EDDIE PELLS
FILE - Jackson State celebrates after winning an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament against Alabama State, Saturday, March 12, 2022, at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Ala. In basketball, whether a team wins a conference regular-season title, a conference tournament title or no conference title at all has very little bearing on what the final verdict will be. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett, File)
March Madness a bedrock in ever-changing college landscape

By Eddie Pells Oct. 31, 2022 08:21 AM EDT
If the latest spasm of conference realignment in college sports was supposed to spell

Kansas players celebrate after a college basketball game against North Carolina in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Kansas comes back, wins NCAA title 3 years in the making

By Eddie Pells Apr. 05, 2022 03:20 AM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Great Kansas Comeback, as it will forever be known in the

North Carolina forward Armando Bacot shoots over Kansas forward Jalen Wilson during the first half of a college basketball game in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jayhawks rally, rock North Carolina 72-69 to win NCAA title

By Eddie Pells Apr. 04, 2022 11:54 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Best. Comeback. Ever. Sounds pretty good next to Rock Chalk,

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis speaks during a news conference about the Men's Final Four NCAA basketball tournament, Sunday, April 3, 2022, in New Orleans. North Carolina will face Kansas in the final game on Monday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Out of the (Carolina) blue, Tar Heels go for title vs Kansas

By Eddie Pells Apr. 03, 2022 05:20 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It should come as no shock that North Carolina and Kansas are

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis reacts to a play during the first half of a college basketball game against Duke in the semifinal round of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Krzyzewski K-O'd: North Carolina takes out coach, Duke 81-77

By Eddie Pells Apr. 02, 2022 11:19 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For the 48th time over 47 years of unparalleled coaching, Duke’s

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski watches during practice for the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 1, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Coach K on an NCAA revamp: 'Time to look at the whole thing'

By Eddie Pells Apr. 01, 2022 05:26 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The sport Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is leaving is run by an

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks during practice for the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 1, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Rivals Duke, North Carolina in titanic clash at Final Four

By Eddie Pells Apr. 01, 2022 04:47 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The name “Tobacco Road” misses the point. The most important

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski answers a question during a news conference at the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament Thursday, March 31, 2022, in New Orleans. North Carolina will play Duke Saturday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Coach K builds Blue Devils into his final Final Four team

By Eddie Pells Mar. 31, 2022 06:19 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In one of his tried-and-true motivational speeches, Mike

FILE -Saint Peter's Doug Edert, right, reaches for a pass past Purdue's Ethan Morton during the first half of a college basketball game in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. Kansas, Villanova, North Carolina and Duke will play in the first Final Four to take place under the new world of “name, image and likeness” endorsements in college sports. It allows college players to earn money through endorsements. And as his team's Cinderella run to the Elite Eight gained steam, Saint Peter's guard Doug Edert got into the act, announcing on Instagram that he'd struck a deal to hawk chicken wings.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
March Madness paying off for players under mishmash of rules

By Eddie Pells Mar. 30, 2022 01:01 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — At long last, some of the cold, hard cash in the billion-dollar

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis celebrates after North Carolina won a college basketball game against St. Peter's in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Carolina crushes Saint Peter's, will meet Duke in Final Four

By Eddie Pells Mar. 27, 2022 07:19 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — America’s favorite underdog, Saint Peter’s, shouldn’t feel all

North Carolina's Caleb Love gets a hug after North Carolina won a college basketball game against UCLA in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
A miracle or a trend? Saint Peter's a sign of parity in NCAA

By Eddie Pells Mar. 26, 2022 06:32 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — America loves March Madness because America loves an underdog.

North Carolina's Caleb Love (2) collides with UCLA's Tyger Campbell (10) as Armando Bacot (5) and Myles Johnson (15) look on during the first half of a college basketball game in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
If the shoe fits: Love leads Carolina over UCLA into Elite 8

By Eddie Pells Mar. 26, 2022 12:08 AM EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Turns out, the best explanation for the shooting spree Caleb Love

Purdue's Jaden Ivey dribbles during practice for the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Big brands and a big underdog in East at March Madness

By Eddie Pells Mar. 24, 2022 04:35 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — These teams need no introduction. Built by coaching icons John

FILE - Lisa Moeller takes a photo of the NCAA bracket for the NCAA college basketball tournament on the side of the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Wagering on all those parlays and longshots on the betting app — fun. Filling out a bracket and waiting for the upsets to begin — that’s why they call this March Madness. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Hoop hype: March Madness brackets get America talking again

By Eddie Pells Mar. 15, 2022 10:59 AM EDT
Wagering on all those parlays and long shots on the betting app — fun.

Iowa forward Keegan Murray, center, celebrates with teammates after an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue at the Big Ten Conference tournament, Sunday, March 13, 2022, in Indianapolis. Iowa won 75-66. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
March Madness brings back feel of the good ol' days

By Eddie Pells Mar. 14, 2022 02:04 AM EDT
Any hoops fan hungering for a return to normal this March might have looked at the

Gonzaga's Julian Strawther (0) celebrates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball championship game against Saint Mary's at the West Coast Conference tournament Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Back to normal: Zags, Baylor join KU, Arizona as NCAA No. 1s

By Eddie Pells Mar. 13, 2022 06:35 PM EDT
From the familiar names at the top of the bracket -- Gonzaga, Kansas, Baylor -- to

FILE - Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson signs autographs for fans before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Seattle on Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear, File)
Sports returned in 2021, but not the way we remembered them

By Eddie Pells Dec. 18, 2021 10:18 AM EST
The fans came back, and even if their money was no good at arenas and stadiums, their

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, a cellphone is used in New Orleans. A former college basketball player has founded a company called RealResponse, which provides customers, mainly universities and large sports organizations, technology to give athletes and employees a chance to initiate real-time, anonymous complaints by sending a simple text. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
New technology offers anonymous way to report abuse, doping

By Eddie Pells Oct. 18, 2021 02:33 AM EDT
A college basketball player hatched the idea after seeing a discrimination case

Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi drives to the basket ahead of teammate guard Jalen Suggs (1) and Baylor guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half of the championship game in the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 5, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Baylor beatdown: Bears win title, hang 86-70 loss on Gonzaga

By Eddie Pells Apr. 05, 2021 11:52 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There was another team out there that was marching through

Baylor guard Jared Butler (12) celebrates as he walks off the court at the end of a men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game against Houston, Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Baylor won 78-59. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Gonzaga's last hurdles: a quick turnaround -- and Baylor

By Eddie Pells Apr. 04, 2021 05:22 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now comes the hard part for Gonzaga.