<!–>
Every college basketball coach preaches the importance of guard play in the NCAA Tournament. And each March, fans seek the next “Kemba candidate,” a title fittingly named after former UConn guard Kemba Walker, who carried the Huskies to a National Championship in 2011.
Year after year, stand-out guards change the ceiling of their team in the Big Dance, and that was the theme on the second day of the tournament:
Kyan Evans, Guard, Colorado State
As Colorado State surged to a Mountain West Tournament title and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament, it was guard Nique Clifford, who captured the headlines with his scintillating shot-making. But when Clifford went cold on Friday, in the Rams first round matchup with Memphis, sophomore Kyan Evans stepped up.
ADVERTISEMENT
–>
The smallest man on the court had the biggest night of anyone. Evans made a career-high six 3-point shots and scored a career-high 23 points. He also had four assists and didn’t turn the ball over once. Despite shooting 3-of-13, Clifford still impacted the game, with six assists and eight rebounds, while Evans took the weight off his shoulders in the scoring column. Colorado State has won 11 straight, dating back to Feb. 15, and became the second 12 seed to complete an upset. The Rams now bring all that momentum into a matchup with fourth-seeded Maryland on Sunday.
<!–>
Baylor’s freshman duo
The Bears have had an up-and-down season because, well, that’s life when you’re led by sporadic freshman. But then there are performances like Friday that remind you just how dynamic top NBA prospects can be. Baylor’s pair of projected first-round picks, V.J. Edgecombe and Robert Wright Jr., combined for 35 points to lead the Bears to a 75-72 win over Mississippi State on Friday. Edgecombe hit two timely 3-pointers in the second half, his shooting touch opening the lane for Wright to attack the Bulldogs with slashing drives.
Sean Pedulla, Guard, Ole Miss
Pedulla is the sun that Ole Miss’s offense revolves around. When he has a big game, the Rebels tend to come out on top. On Friday, he scored 20 points and dished out five assists in the Rebels 71-64 win over North Carolina. The performance was impressive as it came against a Tar Heels team that has a pair of tough perimeter defenders in Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau. OIe Miss led by double-digits for the first 30 minutes of Friday’s game, but then North Carolina stormed back and cut it to 66-64. With 52 seconds remaining, Pedulla hit a 3-pointer from the right-wing, which was the dagger.
–>
Donovan Dent, Guard, New Mexico
The Mountain West Player of the Year represented his conference well on Friday, as he led New Mexico to a 75-66 win over Marquette. He scored 20 points and dished out six assists, while shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Dent is one of the top guards in the country and is capable of leading the Lobos on a deep run.
<!–>
Jackson Shelstad, Guard, Oregon
Shelstad was in such a zone that he started shaking his head after hitting a mid-range jumper, in disbelief of his own unconsciousness. He had eight of Oregon’s first 16 points, knocking down a deep pull-up 3-pointer to give the Ducks a 16-2 lead and ended the game with 17 points. Oregon imposed its will from the jump, and never looked back, dominating Liberty 81-52, on Friday. Shelstad, a West Linn, Oregon native, wears No. 3 because of his idol and mentor Payton Pritchard, who had a number of memorable runs in the green and yellow. Shelstad channeling Pritchard would mean good things will continue to come for these Ducks.
–>
Will Riley, Forward, Illinois
In Big Ten country, they call Will Riley a “thirty-in-a-hurry” type of scorer. That’s because he’ll go from having an off night, to a break-out night. And that’s exactly what he did on Friday. Riley started the game 0-of-3 and scored just four points in the first half, before erupting for 18 second-half points as he helped Illinois to an 86-73 win over Xavier. Riley, a freshman from Ontario, started just seven games for the Illini, but is comfortable in a microwave role off the bench. His scoring punch could spark a March Madness run for Illinois.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
<!–>
recommended
Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
–>
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Jamal Murray’s breakout game changes calculus for Nuggets: ‘He was born for this’
DENVER — The beauty of Jamal Murray has always been his ability to stay even-keeled and confident. And perhaps we should have all seen those traits coming.He was pushed relentlessly as a kid when he was coached by his father, Roger. Murray used to practice game-winning shots in his driveway. And he has been put in pressure situations at each level of basketball and has consistently delivered.AdvertisementMurray’s ascension into an elite playoff riser for the Denver Nuggets is borne from making big shots and plays for as long as he can remember. Murray has never been scared. He has always had a short memory, never allowed failure to deter him and has always been able to move on to the next play or game.In this first-round series against the LA Clippers, he’s had his issues, particularly against the overbearing defense […]
Play off hokejové extraligy navštívilo nejvíce fanoušků v historii
Nejvyšší návštěvou v letošních bojích o titul bylo 17 220 diváků na třech zápasech Sparty - v pátém čtvrtfinále s Třincem a v prvním i druhém semifinále s Kometou Brno. Byl to vyrovnaný rekord na play off ze tří duelů Sparty s Třincem ve finále v roce 2022 (ze 3., 4. a 6. duelu) a také vyrovnaní maxima v hale v samostatné české extralize. Tolik lidí přišlo i na zápas Sparty s Kladnem 13. listopadu 2019 v 10. kole základní části.Více bylo jen na třech utkáních pod širým nebem. Rekordem je 32 009 diváků v Drážďanech na fotbalovém stadionu Rudolfa Harbiga ze 4. ledna 2020, kdy se tam utkal Litvínov se Spartou. Následuje 21 500 fanoušků na bývalém fotbalovém stadionu za Lužánkami v Brně z 8. ledna z duelu Komety se Spartou. O tři dny dříve tam na souboj Komety s Plzní přišlo 18 514 příznivců.Sparta vytvořila nový rekord s průměrem na domácí duely 17 170 diváků. Jejích sedm utkání v O2 areně navštívilo 120 190 fanoušků. Maximem bylo loni jejích 13 743 příznivců (82 458 na šesti duelech). Vyprodaných bylo v letošním play off rekordních 36 utkání. Předešlým maximem bylo […]
Li Tie: Ex-coach of Chinese national soccer team has 20-year corruption sentence upheld after appeal
Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese men’s national soccer team who played for Everton in the Premier League, has lost an appeal against his 20-year prison sentence for offering and accepting bribes.The 47-year-old saw his appeal rejected by the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court on Wednesday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.AdvertisementLi was originally sentenced on December 13, 2024, by the Intermediate People’s Court of Xianning, Hubei Province.The former midfielder played 92 games for the Chinese national side and featured at the 2002 World Cup, before coaching the team for 12 games between 2019 and 2021. He was placed under investigation for “serious violation of laws” relating to corruption and, in March 2024, he made a televised confession as part of a match-fixing probe.Before taking charge of the Chinese national team, Li was head coach of Hebei […]
Fußball-Experten kennen ihn – Messi-Kumpel plötzlich Straßen-Musiker
Wir haben personalisierte Videos für dich! Um mit Inhalten von Drittanbietern zu interagieren oder diese darzustellen, brauchen wir deine Zustimmung. externen Inhalt aktivieren Um eingebettete Inhalte anzuzeigen, ist Ihre jederzeit widerrufliche Einwilligung (über den Schalter oder über " Widerruf Tracking und Cookies " am Seitenende) zur Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten nötig. Dabei können Daten in Drittländer wie die USA übermittelt werden (Art. 49 Abs. 1 lit. a DSGVO). Mit dem Aktivieren des Inhalts stimmen Sie zu. Weitere Infos finden Sie hier.
Ricardo Rocha ignora Botafogo e crava melhor SAF no Brasil hoje: “Número 1”
Ricardo Rocha, tetracampeão do mundo com o Brasil - Reprodução/YouTube Ricardo Rocha não tem dúvidas de que o modelo SAF aplicado no Bahia seja o melhor do Brasil. Adquirido pelo Grupo City, o Esquadrão tem alcançado uma evolução importante no aspecto esportivo e também administrativo. Na avaliação do ex-zagueiro, o clube nordestino enxugou consideravelmente suas dívidas, cenário este diferente do Botafogo, que possui ainda um grande débito na ‘praça’. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O Bahia é o único time do Nordeste que pode pensar em um título grande. Para mim, é a SAF que mais deu certo no Brasil, número 1. Não é nem o Botafogo com o Textor. Se você pegar o Botafogo, ainda tem dívidas grandes. O Bahia, se não me engano, tem 75% ou mais das suas dívidas pagas”, disse Ricardo Rocha, no programa ‘Galvão e Amigos’. “E o […]
Europa League semi-final betting: Can Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils topple Athletic Club?
For more stories like this click here to follow The Athletic’s sports betting section and have them added to your feed.The Europa League may be the second-tier continental competition, but the storyline weaving through one of its semi-final clashes is second to none. You would be hard-pressed to find a fixture featuring two sides with less in common than Athletic Club and Manchester United.AdvertisementAthletic are one of the most unique entities in sports. The club has experienced steady success in one of the world’s most competitive leagues despite narrowing their recruiting focus to a specific region in Spain. Over the past decade, United have been the exact opposite. A club with a rich tradition of winning trophies is now best known for an overpaid, underwhelming and ill-fitting group of players.The beauty of football, however, is that you can root with […]
Related
Jamal Murray’s breakout game changes calculus for Nuggets: ‘He was born for this’
DENVER — The beauty of Jamal Murray has always been his ability to stay even-keeled and confident. And perhaps we should have all seen those traits coming.He was pushed relentlessly as a kid when he was coached by his father, Roger. Murray used to practice game-winning shots in his driveway. And he has been put in pressure situations at each level of basketball and has consistently delivered.AdvertisementMurray’s ascension into an elite playoff riser for the Denver Nuggets is borne from making big shots and plays for as long as he can remember. Murray has never been scared. He has always had a short memory, never allowed failure to deter him and has always been able to move on to the next play or game.In this first-round series against the LA Clippers, he’s had his issues, particularly against the overbearing defense […]
Play off hokejové extraligy navštívilo nejvíce fanoušků v historii
Nejvyšší návštěvou v letošních bojích o titul bylo 17 220 diváků na třech zápasech Sparty - v pátém čtvrtfinále s Třincem a v prvním i druhém semifinále s Kometou Brno. Byl to vyrovnaný rekord na play off ze tří duelů Sparty s Třincem ve finále v roce 2022 (ze 3., 4. a 6. duelu) a také vyrovnaní maxima v hale v samostatné české extralize. Tolik lidí přišlo i na zápas Sparty s Kladnem 13. listopadu 2019 v 10. kole základní části.Více bylo jen na třech utkáních pod širým nebem. Rekordem je 32 009 diváků v Drážďanech na fotbalovém stadionu Rudolfa Harbiga ze 4. ledna 2020, kdy se tam utkal Litvínov se Spartou. Následuje 21 500 fanoušků na bývalém fotbalovém stadionu za Lužánkami v Brně z 8. ledna z duelu Komety se Spartou. O tři dny dříve tam na souboj Komety s Plzní přišlo 18 514 příznivců.Sparta vytvořila nový rekord s průměrem na domácí duely 17 170 diváků. Jejích sedm utkání v O2 areně navštívilo 120 190 fanoušků. Maximem bylo loni jejích 13 743 příznivců (82 458 na šesti duelech). Vyprodaných bylo v letošním play off rekordních 36 utkání. Předešlým maximem bylo […]
Li Tie: Ex-coach of Chinese national soccer team has 20-year corruption sentence upheld after appeal
Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese men’s national soccer team who played for Everton in the Premier League, has lost an appeal against his 20-year prison sentence for offering and accepting bribes.The 47-year-old saw his appeal rejected by the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court on Wednesday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.AdvertisementLi was originally sentenced on December 13, 2024, by the Intermediate People’s Court of Xianning, Hubei Province.The former midfielder played 92 games for the Chinese national side and featured at the 2002 World Cup, before coaching the team for 12 games between 2019 and 2021. He was placed under investigation for “serious violation of laws” relating to corruption and, in March 2024, he made a televised confession as part of a match-fixing probe.Before taking charge of the Chinese national team, Li was head coach of Hebei […]
Ricardo Rocha ignora Botafogo e crava melhor SAF no Brasil hoje: “Número 1”
Ricardo Rocha, tetracampeão do mundo com o Brasil - Reprodução/YouTube Ricardo Rocha não tem dúvidas de que o modelo SAF aplicado no Bahia seja o melhor do Brasil. Adquirido pelo Grupo City, o Esquadrão tem alcançado uma evolução importante no aspecto esportivo e também administrativo. Na avaliação do ex-zagueiro, o clube nordestino enxugou consideravelmente suas dívidas, cenário este diferente do Botafogo, que possui ainda um grande débito na ‘praça’. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O Bahia é o único time do Nordeste que pode pensar em um título grande. Para mim, é a SAF que mais deu certo no Brasil, número 1. Não é nem o Botafogo com o Textor. Se você pegar o Botafogo, ainda tem dívidas grandes. O Bahia, se não me engano, tem 75% ou mais das suas dívidas pagas”, disse Ricardo Rocha, no programa ‘Galvão e Amigos’. “E o […]
Fußball-Experten kennen ihn – Messi-Kumpel plötzlich Straßen-Musiker
Wir haben personalisierte Videos für dich! Um mit Inhalten von Drittanbietern zu interagieren oder diese darzustellen, brauchen wir deine Zustimmung. externen Inhalt aktivieren Um eingebettete Inhalte anzuzeigen, ist Ihre jederzeit widerrufliche Einwilligung (über den Schalter oder über " Widerruf Tracking und Cookies " am Seitenende) zur Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten nötig. Dabei können Daten in Drittländer wie die USA übermittelt werden (Art. 49 Abs. 1 lit. a DSGVO). Mit dem Aktivieren des Inhalts stimmen Sie zu. Weitere Infos finden Sie hier.
Europa League semi-final betting: Can Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils topple Athletic Club?
For more stories like this click here to follow The Athletic’s sports betting section and have them added to your feed.The Europa League may be the second-tier continental competition, but the storyline weaving through one of its semi-final clashes is second to none. You would be hard-pressed to find a fixture featuring two sides with less in common than Athletic Club and Manchester United.AdvertisementAthletic are one of the most unique entities in sports. The club has experienced steady success in one of the world’s most competitive leagues despite narrowing their recruiting focus to a specific region in Spain. Over the past decade, United have been the exact opposite. A club with a rich tradition of winning trophies is now best known for an overpaid, underwhelming and ill-fitting group of players.The beauty of football, however, is that you can root with […]
Be the first to leave a comment