Latest news with #NITChampionship
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Walt Frazier admits NBA players were afraid to lift weights back in the day: "Basketball players thought it would affect their shot"
The NBA has improved over the years, but perhaps one of the most underrated shifts has been the transformation in how players treat their bodies. Weight training, now seen as standard practice, was once foreign. For legends like Walt "Clyde" Frazier, training differently was one thing, but surviving in an era where basketball culture misunderstood the science behind strength was another. Why players didn't lift weights In the 1960s and early 1970s, being a skilled shooter or quick ball-handler mattered more than building strength. Players feared what the muscle might do to their mechanics. Frazier, a two-time NBA champion and seven-time All-Star, lived through that skepticism. Advertisement "In the beginning, because of the lack of education, basketball players thought [weight lifting] would affect their shot," the legendary point guard said. "That's why they didn't lift weights — because you get too muscular like football players, you don't want your muscles to contract, you want to keep them loose and flexible." Back then, flexibility and finesse were the metrics of greatness. Teams rarely employed full-time fitness staff. The modern performance teams seen today — armed with data analytics, biomechanics experts and recovery protocols — simply didn't exist. When Frazier entered the NBA in 1967 as the New York Knicks' No. 5 overall pick, players were responsible for maintaining their own conditioning. The league offered little structured support outside of training camp. It was a different era. Players weren't expected to maintain year-round peak performance. Offseasons were long, unstructured and rarely centered around muscle development. Advertisement Related: "When I needed cash, he said, 'how much?'" - John Salley says Shaquille O'Neal loaned him $70,000 when he was broke and didn't want it back Changing things Despite that culture, Frazier remained ahead of his time in his understanding of personal limitations and physical disadvantages he carried into the highest level of basketball. Unlike many of his peers, he sought out ways to improve outside the traditional scope of basketball training. "My problem was I was never that fast, I was never that strong," Walt said. "So, when I went to college, we had a guy named Doc Spackman who invented isometrics. He was the inventor of the isometric exercise. So, I went to him and he put me on a weight program." Advertisement Doc Spackman, a pioneer in alternative strength-building, introduced "Clyde" to a concept that focused on muscle tension without movement — an ideal solution for athletes wary of bulking up. At Southern Illinois University, where Frazier helped lead his team to the 1967 NIT Championship, this unconventional training set him apart. He didn't need to be the fastest or the strongest; he needed to be resilient, balanced and durable. The isometric regimen gave him just enough edge. By the time he entered the NBA, Frazier's unique blend of mental sharpness and physical efficiency helped him thrive. Walt's lateral quickness, timing and positional awareness became the trademarks of his game. He made the NBA All-Defensive First Team seven times despite not having the raw speed or strength of some of his contemporaries. Today, weight training is mandatory for NBA hopefuls. Modern stars such as LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo spend millions annually on body maintenance, including personalized weight programs, physiotherapy and recovery tools. Sports performance in the league has transformed from a supplemental routine into a fundamental pillar of a player's identity. Advertisement Frazier's experience underscores the wide gulf between eras. What was once discouraged as counterproductive is now seen as essential. In the 1970s, only a few dared to embrace strength training. Now, it's a baseline requirement for success. The evolution didn't happen overnight. It took decades of trial, error and influence from other sports. Football, with its visible emphasis on physical development, helped shift the narrative. The influx of international players, many of whom arrived with more advanced physical preparation methods, also accelerated the change. By the 1990s, stars like Michael Jordan began working with dedicated strength coaches year-round — Tim Grover's work with Jordan set a new bar for individualized athlete care. Related: "It is much more difficult than playing 30 teams" - Walt Frazier on why today's NBA is way easier than the 70s
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska wins College Basketball Crown after rallying to defeat UCF 77-66
Nebraska wins College Basketball Crown after rallying to defeat UCF 77-66 The Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-14) faced off against the UCF Knights (20-17) for the College Basketball Crown Championship on Sunday afternoon. In a fierce battle, the Huskers took the Crown, knocking off UCF 77-66 to cap off their postseason run. Nebraska secured the victory after the Knights started the second half off on a 14-0 run. The Huskers stormed back from the deficit with a 17-3 run to tie the game with 11 minutes remaining. Nebraska then grabbed hold of the lead and never looked back in their historic win. Brice Williams also made history in the win, setting a new single-season scoring record for the Huskers (713), surpassing James Palmer Jr., who set the record in the 2018-2019 season. Williams scored 21 points in the outing, shooting 6-of-14 shots, 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-8 from the free throw line. The team finished 29-of-61, 9-of-21, and 10-of-17, respectively. Connor Essegian finished alongside Williams with 21 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor, 4-of-8 from three-point range, and 1-of-3 from the foul line. Juwan Gary rounded out the Huskers' top scorers, racking up 20 points and adding a team-high eight rebounds. He finished 8-of-15 in total shooting, 1-of-3 in three-pointers, and 3-of-3 in charity shots. Nebraska ended the season with their first postseason title since winning the 1996 NIT Championship, bouncing back after ending the regular season on a five-game losing streak and missing the Big Ten Tournament. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska's history in March Madness
Nebraska's history in March Madness The Nebraska Cornhuskers have a complicated history with the NCAA tournament. They have made eight appearances in school history and hold a record of 0-8. The Huskers are the only power conference school that has never won a tournament game. The Huskers have had postseason success. They have appeared in 19 National Invitation Tournaments and hold a record of 24-18, including the 1996 NIT Championship. Nebraska has four retired numbers in program history: Tyronn Lue, Stu Lantz, Dave Hoppen, and Eric Piatkoski. Lue is also the only former Husker basketball player to have won an Olympic medal. He won a Gold Medal as an assistant coach of the U.S. Men's Basketball Team in the 2024 Paris Games. Find Nebraska's history in the NCAA tournament by scrolling below. 1986 - Loss to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers The 1986 NCAA tournament was the first appearance in school history. They played as the No. 9 seed in the Southeast region. In the first round, they faced the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who defeated Nebraska 67-59. It was the final game in Moe Iba's tenure as the Huskers head coach. Following the defeat, he resigned. 1991 - Loss to the Xavier Musketeers It was the biggest upset in Nebraska's postseason history. The Huskers received an at-large bid after falling to Missouri in the Big Eight Championship Game and entered the tournament as a No. 3 seed. It would be the first of four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska would fall to the No. 14 seed Xavier Musketeers 89-84. Xavier would fall to No. 11 Connecticut in the regional quarterfinals. 1992 - Loss to the Connecticut Huskies The Huskers entered the '92 tournament, losing six of their last nine games, and were given a No. 8 seed in the southeast region. They would face the No. 9 UConn Huskies in a game that was never competitive, and the Huskers lost 86-65. 1993 - Loss to the New Mexico State Nebraska entered the NCAA tournament for the third straight year, looking for their first tournament victory in program history. They entered March as the No. 10 seed in the East region and faced the No. 7 seed and overall No. 24 in the country, the New Mexico State Aggies. Nebraska failed to play a competitive game for the second straight year and lost to the Aggies 93-79. New Mexico State was later forced to vacate their 1993 NCAA appearance due to academic fraud. 1994 - Loss to the Penn Quakers The Huskers entered the 1994 NCAA tournament after winning the Big Eight tournament, the only conference tournament championship in program history. They entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed in the East region and faced the No. 11 seed, the Penn Quakers. The Quakers would defeat Nebraska in the first round by a score of 90-80. That game was the last time that Penn won an NCAA tournament game. 1998 - Loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks The Cornhuskers returned to the NCAA tournament after a three-year absence as the No. 11 seed in the West region with a showdown against the No. 6 seed and the No. 17 ranked team in the nation, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Nebraska would fall in round one 74-65. That game was the final NCAA tournament appearance of Nebraska head coach Danny Nee, who would depart the program following the 1999-2000 season. 2014 - Loss to the Baylor Bears The Huskers entered the 2014 NCAA tournament as the No. 11 seed in the West region and faced the Baylor Bears, the No. 6 seed and the No. 23 ranked team in the country. Nebraska failed to play a competitive game and lost 74-60. The game was the only tournament appearance Tim Miles would make as head coach of the Huskers. 2024 - Loss to the Texas A&M Aggies After a ten-year absence, Nebraska made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament under head coach Fred Hoiberg as the No. 8 seed in the South region and faced the No. 9 seed Texas A&M Aggies. The Huskers would fade late in the game and fall to the Aggies 98-83. Nebraska is still looking for their first NCAA tournament victory.
Fox Sports
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
La Salle basketball names Radford coach Darris Nichols as Dunphy's successor
Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — La Salle named Darris Nichols as its new basketball coach on Tuesday, succeeding Fran Dunphy, who will retire from coaching at the end of the season. Nichols went 68-63 in four seasons at Radford from 2021 through this season. Radford went 20-13 this season, the second time in Nichols' four seasons he won at least 20 games. Radford finished 9-7 and in fourth place this season in the Big South conference. 'Darris' coaching philosophy is grounded in building team chemistry and supporting the development of student-athletes with an expectation of excellence on and off the court, La Salle athletic director Ashwin Puri said in the announcement. 'It is no surprise his coaching philosophy matches his former playing style, one anchored in toughness and tenacity. It's a brand of basketball that will be an exciting new chapter for the Explorer community and Philadelphia.' The 76-year-old Dunphy will become special assistant to the president at La Salle. Dunphy won more than 600 games and made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances in 33 seasons as coach at Penn, Temple and with the Explorers. The Explorers have not had a winning record since 2015. Nichols was a standout player at West Virginia and a member of its 2008 Sweet 16, 2007 NIT Championship, 2006 Sweet 16 and 2005 Elite Eight teams. Nichols' coaching experience includes stints as an assistant coach at Florida, Louisiana Tech, Wofford, and Northern Kentucky. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and recommended in this topic
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
La Salle basketball names Radford coach Darris Nichols as Dunphy's successor
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — La Salle named Darris Nichols as its new basketball coach on Tuesday, succeeding Fran Dunphy, who will retire from coaching at the end of the season. Nichols went 68-63 in four seasons at Radford from 2021 through this season. Radford went 20-13 this season, the second time in Nichols' four seasons he won at least 20 games. Radford finished 9-7 and in fourth place this season in the Big South conference. 'Darris' coaching philosophy is grounded in building team chemistry and supporting the development of student-athletes with an expectation of excellence on and off the court, La Salle athletic director Ashwin Puri said in the announcement. 'It is no surprise his coaching philosophy matches his former playing style, one anchored in toughness and tenacity. It's a brand of basketball that will be an exciting new chapter for the Explorer community and Philadelphia.' The 76-year-old Dunphy will become special assistant to the president at La Salle. Dunphy won more than 600 games and made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances in 33 seasons as coach at Penn, Temple and with the Explorers. The Explorers have not had a winning record since 2015. Nichols was a standout player at West Virginia and a member of its 2008 Sweet 16, 2007 NIT Championship, 2006 Sweet 16 and 2005 Elite Eight teams. Nichols' coaching experience includes stints as an assistant coach at Florida, Louisiana Tech, Wofford, and Northern Kentucky. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
