DETROIT — Purdue big man Zach Edey went for a career-high 40 points along with 16 rebounds and one big block Sunday to muscle the Boilermakers into the program’s first Final Four since 1980 with a 72-66 victory over Tennessee.
The 7-foot-4 center willed his way to a win in a back-and-forth thriller between the country’s top two players, edging out Tennessee’s All-American, Dalton Knecht, who finished with 37 points.
Fittingly for this showdown, Edey swatted away Knecht’s layup as the Northern Colorado transfer drove to the basket while trailing by five with 33 seconds left, putting an end to the Vols’ desperate comeback hopes.
Zach Edey #15 and Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena. Getty ImagesPurdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) shoots the ball defended by Tennessee Volunteers forward J.P. Estrella (13) in the first half. Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY SportsTennessee guard Dalton Knecht (3) reacts after a three-point basket during the second half of an Elite Eight college basketball game against Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. AP
Top-seeded Purdue (33-4) set aside last year’s grand disappointment — a first-round loss as a No. 1 seed — to book the trip to Glendale, Arizona.
On Saturday, the Boilermakers will play either Duke or North Carolina State in the national semifinals.
This was a scrapfest of a game played in front of an ear-splitting crowd packed with Purdue fans who made their way up from Indiana.
They were looking for history, and they got it — along with the game ball that Fletcher Loyer chucked about 20 rows into the stands when the buzzer went off.
With the school’s 87-year-old former coach, Gene Keady, sitting in the stands, this game at times looked like a dusty ol’ throwback.
Purdue fed the ball into Edey in the post, and though the grabby, swatty UT defense made some inroads — even blocking two of his shots — foul trouble piled up and Edey wore them down, but just barely.
Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) battles Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler (5) for the ball in the first half during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional at Little Caesars Arena. Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY SportsPurdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) reacts after a three-point basket during the second half. AP
He finished 13 of 21 from the floor and lived at the foul line, where he went 14 for 22.
Tennessee (27-9) was seeking its first Final Four, and Vols coach Rick Barnes was denied the second trip there of his 38-year career.
Jack Gohlke wasn’t a household name before the tipoff between Oakland and Kentucky on Thursday, but he certainly was by the time the final buzzer sounded.
Gohlke, a senior, hit 10 3-pointers and finished the night with 32 points in Oakland’s 80-76 upset over Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, making the graduate guard an instant hero.
“He had no conscience. We talked all week, just go shoot it baby, you’re the best,” Golden Grizzlies head coach Greg Kampe told CBS Sports after the win. “And he’s the best and he proved it to the world tonight.”
Jack Gohlke celebrates after hitting a 3-point shot during the second half of Oakland’s 80-76 upset win over Kentucky. AP
The 6-foot-3 guard, who hails from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, which is also the hometown of NFL stars J.J. and T.J. Watt, essentially willed his team to a lead after the first half when he hit seven of his 3-pointers and recorded 21 of 32 points.
“I mean it’s just something I’ve worked so hard for my whole career, and coach just instills confidence in me,” Gohlke said. “Gives me the freedom to go out there and play. Influence the game in a positive way and I’m just having fun.”
Gohlke’s performance and the shocking upset over one of the best college basketball programs on the sport’s biggest stage are far from where Gohlke started his college career.
Five years ago, Gohlke redshirted his freshman year at Division II Hillsdale College.
In total, he spent four playing seasons at the private Christian school in Hillsdale, Michigan and helped the Chargers reach the Elite Eight in the Division II tournament in 2022 — the program’s first-ever trip there — and averaged 14.2 points per game 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 2022-23.
Gohlke shot 40 percent from 3-point range in his final season at Hillsdale.
This year — his first since transferring to Oakland — he played a big part in helping the Golden Grizzlies to capture the Horizon League regular season and tournament championships, averaging 12.2 points and 4.1 rebounds.
In a bio on Gohlke’s player page for the Golden Grizzlies, he lists the actor he would want to play him in a movie as Bradley Cooper.
Jack Gohlke shoots over Antonio Reeves during Oakland’s upset win over Kentucky. Getty ImagesJack Gohlke celebrates after Oakland’s upset victory over Kentucky. AP
If Oakland can keep its run going when it faces the winner of Texas Tech-North Carolina State, Hollywood may very well come calling.
But Gohlke wanted to make one thing clear before he left the court on Thursday.
HOUSTON – This wasn’t a national championship game. It was a coronation.
It was another one-sided NCAA Tournament game in which Connecticut and its opponent didn’t look like they belonged on the same court for extended stretches.
Another contest in which the Huskies always had an answer.
Another 40 minutes that made you wonder how UConn was a No. 4 seed and not a No. 1, and how it looked so mediocre during a January swoon in which it lost six times in eight games.
Connecticut center Donovan Clingan (32) celebrates after scoring against San Diego State during the first half of the national championship game on Monday.AP Connecticut guard Jordan Hawkins drives to the basket against San Diego State during the second half of the men’s national championship.AP
Really, Monday night was apropos of this tournament: It was Dan Hurley’s Huskies and everyone else.
Connecticut was dominant for 30 minutes, then made plays in the clutch to hold off dogged No. 5 San Diego State to win its fifth national championship and first since 2014, 76-59, at NRG Stadium.
It won each game of the tournament by double figures, joining select company of elite teams.
Russo will not be at Monday’s championship game because he is having commissioner Rob Manfred on his MLB Network show, “High Heat.”
“Plus, sitting around for two days is annoying,” Russo said.
As for Tim, whom Russo has spoken about on-air since he was a toddler, he has always wanted to be a coach.
Chris Russo and his wife Jeanne with their son, UConn graduate assistant Tim Russo.Chris Russo Chris Russo and his wife Jeanne with friend Doug Smith and Tim Russo’s friend Ryan McAleer at the Final Four on Saturday.Chris Russo
He went to Division II Tampa, where he worked his way up from mopping floors as a manager to watching film with the coaches.
Tim graduated in May 2021 with a sports management degree and will receive his masters from UConn.
Now, he is part of Hurley’s staff in the national championship game.
Tim Russo with Jim Nantz at the Final Four.Chris Russo
The funny thing is Tim doesn’t even have the most famous father among those on the Huskies sideline.
UConn assistant coach Luke Murray is the son of actor Bill Murray.
HOUSTON — It’s now been five games of this. Five games of routs. Five games of blowouts. Five games in which Connecticut hasn’t broken a sweat, five games in which the opposition has looked like it didn’t belong on the same court.
It was more of the same Saturday night.
Fifth-seeded Miami, coming off impressive wins over No. 1 Houston and second-seeded Texas, was overwhelmed.
It was never really in the game over the final 30 minutes, as the fourth-seeded Huskies cruised to a 72-59 national semifinal victory and booked a title game meeting with No. 5 San Diego State Monday night.
This run is starting to become reminiscent of Villanova’s title in 2018, when the Wildcats won their six tournament games by an average of 17.6 points.
In five games, Connecticut is winning by 20.6 points per contest.
It entered the Final Four the overwhelming favorite, and it certainly looked the part in the nightcap.
UConn players on the bench celebrate during their 72-59 Final Four win over Miami.USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Adama Sanogo continued his fantastic tournament, producing 21 points and 10 rebounds, and when Miami converged on him, UConn made them pay from the perimeter, hitting nine 3-pointers.
Undersized and too thin up from, the Hurricanes had no answer inside, out-rebounded by nine and outscored in the paint, 38-24.
Their three-headed guard monster of Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller and Nijel Pack were held in check.
They scored 34 points on an inefficient 30 shots. Miami was held to a season-low 59 points.
When speaking to TBS reporter Allie LaForce following the Spartans’ thrilling 98-93 overtime loss to the Wildcats at Madison Square Garden, Izzo tipped his hat to Kansas State but remarked of “lucky plays” in the same breath.
“Give them credit. They banked in two shot-clock threes. They made some big plays but some of those plays weren’t big plays, they were lucky plays. I didn’t think we played our best. I think some of it was them, I think some of it was us, but boy, we bounced back in that second half,” Izzo said when asked about the final minute of the game.
Allie LaForce speaks to Tom Izzo following Michigan State’s Sweet 16 loss to Kansas State.Twitter
With just under a minute to go in overtime, Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell launched the ball from center court and connected with teammate Keyontae Johnson for an epic alley-oop to give the Wildcats the edge.
Kansas State’s Ismael Massoudthen hit a clutch two-point shot after a lengthy review over an out of bounds call with 15 seconds to go in overtime.
Nowell, the Wildcats’ fifth-year senior, then put the game away after stealing the ball from the Spartans in the final seconds for a layup.
In what was an unforgettable night from Nowell, the Harlem native recorded 19 assists – an NCAA Tournament record – and 20 points, including an incredible three-pointer on a hobbled ankle.
“I wasn’t going to let an ankle injury stop me from advancing to the Elite Eight. … I’m from New York City. I’m tough,” Nowell said postgame.
While some took to social media afterward to celebrate Kansas State’s Elite Eight berth, others dissected Izzo’s words.
Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell (1) shoots the ball against Michigan State in their Sweet 16 matchup on March 23, 2023.Getty Images
“Bad look for Izzo. 1 or 2 plays don’t define a game. You got beat bud,” one user tweeted.
Another remarked, “Wow, bringing that backhanded compliment from the left shoulder.”
Despite the heartbreaking end to the Spartans’ March Madness run, Izzo lauded his team’s effort.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo during the Spartans’ Sweet 16 matchup against Kansas State on March 23, 2023.Getty Images
“I’ve been part of a lot of wins, I’ve been part of a lot of losses, tough losses, but I’ve never been prouder of a team because we really didn’t have it tonight, and yet, we still found a way to battle back, and I was proud of our guys,” said Izzo, whose team advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over USC and Marquette.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — He has grown up to be Ivy League Freshman of the Year, and the ones who best remember when and how a young boy’s basketball obsession began will be at the KFC Yum! Center on Friday night cheering Caden Pierce and Princeton on against Creighton, with an improbable South Regional berth in the Elite Eight on the line.
He is the father who played tight end at Northwestern. His wife, Stephanie, is the 5-foot-11 mother who played volleyball at Northwestern. Their 24-year-old son, Justin, plays basketball overseas in Montenegro. Their 22-year-old son, Alec, was a rookie wide receiver for the NFL Colts last season.
Their 18-year-old son, Caden, is now a 6-6 forward averaging 30.2 minutes, 8.3 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds for Princeton.
“We would drag him along to all of his brothers’ games,” Greg told The Post. “At age 4, he would take that ball during timeouts at halftime and shoot 3-pointers and make it, and slowly work his way back as far as he could physically throw a ball and make a lot of these shots during breaks in halftimes. He just had that hand-eye coordination really early. The crowd would encourage him to just throw these shots up as like a 4-, 5-, 6-year-old.”
Stephanie: “We would go to see Justin and Alec’s basketball games, and he’d always have a ball with him, and every single time there was a timeout or anything on the floor he’d go out and shoot. He was tiny, tiny, tiny. He’s the smallest I’ve ever seen be able to shoot on a 10-foot hoop. He could somehow use his body and could maneuver and throw the ball up and make a 10-foot basket. And the refs would, like, stop and watch him and pet him on the head. He was obsessed with it, really.”
Caden Pierce slams home a dunk during Princeton’s 78-63 win over Missouri in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.Getty Images
Caden’s favorite player growing up in Glen Ellyn, Ill., was Derrick Rose. “We would play on the front driveway all the time,” Caden recalled. “Usually my dad would be the fourth player. Sometimes we’d switch up the teams, but I was the weakest one at that point.”
He never stopped playing. “We played a lot of two-on-two during COVID, during quarantine with some of our neighbors, some of our friends. We weren’t really supposed to during quarantine, but we got the cops called on us a couple of times because of breaking the quarantine rules,” Caden said with a smile, “but we were saying we were playing with another brother.”
Caden Pierce celebrates after Princeton’s win over Missouri.Getty Images
Greg and Stephanie encouraged their boys to be active.
“Athletics had been such a huge part of my family growing up,” Caden said. “Both my parents played in college, both my brothers played in college, and beyond even. So just seeing how hard they all have worked has just inspired me and it’s made me who I am today.”
Justin was at William & Mary for three years before grad-transferring to North Carolina. “He went to North Carolina thinking he was gonna make the tournament, but it ended up being that COVID year,” Alec told The Post by phone.
So forgive Justin for living vicariously through his baby brother. Who somehow grabbed 16 rebounds against Missouri in the second round in Sacramento.
“He’s super kind and he’s super sweet and his teachers would always compliment him on just being a very kind person in class and very smart,” Stephanie said. “But then he’s looking pretty tough out there, he’s looking pretty fierce, and he’s going up and he’s attacking and coming down with those rebounds and fighting. He’s a different kid when he’s out playing than in real life.”
Caden Pierce’s brother, Alec, is a wide receiver for the Colts.USA TODAY Sports
Caden led Glenbard West to the Class 4A IHSA State championship a year ago. He was a two-time All-State selection.
“I think I kinda just embody toughness,” Caden said. “I think grittiness, doing the dirty work. And then selflessness, I think I just kinda do whatever the team needs me to do, whether it’s some games giving up some scoring opportunities and crashing the offensive glass, or some other games knocking down shots.”
He is proud to play on a brotherhood Princeton team that is not scared of anyone.
Alec: “Me and my brothers, we used to always watch the tournament growing up, and it was like something that we always loved watching, and something you always dreamed to be in. My older brother never got a chance to play in it — it’s really cool watching my youngest brother be able to live out that dream.”
Greg: “Cade was always like the little guy coming around to all those things for the older boys. We’re all here for him. It’s like his time.”
Stephanie: “The fact that both the big brothers have to get to sit there and cheer for their baby brother when his whole entire life was spent watching them do everything, I think is really, really special.”
“It’s a dream come true,” Caden said. “I think I can speak for the whole team, but it’s why I got into basketball, just playing in March Madness in general, watching it on TV, seeing “One Shining Moment” at the end of the tournament every year, it’s a true inspiration for me and I think the whole team.”
LAS VEGAS — Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left to answer a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to a wild 79-76 NCAA Tournament win over UCLA Thursday night in the Sweet 16.
The Bruins (31-6), the West Region’s No. 2 seed, stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the final 1:05 and took a 76-75 lead on Bailey’s 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left.
The Zags (31-5) brought the ball up the floor and Strawther stepped into a 3-pointer, sending Gonzaga fans to their feet.
Gonzaga’s Malachi Smith stole the ball from UCLA’s Tyger Campbell, but Strawther only hit 1 of 2 free throws at the other end, giving the Bruins a chance.
Campbell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the back of the rim, sending the Zags rushing off the bench and into the Elite Eight against UConn on Saturday.
Strawther’s shot, off a drop pass, was reminiscent of the one Villanova’s Kris Jenkins made to clinch the 2016 national championship.
Julian Strawther makes a game-winning three point basket against the UCLA Bruins.USA TODAY Sports Gonzaga guard Malachi Smith reacts after their win against the UCLA Bruins, sending the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight.USA TODAY Sports
It’s the second time Gonzaga has beaten UCLA on a last-second shot in the NCAA Tournament. Jalen Suggs crushed the Bruins the last time, hitting a running 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the Zags to the 2021 national championship game.
The flurry of a finish started off more like a prize fight, each team taking its turn landing blows in a game of wild swings. UCLA led by 13 at the half, but Gonzaga led by 10 with 2:30 left in game. Then UCLA didn’t make a shot for more than 12 minutes, and still but rallied to lead 76-75 with 13 seconds left.
Jalen Suggs celebrated making the game winning basket against UCLA during overtime in a men’s Final Four game in 2021.AP
The Zags were led by Drew Timme, who had 36 points for his record 10th NCAA Tournament game with 20 points.
Gonzaga also turned up the defensive pressure after UCLA’s hot-shooting first half and led by eight, but Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored on a three-point play and a layup to cut it 74-71 with 45 seconds left. Timme then missed two free throws, setting up Bailey’s shot.
Thankfully for the Zags, Strawther was on the mark with his long 3-pointer, sending them to the Elite Eight for the fifth time under coach Mark Few.
After two rounds defined by shocking upsets, three of the four favorites in Thursday’s opening night of the Sweet 16 are vulnerable to a late scare or even an outright upset.
The Huskies have been one of the most dominant teams in this tournament, beating Iona and Saint Mary’s by a combined 39 points ahead of Thursday’s matchup with Arkansas.
That’s nothing new for Danny Hurley’s group, which ranks fifth in average scoring margin (+13.8) despite facing one of the toughest schedules in the country.
That hasn’t been a deterrent for this team, especially over the last month.
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UConn ranks No. 1 in T-Rank across its current 8-1 run thanks to its elite offensive rebound rate (41.6 percent) and two-way dominance inside.
It’s one of just three teams (Houston, Texas) to rank in the top 15 across the entire season in offensive efficiency (third) and defensive efficiency (14th), per KenPom.
Danny HurleyGetty Images
Arkansas deserves credit for outworking Kansas on the boards on Saturday, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds — tied for its third-most all year — to pull off the second-round stunner.
But the Razorbacks will be hard-pressed to exert their size advantage against the Huskies and superstar center Adama Sanogo (6-foot-9, 245 pounds), who is playing like the single-most dominant force in college basketball.
Since 2021, the Huskies are a perfect 19-0 when Sanogo scores at least 20 points, as he’s done in each of the last two rounds.
If the Hogs can’t slow him down on Thursday, this one won’t be close.
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