Right here’s as we speak’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, the morning column on all the things that’s occurred from the day/evening earlier than and all the things that’s going to occur within the subsequent 24 hours.
Mangia!
Issues To Pattern
Bryce Hopkins takes heart stage
You need a a fantastic March Insanity storyline? You’ve bought one in tonight’s matchup between Windfall and Kentucky in Greensboro (7:10 PM ET, CBS). Hopkins — who performed only one season for the Wildcats earlier than transferring to play for the Friars — is correct in the course of it. The 6-7 ahead solely averaged 2.1 factors and 1.4 rebounds in simply 6.4 minutes final season for Kentucky, however has emerged into among the finest gamers within the Huge East this season for Windfall. He enters tonight’s sport averaging 16.1 factors and eight.5 rebounds. The Friars are on a three-game shedding streak and have misplaced 4 of their final 5 video games.
Iona/UConn
The Huskies have once more change into one of many Huge East’s high packages beneath Dan Hurley, however they’ve but to win an NCAA Event sport throughout his tenure in Storrs. If that modifications as we speak in Albany, it can come in opposition to among the finest coaches within the historical past of the game. Rick Pitino’s squad function two terrific guards in Daniss Jenkins and Walter Clayton Jr., however shall be restricted up entrance in opposition to the Huskies’ heart tandem of Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan. Nonetheless, don’t put something previous Pitino. He’s accomplished all the things in his transient tenure in New Rochelle besides win an NCAA Event sport in opposition to an influence convention opponent. That is the sport of the day within the NCAA Event.
Princeton had a win for the ages
The Tigers didn’t win the Ivy Event final season. In addition they misplaced Ethan Wright to Colorado and Jaelin Llewellyn to Michigan. None of that mattered on Thursday. 27 years after the late Pete Carril led Princeton to an upset of UCLA in 1996, the Tigers had a comparable victory on the game’s largest stage, beating Arizona 59-55 in Sacramento. Probably the most wonderful a part of the triumph? Princeton shot simply 40.6 % from the sector and 16 % from three-point vary, however nonetheless managed to beat a group that gained the Pac-12 Event six days in the past in Las Vegas. The Tigers will subsequent face Missouri on Saturday.
On The Facet
- Miami’s Norchad Omier practiced on Thursday and can play in tonight’s sport in opposition to Drake “so long as his ankle didn’t swell in a single day”, Jim Larranaga instructed Faculty Hoops At present. The 6-7 ahead averages 13.6 PPG and 9.7 RPG. Tip off for tonight’s sport is at 7:25 PM ET on TBS.
- Arkansas is 7-2 in NCAA Event video games during the last three seasons beneath Eric Musselman.
- My coronary heart breaks for Virginia’s Kihei Clark, who dedicated a essential turnover late in Thursday’s loss to Furman. 4 years in the past, Clark was a starter and a key piece on the Cavaliers’ nationwide title group in 2019. This was a painful approach to see his profession finish. The “darkish aspect” of March is an actual factor.
- Xavier will play its first NCAA Event sport since 2018 as we speak in opposition to Kennesaw State (12:40 PM ET, truTV).
- Up to now six days, Penn State gained an NCAA Event sport for the primary time in 22 years and almost gained the Huge Ten Event. If the varsity likes profitable, it ought to get a long-term deal accomplished with Micah Shrewsberry ASAP. The Nittany Lions will subsequent play Texas on Saturday.
Leftovers
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