Gainesville,United States

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida officially signed graduate transfer and St. Bonaventure guard Kyle Lofton on Friday, a potentially huge addition for new coach Todd Golden.Lofton earned All-Atlantic 10 honors each of the past three seasons while totaling 1,613 points and 604 assists. The 6-foot-3 point guard started 116 games during his four years with the Bonnies, averaging a nation-leading 38.1 minutes a game and shooting 42.1% from the field and 82% from the free-throw line.“He’s a proven winner and leader, Golden said. He makes others around him better and cares only about one thing: winning.”Lofton should be an upgrade from turnover-prove point guard Tyree Appleby, who transferred for the second time and landed at Wake Forest.Lofton helped St. Bonaventure reach the NCAA Tournament in 2021, leading the Bonnies with 23 points in the Atlantic 10 championship game.He joins VMI point guard Trey Bonham, Belmont shooting guard Will Richard and LSU forward Alex Fudge as transfers Golden has lured to Gainesville. They are expected to be the core of the program, along with big man Colin Castleton and guard Kowacie Reeves.The Gators now have 11 of 13 scholarships filled for next season, with Golden still looking to the transfer portal in hopes of finding frontcourt help and another shooter.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Florida lands 'proven winner' with St. Bonnies guard Lofton

Florida

WakeForest

Green Bay,United States

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay’s greatest position of concern heading into the draft remains a bit of a question mark even after the Packers selected three candidates to catch passes from reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers.The Packers added North Dakota State’s Christian Watson in the second round, Nevada’s Romeo Doubs in the fourth and Nebraska’s Samori Toure in the seventh as they attempt to restock at wide receiver after trading All-Pro Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.“We’re certainly very much of the belief that competition’s going to bring out the best and the cream’s going to rise,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Saturday. “That’s something that we needed to do, and I think we accomplished that.”The three-time defending NFC North champions still will have less proven talent in their receiving group than just about any other Super Bowl contender. They’ll need one or two of these rookie wideouts to contribute immediately.“You always feel good right now,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “But the bottom line is you’ve got to get these guys in here and see what they can do. And a lot of it’s going to be, ‘How fast can these guys pick up the offense?’ Armed with two late first-round picks, the Packers opted against trading up to get one of the top receiving prospects in this class as six wideouts went among the first 18 selections.The Packers also didn’t follow the lead of the Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals by trading a first-round pick to land a veteran receiver. Philadelphia acquired A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans and Arizona got Marquise Brown from the Baltimore Ravens.Green Bay instead boosted its defense and took two Georgia teammates in the first round, with linebacker Quay Walker going 22nd overall and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt 28th. The Packers took Watson in the second round and UCLA offensive lineman Sean Rhyan in the third round Friday. On the final day of the draft, they selected Doubs (134th overall) and Wake Forest offensive lineman Zach Tom (140th) in the fourth round, South Carolina outside linebacker Kingsley Enagbare (179) in the fifth and Georgia Tech safety/linebacker Tariq Carpenter (228th), Miami defensive tackle Jonathan Ford (234th), Penn State offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (249th) and Toure (258th) in the seventh.Gutekunst didn’t rule out the possibility of adding another veteran receiver to go along with free-agent acquisition Sammy Watkins, who signed with the Packers last month.“We’ll see what’s out there and if we can help our team,” Gutekunst said. “What we did in the draft wouldn’t prevent us from trying to help our team at wide receiver or anywhere else.”WAITING ON PASS RUSHERThe Packers needed to find an outside linebacker to complement the duo of Rashan Gary and Preston Smith after the cap-related release of Za’Darius Smith, but they didn’t draft anyone at that position until taking Enagbare with the final pick of the fifth round.“He’s got great length, good hands, good power in his hands,” Gutekunst said.UPGRADING SPECIAL TEAMSGreen Bay picked plenty of players who figure to help out a special teams unit that ranked as the league’s worst last season, according to Football Outsiders efficiency metrics.Watson had 52 career kickoff returns and scored on two of them during his college career. Doubs scored on a punt return the first time he touched the ball for Nevada. Carpenter filled a variety of special teams roles at Georgia Tech.Gutekunst said new special teams coach Rich Bisaccia provided plenty of input.“We’ve got to get better there, so I think we’re open to a lot of different things that maybe we wouldn’t have done in the past,” Gutekunst said.VERSATILE BLOCKERSThe Packers traditionally have valued offensive linemen who could play multiple positions, but lost two players who fit that profile now that Billy Turner’s with the Denver Broncos and Lucas Patrick has joined the Chicago Bears.But they found guys who could pick up the slack.Rhyan was a left tackle at UCLA but also could play guard. Tom played both center and left tackle at Wake Forest. “I feel comfortable playing any position on the offensive line, so I’m just ready to play wherever they put me and go from there,” Tom said.PERSONAL CONNECTIONSWatson’s father, Tim Watson, was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round in 1993, but never played for Green Bay during an NFL career that included stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.Ford says he went to middle school with Packers defensive tackle T.J. Slaton. Doubs said his mother is a longtime Packers fan.“I just thought that it would be so surreal for me to play for a team my mom has always been rooting for,” Doubs said. “Jerseys, shirts, hats, the whole nine, man.”MAKING MOVESThe Packers opened this draft with two second-round picks at No. 53 and No. 59, but traded both for the opportunity to take Watson at No. 34 on Friday.They went in the other direction Saturday.The Packers moved down eight spots in the fifth round to get a fourth seventh-round pick at No. 234 that they used on Ford.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Packers draft 3 WRs to give Rodgers more playmakers

Nevada

AaronRodgers

The Atlantic Coast Conference changed significantly last season with Pitt winning the league title, Wake Forest taking the Atlantic Division and conference powerhouse Clemson largely out of the mix by mid-October. Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi and Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson believe their teams worked hard this spring to stay on top. Pitt defeated Wake Forest 45-21 in the ACC title game, ending Clemson's run of six straight championships. Narduzzi spent the spring seeking a successor to Kenny Pickett, who was expected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the NFL draft. “I was happy we got a lot of work done,” Narduzzi said. “We saw enough in 14 practices that we know who we are and I'm happy.” The Panthers watched as Nick Patti competed with Southern Cal transfer Kedon Slovis for the starting spot. Slovis, who threw 30 touchdowns as a Trojans' freshman, called it a “no-brainer” joining his new team. Wake Forest, the first team other than Clemson to win the Atlantic since Florida State in 2014, won a program record-tying 11 games last year. Clawson took some offseason steps to improve a defense that was 10th in the ACC in points (28.9) and yards (413.2) allowed last season. Clawson hired Brad Lambert as defensive coordinator. Lambert was linebackers coach at Wake Forest under Jim Grobe in 2006, the only other time the Deacons were 11-3.“I’m encouraged by some things, and I’ve got a pit in my stomach about others,” Clawson said. “Were we better on defense because we are better on defense? Or because we did not play as well on offense. He will know for sure in about five months. CLEMSON BACK?Tigers coach Dabo Swinney was pleased with what he saw this spring, especially with starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who struggled early with injuries and off-target throws. Uiagalelei went 17 of 36 for 175 yards in the Tigers' spring game earlier this month. Still, his body of work was more than good enough to keep him the starter over freshman Cade Klubnik. Uiagalelei “has had a great spring,” Swinney said. “He has not done anything to not be the starter. Cade is a really talented player. We got two guys, I think, that can win at a high level, just like when Trevor (Lawrence) and DJ were coming out of the spring” in 2020. It helps that receiver Joseph Ngata has had a injury-free spring. He finished with four catches for 50 yards in the spring game. NEW FACESAll four new ACC coaching hires after last season came in the Coastal, highlighted by Miami bringing in Oregon's Mario Cristobal for Manny Diaz. Cristobal was a former Miami offensive tackle who was part of two national title teams. He's charged with bringing “The U” back to prominence. The first spring under Cristobal ended April 16 with a commitment to the little details that the new coach regularly preached will determine how far the Hurricanes go this fall. “There’s no more excuses,” quarterback Tyler Van Dyke said. The other first-year coaches are former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko taking over at Duke for longtime coach Dave Cutcliffe; ex-Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry succeeding Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech; and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott moving to Virginia after Bronco Mendenhall's surprising move to step away. The Cavaliers had the ACC's final spring game this past Saturday and Elliott saw what he expected four months in. “I thought that the majority of the guys were going to buy in, but I was still going to have a couple that were skeptical and kind of one foot in the water, Elliott said. “And I’ve got a couple of those.”CLOSING INIn the Atlantic Division, Boston College, Louisville and North Carolina State all have experienced, play-making quarterbacks. The Eagles hope for a healthy Phil Jurkovec, the Notre Dame transfer who played just six games last year due to a broken bone in his throwing hand. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown in the Boston College spring game. Louisville's Malik Cunningham threw for 2,941 yards and ran for 1,034 yards last season. The Cardinals have had losing seasons in three of the previous four years and are hoping Cunningham can lead a turnaround. The Wolfpack feature Devin Leary, who threw 35 touchdowns last season to break Philip Rivers' school record. Along with finding receivers, Leary has just five picks in 431 attempts. ___AP Sports Writers Charles Odum in Atlanta and Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

ACC: Pitt, Deacs out to keep momentum, Clemson hits reset

Miami

BostonCollege

Louisville,United States

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville head coach Kenny Payne has hired former Kansas great and college basketball Hall of Famer Danny Manning as an assistant, a month after the coaching veteran completed an interim stint at Maryland.Manning guided the Terrapins to a 15-17 finish after taking over for Mark Turgeon in December. He was 78-111 as Wake Forest’s coach from 2014-2020 and 38-29 with Tulsa from 2012-14 after working as a Kansas assistant the previous six seasons.Payne said in a release that Manning “encompasses all the experiences that a college basketball player goes through.’’ The first-time head coach called Manning a family member and added he's “thrilled” to bring aboard a former player and coach to help establish the culture.“I didn’t want to miss out on getting in on the ground level with Kenny as he builds this program,” Manning said during a news conference. “Part of my job is to throw ideas at him, and continue to throw ideas at him to help him navigate.”Manning’s highly decorated basketball career includes helping Kansas to the 1988 NCAA championship as a two-time All-American before becoming the No. 1 overall selection in that year’s NBA Draft. He scored 12,367 points in 15 NBA seasons with seven teams and earned All-Star honors in 1993 and ’94 along with the Sixth Man of the Year award in 1998. Manning also played on the 1988 U.S. Olympic squad.Manning’s hiring is the second this week by Payne, who on Monday named former Duke assistant Nolan Smith to his staff.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Louisville coach Payne adds Danny Manning to Cardinals staff

Kansas

Maryland

Michigan State leaned on Kenneth Walker III a lot during its turnaround season, handing him the ball 22 times a game with much success.This spring, and in the fall, someone else will need to run the ball for the Spartans because Walker skipped his senior season to enter the NFL draft. The top candidates for the role may be a mystery until the season starts Sept. 2 against Western Michigan.When spring drills end Saturday, the lack of healthy offensive linemen has led coach Mel Tucker choosing to have a practice instead of a game with fans in the stands at Spartan Stadium.“I would love to be able to play a traditional game if we could, said Tucker, who won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award last season. “But our numbers won’t allow us to do it.Walker had some eye-popping numbers during a breakout season.He ranked second in the FBS with 1,636 yards and was among the nation’s leaders with 19 touchdowns. The Wake Forest transfer became the first Spartan to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back, was The Associated Press’ Big Ten co-offensive player of the year and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.There’s no doubt Walker was the pivotal player that helped Tucker go from a 2-5 record during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season in his first year to winning 11 games and finishing No. 9 in the AP Top 25.Walker left the program before the Peach Bowl, leaving a huge hole to fill behind a rebuilt offensive line Tucker says is “thin.”There is no shortage of running backs motivated to make the most of the opportunity to share the carries Walker has left behind.Wisconsin transfer Jalen Berger made a favorable early impression this spring with elusive moves that have made it it hard for the defense to bring him down.“Berger, he emerged, Tucker said.Davion Primm, who redshirted as a freshman last season, has also caught Tucker's attention. “I’m not putting him in the hall of fame or anything,” Tucker said.. “You ask about players that have gotten better. He’s flashing.Elijah Collins, who ran for 988 yards in 2019, and Jordon Simmons, who had 70 carries for 278 yards last season, have the most experience among returning players in the backfield.Michigan State is returning Payton Thorne, a standout starter at quarterback, and that should help the running game by forcing defenses to respect the pass. Thorne set a single-season school record with 27 touchdown passes last year, breaking Kirk Cousins' mark, and is among the all-time leaders with 3,414 yards passing and in passing efficiency.Just don't expect Michigan State to transform into a pass-happy team.“We’re still going to base things starting with the run game, offensive coordinator Jay Johnson said. “We need to do that. That’s what our program is, the physicality that coach Tuck wants.___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25

Michigan State searching for Walker replacements this spring

walker

Wisconsin

Indianapolis,United States

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Thad Matta's first head coaching tenue at Butler lasted one season.This time, he hopes to stick around a little longer — with a familiar script that helped the Bulldogs reach unprecedented heights in the decade following his departure.On Wednesday, more than 20 years after Matta left his alma mater, the 54-year-old former Ohio State basketball coach was reintroduced to a fan base that embraced him for three seasons as a player, six seasons on the coaching staff and that one, memorable season he ran the show.It seemed he never left.“What I love about Butler is that Butler is old school in a new world,” Matta told the welcome wagon crowd gathered inside Hinkle Fieldhouse. “You get what you deserve here. you have to go out there and you earn it. That's what I love about Butler University.”The Bulldogs appreciate Matta, too.They like the fact he's a proven winner with a championship pedigree who has a deep understanding of Butler's unwavering principles. Matta said Wednesday he coined “The Butler Way one day after then coach Barry Collier accepted the Nebraska job, putting Matta in line as the replacement.“I had no idea that The Butler Way was going to stick the way it did,” Matta said, drawing laughter. “There's something special about a Butler guy. So when the call came, I wanted to get back and be a Butler guy again.”This will be a very different situation from the one Matta inherited in 2000-01.Back then, the Bulldogs were an emerging mid-major power. They posted a then school-record 24 wins in Matta's first and only season, won the Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament title and beat Wake Forest for their first NCAA Tournament win since 1962.When Butler lost to Arizona in the second round and Matta left for Xavier, many thought the Bulldogs had peaked. But as Matta continued winning with the Musketeers and later at Ohio State, where he posted a school record 337 of his 439 career wins, Butler's program continued to ascend.Despite going through five coaches and two conference changes over the next 17 seasons, the Bulldogs made 11 more NCAA tourney appearances — a run that included back-to-back national runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011.Now Matta must rebuild a program that hasn't appeared in an NCAA tourney since 2018, though they probably would have made it in 2020 when the event was canceled because of COVID-19, and hasn't been to the Sweet 16 in five years. Butler also is coming off its first back-to-back losing seasons since 1988-90So Collier, now Butler's athletic director, fired his former player, LaVall Jordan, last week and replaced him two days later with his former assistant. The 42-year-old Jordan was Butler's first Black basketball coach and is only the second coach the Bulldogs fired in 96 years. Joe Sexson, Collier's predecessor, was the other in 1989.Collier believes Matta is uniquely qualified to help restore Butler's winning ways.“We looked all over the world for this kind of man and we found him across the street, Collier said, referring to Matta's nearby house. Yes, Matta said, he had other head coaching offers over the past five years but none felt right. Plus, there were lingering questions over Matta's health.He agreed to leave the Buckeyes following 2016-17 over concerns that chronic ailments related to a back surgery he had in 2007 impacted Ohio State's results. Matta used a taller chair to endure practices and games for several years and his last season in Columbus, Ohio, marked the only time he failed to win at least 20 games.Chris Holtmann then left Butler and was hired as Matta's successor.Matta, meanwhile, spent the next four years in retirement before joining Indiana coach Mike Woodson's staff last spring. With his health improving, it didn't take long for Matta's competitive juices to start flowing again.“People always asked me if I'd come back and I always said I would if I found the perfect situation, he said. “I didn't know what the perfect situation was.Two days after Jordan's firing, Collier made the offer and Matta didn't hesitate to accept.Now comes the hard part.While Matta hasn't decided whether to use the chair or prioritize hiring an assistant with head coaching experience in case the physical ailments return, he plans to work the transfer portal, try to keep players on Butler's current roster on campus and finish the job he and Collier started all those years ago.“I have done every single thing you can do in coaching except one — a national championship. I've played for it, Matta said. “I say that from the standpoint of where the goal is and what the mission is. This program has been to that level and that's we're shooting for and that's what we're going after.” ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Matta's comeback includes rekindling Butler's winning ways

Jordan

Nebraska

A look at Thursday for bubble teams chasing NCAA Tournament bids: GAME OF THE DAY Michigan coach Juwan Howard returns from a five-game suspension as the Wolverines face Indiana at Indianapolis in a Big Ten Tournament game with major ramifications for both teams.Michigan (17-13) entered Wednesday as a No. 10 seed in BracketMatrix.com’s average of various projected brackets across the country. Indiana (18-12) was one of the top teams projected to miss the 68-team field according to the BracketMatrix.com average.The Wolverines helped their cause by ending the regular season with a 75-69 road victory over then-No. 23 Ohio State. That marked assistant coach Phil Martelli’s last game filling in for Howard, who was suspended after his open hand hit Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft on the side of the head while both were in the postgame handshake line.Michigan’s resume also includes an 80-62 victory at Indiana, which has lost its last nine matchups in this series. The Hoosiers likely need to beat Michigan and perhaps do even more damage in the Big Ten Tournament to have a shot at an NCAA bid.TEAMS TO WATCH Florida and Texas A&M: Here’s another matchup between bubble teams. Neither Florida (19-12) nor Texas A&M (20-11) can afford a loss when they face off in a Southeastern Conference Tournament game at Tampa, Florida. Texas A&M has won four straight.Notre Dame: How bad has the Atlantic Coast Conference been this season? Consider that Notre Dame (22-9) earned the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament and still isn’t assured of an at-large bid. The Fighting Irish should be in good shape as long as they beat Virginia Tech on Thursday. But a loss could put them at risk.Wyoming: The Cowboys (24-7) were one of the last four at-large teams in the field as of Wednesday according to the BracketMatrix.com average. Now they must face UNLV on the Rebels’ home floor in a Mountain West quarterfinal. Wyoming lost 64-57 at Wyoming on March 2.RISING AND FALLINGVirginia Tech (20-12) kept its at-large hopes alive by edging Clemson 76-75 on Darius Maddox’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime. The Hokies can really help their case by beating Notre Dame in an ACC quarterfinal. ... Virginia (19-12) is another ACC bubble team that advanced, as the Cavaliers defeated Louisville 51-50. Virginia still has more work to do and next faces North Carolina. ... Oregon (19-13) beat Oregon State 86-72 in a likely must-win game in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. The Ducks likely have to win more games this week to have a realistic shot at a bid. ... Wake Forest (23-9) and Xavier (18-13) both have reason to worry after suffering stunning overtime losses early in their respective conference tournaments. Wake Forest (23-9) blew a 10-point lead in the final six minutes of regulation and lost 82-77 to Boston College (7-14). Wake Forest had trounced Boston College 87-57 during the regular season. Xavier fell 89-82 to Butler and has lost six of its last seven games. Xavier led by six with under 50 seconds left in regulation, but went 1 for 7 at the free-throw line in the final minute. The Musketeers missed their last five foul shots during that stretch, and finished 13 for 29 at the line. “When you don’t control your own destiny, I mean, you’re nervous constantly. Puts a pit in your stomach,” Xavier coach Travis Steele said. “I’m hopeful we’ll be in it because I think we’re a team that can advance and really do some damage in the NCAA Tournament.”___AP Sports Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

BUBBLE WATCH: Michigan-Indiana game critical for both teams

Indiana

Michigan

NCAA

New York,United States

NEW YORK (AP) — DeMarr Langford scored 19 points, Quinten Post added 17 and 13th-seeded Boston College upset fifth-seeded Wake Forest in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament on Wednesday.The Eagles (7-14) rallied from a 10-point deficit with six minutes left in regulation before scoring the first six points in overtime and going on to win.It's the first time BC has won two tournament games since 2018 but not without some adversity, including the double-digit deficit that came after they had led most of the way. “We have a lot of endurance,” BC coach Earl Grant said. “We talked about, hey look, if you're going to a climb up to the top of the hill at some point a giant is going to get in your way and you have to try and slay him. We knew it was going to be hard ... but we executed and played together.”BC's Brevin Galloway hit a 3-pointer to break a tie and cap a 14-1 run with 2:35 left in regulation. He missed a tough layup against two defenders as he drove to the hoop at the end of regulation.Jaeden Zachery hit a 3-pointer to open overtime, Makai Ashton-Langford followed with a floater and Zachery added a free throw. A basket by ACC player of the year Alondes Williams cut the BC lead to three with 1:20 to go but a short Langford jumper and two Galloway free throws make it a seven-point edge with 27 seconds left. Damari Monsanto hit a 40-foot 3-pointer but after a Zachery free throw with 7.5 seconds remaining, the Deacons' court-length inbounds pass went out of bounds.BC, which lost to the Demon Deacons by 30 in the regular season, moves on to face Miami, which beat the Eagles 81-70 on March 2. But Grant sees a different Eagles team than the one that had its regular-season struggles.“It's your core parts. ... It's something we talk about, something you practice and something you do, Grant said. And then when you get kids starting to believe that’s what we are, the inner parts showed up. All the things that we went through this year, overtime losses, really hard losses and tough, tough wins we had to dig out, (the effort) was kind of just an accumulation of everything we saw this season.”Ashton-Langford added 13 points, Zachery 12 and Galloway 11 for the Eagles, who shot 50% and made 24 of 34 free throws. Jake LaRavia scored 21 points, Williams 17 and Dallas Walton 10 with Monsanto adding 12 on four 3-pointers for the Deacons (23-9), who now probably have at least a bit of uncertainty about their NCAA Tournament bid chances.The Eagles led virtually all of the first half and most of the opening minutes of the second half before a field-goal drought of over eight minutes cost them the lead. Making 12 of 13 free throws during that shooting slump kept them in the game.__More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Boston College gets OT win over Wake Forest in ACC tourney

NewYork

A look at Wednesday for bubble teams chasing NCAA Tournament bids: GAME OF THE DAY Wake Forest meets Boston College in Wednesday’s second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in New York, and the Demon Deacons (23-8) are playing more to avoid damaging their NCAA resume than to bolster it.The fifth-seeded Demon Deacons had no trouble in the first meeting, beating the Eagles (12-19) by 30 points at home on Jan. 24. But the 23-win season comes in a down year for the ACC, while the Demon Deacons are just 1-4 in Quadrant 1 games and 4-3 in Quadrant 2.Led by league player of the year Alondes Williams and coach of the year Steve Forbes, the Demon Deacons were one of the last four teams to avoid a play-in round in ESPN’s mock bracket on Tuesday. They were a No. 11 seed in BracketMatrix.com’s average of 141 projected fields as of early Wednesday.TEAMS TO WATCH Oregon: Whatever chance the Ducks (18-13) have begins with a Pac-12 Tournament matchup against an Oregon State team that is 3-27 a year after reaching the Elite Eight. Oregon lost its last three games and won’t have leading scorer Will Richardson (14.1 points) due to an illness.Xavier: The Musketeers (18-12) are firmly on the bubble entering the Big East Tournament against Butler. Xavier — which has lost seven of nine — is a 12-seed in BracketMatrix and one of the last four teams into the field of 68 according to ESPN.RISING AND FALLING Virginia Tech opens its ACC Tournament against a team that wounded its NCAA hopes last weekend. The Hokies (19-12) had won nine of 10 before taking a hit by falling at Clemson. Virginia Tech was one of the first four teams out according to ESPN’s Tuesday projection. ... Virginia (18-12) also can’t afford a stumble as it opens the ACC Tournament against Louisville. The Cavaliers beat the Cardinals last weekend. ... Seton Hall (20-9) looks to be on pretty solid footing – a 7-seed on BracketMatrix and an 8-seed on ESPN — as it heads to the Big East Tournament on a five-game winning streak, but a loss to Georgetown (6-24) with the Hoyas on a 20-game losing streak wouldn’t be ideal.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap ___ More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

BUBBLE WATCH: Demon Deacons aim to add another win in ACCs

ESPN

Oregon

NEW YORK (AP) — James Karnik scored 13 points, DeMarr Langford added 12 points and 13th-seeded Boston College used a 25-3 run to beat No. 12 seed Pittsburgh 66-46 on Tuesday in the opening game of the ACC tournament.Boston College (12-19) won its first conference tournament game since 2018 to advance to play ACC player of the year Alondes Williams and No. 5 seed Wake Forest in the second round on Wednesday. The Eagles lost at Wake Forest 87-57 on Jan. 24.This one was over early in the second half. Pittsburg went without a field goal for 11-plus minutes as Boston College extended its lead to 46-25.Boston College made 3 of 4 free throws with 18:21 left in the second half following flagrant and technical fouls to extend its lead to 36-23. The Eagles had a chance at a six-point possession but Quinten Post’s wide open 3-pointer from the corner was short. Pitt did not make a field goal for the final 4 minutes, 50 seconds of the first half. John Hugley ended the drought with a jumper from the free-throw line with 13:48 remaining in the game.Post finished with 11 points for BC.Pittsburgh (11-21) closed the season on a five-game losing streak — with 20-plus-point blowouts to Miami, Duke, Notre Dame and BC.Hugley finished with 15 points for Pitt. Mouhamadou Gueye added 12 points and Jamarius Burton had 10.Hugley picked up his second foul with 4:14 left in the first half, joining two other Pitt starters on the bench with two fouls. Boston College capitalized on Pitt’s foul trouble by going on a 12-0 run for a 33-22 lead. Burton was whistled for his third foul with 25 seconds left in the half.Former Pitt star quarterback Kenny Pickett sat courtside.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Boston College uses 25-3 run to ease past Pitt in ACC opener

Wake Forest guard Alondes Williams is The Associated Press men’s basketball player of the year for the Atlantic Coast Conference, while the Demon Deacons' Steve Forbes was named coach of the year after leading them to an unexpectedly strong season.Duke’s Paolo Banchero was also named as newcomer of the year in results announced Tuesday.Williams, a 6-foot-5 guard, joined North Carolina’s Armando Bacot as the only unanimous first-team picks on the AP’s all-ACC teams. He earned nine votes for player of the year, finishing ahead of Bacot (five) and Banchero (one) after voting from 15 journalists covering the ACC regional footprint.Williams, who was also named player of the year by the league on Monday, finished one point behind Syracuse’s Buddy Boeheim for the regular-season scoring lead (19.29). He also led the league in assists (5.26). It was an unexpected performance from a player who had averaged 6.0 points in 2019-20 and then 6.7 points last year with the Sooners. Before going to Oklahoma, Williams had played two years of junior college.Forbes earned seven votes as coach of the year, beating out Notre Dame’s Mike Brey (four) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (two) as the only other coaches with multiple votes. The second-year coach has guided the Demon Deacons (23-8) to their best win total since 2009 after they were picked to finish 13th in the league in the preseason, and they hold the No. 5 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in New York.The school announced Monday that Forbes had signed a “long-term” contract extension with the school.The 6-10 Banchero, a top NBA prospect, earned 12 votes for newcomer of the year, with Williams earning the other three votes after transferring into the league.On the AP all-ACC teams, regular-season champion Duke had three picks in Banchero as a first-teamer while wing Wendell Moore Jr. and big man Mark Williams made the second team. The seventh-ranked Blue Devils were the only team to have multiple all-ACC picks.Miami’s Kameron McGusty joined Alondes Williams, Bacot, Banchero and Boeheim on the first team. North Carolina State’s Dereon Seabron, Virginia’s Jayden Gardner and Virginia Tech’s Keve Aluma joined Moore and Mark Williams on the second team.The 2021-22 AP All-ACC team, with players listed alphabetically with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown (“u-” denotes unanimous selections):FIRST TEAMu-Alondes Williams, Wake Forest, 6-5, 210, Gr. Milwaukeeu-Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 6-10, 240, Jr. Richmond, VirginiaPaolo Banchero, Duke, 6-10, 250, Fr. SeattleKameron McGusty, Miami, 6-5, 190, Katy, TexasBuddy Boeheim, Syracuse, 6-6, 205, Sr. Fayetteville, New YorkSECOND TEAMWendell Moore Jr. Duke, 6-5, 213, Jr. Charlotte, North CarolinaDereon Seabron, North Carolina State, 6-7, 180, R-So. Norfolk, VirginiaMark Williams, Duke, 7-1, 242, So. Virginia Beach, VirginiaJayden Gardner, Virginia, 6-6, 246, Sr. Wake Forest, North Carolina Keve Aluma, Virginia Tech, 6-9, 235, R-Sr. Berlin, Maryland___Coach of the year – Steve Forbes, Wake ForestPlayer of the year – Alondes Williams, Wake ForestNewcomer of the year – Paolo Banchero, Duke___AP All-ACC voting panel:Mike Barber, The Richmond (Virginia) Times-Dispatch; Mark Berman, The Roanoke (Virginia) Times; Rick Bozich, WDRB-TV, Louisville, Kentucky; Lauren Brownlow, WCMC-FM, Raleigh, North Carolina; Alexis Cubit, The State of Columbia, South Carolina; Donna Ditota, The Post-Standard of Syracuse, New York; Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald; Kevin McNamara, WPRO, Providence, Rhode Island; Craig Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Tom Noie, South Bend (Indiana) Tribune; Jonas Pope, The News and Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina; Adam Smith, The Times-News of Burlington, North Carolina; Ken Sugiura, Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Curt Weiler, Tallahassee (Florida) Democrat; and Steve Wiseman, The Herald-Sun of Durham, North Carolina.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Wake Forest's Williams, Forbes take AP top honors for ACC

NorthCarolina

Wake Forest says second-year coach Steve Forbes has signed a “long-term” contract extension as he leads a rapid rise for the long-struggling Demon Deacons program.The school announced the deal Monday, the same day the Atlantic Coast Conference picked Forbes as coach of the year. The private university didn't release terms of the extension.Forbes said the negotiations were stress-free.“I didn't have to go to them,” Forbes said in a video teleconference with reporters. They came to me. ... I never lost one ounce of sleep about it. I knew (athletics director John Currie) and my agent would get it done. And they did.“It wasn't a commitment just to me. It was a commitment to my staff, my players and the entire program.”Forbes was the only hire made by a power-conference men's basketball program as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sports world in spring 2020, then labored through a pandemic-altered first season with six wins.This year's Demon Deacons were picked to finish 13th in the 15-team ACC. Instead, Wake Forest (23-8) has its highest win total since the 2008-09 season and holds the No. 5 seed for this week's ACC Tournament in New York. The Demon Deacons could also reach the NCAA Tournament for only the second time since 2010.Forbes hit it big on the transfer market to enable him to restructure this year's roster. Headlining the new additions is Oklahoma transfer Alondes Williams, who was the league's No. 2 scorer (19.3) and assists leader (5.3) en route to being named ACC player of the year. The Demon Deacons also added Indiana State forward Jake LaRavia, picked as a second-team all-ACC performer.“Him being on us everyday in practice and seeing how much he cares about this game ... it was just great seeing him win that (award) and seeing what he's been putting into this program to turn it around, Williams said.The extension marks the second time in recent months that Currie has sought to secure one of his headlining coaches who could be an attractive candidate for other jobs. The school in November announced it had signed football coach Dave Clawson to an extension as he led the Demon Deacons to a top-10 national ranking in the ACC championship game.“They put the ball in my court, Forbes said. This is where I want to be, I never said anything different. ... I will say this: if your name is being mentioned for stuff like that, it's a good thing because it means you're winning. They ain't going to put your name in there if you're losing.”___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Wake Forest signs Forbes to 'long-term' contract extension

Forbes

Oklahoma

Charlotte,United States

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Isaiah Wilkins scored 19 points and Longwood advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time with a 79-58 victory over Winthrop on Sunday in the Big South tournament championship game.Top-seeded Longwood (26-6) never trailed, led by as many as 21 in the first half, 28 in the second half and cruised against the second-seeded Eagles (23-9), a perennial Big South power who had won the last two conference tournament titles and hoped to win its 19th overall.The two division champions came in on a roll. Winthrop had won its last 10 games, its previous loss coming to the Lancers 92-88 in the regular season. Longwood had won seven straight and was making its first conference tournament championship appearance. Winthrop beat the Lancers in the semifinals last year.Wilkins, who spent two seasons at Virginia Tech and another at Wake Forest before coming to Longwood this season, was 7-of-11 shooting with three 3-pointers, eight rebounds and three steals. Leslie Nkereuwem added 11 points. Justin Hill had nine points with eight rebounds and five assists. Big South player of the year D.J. Burns Jr. led Winthrop with 14 points. Micheal Anumba had 12 and Patrick Good 11.The outcome was essentially decided in the first half when little went wrong for Longwood, shooting 60%, making 8 of 10 3-point attempts and scoring 22 points off 11 turnovers to lead 45-27. Wilkins led the way with 12 points. Five players hit from the arc including Nate Lliteras with three for his nine points.A 13-0 run gave Longwood its largest lead of 28 during a stretch of the second half when Winthrop went seven minutes without a field goal. The closest Winthrop got after that was 16. In the end, Longwood outshot Winthrop 53% to 41%, made 10 of 17 from the arc to 6 of 24 for the Eagles and scored 32 points off 19 turnovers that included 10 steals. __More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Longwood wins Big South for first NCAA Tournament bid

Greensboro,United States

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Digna Strautmane blocked her fourth shot of the game on a 3-point attempt from the corner with 15 seconds left to help preserve No. 25 Georgia Tech's 45-40 win over Wake Forest Thursday to advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinals, where the Yellow Jackets will face No. 3 seed Notre Dame Friday night. Georgia Tech lost two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year Lorela Cubaj in the first quarter after she took a hard fall and suffered a lacerated chin.Neither team shot well and no player reached double-figure scoring in two quarters. Georgia Tech led 16-6 after one quarter, but was up 20-13 at intermission. Wake Forest hit just 14 of 64 from the field (21.9%), yet the Demon Deacons trailed by just three with 37 seconds to go after Elise Williams hit a free throw to make it 43-40. Georgia Tech shot 17 of 46 from the field (37%), including 4 of 17 from beyond the arc and was just 7 of 18 from the free-throw line, which allowed Wake Forest to hang on late.Jewel Spear hit two free throws with 1:28 left to pull the Deacons within a point, 40-39, but Lotta-Maj Lahtinen stepped up and knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key to push the lead back to four points, and Stautmane added a free throw to make it a two-possession game. In all, Georgia Tech missed 6 of 7 free-throw attempts in the final 90 seconds before Lahtinen hit the second of two with four seconds left to set the final score.Spear finished with 11 points to lead Wake Forest (15-16, 4-14), the lone scorer to reach double digits. Eylia Love led Georgia Tech (21-9, 11-7) with 16 points. Lahtinen finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Stautmane added eight points, eight rebounds and three assists. ___More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Georgia Tech holds off Wake Forest, 45-40, faces Notre Dame

Winston-salem,United States

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Daivien Williamson scored a career-high 28 points, Dallas Walton added 20 points and a career-best 12 rebounds, and Wake Forest ended its regular season with a 101-76 rout of North Carolina State on Wednesday night. Wake Forest (23-8, 13-7) entered fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings and secured a top-5 seed into the conference tournament for the first time since 2010. The Demon Deacons also matched a program record with their 13th ACC win. Williamson and Walton were a combined 19 of 23 from the floor, with Williamson making five of the Deacons' 10 3-pointers. Alondes Williams had 17 points and a career-high 11 assists, and Isaiah Mucius added 12 points. The Deacons, who have won two of their last three games, shot 56% in the first half and 65% in the second while surpassing 100 points for the first time this season.Terquavion Smith scored 22 points and made five 3s to lead N.C. State (11-18, 4-15). Jericole Hellems added 18 points, and Casey Morsell and Jaylon Gibson had 10 apiece. The Wolfpack play at Florida State on Saturday in a regular-season finale. __More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Wednesday night.

Wake Forest has 3 with career night, routs N.C. State 101-76

Jewell Spear scored 15 of her 23 points in the second half and 11th-seeded Wake Forest put together a late run to defeat 14-seed Virginia 61-53 in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament on Wednesday.Olivia Summiel's 3-pointer with 5:32 to play gave the Demon Deacons their first lead since early in the second quarter at 51-50. It also started a game-closing 14-2 run as the Cavaliers went cold, missing their last five shots.Wake Forest (15-15) faces No. 25 Georgia Tech, the sixth seed, in the second round on Thursday.Christina Morra scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Demon Deacons, who finally found their shooting range in the fourth quarter, going 7 of 12 and still finished the game at just 42%.Spear had five 3-pointers, moving her to second on the school's single-season list with 88, nine behind the leader. She helped her team overcome 20 turnovers, 10 more than Virginia.Virginia (5-22) has lost five straight in the series the Cavaliers lead 69-9.Mir McLean and London Clarkson both scored 11 points for the Cavaliers, but the team only shot 33%, going 4 of 12 in the fourth quarter.Spear hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter to help Wake Forest take a 12-11 lead, but the Demon Deacons went cold in the second quarter. They didn't get a basket after Niyah Becker tied the game at 18 at the 6:14 mark. Spear scored 12 points in the third quarter to keep Wake Forest in the game.Virginia didn't light it up, shooting 19% in the first quarter and 27.5% for the half, but Wake Forest missed it last six shots and had 11 turnovers to the Cavs' two.__More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Spear rallies Wake Forest women past Virginia in ACC opener

Virginia

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Lorela Cubaj scored 18 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and had seven assists and No. 22 Georgia Tech ended a three-game losing streak with a 65-56 win over Wake Forest on Sunday to close the regular season.Cubaj scored nine points in the fourth quarter, including the clinching free throws with 31.8 seconds to go as the Yellow Jackets (20-9, 10-7) secured the sixth-seed in next week's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.Nerea Hermosa added 16 points, Lotta-Maj Lahtinen added 12 with seven rebounds and five assists and Avyonce Carter scored 11. Georgia Tech had not won a game in regulation since Feb. 1 and had lost 5 of 6 with three of the previous four games decided in overtime. The Yellow Jackets opened ACC play with a 62-45 win over the Demon Deacons.Christina Morra had 14 points and nine rebounds for Wake Forest (14-15, 4-15) and Niyah Becker scored 13.Georgia Tech shot 48% and had a 42-24 rebounding advantage but couldn't breakaway from Wake Forest, which was 8 of 18 from 3-point range to 2 of 14 for the Yellow Jackets.Jewell Spear hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half to give Wake Forest a 33-32 lead. Hermosa and Cubaj combined for 12 points in the third quarter as Tech went up 48-41. Cubaj opened the fourth with two free throws but Becker's jumper pulled Wake within 54-53 with 5:09 to go. The Demon Deacons went 1 of 7 from there.__More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Cubaj's big game lifts No. 22 Georgia Tech over Wake Forest

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Jake LaRavia scored 23 points, Dallas Walton scored 22 and all five Wake Forest starters reached double figures in a 99-77 victory over Louisville on Saturday night.Wake Forest rolled through the second half, turning an eight-point halftime lead into a 95-64 advantage after LaRavia scored with 3:40 remaining. At that point, Wake Forest had made 72% of its shots in the second half. Soon after that the Demon Deacons emptied the bench.Daivien Williamson scored 15 points, Isaiah Mucius 12 and Alondes Williams 11 for Wake Forest (22-8, 12-7 ACC). LaRavia had seven rebounds, five assists and made 13 of 14 free throws. Walton was 8 of 9 from the field, including 4 for 4 from 3-point distance.Sydney Curry led Louisville (12-16, 6-12) with 28 points. He made 13 of 18 shots and had seven rebounds off the bench. Noah Locke added 14 points.Wake Forest broke out to a 22-5 lead in the first eight minutes of the first half. The Demon Deacons made 4 of 5 3-pointers in that run and 9 of 12 overall while Louisville made just 2 of 10 shots.Louisville recovered and trailed 44-36 at halftime. The Cardinals finished the half at 52% from the field despite making only 2 of 10 3-pointers. Wake Forest finished the half at 52% overall with 6 of 13 3-pointers.For the game, Wake Forest shot 58%, made 13 of 27 3-pointers and went 22 for 27 from the free-throw line.With one regular season game remaining — vs. NC State on Wednesday — Wake Forest trails fourth-place Miami (12-6) by half a game in the ACC standings. Miami plays at Boston College on Wednesday and at Syracuse on Saturday.Louisville plays at Virginia Tech and Tuesday and hosts Virginia on Saturday.—-More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

LaRavia, Walton lead Wake Forest to 99-77 rout of Louisville

Clemson,United States

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chase Hunter scored a career-high 21 points, Al-Amir Dawes added 19 and short-handed Clemson beat Wake Forest 80-69 on Wednesday night to snap a six-game losing streak.Clemson was without leading scorer PJ Hall (15.5 points per game) due to a foot injury. But Guards Hunter and Dawes helped carry the weight without the Tigers star big man. Hunter was 10 of 12 from the field and Dawes made six straight free throws in the final 41 minutes to seal it.Nick Honor had 13 points and Ian Schieffelin added 10 for Clemson (13-15, 5-12 ACC). Freshman Ben Middlebrooks, in his first start of the season, was held scoreless in 20 minutes.Damari Monsanto had 17 points and seven rebounds, Jake LaRavia added 15 points and eight boards, and Alondes Williams scored 13 for Wake Forest (21-8, 11-7), which was seeking its sixth ACC road win. Isaiah Mucius, averaging 9.6 points, did not play.Monsanto scored 13 points in the first half, matching his season high for a game. He was 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Seven of Wake Forest’s 11 made field goals were 3-pointers.LaRavia missed his first nine shots of the game but scored seven straight Wake Forest points to get within 66-62.Clemson is at Boston College on Saturday. Wake Forest hosts Louisville on Saturday before closing the regular season on Wednesday against North Carolina State.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Clemson beats Wake Forest without PJ Hall, snaps 6-game skid

Tigers

Atlanta,United States

ATLANTA (AP) — Karla Erjavec had 12 points, Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi added 10, and Miami defeated No. 16 Georgia Tech 51-39 on Sunday, the Hurricanes' fourth win in eight days.Miami dominated the first half, particularly on the defensive end, and led 26-12 at the break. The Yellow Jackets made three baskets in the first half, shooting 13% (3 for 23), and half of their points came from the foul line where they made 6 of 8.Georgia Tech played even with Miami through the first several minutes of the second half, but the Hurricanes’ lead reached 15 points when Erjavec hit a 3-pointer for a 37-22 advantage with 2:37 remaining in the third quarter. Miami went on to lead 42-25 heading to the fourth. Georgia Tech made three 3-pointers late in the period to get as close as 49-39.Eylia Love led Georgia Tech with 12 points. Lorela Cubaj had 12 rebounds and seven points.The Hurricanes swept the season series, having defeated Georgia Tech 46-45 earlier in the year.Georgia Tech has lost four of five, with three losses to unranked teams.The Yellow Jackets conclude the regular season with two road games – against Florida State on Thursday and Wake Forest on Sunday. Miami plays at Virginia Tech on Thursday and returns home to play Wake Forest on Sunday.-—More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Miami women knock off No. 16 Georgia Tech 51-39

Atlanta

Georgia

Tech

Durham,United States

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Freshman forward Paolo Banchero scored 17 points as No. 9 Duke beat Florida State 88-70 on Saturday night with retiring Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski back after missing the second half of the Blue Devils' previous game because he wasn't feeling well.Reserve forward Joey Baker provided a big lift for Duke, scoring 12 points on four first-half 3-pointers. That included back-to-back shots from each corner during the Blue Devils' push shortly before halftime that finally stretched out the lead after both teams rarely missed to start.The Blue Devils (23-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) closed the half on a 12-2 burst to take a 52-41 lead against the injury-depleted Seminoles, then did a better job containing FSU's drivers as they broke open the game in the second half. Duke finished the game shooting 52%, including 11 of 28 from 3-point range.The win allowed Duke to avenge last month's 79-78 overtime road loss to Florida State, as well as push into sole possession of first place in the ACC with Notre Dame's loss at Wake Forest earlier Saturday.Freshman guard Matthew Cleveland scored 16 points to lead the Seminoles (14-12, 7-9), who played yet again with a shorthanded roster. They still got off to a strong start by penetrating into the paint and making 16 of 23 shots (69.6%) to offset Duke's own strong offense in rowdy Cameron Indoor Stadium.That included a run of seven straight made shots over nearly six minutes of game action, which had FSU down just 40-39 on Wyatt Wilkes' 3-pointer with 3:53 left.But Duke answered with a game-changing run, which included Baker's consecutive 3s. Then came a spectacular transition sequence with Wendell Moore Jr. throwing a roughly halfcourt bounce pass to freshman A.J. Griffin for a rim-rattling dunk and a 51-41 lead in the final minute of the half.The Seminoles shot just 11 of 27 (41%) after halftime as the deficit ballooned.BIG PICTUREFSU: Injuries had the Seminoles down five starters for this one. That included leading scorer Caleb Mills — sporting a protective boot on his left ankle after rolling it in last weekend's loss at North Carolina — and 6-foot-4 senior RayQuan Evans due to a banged-up knee from Tuesday's win against Clemson. The Seminoles played aggressively and fearlessly early behind Cleveland (11 first-half points) and Tanor Ngom (nine of his 11 before halftime) before the game got away near its midway point.Duke: The Blue Devils had six players in double figures and shared the ball well with 25 assists on 32 baskets, including eight assists from freshman Trevor Keels and seven more from Moore. There was also Krzyzewski looking more like himself on the bench; the Blue Devils' trainer had to tend to him during the first half of Tuesday's win against Wake Forest before associate head coach Jon Scheyer — Coach K's successor when he retires this spring — took over after halftime in that narrow win.UP NEXTFSU: The Seminoles have a short turnaround, visiting Boston College on Monday.Duke: The Blue Devils visit Virginia on Wednesday in the first of three straight road games.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Coach K returns, No. 9 Duke rolls past Florida State 88-70

HallOfFame

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Alondes Williams scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, Jake LaRavia added 20 points and Wake Forest defeated Notre Dame 79-74 on Saturday.Williams had 13 points in the last 10 minutes, including a layup at the 4:20 mark that put the Demon Deacons up for good 67-66. Khadim Sy then blocked an Irish shot and scored on a jump hook on the other end.Isaiah Macius hit a 3-pointer to push the Wake Forest lead to 75-70 at the 1:20 mark but the Irish quickly answered with a 3 from the left corner by Cormac Ryan. Williams restored the two-possession lead with another inside basket.Blake Wesley made 1 of 2 free throws at 44.3 seconds and the teams traded misses before LaRavia iced it with a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds left.Sy had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Wake Forest (21-7, 11-6 Atlantic Coast Conference). Williams also had 10 rebounds and LaRavia nine as the Demon Deacons had a 43-27 advantage on the boards, including a 16-2 difference on the offensive end. Wake Forest had 16 second-chance points to four for the Fighting Irish.Wesley had six 3-pointers and 24 points for Notre Dame (19-8, 12-4). Ryan had 12 points and three others reached double figures. The Fighting Irish were 14 of 31 from 3-point range, reaching double figures for the 12th time but losing for the first time when hitting at least 10 3s. The biggest lead for Wake Forest was 12-6 when Mucius made a 3-pointer 6 1/2 minutes into the game. Notre Dame's next six baskets were 3-pointers with Nate Laszewski starting and ending a 12-0 run for a 24-16 lead. The Irish got the lead to 12 on a Wesley 3-pointer and Ryan layup at the 3:18 mark but the Demon Deacons scored the last six points to close within 41-35.The teams combined to make 27 of 30 free throws. Notre Dame shot better from the field but with the rebounding difference and the Irish having four more turnovers, Wake Forest put up 19 more shots and made five more field goals.The Fighting Irish are home against Syracuse on Wednesday when Wake Forest goes to Clemson.__More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Williams rallies Wake Forest past Notre Dame 79-74

Ryan

Raleigh,United States

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Diamond Johnson scored 16 points, and No. 4 North Carolina State moved closer to an Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 92-61 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday night.The Wolfpack (23-3, 14-1) racked up its most points in any quarter this season — 37 in the third — on the way to its fifth straight victory.With No. 3 Louisville losing earlier in the night at No. 24 North Carolina, the Wolfpack is closing in on its first ACC regular-season title since the 1989-90 season. The Wolfpack holds a 1½-game lead with two games to play.Jakia Brown-Turner rolled up 15 points, reserve Camille Hobby posted 14 points, Kayla Jones had 11 points and Elissa Cunane added 10 points for N.C. State.Elise Williams had 14 points and Christina Morra scored 13 for Wake Forest (13-13, 3-12), which lost for the 10th time in its last 11 games. ACC scoring leader Jewel Spear notched 11 points, well below her average of 19.2.After going 1 for 8 on 3-point shots in the first half, the Wolfpack went 8 for 9 on long-range shots in the first 7 1/2 minutes of the third quarter. Those baskets were a big part of a 37-18 third-quarter edge for the WolfpackN.C. State scored the first eight points of the second quarter for a 22-13 edge. The Wolfpack led by as many as 18 and went into halftime up 39-25. That margin ballooned to 53-28 after N.C. State made three 3-pointers in the first 2½ minutes of the second half. BIG PICTUREWake Forest: The Demon Deacons were trying to string together consecutive victories after beating Virginia on Sunday. It has been more than two months since they’ve won two in a row, and the Demon Deacons are simply trying to put together a few good games down the stretch.N.C. State: The Wolfpack had it rolling after a rather ordinary opening 10 minutes. N.C. State shot 51.5% from the field to help it to its largest point total in ACC play this season. After withstanding second-half challenges in the previous three games, the Wolfpack was able to coast. TIP-INSIt was a program-record 15th ACC regular-season victory for N.C. State. … The Wolfpack has won eight straight meetings with Wake Forest. … Wake Forest dropped to 0-66 all-time vs. top-5 teams.UP NEXT: Wake Forest: At Boston College on Sunday.N.C. State: Hosts Syracuse on Sunday in the regular-season home finale.___More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Big offense carries No. 4 N.C. State women past Wake Forest

Duke's A.J. Griffin needed time to get comfortable again after missing most of the past two seasons, along with some of this year's preseason, due to injuries.The freshman is thriving now as a shot-maker with size and athleticism, pushing the 18-year-old high on NBA draft boards with potential to grow his game even more.“It’s going to be hard for anybody to come in and just be great right away,” junior Wendell Moore Jr. said. “So it’s been a slow grind and a slow pace. … Now everybody’s seeing the tremendous player he is today.”Griffin – son of former NBA player and current Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin -- has shown tantalizing upside as part of Duke’s heralded recruiting class headlined by 6-foot-10 forward Paolo Banchero. His stroke has been terrific from 3-point range, and he’s shown flashes of the ability to take over a game since becoming a full-time starter last month – illustrated by him scoring the first 10 points after halftime on the way to a season-high 27 in a romp at rival North Carolina.“He’s moving his feet, and as a result is getting wider,” retiring Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski said afterward. “His first step, he’s driving the ball better. He’s getting somewhere with his first dribble instead of having his dribble within his body. … No one has worked any harder than that kid.”SIZE: 6-6, 222 pounds.STATS: 9.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 50.5% shooting. He’s averaging 12.6 points and shooting 52.7% (29 of 55) on 3-pointers in his 12 starts.STRENGTHS: It starts with Griffin’s frame and shooting touch, which gives him upside as a perimeter scorer and defender. ACC Network analyst and former Louisville player Luke Hancock noted he also plays well off teammates.“He lets the game came to him,” Hancock said. “He’s been able to knock down shots. He’s not trying to do too much. He picks and chooses his spots about when he attacks off the dribble. He’s not out there just trying to mix somebody up and take fadeaway 3s. He’s taking quality shots and playing within the offense.”WEAKNESSES: There aren’t many glaring holes, especially for a developing player who won’t turn 19 until August.Hancock pointed to the ability to more effectively attack off the dribble and get to the foul line. He has shot just 14 free throws in his 12 starts, including seven without an attempt.“If I’m going to choose one thing, it’s being able to play low, play off the bounce, create contact and probably get to the free-throw line a bit more,” Hancock said. “That’s the one (thing): he hasn’t gotten to the free throw line as much as a a physical, big, athletic presence probably should. But that’s nitpicking.”DRAFT PROJECTION: Lottery pick.Some other NBA prospects around the Atlantic Coast Conference:BLAKE WESLEY, Notre Dame: The 6-5 freshman offers intriguing athleticism as a first-round prospect, though he is shooting just 41% from the field, 31% from 3-point range and 65% from the foul line entering Wednesday’s game against Boston College.ALONDES WILLIAMS, Wake Forest: The 6-5 Oklahoma transfer remains the surprise ACC leader in scoring (19.8 points) and assists (5.2) as a second-round prospect.MARK WILLIAMS, Duke: The 7-1 sophomore's potential as a rebounder — illustrated by his last-second putback dunk to beat Wake Forest on Tuesday – and shot blocker stands out.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

NBA Prospect Watch: Griffin healthy again, thriving at Duke

TorontoRaptors

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Mark Williams dunked in Paolo Banchero's missed drive with 0.4 seconds left to help ninth-ranked Duke beat Wake Forest 76-74 on Tuesday night, capping a wild game that saw Blue Devils Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski not coach after halftime because the team said he was “not feeling well.”The drama carried to the final possession as Wake Forest had only a desperate chance. Domari Monsanto took the inbounds pass and heaved a one-handed throw to the far end that appeared to be a bit late with the ball hitting the glass then bouncing off the rim before falling away.That ended an eventful night in famously rowdy Cameron Indoor Stadium, which started when Krzyzewski — who is retiring after this season — wasn’t with the team as it returned to the court from the locker room after halftime. The team’s official Twitter account later posted that Krzyzewski wouldn’t return, and no other details were immediately available.Associate head coach Jon Scheyer, who has been designated as the 75-year-old Krzyzewski’s successor for next season, took over as the teams began second-half play. Scheyer had also coached the team in Duke's win at Wake Forest last month with Krzyzewski out due to an illness.The game also included Duke (22-4, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rolling to a 19-point lead after halftime, only to watch Wake Forest (20-7, 10-6) claw back in it and tie the game at 74 on free throws by Alondes Williams with 17.5 seconds left.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

After Coach K's exit, No. 9 Duke edges Wake Forest 76-74

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski didn’t return to the bench for the start of the second half of Tuesday's game between his ninth-ranked Blue Devils and Wake Forest.It’s unclear exactly why the coach, who is retiring after this season, didn’t return to the sideline for the start of the second half. Associate head coach Jon Scheyer, who has been designated as Krzyzewski’s successor for next season, took over as the teams began second-half play.Krzyzewski, who turned 75 on Sunday, was dealing with an apparent issue roughly midway through the first half, holding his forehead while Scheyer and fellow associate head coach Chris Carrawell seemed to be checking on him from either side on the bench. During a later timeout, trainer Jose Fonseca checked on Krzyzewski both at the beginning and the end of the stoppage.But by the end of the first half, Krzyzewski appeared to be fine, standing up to applaud or shout instructions to his players.___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Duke's Krzyzewski not coaching 2nd half vs. Wake Forest

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Kameron McGusty scored 22 points and Isaiah Wong added 20, combining for 24 in the second half to rally Miami to a 76-72 win over Wake Forest on Saturday.Wong had a pair of free throws to break a tie at 67 with 2:45 to go and McGusty followed with a 3-pointer with 90 seconds remaining. Alondes Williams made a layup for the Demon Deacons but McGusty answered that for a 74-69 lead with 45 seconds left.Williams quickly responded with a three-point play but Wong nailed the clutch jumper to restore the two-possession game as the Hurricanes ran the clock down to 11 seconds.Sam Waardenburg added 12 points for the Hurricanes (18-7, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won the first meeting 92-84 on Jan. 1.It was also the 101st league win for Miami coach Jim Larranaga, who become the 14th ACC coach to reach 100 league wins on Wednesday. He is the first coach to reach 100 league wins with three Division I teams (George Mason, Bowling Green) and to do that in three different leagues.Williams scored 25 points to lead Wake Forest (20-6, 10-5), which had won three straight and seven of eight. Daivien Williamson added 12 points.Wake Forest was 9 of 21 from 3-point range and shot 55% (28 of 51) but was done in by 17 turnovers, 10 more than Miami, which turned those miscues into 19 points. The Demon Deacons had no points after turnovers.Miami was 7 of 18 behind the arc and shot 52% (30 of 58).Wake Forest led by as many as 13 points in the first half and was up 43-33 when Williams opened the second-half scoring with a 3-pointer. But a 10-0 run had Miami on top 56-52 midway through the half and it remained tight the rest of the way.The Demon Deacons go to Duke on Tuesday, the Hurricanes head to Louisville on Wednesday.___For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

McGusty, Wong rally Miami past Wake Forest 76-72

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Alondes Williams scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and Wake Forest outscored North Carolina State 21-4 in the final seven minutes to beat the Wolfpack 69-51 on Wednesday night.Williams shot 7 for 10, grabbed nine rebounds — all on the defensive side — and distributed six assists. Isaiah Mucius and Khadim Sy each scored 13 points and Daivien Williamson 11. Sy finished 6-for-7 shooting from the floor and Wake Forest overall went 27 for 50 (54%).The contest was a matchup of the top-two scoring trios in the ACC. Williams entered averaging 19.8 points per game, Jake LaRavia 15.1, and Williamson 12.9 for a combined 47.8 points per game.NC State’s featured trio of Dereon Seabron (18.0), Terquavion Smith (15.8) and Jericole Hellems (13.8) were just behind Wake's threesome at 47.6 points per game. Seabron finished with 22 points against Wake Forest and was the only double-digit scorer for North Carolina State.Seabron sank a pair of foul shots to bring the Wolfpack within 48-47 with 8:23 left. But Wake Forest turned up its defense and quickly pulled away.The Demon Deacons (20-5, 10-4 ACC) reached the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Wake has won three straight and seven of its last eight.North Carolina State (10-15, 3-11) is streaking in the opposite direction having lost five straight and seven of its last eight contests.Wake Forest hosts Miami on Saturday while North Carolina State travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday.___AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Williams lifts Wake Forest past N.C. State for 20th win

Sayantan Guha

Boston, MA, USA

With three passing touchdowns and one more on the ground from Sam Hartman, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons beat the Boston College Eagles 41-10 on Saturday to earn a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. When the Demon Deacons (10-2, 7-1 ACC) meet No. 20 Pittsburgh on December 4, they will try to win their first conference title since 2006. Also Read | NCAA: Iowa rally past Nebraska to hand another heartbreaking loss,Midway through the first quarter, Hartman ran it in from 7 yards out, and a 33-yard throw to A.T. Perry made it 14-0. When Brandon Sebastian intercepted Hartman in the end zone late in the second quarter, BC went three-and-out, and Wake Forest scored on Hartman's 7-yard throw to Perry shortly before halftime. BC (6-6, 2-6) started the third quarter with three straight three-and-outs and an interception, while Wake Forest expanded their advantage to 34-10 with a field goal and a 3-yard run by Christian Turner. Also Read | NCAA: Roschon Johnson flaunts two-way game to lead Texas past Kansas State 22-17,Hartman threw for 236 yards on 20 of 32 passes and 51 yards on 11 carries. Perry had four receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Phil Jurkovec was 3 for 11 passing for 19 yards and two interceptions, but he also led the Eagles in running with 66 yards. Also Read | NCAA: Caleb Williams stars as Oklahoma sink Iowa State 28-21,With the victory, the Demon Deacons have snapped Clemson Tigers' streak of six straight Atlantic Division titles. They have only appeared in the ACC championship game once, beating Georgia Tech in 2006. Meanwhile, the Eagles lost four straight games after Jurkovec sustained what was initially thought to be a season-ending wrist injury. Even after he returned, though, BC went 2-2. The team did not beat anyone with a winning record all season. With inputs from the Associated Press

{\"time\":1638048609560,\"strCount\":2259,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"With three&nbsp;passing touchdowns and one more on the ground from Sam Hartman, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons beat the Boston College Eagles 41-10 on Saturday to earn a spot in the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/ncaa\\\">Atlantic Coast Conference</a> championship game.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"When the Demon Deacons (10-2, 7-1 ACC) meet No. 20 Pittsburgh on December 4, they will try to win their first conference title since 2006.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/ncaa-iowa-rally-past-nebraska-to-hand-another-heartbreaking-loss\\\">NCAA: Iowa rally past Nebraska to hand another heartbreaking loss</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Midway through the first quarter, Hartman ran it in from 7 yards out, and a 33-yard throw to A.T. Perry made it 14-0. When Brandon Sebastian intercepted Hartman in the end zone late in the second quarter, BC went three-and-out, and Wake Forest scored on Hartman's 7-yard throw to Perry shortly before halftime.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"BC (6-6, 2-6) started the third quarter with three straight three-and-outs and an interception, while Wake Forest expanded their advantage to 34-10 with a field goal and a 3-yard run by Christian Turner.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/ncaa-roschon-johnson-flaunts-two-way-game-to-lead-texas-past-kansas-state-22-17\\\">NCAA: Roschon Johnson flaunts two-way game to lead Texas past Kansas State 22-17</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Hartman threw for 236 yards on 20 of 32 passes and 51 yards on 11 carries. Perry had four receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Phil Jurkovec was 3 for 11 passing for 19 yards and two interceptions, but he also led the Eagles in running with 66 yards.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/ncaa-caleb-williams-stars-as-oklahoma-sink-iowa-state-28-21\\\">NCAA: Caleb Williams stars as Oklahoma sink Iowa State 28-21</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"With the victory, the Demon Deacons have snapped Clemson Tigers' streak of six straight Atlantic Division titles. They have only appeared in the ACC championship game once, beating Georgia Tech in 2006.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Meanwhile, the Eagles lost four straight games after Jurkovec sustained what was initially thought to be a season-ending wrist injury. Even after he returned, though, BC went 2-2. The team did not beat anyone with a winning record all season.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"With inputs from the Associated Press\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>Wake Forest Demon Deacons beat the Boston College Eagles 41-10 on Saturday</li>
 <li>Wake Forest earned a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game</li>
 <li>Sam Hartman threw for 236 yards on 20 of 32 passes and 51 yards on 11 carries</li>
</ul>

#WakeForest