge Sir Bani Yas Debuts as UAE’s First Full-Distance Triathlon in 2025
Challenge Sir Bani Yas Debuts as UAE’s First Full-Distance Triathlon in 2025

The professional men’s field features some of the sport’s biggest names, making for an unpredictable and thrilling race. Leading the lineup is world champion Sam Laidlow (FRA), whose performance remains uncertain due to recent health challenges.

He faces tough competition from Olympian Henri Schoeman (RSA), rising British star Kieran Lindars, and Serbian triathlete Ognjen Stojanović, who claimed multiple Challenge Family podiums in 2024. Other strong contenders include European Champion Jesper Svensson (SWE), along with promising athletes like Csonger Lehmann (HUN), Emil Holm (DEN), and Jonas Schomburg (GER), who bring their short-course speed to the middle-distance format.

Elite Women’s Field Set for an Intense Showdown at Challenge Sir Bani Yas

The women’s field is equally competitive, featuring top-tier athletes eager to claim victory. Former Championship winner Sara Pérez Sala (ESP) will be up against formidable challengers, including Milan Agnew (AUS), who triumphed at Challenge Turku, and Aurelia Boulanger (FRA), a three-time Challenge Family titleholder in 2024.

Adding further depth to the competition are Diede Diederiks (NED) and Giorgia Priarone (ITA), both of whom have shown remarkable performances on the international triathlon circuit. With such an elite lineup, the women’s race promises an intense and exhilarating battle for the podium.

Challenge Sir Bani Yas is set against the stunning backdrop of Sir Bani Yas Island, a natural paradise off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Athletes will race through the island’s vast wildlife reserve, home to over 17,000 free-roaming animals, making it one of the most unique triathlon courses in the world.

In addition to the main event, the competition aims to promote an active lifestyle by offering community races for all ages and abilities. With various race categories, island excursions, and a breathtaking setting, Challenge Sir Bani Yas is on track to become triathlon’s ultimate destination race.

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Cricket

Gill praises Impact Player Vyshak for slowing down GT’s chase: “Delivering those yorkers is not easy”

Shashank Singh plays a shot in the IPL

In a match that saw the sixth-highest total in IPL history, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill highlighted three overs in the Powerplay and three more in the final stages as the key moments where his team lost the game. They fell short by 12 runs in their chase of 244 against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad.

After 14 overs, GT still needed 75 runs off 36 balls with eight wickets remaining. With Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford in good form, PBKS were under pressure. However, Vijaykumar Vyshak, brought in as the Impact Sub, gave away just 10 runs in the 15th and 17th overs, with Marco Jansen also bowling a tight 16th over. By the end of this three-over period, GT needed 57 runs from 18 balls.

“I think those three middle overs cost us the game. We scored about 18 runs, and in the first three overs, we only scored 17,” Gill said. “So, those six overs where we made around 30-40 runs were a big factor. But apart from that, there were many positives, and it was a good start to the tournament for us.”

GT would also look back at their last eight overs with the ball, where they gave away 135 runs. Shreyas Iyer and Shashank Singh added 81 runs in an unbroken stand off just 28 balls. Iyer finished unbeaten on 97, while Shashank scored 44 off 16 balls. The final over from Mohammed Siraj gave away 23 runs.

“We had our chances both with the bat and ball,” Gill said. “We gave away too many runs towards the end. We also let ourselves down in the field with some dropped catches and misfields. Chasing 240-250 is always tough if you drop catches.”

Shreyas Iyer plays a shot in the IPL

Gill was full of praise for Vyshak’s impact as a substitute player. Vyshak bowled three consecutive overs from the 15th over onward, focusing on bowling wide yorkers to avoid the batters’ hitting range, a challenging task with the dew making conditions tricky. Vyshak gave away just 28 runs in his three overs.

“It’s not easy coming in as an impact player and delivering those yorkers,” Gill said. “It’s tough for someone who’s been on the bench for almost 15 overs, but credit to him for executing those yorkers well.”

Arshdeep Singh, who took 2 for 36 in four overs, shared the plan Vyshak followed.

“The idea was simple – make them hit to the off side,” Arshdeep said. “It’s not easy to hit there. If they play a good shot, just clap and execute the next one. I’m really happy for him, he’s been working hard in practice, and it showed in the game. The plan was if you miss, miss wide, not on the stumps. It can slip a bit with dew, but even if it’s a full toss, it’s tough for them to hit because it’s far from their reach.”

Arshdeep also praised PBKS’s batters for setting a solid foundation and maintaining the same tempo throughout the innings. “There’s no fixed par score – 240-250-260, just score as much as you can and then try to defend it,” he said.

Categories
Cricket

Shashank: Shreyas asked me not to focus on his hundred

Shreyas Iyer plays a shot in the IPL

Shashank Singh had faced only ten balls when he came in to bat. At the other end, with just one over remaining in Punjab Kings’ innings against Gujarat Titans, was his captain Shreyas Iyer, who was on 97. Iyer was the established batter, having hit nine sixes, and he had never scored a hundred in the IPL.

However, Shashank mentioned that he was told “to hit every ball for a four and a six,” without worrying about giving Shreyas the strike. He did exactly that, hitting five fours and scoring 23 runs off the final over, helping PBKS reach 243 for 5 in their IPL 2025 opener. This total was 11 runs more than Gujarat’s target.

“I didn’t see the scoreboard to be honest, but after the first ball I hit, I saw Shreyas was on 97,” Shashank said after the match. “I was going to ask him if I should take a single or something, but he came and told me not to worry about his hundred. It takes a lot of heart and courage to say that because hundreds don’t come easily in T20, especially in the IPL. That gave me even more confidence.”

Iyer and Shashank put together an unbeaten 81 runs off just 28 balls, helping PBKS add 77 runs in the last four overs. Iyer, who was batting at No. 3 for the first time in the IPL since 2022, faced only four balls in the last three overs. Shashank scored 44 off 16 balls, and Iyer ended unbeaten on 97 off 42.

“It’s a team game, we all know that, but in those situations, it’s hard to be selfless, yet Shreyas was,” said Shashank, who started his domestic career with Mumbai before moving to Chhattisgarh.

“I’ve known him for the last 15 years, and he’s always been the same. He told me to stay calm, play my usual cricketing shots, and keep my balance. By God’s grace, we had a good finish.”

Shashank Singh plays a shot in the IPL

GT had the tough task of chasing the second-highest total in the IPL, but Sai Sudharsan kept them in the game with 74 runs off 41 balls. Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford also hit big shots as GT scored 87 runs between the 9th and 14th overs.

The target of 75 runs off 36 balls seemed achievable with the dew making it harder for the bowlers, until PBKS’ Impact Player Vijaykumar Vyshak delivered an amazing spell.

Vyshak gave away only ten runs in his first two overs, bowling ten dot balls. PBKS managed to bowl three consecutive overs without giving up a boundary. GT struggled to recover from this slowdown.

“Shreyas is someone who trusts his instincts as a captain. That’s why he’s one of the best captains around right now,” said Shashank. “I also felt it was the right time to bring Vyshak in, and the way he bowled… in the bowling meeting, we usually discuss these things, so this was part of the plan. The way he executed it was impressive. Those were tough overs to bowl because of the dew.”

“These are the moments you need to win. Vyshak came in and nailed it. It’s tough to bowl those yorkers, but he did his job perfectly, and credit goes to him.”

Categories
Basketball

Ryan Odom highlights his Virginia roots in his coaching debut

Ryan Odom reacts in the 2nd half

Ryan Odom grew up surrounded by Virginia basketball and now, he’s been given the job of bringing the Cavaliers back to the top of college basketball.

“This is the place that I fell in love with basketball,” Odom said on Monday during his introduction as coach. “This is the place where I was shaped in so many ways.”

Odom spent much of his childhood in Charlottesville while his father, Dave, worked as an assistant coach for Virginia’s Terry Holland from 1982 to 1989. Odom even worked as a ball boy for the team.

During a homecoming event filled with fans, the pep band, and cheerleaders, Virginia officially named Odom as the permanent replacement for Tony Bennett, who led the team to its only national championship in 2019.

That win came the year after one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history, when Odom’s Maryland-Baltimore County team shocked Virginia by defeating them in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament, making history as the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed.

“I feel very prepared to take on what everyone knows is a daunting task, following Coach Bennett, following a legend,” Odom said. “I’ll be honest. I’m at peace with that. I’m not afraid of it. I wouldn’t be standing here if I was afraid of it.”

Ron Sanchez, who served as Virginia’s interim coach after Bennett unexpectedly retired three weeks before the season, had a record of 15-17 and was not kept on.

While Odom’s connection to Charlottesville certainly helped him become a candidate, Virginia’s athletic director, Carla Williams, made it clear that he was chosen not just because of that or his time coaching at VCU in Richmond, which is only an hour away.

Williams said Odom’s solid record as a head coach — with a 221-127 career record over 11 years — along with his character and ability to adapt, made him the right person for the job.

“We trust him with this program,” Williams said. “Which is saying a lot because so many have put so much into this program. We trust Ryan with it.”

Odom led VCU to a 28-7 record this season, winning the Atlantic 10 championship and taking his third team to the NCAA tournament. He had previously led UMBC and Utah State into the tournament as well.

VCU’s season ended with a first-round loss to BYU last Thursday.

With the NCAA transfer portal opening on Monday, Virginia wasted no time finalizing an agreement with Odom, announcing his hiring on Saturday.

Ryan Odom directs his team in the 1st half

Williams mentioned that Odom’s contract is still being worked out, but she did not share any details

Odom said that most of his staff at VCU would be joining him at Virginia, including assistants Matt Henry and Bryce Crawford. He also mentioned that longtime Virginia strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis would stay with the program.

Longwood coach Griff Aldrich, a close friend of Odom’s, stepped down from his role with the Lancers on Sunday and will join Virginia as the associate head coach.

As Odom walked out onto the court at John Paul Jones Arena, through a tunnel of blue and orange balloons and to the sounds of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” he smiled as the crowd cheered. This new beginning seemed to overshadow the painful memory of Virginia’s loss that many fans still associate with Odom.

Odom’s UMBC team, which played with confidence, shocked Bennett’s more methodical Virginia team in a 74-54 upset during March Madness.

Williams and Wally Walker, who was part of the search committee that selected Odom, said the upset didn’t come up much during Odom’s interviews.

“It hasn’t left any of our memories,” Walker said. “That was a hell of a coaching job.” Odom, wisely, did not bring it up in his introductory speech. Instead, he focused on his strong connection to the Virginia program.

Jim Larrañaga, who retired this past season after 41 years as a college head coach, was an assistant coach for Virginia under Holland. He shared an office with Dave Odom.

“He was always around the gym,” Larrañaga said, remembering how his son Jay became childhood friends with Odom.

Larrañaga said his memories of the young Odom — who would ride his bike to University Hall after elementary school to attend practices — were not as clear as his recent experiences with Odom as a coach.

In fact, a 77-70 loss to Odom’s VCU team was one of the 12 games Larrañaga coached this season for Miami before retiring.

“One of my last losses was against VCU,” Larrañaga said. “They beat us. You could tell they had a good team and they’d be very competitive in the A-10.”

Odom, who served as interim coach at Charlotte for 19 games in 2015 and spent a year at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne in 2015-16, has won over 20 games in six of his nine full seasons as a Division I coach.

It will be challenging for him to change the fact that most people know him as the coach who upset Virginia in a historic way.

However, as Bennett showed, winning a national championship with the Cavaliers can significantly change how a coach is remembered.

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NBA (Basketball)

Texas taps motivated Sean Miller to lead the team to a championship

Sean Miller watches the game from the sidelines

Sean Miller defeated Texas in the NCAA Tournament just a week ago, eliminating the Longhorns early and ensuring they would make a coaching change.

By Tuesday, Miller was standing next to the large BEVO Longhorn mascot and raising his right hand in the air with the “Hook’Em Horns” gesture as the new Texas men’s basketball coach.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited in my life,” Miller said during his introduction on campus.

Miller also mentioned it was tough to leave Xavier, a program where he had coached twice, most recently when he returned in 2022 after being fired at Arizona.

“I love that place. It’s a place that trusted me, and believed in me,” he said.

However, the opportunity to join a big conference program with strong resources in the top league in the country was too tempting to resist.

Miller, 56, took 13 teams to the NCAA Tournament in 20 seasons at Xavier and Arizona. Now, he is taking over a Texas program looking for consistent tournament success and eager to make its mark in the competitive Southeastern Conference, which has seven teams still playing in the Sweet 16 of March Madness.

Miller replaces Rodney Terry, who was fired on Sunday, a few days after Xavier defeated Texas in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. Terry still had three years remaining on a contract that paid him more than $3 million a year.

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said that Miller’s contract details would be shared only after being approved by the school’s board of regents.

Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in 2023, but pressure grew as he struggled to maintain that success. Texas suffered early exits from the tournament in the past two seasons and went 6-12 in league play in its first season in the SEC.

With Miller, Texas gains a coach with a track record of success at both mid-major and major conference programs, who was involved in and later cleared of an NCAA investigation into Arizona.

Sean Miller
Sean Miller gestures after the team scores

Miller’s teams at Xavier and Arizona reached the Sweet 16 eight times and the Elite Eight four times, but never made it to the Final Four. Texas has not reached the Final Four since 2003.

“I know this place is hungry to get back there and compete for a national championship,” Miller said.

Miller went 120-47 in his first stint at Xavier from 2004-2009, leading the Musketeers to the NCAA Tournament in his last four seasons before being hired at Arizona. He won 302 games and five Pac-12 regular-season titles in 12 years with the Wildcats. However, the program got caught up in the 2017 FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball.

Miller was fired after that season but was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2022 by the Independent Accountability Resolution Process, which deals with complex cases. Two of his former assistants faced penalties.

Del Conte said the school did a “thorough background check” and found nothing to stop Miller from being hired.

“There is nothing that said this guy’s background is not prepared for this institution,” Del Conte said.

“I found a hungry dog, a dog who wants to win at the highest level,” Del Conte added.

Miller chose not to go into details about which players from his Texas roster might stay or which Xavier players could transfer to join him in Austin.

Texas’ Tre Johnson, who led the SEC in scoring and was the league’s freshman of the year, is expected to go pro. Miller encouraged him to do so and noted Johnson was not part of a meeting with returning players.

“What I would say to him is he needs to go. That’s the best decision for him and his family,” Miller said.

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NBA (Basketball)

Anthony Davis: ‘I was determined to return and help the injured Mavs’

Anthony Davis (NBA)

After missing more than six weeks due to an adductor injury, Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis returned to play and said he felt “great” during the team’s 120-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Davis finished the game with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block in 26 minutes.

“Physically I felt great,” Davis said after the game in the visitors’ locker room at Barclays Center. “It’s the mental aspect when you’re coming back from something like that.

To mentally be ready to go out and play. I was mentally ready. But then getting into game action where you can’t anticipate what the other team is going to do. I overcame that in the first minute or so. From there, it was just about being smart. Obviously, I’m on a minutes restriction.”

Monday’s game was just the second time Davis played for Dallas after being traded for Luka Doncic in February. Davis, who had an abdominal strain at the time of the trade, made his debut for the Mavericks against the Houston Rockets on February 8. He played 31 minutes, scored 26 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, added 7 assists, and blocked 3 shots before his injury worsened.

During the six weeks Davis was sidelined, many other Mavericks players were injured, including Kyrie Irving (torn ACL), Daniel Gafford (knee sprain), Dante Exum (fractured hand), and Caleb Martin (hip strain). The team was often close to not having enough healthy players to meet the league’s required minimum of eight healthy players.

Before the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd joked that, due to the team’s injuries, he had told players to wait until 15 minutes before the game to warm up, rather than the usual 20 minutes, to save energy. However, the return of third-year big man Dereck Lively II in the next few weeks may help improve the situation.

Anthony Davis responds to a question in the news conference

“It was tough seeing these guys battling every single night. Winning close games,” Davis said. “Losing close games

Blowing teams out. Getting blown out. They are laying it on the line. For me, it was never a thought about if I was going to come back and play. Especially if I was healthy.

We are undermanned. Guys are hurt. Gafford. Lively. Kyrie goes out. It was tough. Guys were leaving it on the floor. Guys laying on the floor in the locker room afterwards just gassed — to the point of exhaustion. There was no doubt I was going to come back and play. That makes you want to come out and play with these guys. Leave it on the floor and battle each and every night.”

“As one of the leaders of the team, I just wanted to go out there and give them a breather at least.”

Irving’s injury was a big setback for the Mavericks, as he tore his left ACL after landing awkwardly on a drive against the Sacramento Kings three weeks ago. After Irving made two free throws while clearly in pain, Davis was one of the people who helped him off the floor.

Now out for the rest of this season and likely much of next season, Irving was with the team in Brooklyn, where he played for parts of four seasons with the Nets.

“It was devastating,” Davis said about Irving’s injury. “Kyrie is a phenomenal basketball player. But even more phenomenal human. Any time anyone goes through something like that, an injury like that, it always sucks. Obviously, the initial injury, the initial moment, you want to give him space. Then he came back to the locker room. Got everything out of his system. Now he’s excited about the rehab process.

“He’s in a good headspace now … to see him in a great headspace, it’s good for our team. Good for me. And, I’m pretty sure, good for him. Obviously, it sucks. But we have to hold the fort down for this season, and into next season, until he’s ready to come back.”

Davis, however, was ready to play again on Monday. Before the game, Kidd said he hoped it would be a positive, healthy experience for Davis, given all the injuries Dallas had faced recently. The coach was pleased with how things went.

Anthony Davis leaves the game in the 3rd quarter

“It was a positive experience,” Kidd said. “We tried to keep his run short

We tried to keep him under his minutes, and I thought he did an incredible job. I thought his rhythm was good. Sometimes when you get a player back like AD, you want to dump the ball to him every time. I thought the guys did a good job of being aggressive and letting the ball find him.”

However, despite the optimism surrounding Davis’ return, the team he came back to has different expectations than what Dallas had when the controversial trade was made. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison had declared that the team had a “three- to four-year” window to win titles.

After Monday’s win, Dallas is a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the 10th and final spot in the Western Conference play-in race, depending on Phoenix’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks later that night.

Still, that didn’t stop Davis from wanting to return as soon as he could.

“I stressed that to them,” Davis said. “Once I’m 100 percent, whenever that time was, and we have games left, I’m going to play. We all huddled up and got on the same page. Went through the rehab process and was able to play tonight. There was never a moment in my mind — unless we ran out of games — that I wasn’t going to play.

“Seeing these guys playing with seven guys. Guys playing 38, 40 minutes. We just don’t have enough bodies. Kessler Edwards is playing the 5. Naji [Marshall] is playing the 5.

Added a little bit more motivation for me. I was already motivated to get back. But it added a little bit more motivation seeing those guys battle each and every night. And leaving it on the floor.

“There was no doubt in my mind I was going to come back.”

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Basketball

Coach Matt Painter’s skill in adjusting strategies has led Purdue back to the Sweet 16

Caleb Furst celebrates after the dunk

Matt Painter has experienced almost everything during his 20 years as Purdue’s coach.

He has won nearly 500 games, five conference regular-season titles, and two Big Ten tournament championships. He has reached the Final Four, played in a national championship game, and is one of only two coaches to lose to a No. 16 seed in March Madness. He has even finished last in the league twice.

Yet, in a time when change is constant in college basketball, Painter has remained consistent due to his ability to win with a simple, tested approach and his remarkable skill in adjusting to Purdue’s strengths and weaknesses.

“It’s a really unique deal,” said the 54-year-old Painter before last week’s first-round NCAA Tournament victory. “When we win, people say we’re great at developing players, and when we lose, we don’t go in the (transfer) portal enough. It’s kind of like being married, right? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

The results speak for themselves.

Purdue has finished in the Big Ten’s top four in 10 of the last 11 seasons, made it to 10 straight NCAA tournaments, and reached the Sweet 16 six times in the last eight years. The Boilermakers (24-11) are now just one win away from their fourth consecutive 25-win season and a return to the Elite Eight, even without two-time national player of the year Zach Edey.

Fourth-seeded Purdue will face top-seeded Houston (32-4) in the second Midwest Region semifinal Friday in Indianapolis, about an hour’s drive from the school’s campus.

The Change

How has Painter stayed successful for so long?

He learned some tough lessons after his team, the “Baby Boilers,” took him to his first two Sweet 16 appearances in 2009 and 2010. Purdue lost in the second round in 2011 and 2012 and then missed the tournament entirely in 2013 and 2014 with losing records in conference play.

So, Painter made changes and returned to some of the lessons he had learned from other coaches he worked with and played for.

“At Purdue, it’s don’t look at what other people are doing, don’t get to that point. Just look at what’s the best way to recruit,” he said. “I’ve yet to meet a really good coach with bad players.

Matt Painter calls to his players in the 1st half

You’ve got to get good players, but you’ve got to get good people and it’s that combination. We lean more toward skill because we struggled the other way.”

The results didn’t change immediately.

While Purdue returned to the tournament after a two-year absence, some people believed Painter’s teams underachieved in the postseason because of early losses to Cincinnati in 2015 and Little Rock in 2016—long before the loss to Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023.

Different Styles

People started to see Painter in a new light when a well-balanced, experienced team helped the Boilermakers return to the Sweet 16 in 2017 and 2018. These teams reminded many of the 2009 and 2010 Purdue teams.

Since then, Painter, except for the no-tournament COVID-19 season in 2020 and the disappointing loss to Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023, has found different ways to win.

In 2019, the Boilermakers relied a lot on the sharp-shooting guard Carsen Edwards. In 2022, they depended heavily on power forward Trevion Williams and future NBA lottery pick Jaden Ivey. Last year, it was the 7-foot-4 Zach Edey who helped Purdue reach its first Final Four since 1980.

Now, they are back in the Sweet 16 with another new look thanks to the dynamic play of point guard Braden Smith, the Big Ten player of the year, and the rise of forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, a unanimous all-conference selection.

“I’m proud that the older guys get to experience this without one of the best basketball players in college basketball history,” Kaufman-Renn said after beating McNeese in Saturday’s second-round game. “I know they had something to prove.”

This success hasn’t happened by chance.

Christian Shumate and Braden Smith in the 1st half

Smith won the prestigious 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball Award over his current teammate Fletcher Loyer, but Painter was the first Power 5 coach to offer Smith a scholarship.

Two days later, Smith accepted, and by the next March, they all had to deal with the loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, which motivated last year’s deep tournament run. Now, they’re on another mission—trying to win the national championship they lost to UConn last April.

“I think it’s just the confidence we’ve continued to have in each other in this locker room and the coaching,” Loyer said Saturday. “We were playing at one point our best basketball (of the season) and we can get back to that point if we rebound.”

Back then, the Boilermakers without Edey were a top-10 team, and they could return to that level if they continue playing with the same edge they showed against two lower-seeded teams last weekend. But that’s all Painter has ever wanted: a chance to prove that old-school basketball still works in an era where transfers, NIL deals, and 3-point shooters dominate.

“We’ve been able to develop and make guys better, but we’ve just tried to get really good skill,” Painter said. “We’ve always been able to get size, for whatever reason. Now we have a really good point guard to go along with that. We’ve had some good point guards, but not to the level of him, and we just try to play off of our best players.”