AARON BEARD
FILE - Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (34) celebrates late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Auburn in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. UConn guard Tristen Newton announced Wednesday, May 31, 2023, that he is withdrawing his name from the NBA draft and will return to school as the Huskies attempt to repeat as national champions. A number of other college players have similar decisions to make and have not made their intentions known. Those include Zach Edey of Purdue, Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe, Missouri's Kobe Brown, UCLA's Adem Bona, Judah Mintz of Syracuse, Jordan Walsh of Arkansas and Terrence Shannon Jr. of Illinois. (AP Photo/James Crisp, File)
Champion UConn gets Newton back at NBA draft deadline; Kentucky's Tshiebwe stays in

By Aaron Beard May. 31, 2023 04:39 PM EDT
Connecticut's reign as NCAA champion will begin with multiple starters having left

FILE -Crews prepare the field at Bank of America Stadium for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. The Atlantic Coast Conference has wrapped up its spring meetings. Many discussions were held in private, including talks over how the league plans to close the financial gap with the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference. (Diedra Laird//The Charlotte Observer via AP, File)
ACC backs plan to offer increased payouts to schools for postseason success

By Aaron Beard May. 24, 2023 02:37 PM EDT
The Atlantic Coast Conference is moving forward allowing schools to earn more money

Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) competes for the puck against New York Islanders' Casey Cizikas (53) during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Fast's goal lifts Hurricanes past Islanders in overtime

By Aaron Beard Apr. 19, 2023 10:14 PM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes had gone from leading by two goals to

Carolina Hurricanes' Martin Necas (88) skates with the puck around New York Islanders' Casey Cizikas (53) during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, April 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Hurricanes hold on to beat Islanders to open NHL playoffs

By Aaron Beard Apr. 17, 2023 10:02 PM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Antti Raanta felt ready when he got the start in net. And the

AP source: ACC reaches 3-year extension deal with Phillips

By Aaron Beard Apr. 11, 2023 10:23 PM EDT
The Atlantic Coast Conference has reached a three-year extension agreement with

San Diego State guard Micah Parrish (3) reacts to a play during the second half of a Final Four college basketball game against Florida Atlantic in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
Transfer portal lifts UConn, San Diego State to NCAA final

By Aaron Beard Apr. 02, 2023 05:27 PM EDT
HOUSTON (AP) — Dan Hurley knew in the wake of a first-round loss in the NCAA

Connecticut guard Jordan Hawkins shoots over Miami guard Nijel Pack during the second half of a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
UConn's Hawkins bounces back from illness in Final Four win

By Aaron Beard Apr. 02, 2023 01:14 AM EDT
HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Hawkins spent most of Friday in bed except when he went to the

Connecticut guard Andrew Hurley (20) celebrates after scoring during their win against Miami during the second half of a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Bad start, big hole lead to end of Miami's Final Four run

By Aaron Beard Apr. 01, 2023 11:42 PM EDT
HOUSTON (AP) — It didn't take long for Wooga Poplar to notice something was wrong

San Diego State guard Adam Seiko, left, and guard Triston Broughton talk during practice for their Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 31, 2023, in Houston. San Diego State and Florida Atlantic play on Saturday. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
Looking for a Final Four edge? Think offensive efficiency

By Aaron Beard Mar. 31, 2023 05:46 PM EDT
HOUSTON (AP) — Adam Seiko and his San Diego State teammates are ready from the moment

Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley speaks during a news conference in preparation for the Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Houston. Miami will face UConn on Saturday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
March Madness came early in topsy-turvy college hoops season

By Aaron Beard Mar. 30, 2023 05:26 PM EDT
HOUSTON (AP) — Everything seemed set for a college basketball season marked by the

FILE - Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman reacts on the bench in the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Musselman has a support staff of 14 people beyond himself and three assistants with the goal of being “at the forefront of analytics.” That includes a director of internal operations, a director of scouting, a recruiting coordinator, an assistant director of recruiting and scouting, and seven graduate assistants. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
College hoops staffs specialize to meet roster, NIL demands

By Aaron Beard Mar. 21, 2023 01:25 PM EDT
Kelvin Sampson has been around college basketball long enough to remember when

Kentucky head coach John Calipari yells during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Nowell, late 3s lift Kansas State past Kentucky in NCAAs

By Aaron Beard Mar. 19, 2023 05:24 PM EDT
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Markquis Nowell never lost faith, not when Kansas State had

Providence guard Jared Bynum (4) Steals the ball from Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves (12) during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 17, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Reeves, Tshiebwe lead Kentucky past Providence in NCAAs

By Aaron Beard Mar. 17, 2023 09:39 PM EDT
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Antonio Reeves scored 22 points and Oscar Tshiebwe pulled

North Carolina guard R.J. Davis (4) knocks down Virginia guard Kihei Clark (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference men's tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Thursday, March 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
North Carolina slides from preseason No. 1 to no NCAA bid

By Aaron Beard Mar. 12, 2023 06:48 PM EDT
North Carolina has gone from starting the season at No. 1 to missing the NCAA

UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., left, drives against Arizona guard Pelle Larsson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Houston, UCLA, Kansas top latest AP Top 25; Duke back in

By Aaron Beard Mar. 06, 2023 12:04 PM EST
UCLA is surging, both toward the postseason and in The Associated Press men's college

Duke guard Tyrese Proctor (5) is defended by North Carolina guard R.J. Davis (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Tar Heels slide from preseason No. 1 to NCAA tourney bubble

By Aaron Beard Mar. 05, 2023 05:39 PM EST
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Roughly 20 minutes had passed since his North Carolina team

No. 8 Virginia Tech rolls past Miami in ACC quarterfinals

By Aaron Beard Mar. 03, 2023 11:06 PM EST
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Eighth-ranked Virginia Tech didn't need a hot-shooting

Duke head coach Kara Lawson instructs from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina State Jan. 16, 2022, in Raleigh, N.C. Lawson's Blue Devils are the No. 2 seed in this week's ACC Tournament. (AP Photo/Karl B. DeBlaker, File)
Ivey, Lawson make rapid rises to top of ACC entering tourney

By Aaron Beard Feb. 28, 2023 11:29 AM EST
Notre Dame's Niele Ivey and Duke's Kara Lawson became first-time head coaches within

Kitley's jumper lifts No. 9 Hokies past No. 22 Tar Heels

By Aaron Beard Feb. 23, 2023 10:13 PM EST
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Elizabeth Kitley capped a night when she set Virginia Tech's

North Carolina forward Pete Nance (32) and North Carolina forward Armando Bacot, right, battle Miami forward Norchad Omier (15) for a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Miller, Pack lead No. 15 Miami to win at North Carolina

By Aaron Beard Feb. 13, 2023 09:22 PM EST
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Miami coach Jim Larrañaga went into halftime Monday night