STEVE MEGARGEE
Marquette head coach Shaka Smart gestures during the first half of the team's exhibition NCAA college basketball game against Bowie State on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Smart counting on domino effect to rejuvenate Marquette

By Steve Megargee Nov. 07, 2021 03:09 PM EST
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shaka Smart’s ability to get the most from an overhauled

FILE - In this Jan 25, 2020, file photo, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway calls to players in an NCAA basketball game against SMU in Memphis, Tenn. Hardaway thinks he's got just the right mix of young players and veterans for Memphis to chase the Tigers' first national championship. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)
Talented Memphis eager to end NCAA Tournament drought

By Steve Megargee Oct. 30, 2021 02:35 AM EDT
Memphis has landed plenty of elite recruits yet still hasn’t earned an NCAA

FILE - In this March 21, 2019, file photo, Belmont guard Grayson Murphy (2) gets off a shot ahead of Maryland 's Bruno Fernando (23) during the first half of a first-round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Plenty of under-the-radar players bear watching this season

By Steve Megargee Oct. 29, 2021 03:49 AM EDT
Marshall’s Taevion Kinsey believes he’s heading into his senior year as a

FILE - Villanova's Collin Gillespie (2) goes up for a shot against Connecticut's Jalen Gaffney (0), Akok Akok (11) and James Bouknight (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Villanova, Pa., in this Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, file photo. Villanova's Collin Gillespie was selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America NCAA college basketball team, announced Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Villanova's Collin Gillespie heads list of notable seniors

By Steve Megargee Oct. 28, 2021 01:59 AM EDT
Villanova’s Collin Gillespie is ready to make the most of his second chance at

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2019, file photo, Ypsilanti Lincoln's Emoni Bates shoots against River Rouge during the Tip Off Classic high school basketball game in Ypsilanti, Mich. Bates, part of a top-ranked Memphis class, was named the Gatorade national high school player of the year in 2020. (Nicole Hester/Ann Arbor News via AP, File)
Freshman phenom Baldwin savors chance to play for his dad

By Steve Megargee Oct. 27, 2021 02:42 AM EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) — As one of the nation’s top-10 prospects in his class, Patrick

In this Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, photo, Texas head coach Chris Beard, center, directs a practice at the team's facility, in Austin, Texas. Beard starts his season with the Longhorns with a roster loaded with transfers who collectively bring more than 750 games and nearly 8,000 points and 3,000 rebounds in their new program. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Tipoff: In era of rampant transfers, Texas stands out

By Steve Megargee Oct. 26, 2021 03:16 AM EDT
Texas’ Chris Beard prepared for his first season coaching at his alma mater by

Wisconsin's Brad Davison speaks during the Big Ten NCAA college basketball media days in Indianapolis, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Wisconsin hoping to succeed without its usual experience

By Steve Megargee Oct. 20, 2021 03:10 AM EDT
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin typically relies on experience to carry the

Wisconsin men's head coach Greg Gard speaks during the Big Ten NCAA college basketball media days in Indianapolis, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Wisconsin ready for fresh start after difficult season

By Steve Megargee Oct. 11, 2021 06:55 PM EDT
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin heads into the upcoming season with a

Shaka Smart speaks at Marquette, Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee. Smart is the new NCAA college head men's basketball coach at Marquette. (Ebony Cox/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)
Marquette adds 2 transfers as part of roster overhaul

By Steve Megargee Apr. 15, 2021 04:01 PM EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marquette has added former George Mason guard Tyler Kolek and

Dr. Michael R. Lovell, left, the president of Marquette, embraces Shaka Smart Monday, March 29, 2021, before a news conference at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee. Smart is the new NCAA college head men's basketball coach at Marquette. (Ebony Cox/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)
Shaka Smart back home, eager to revitalize Marquette hoops

By Steve Megargee Mar. 29, 2021 06:21 PM EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shaka Smart acknowledges he’s happy to return to his home

Florida State forward RaiQuan Gray (1) and guard Sardaar Calhoun (24) walk off the court after a Sweet 16 game against Michigan in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Sunday, March 28, 2021, in Indianapolis. Michigan won 76-58. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
ACC ends forgettable season with early NCAA Tournament exit

By Steve Megargee Mar. 28, 2021 09:15 PM EDT
Based on its own lofty standards, the Atlantic Coast Conference had a poor

Loyola Chicago head coach Porter Moser, left, hugs guard Lucas Williamson after a Sweet 16 game against Oregon State in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Indianapolis. Oregon State won 65-58. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Loyola Chicago's Moser says he's not ready to discuss future

By Steve Megargee Mar. 27, 2021 07:02 PM EDT
Loyola Chicago’s Porter Moser has accomplished enough over the last four

Texas head coach Shaka Smart, left, talks with an official during the first half of a college basketball game between Texas and Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Saturday, March 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Shaka Smart leaves Texas to take over Marquette's program

By Steve Megargee Mar. 26, 2021 06:20 PM EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) — After a frustrating six-year stint at Texas in which he never

Illinois players watch from the bench in the final moments during the second half of a men's college basketball game against the Loyola Chicago in the second round of the NCAA tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Loyola Chicago won 71-58. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Illinois' return to NCAA Tournament has disappointing finish

By Steve Megargee Mar. 21, 2021 04:30 PM EDT
Finally back in the NCAA Tournament, Illinois wanted to make a run at the

Purdue's Jaden Ivey (23) covers his face as North Texas's Javion Hamlet runs past during overtime of a first-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium, Friday, March 19, 2021, in Indianapolis. North Texas defeated Purdue 78-69 in overtime. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Big Ten struggles early after earning 9 NCAA Tournament bids

By Steve Megargee Mar. 20, 2021 02:14 AM EDT
The Big Ten hasn’t started out the NCAA Tournament looking nearly as imposing

FILE - In this March 10, 2021, file photo, Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski, left, watches the team play, while Koby McEwen (25) heads to the bench after fouling out of the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgetown in the Big East conference tournament in New York. Marquette fired Wojciechowski on Friday, March 19, after a seven-season tenure in which he went 128-95 but earned no NCAA Tournament victories(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Marquette fires coach Steve Wojciechowski after 7 seasons

By Steve Megargee Mar. 19, 2021 02:27 PM EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marquette's first losing season since Steve Wojciechowski's

West Virginia's Emmitt Matthews Jr., back, and Miles McBride try to steal the ball away from Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. Oklahoma State won 72-69. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Possible postseason ban didn't deter Cowboys' Cunningham

By Steve Megargee Mar. 18, 2021 05:43 PM EDT
Cade Cunningham always figured he’d get a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2019, file photo, Winthrop head coach Pat Kelsey directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Duke in Durham, N.C. Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey says he learned his philosophy of basketball while playing for the late Skip Prosser at Xavier in the 1990s. “He had a famous quote that he said all the time,” Kelsey recalled. “The older he got, the faster he wanted to play. I think that applies to me.” (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Will Winthrop, Colgate need change of pace for postseason?

By Steve Megargee Mar. 18, 2021 02:50 AM EDT
Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey says he learned his philosophy of basketball while

Michigan head coach Juwan Howard questions a call in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland at the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis, Friday, March 12, 2021. Howard was later ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Even with Livers injured, Michigan earns No. 1 seed in East

By Steve Megargee Mar. 14, 2021 09:38 PM EDT
Michigan’s bittersweet weekend continued Sunday as it earned a No. 1 seed in

Drake's D.J. Wilkins (0) shoots over Loyola of Chicago's Tate Hall during the first half of the championship game in the NCAA Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Sunday, March 7, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Bubble watch heats up as tourneys start in power conferences

By Steve Megargee Mar. 10, 2021 01:52 AM EST
The suspense begins to build Wednesday for teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble