Tag: Arizona

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Basketball

Caleb Love fights hard for Arizona, scoring 35 points in Sweet 16 defeat to Duke

Caleb Love dunks in the 2nd half

Caleb Love once ended Duke’s run at the Final Four and also ended Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career.

Three years later, in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, Cooper Flagg and Duke knocked out Love and Arizona, ending both his college career and their season.

Love celebrated his 3-pointers with chest thumps — and he made a few. He powered through defenders and helped Arizona stay close to Flagg and top-seeded Duke.

But despite his 35 points in 40 minutes, it wasn’t enough to keep his career and Arizona’s season alive.

Flagg led Duke with 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three blocks in their 100-93 victory, pushing Duke one win away from the Final Four and ending Arizona’s run.

However, Love left with his teammates expressing their gratitude for him and his impact on the team after he transferred from North Carolina. There, Love had ended Coach K’s career, and at Arizona, he helped them reach a No. 4 seed in March Madness.

Teammates like Jaden Bradley, Henri Veesaar, and coach Tommy Lloyd shared heartfelt words, praising Love’s leadership and presence on the team. Veesaar, unprompted, spoke up: “Anybody ever thinks he’s not a good teammate, it’s not true. He’s the best teammate we had. He’s one of the better persons I’ve ever met. He’s pushed me so much over the last two years, I’m so grateful for him.”

Veesaar continued, sharing how Love had helped him improve. “In the tournament, I was struggling, he talked to me. He came up to me after I missed the free throw because we had been — he made me practice free throws after that game. After that he just came up to me, hey, we worked way too hard, you got this. After that I didn’t miss a free throw, I made seven in a row.”

Bradley also stood up for Love, saying, “You don’t see the workouts and the stuff we do off the court. Y’all don’t see that. He really took all of us under his wing. He’s a leader. He’s been through so much and taught us all so much. So definitely going to learn a lot, miss playing with him. He’s just a great guy.”

Love also got a lot of help from Bradley, who scored 15 points. Love himself finished with 35 points, just one shy of his career high, including 15 straight points during a fierce second-half rally that brought Arizona within five points of Duke with 1:56 left.

Cooper Flagg reacts after making a 3 point basket in the 1st half

Despite the loss, Love expressed how grateful he was to play with Arizona. “I went through a lot transferring from my other school, and they took me under their wing, and they accepted me for who I was,” Love said. “I just want to give all my thanks to them because without them, I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t be the player that I’ve grown to be.”

The player who scored 27 points in the second half of North Carolina’s Sweet 16 win on their way to the 2022 Final Four was now seen as someone who shot too much, struggled to perform, and hurt the team. So, he entered the transfer portal.

His move to Michigan was blocked by issues with the admissions office. Coach Lloyd, while on a family trip in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, received a call from Love, who expressed interest in visiting Arizona’s campus.

Love narrowed his choices down to three schools before deciding on Arizona, choosing them over Gonzaga and Texas.

Lloyd believed in Love and worked hard to bring him into the Wildcats fold. He was one of the last to hug Love as Arizona’s season ended in March.

“I hope everybody takes a step back, whether they’ve been a hater or whatever or pile on, and give this guy a real chance because he’s special,” Lloyd said. “This is what I know. When he gets there, the right team is going to wrap their arms around him and they’re going to see they’ve got a guy who’s been through it. Been through it, and he’s come out the other side of it better.”

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Basketball

Duke defeats Arizona 100-93 in March Madness, advancing to the Elite Eight

Cooper Flagg reacts after making a 3 point basket in the 1st half

Duke player Cooper Flagg had an impressive game, highlighted by a 3-pointer just before halftime, a no-look pass for an alley-oop, another no-look pass for a 3-pointer, and a huge block that sent the ball into a row of Arizona cheerleaders.

Flagg’s performance helped Duke secure a 100-93 win over Arizona in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, sending the Blue Devils to the next round, just one win away from the Final Four.

Flagg ended the game with 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three blocks, making this his biggest win in college so far.

Coach Jon Scheyer, who has seen many great games, said, “That’s one of the best tournament performances I’ve ever coached or been a part of.”

Caleb Love, who has been a challenge for Duke over the past five years, led Arizona with 35 points, one point shy of his career high. Love had 15 straight points during a strong second-half run, helping Arizona cut Duke’s 19-point lead down to just five with 1:56 left in the game.

But in the end, it was Duke, the top seed, who came out on top. Next, they will face Alabama in a 1-vs.-2 matchup on Saturday in the East Region. Alabama set a March Madness record for most 3-pointers in a game, beating BYU 113-88 earlier that evening.

A win would send Duke to the Final Four for the 18th time. The last time Duke reached the Final Four, in 2022, Love was on North Carolina’s team and scored 28 points to end Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s legendary career.

This time, Flagg, who is 18 years old, helped end Love’s college career and showed why he could be the top pick in the NBA draft if he decides to leave.

Coach Scheyer said, “What I’ve wanted from him was not to defer. Just wanted him to fully be him. I thought he was in his element tonight. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing.”

Arizona worked hard to close the gap and got within five when Carter Bryant hit a 3-pointer with 1:56 left. Flagg then made three out of four free throws, and Duke made 9 out of 10 to seal the win.

Cooper Flagg reacts in the 1st half

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said, “They were a machine on offense.”

Duke shot 60% from the floor and 57.9% from 3-point range, finishing a game that saw both teams score over 100 points.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats focused on the 6-foot-9 freshman Flagg, trying to make him work for everything, but he was just too good for them.

Here are a few standout moments from Flagg’s performance

  • At the end of the first half, Duke grabbed Love’s missed 3-pointer, passed it to Flagg, and he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He then turned and screamed “Let’s go, man!” as he ran to the locker room, giving Duke a 48-42 lead.
  • A spinning, no-look pass to Sion James, who made an open 3-pointer early in the second half, as part of a run that stretched Duke’s lead to 19.
  • Two alley-oops, one a no-look pass to Khaman Maluach and another to Kon Knueppel.
  • A huge block against Arizona’s KJ Lewis, sending the ball into a row of Arizona cheerleaders with about five minutes left in the game. This was a key moment because a basket there could have cut Duke’s lead to seven.

Love had a strong game, finishing with 35 points. He missed his first three shots but made 11 of 21 attempts and hit five 3-pointers, keeping his team in the game.

Lloyd praised Love, saying, “He’s had an amazing career and I’m so excited for his future. He was tremendous today. He’s going to wake up tomorrow and he’s going to smile. He has a lot to look forward to and so I’m really, really proud of him.”

Love’s 35 points were seven more than he scored when he helped end Coach K’s career two years ago. This time, he had strong support from Jaden Bradley, who finished with 15 points. But Arizona couldn’t repeat their success from 2011, when they beat Duke in the tournament, knocking out the top-seeded Blue Devils.

Duke’s Maliq Brown returned to action after missing two weeks due to a shoulder injury. He wore a sleeve on his left shoulder and came into the game with 7:51 left in the first half. He played four minutes, finishing with one rebound and one assist.

Arizona had a big win earlier on Thursday when Koa Peat, one of the nation’s top high school recruits, announced on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he would commit to play for the Wildcats. Peat is expected to join LeBron James’ son, Bryce, in coach Tommy Lloyd’s program next season.

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Baseball

The March Madness rivalry reignites as Caleb Love, now with Arizona, faces Duke once more

Caleb Love shoots in the 1st half

If there’s one player Duke or its fans would rather avoid when the stakes are this high, it’s Caleb Love.

Love was once a player for Duke’s biggest rival, North Carolina. Now he plays for Duke’s next opponent, Arizona.

They will meet on Thursday in the Sweet 16, with Love, a fifth-year senior averaging 16.8 points per game for the fourth-seeded Wildcats, trying to ruin another season for the top-seeded Blue Devils, who have seen this story before.

Love was the one who scored 22 points in 2022 to give Coach Mike Krzyzewski a loss in his last game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He’s the same player who, four weeks later, hit a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left, followed by a couple of free throws to finish off Duke at the Final Four — officially ending Coach K’s career.

“I just think that’s me not being afraid of the moment and me trying to impose my will,” Love said. “Kind of like my St. Louis swagger to the game.”

In nine career games against Duke, he has a 5-4 record. His scoring average in the wins: 20.8. In the losses: 9.8. If Duke (33-3) wins Thursday, it will likely be because the Blue Devils managed to stop Arizona’s best player.

“The thing he does is, he can shoot shots at any time and he can hit shots at any time,” said Jon Scheyer, who succeeded Krzyzewski as Duke’s coach. “He’s an improved passer, someone who’s not afraid. A really good player, and a challenge for our guys.”

Love grew up in St. Louis, committed to North Carolina, and played his first three seasons there

The year after his big wins over Duke, the Tar Heels began the season as the No. 1 team in the poll but became the first preseason No. 1 to miss March Madness.

The player who scored 27 points in the second half of the Sweet 16 win on the way to the 2022 Final Four was suddenly seen as someone who shot too much, couldn’t perform when needed, and was slowing down the Tar Heels.

He decided to enter the transfer portal. A move to Michigan was blocked by issues with the admissions department. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd was on a family trip in Puerto Vallarta when Love called and said he wanted to visit the campus.

Caleb Love and Nate Bittle in the 2nd half

“My wife flew down and right when she landed, I said ‘I’m going back to Tucson for another day,’” Lloyd said. “Went back, had a great visit, and he committed. Listen, it’s been an awesome experience.”

Since the bracket was released, the chance of this reunion has been on everyone’s mind. When Love was asked about it on TV after Arizona’s win over Oregon last Sunday, he seemed ready to answer, but he paused, gave a small grin, and took the diplomatic route: “We’ll be ready for them when it’s time.”

Asked about that moment on Wednesday, he explained: “I didn’t want to give them no fuel or bulletin board material. I just wanted to focus on what this group got to do and not give them anything that they can feed off of.”

Not a bad approach.

Starting with freshman Cooper Flagg, whose ankle injury seems like it’s no longer a major concern, the Blue Devils have up to six players who could be chosen in the NBA draft.

With so much talent, they weren’t challenged during the first week of the tournament, beating Mount Saint Mary’s by 44 points and Baylor by 23. Out of their 33 wins this season, 28 — including one in November against these Wildcats — have been by double digits. Of those, 11 have been by 30 or more points.

So, it’s no surprise that the Wildcats are entering this game as a 9 1/2-point underdog — the largest spread in a Sweet 16 filled with top programs.

That doesn’t change how Love is thinking as he heads into his 10th matchup against the Blue Devils.

“We’re not shying away from anything,” he said.

Caleb Love reacts in the 2nd half

Knowing how he’s troubled them before, why would he?

In Thursday’s opening East Regional game, Alabama faces BYU in a matchup of two of the best offenses in the country. Because of that, both teams are focusing on defense.

The second-seeded Crimson Tide will take on the sixth-seeded Cougars in a game expected to be fast-paced, with plenty of 3-point shots and transition baskets.

Alabama coach Nate Oats said his scouting report sees BYU, which is shifting to a more open, NBA-style of play, as having the best offense in college basketball since February 12.

The Crimson Tide doesn’t need to make such claims — they lead the nation in scoring with 90.8 points per game.

“It should be a very fun game, but it’s going to come down to getting stops,” said Mark Sears, who leads the Tide in points (18.6) and assists (5.0).

Both teams can score from anywhere. They favor 3-pointers — both are in the country’s top 25 for attempts — or high-percentage layups. They are both ranked in the top 10 in KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings.

“I’m excited to hopefully be able to play some good defense, not have it be 150-149, or something like that,” BYU’s Trevin Knell said.

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MLB (Baseball)

Three key storylines to watch as the Chicago Cubs begin spring training in Arizona

Matt Shaw in the practice

The Chicago Cubs held their first full-squad workout on Friday, with position players gathering for the first time as they start an important season for the team. The Cubs haven’t made it to the postseason since 2020 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2017.

The team that won the World Series in 2016 is now a distant memory. In recent years, the Cubs have had some likable players, but the team has mostly been defined by average performances and disappointment.

The Cubs of 2025 are determined to change that. With an NL Central division that seems open, it’s time for Chicago to step up as a true contender, rather than just a team waiting to see how things go.

After a busy offseason that included a major addition in Kyle Tucker and an unsuccessful attempt to sign another star in Alex Bregman, the Cubs have been in the news since early November, right up until the start of camp this week. Some believe they’ve built a roster that positions them as serious contenders. Now, they must prove it on the field.

Alex Bregman is not a Cub — and that’s OK

With Friday being the first full day of spring activities for Cubs position players, nearly all the main hitters spoke with reporters about the offseason and shared their early expectations for the upcoming season.

But because of the timing of these first spring sessions, reporters kept asking about a player who wasn’t anywhere near the Cubs’ camp: Bregman. He recently chose a three-year deal with the Red Sox over offers from other teams, including Chicago.

“I think everyone figured he’d be a really good fit for this team,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “Obviously, it didn’t end up happening, but Jed’s done such a tremendous job in putting together what I feel like is probably our best roster yet, just in terms of the depth, in terms of filling needs that we may have had in previous years.”

Alex Bregman flips his bat after hitting a home run

Several of Swanson’s teammates shared this view, expressing strong belief that the Cubs improved significantly this winter, even without Bregman. They replaced Cody Bellinger with Kyle Tucker, strengthened the rotation with left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd, and added four veteran relievers to improve the bullpen: Ryan Pressly, Ryan Brasier, Eli Morgan, and Caleb Thielbar.

“They’ve been really thoughtful and intentional about building this roster out to give us the best chance to succeed,” Swanson added.

Matt Shaw is ready to step up

Even though the Cubs missed out on Bregman, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about this roster, as Swanson pointed out. Losing out on Bregman would have been a bigger deal if the Cubs didn’t have one of baseball’s top infield prospects, 23-year-old Matt Shaw, who looks ready to take on the third base role in Chicago.

Shaw’s rise has been fast—he was drafted 13th from the University of Maryland just 20 months ago, and he performed well in 35 Triple-A games (.929 OPS) to end 2024. He now has a clear shot at winning the starting job in Chicago during spring training.

Shaw was aware of the chance that Bregman might come to Chicago and block his path to the majors, at least temporarily. Interestingly, Shaw, who is from Massachusetts, found out that Bregman chose the Red Sox when his friends, many of whom are Red Sox fans, texted him. With Bregman now officially heading elsewhere, Shaw isn’t taking his opportunity for granted:

“Obviously, that’s my goal for the spring,” he said about making the team out of camp. “Being able to do that would be amazing, be a dream come true, something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time.

“Having the front office, coaching staff, players believing in me and believing that I can help this team win a division and move forward with that would be amazing.”

Manager Craig Counsell mentioned on Friday that Shaw is currently day-to-day with a mild oblique injury from some recent swings in the cage, but the team doesn’t expect this to affect his spring training too much. Shaw will have a lot of attention on him once he’s fully involved in workouts and games, with support from his teammates.

“He’s such a gifted player, and he’s a natural-born baseball player,” Swanson said about the promising prospect, who could play alongside him on the left side of the Cubs’ infield for years to come.

“He knows that I’m available for him, whether it’s questions, advice or an ear that will listen. But I’m just going to kind of let him do his thing, and I think that experience will be the best teacher for him.”

Chicago Cubs players pumped up after winning

The Cubs missed on Bregman but landed a star in Kyle Tucker

After missing out on Bregman, the Cubs found some comfort knowing that a key player from the recent successful era of Astros baseball showed up at Cubs camp on Friday: Tucker, the 28-year-old All-Star right fielder, who is great at almost everything on the field. From his power and patience at the plate to his range in the outfield and speed on the bases, Tucker does it all.

“He’s a true superstar, an incredible player,” second baseman Nico Hoerner said about his new teammate. “He does absolutely every part of baseball well, which you don’t really see from many players. Even guys that are All-Stars every year, there’s not many guys that truly do all parts of the game at a high level. And he does that.”

Swanson added, “His body of work is impressive. If you look at what he’s been able to do over his career to this point, I think he’s a star in our game and somebody that’s going to make our team a lot better.”

Tucker will be a free agent at the end of this upcoming season, and there’s already talk about whether the Cubs could secure a contract extension before he hits the open market. However, Tucker was careful when asked if this year will feel any different because of his contract situation.

“You never know how the future is gonna play out,” he said. “Just trying to take it one day at a time, and whatever happens later happens.”

Because of his immense talent, Tucker’s future with the team will be a topic of interest throughout the season, no matter what. But what matters most right now for him and the Cubs is where he is today—and what he could bring to a team that has been waiting for a star like him.

“Right now,” Tucker said, looking down and pointing to the “CHICAGO” on his blue hoodie, “I’m a Chicago Cub. And I’m excited to be here and try to win games for the Cubbies.”

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FEATURED

No. 3 Iowa State And Arizona Prepare For A High-stakes Big 12 Clash In Ames

Tommy Lloyd (NCAAB)

Tommy Lloyd of Arizona and T.J. Otzelberger of No. 3 Iowa State will face each other for the first time on Monday night in Tucson, Ariz. Both coaches began their successful careers in 2021-22 and have reached impressive milestones.

Lloyd recently earned his 100th career win in the fastest time for an active head coach, accomplishing it in just 126 games. His current record stands at 101-26 after a 78-63 win over Colorado on Saturday.

Otzelberger, with a record of 87-37 at Iowa State, has an overall coaching record of 186-100, with past coaching experience at South Dakota State and UNLV.

The Cyclones (17-2, 7-1 Big 12) are coming off a strong 76-61 win against Arizona State on Saturday, dominating the second half with a 43-21 run.

Arizona (13-6, 7-1) had a close first half against Colorado, leading 33-31, but pulled away for the win.

Lloyd acknowledged that Monday’s game isn’t the season’s make-or-break moment but sees it as an important opportunity. He emphasized the need for his team to earn their chance at winning the Big 12.

Arizona’s recent success can be attributed to key role players like guard Anthony Dell’Orso and post player Henri Veesaar. Veesaar has averaged 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in the past five games, while Dell’Orso, a transfer from Campbell, scored a career-high 20 points, including six 3-pointers, in the win against Colorado.

Javon Small pulls up for a mid-range jumper in the second half of WVU’s 75-56 loss to Arizona

“I’ve told Delly all along, ‘You’ve got to stay locked in and ready because there’s gonna be nights where I need you to be our leading scorer,’” Lloyd said.

Iowa State’s Curtis Jones led the Cyclones with a career-high 33 points, seven rebounds, and three steals in their win over Arizona State.

Joshua Jefferson added a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals. Jones scored the final five points in a 19-3 run to seal the game after scoring 18 points in the first half.

“I feel like I’m always looking to be that aggressive at all times, whether we’re struggling or not,” Jones said.

With just one day between games, both teams will face a quick turnaround, unlike the usual two-day break between Big 12 games.

Lloyd views this quick prep as a valuable test ahead of March, stating, “We’ve got a really, really, really good team coming in on Monday, a top-five team, and it’s going to be a really good challenge for us to see where we’re at.”

Otzelberger didn’t focus on the similarity to the NCAA Tournament schedule, saying, “We just look at it as this is the job that we have in front of us, and we need to prepare for this opportunity.”