Latest news with #NaismithDefensivePlayeroftheYear
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Kalkbrenner's top moments from 2024-25 season
Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, look back on highlights from All-American center Ryan Kalkbrenner's 2024-2025 season, where he won Big East Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Reuters
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Duke star Cooper Flagg wins Naismith Trophy
April 6 - Duke star Cooper Flagg won his second major award in two days when he received the Naismith Trophy as the national player of the year on Sunday. One day earlier, Flagg won the Wooden Award. Flagg became just the fourth freshman to win the Naismith Trophy, which is presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The others are Texas' Kevin Durant (2007), Kentucky's Anthony Davis (2012) and Duke's Zion Williamson (2019). The same quartet are the only freshmen to win the Wooden Award. Flagg's latest award was announced in San Antonio, one day after the Blue Devils lost 70-67 to Houston in the Final Four. "This is an incredible honor and I am truly grateful for the recognition," Flagg said. "This whole year, this (NCAA) tournament, has gone by so fast. It's been a blur and an incredible year. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates, Coach (Jon) Scheyer, the rest of the staff and everyone who had me ready to go every single night. They believed in me and let me be me out there on the court." Flagg emerged as the favorite for the award over the second half of the season. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games. The other finalists were Auburn's Johni Broome, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. and Purdue's Braden Smith. Among Flagg's other accolades are being named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as well as being a consensus first-team All-American. Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 choice in the NBA draft if he chooses to enter his name. Rick Pitino was named the Werner Ladder Coach of the Year award after leading St. John's to a 31-5 record in his second season at the school. The 31 wins matched the school mark reached twice in the mid-1980s. The Red Storm received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before exiting in the second round with a loss to Arkansas. The first-round victory over Omaha was the school's first NCAA tourney win since 2000. "I'm truly honored to be the recipient of the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award, especially with the incredible coaching of the other finalists this past season," the 72-year-old Pitino said. "I want to thank my players and coaches for making this possible after a historic season for St. John's Basketball. I am also grateful to the Atlanta Tipoff Club and the Naismith Awards selection committee for this prestigious honor." The other finalists were Auburn's Bruce Pearl, Houston's Kelvin Sampson and Scheyer. Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner won Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors. The senior blocked 93 shots this season while winning Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors for the fourth straight season. Kalkbrenner also averaged 19.2 points and 8.7 rebounds and shot 65.3 percent from the field this season. "It is a huge honor to be named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and I am most appreciative to my teammates, coaches and the Atlanta Tipoff Club for recognizing our success," Kalkbrenner said. Houston's Joseph Tugler and two Tennessee players -- Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler -- were the other finalists.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joseph Tugler injury update: Houston F turns ankle, returns to game vs. Duke
Hear this story Houston basketball's Joseph Tugler suffered an apparent ankle injury early in the Cougars' Final Four matchup with Duke on Saturday in San Antonio. Tugler, one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this season, was shown working out his ankle on the sideline's training bike after tweaking his ankle. Tugler was attempting to deny a pass to Duke's Khaman Maluach before coming down awkwardly on his ankle. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 5.5 points with 5.9 rebounds per game this season, but his averages don't show his impact on the floor. Tugler would be quite the loss for Houston, given his defensive versatility and expected impact on Cooper Flagg, the Naismith and Wooden Award winner this season. Tugler has started 32 of Houston's 39 games this season. He later returned to the court midway through the first half, but his effectiveness will be covered closely throughout the rest of the game after the tweak. Here's what to know of Tugler's injury on Saturday: Joseph Tugler injury update Tugler landed awkwardly on his ankle in the first half of Houston-Duke in the Final Four on Saturday. He stayed on the sideline and was shown working through the ailment on the training bike. The 6-foot-8 forward attempted to deny a pass to Maluach early in the first half but twisted his ankle as he landed on the court. It's seemingly good news he never went to the locker room, however. Tugler later reentered the game with 11:51 left in the first half, but it'll be interesting to see if the ankle tweak limits the star defender's impact at all.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scouting the Final Four: Who do coaches say has the edge? UConn or UCLA?
Scouting the Final Four: Who do coaches say has the edge? UConn or UCLA? TAMPA, Fla. — The best two players left in March Madness are competing in Friday's second game of the Final Four: UCLA has 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, and UConn has sensation Paige Bueckers. Through the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament, neither has faced a one-on-one matchup that has truly stopped them. Led by UCLA's Cori Close, coaching in her first Final Four, and UConn's Geno Auriemma, coaching in his 24th, these teams are very different. Which is why enlisted the help of coaches who saw them firsthand. Advertisement As the Bruins and Huskies gear up for a game that could go either way, multiple coaches who coached against them this season weighed in. They were granted anonymity so they could speak with candor. Scouting UCLA Strengths: Betts, depth in scoring options, physicality It all starts with Betts, who averages 20 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and has gone for at least 30 points in two of her last three games. Even on an 'off' night when she got into foul trouble and sat out for much of the second quarter against LSU in the Elite Eight, she still finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocks, including two in the first 10 seconds of the game. Just this week, she was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Advertisement 'Obviously, Lauren Betts' efficiency, her ability to affect both sides of the floor, nobody else has that,' one coach said. 'That is the difference-maker.' 'Usually when you see 6-foot-7, there's only so much you can do defensively to stop her,' said another coach. 'She really is capable of moving laterally, guarding one-on-one and guarding off-the-ball screens better than most 6-foot-2 posts.' That's not to say Betts is UCLA's only hope, though. One of her greatest qualities, one coach said, is her willingness as a passer. With guards who aren't afraid to shoot, UCLA can challenge teams inside and out. Junior guard Gabriela Jaquez had 18 points against the Tigers and went 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Junior forward Timea Gardiner had 15, knocking down 5-of-8 3-pointers. 'The thing that makes them so very, very difficult to beat is they just have great length and size,' one coach said. 'And with that great length and size, they could all shoot the basketball.' Advertisement The Bruins are also physical, one coach said, which could work in their favor depending on how the game is called. 'Nobody wants to talk about this, but that's where officiating comes into play,' the coach said. 'What's going to be allowed? What's not going to be allowed? If the game is allowed to be physical, the advantage is gonna be UCLA.' Weaknesses: Outside shooting UCLA doesn't attempt many 3s. The Bruins' 21.1 attempts from beyond the arc rank No. 117 nationally. Jaquez and Gardiner were dominant against the Tigers, which could be a good sign for UCLA. But that's not the norm for the Bruins, whose 33.7 3-point percentage ranks 78th nationally. UConn, by comparison, is a top-10 team from deep, knocking down 38.3 percent. Advertisement 'If they play as good as they can play, then they win the national championship,' one coach said of the Bruins. 'But I think with their outside shooting, if Londynn (Jones) and Timea and Kiki (Rice) are all off, they can lose.' Gardiner is UCLA's top 3-point shooter with a near-40 percent clip. Rice, Jaquez and forward Angela Dugalić all hover around the 36 percent mark, while Jones comes in at 35.3 percent. 'If you can make life somewhat difficult for Betts, and then some of those pieces on the outside are having a really tough shooting night,' one coach said, 'you have a chance.' X-factors: Kiki Rice, Janiah Barker Rice, a junior point guard, averages 12.9 points and 5.1 assists, but she may need to step it up against the Huskies, according to one coach. Advertisement 'I think that the X-factor for them is Rice. But I don't think Rice has played as well this year as she did last year, and they need her to play well,' the coach said. 'She's a leader and she's a slasher, she drives, she makes things happen. She's the one player with that skill set on that team. … She's got to have a good game.' Another coach pointed to the array of UCLA's players who average between 8 and 13 points but have had massive recent performances. Rice (23 points against Richmond), Jaquez (18 points against LSU), Jones (22 points against Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament) and Gardiner (five 3-pointers against LSU) have stepped up, but the coach was most impressed with what 6-4 forward Janiah Barker brings off the bench. Barker, the Texas A&M transfer who made the SEC All-Freshman team two years ago, is now a junior and gives UCLA another scoring option, averaging 7.5 points in 17.4 minutes per game. 'OK, let's say those guys don't play good and you put Barker in. I mean, god damn, she's really f—ing good. Like really f—ing good,' the coach said. The coach wasn't alone in that assessment. Advertisement 'Barker just gives you a whole different element because of her athleticism. And coming off the bench? It makes it incredibly difficult. She can't shoot it. She's not a kid that we were going to go out and guard, but around the rim, she's really good. Super athletic,' one said. 'To bring Barker off the bench is insane. Yeah, first-team All-SEC — that's a huge benefit when you get into the postseason, whether you get in foul trouble or you're just looking for a spark.' Scouting UConn Strengths: Bueckers, strategy, experience, efficiency Is there anyone who rises to the moment quite like Bueckers? The Huskies star guard has 105 points in her past three games, including a career-high 40 against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. She's the only Auriemma star without a national title and is playing like someone who has every intention of changing that. Advertisement But as one coach pointed out, Bueckers has plenty of help around her — a welcome sight for a UConn team that is finally healthy this NCAA Tournament. 'I think everyone on their team has to be able to shoot the ball well. You saw that in the USC game. When they do, they're great,' the coach said. 'They provide so much space that you have to be one-on-one or you have to pick your poison.' The Huskies shot 45 percent from the field in the Elite Eight against USC and 45.5 percent from 3. UConn also boasts a dominant defense, ranking first nationally for scoring defense (52 points per game) and fourth nationally for opponent field goal percentage (34.6). The Huskies aren't as strong at defending the 3, with opponents shooting 28.9 percent from deep. But defending Betts will be the priority anyway. Auriemma, who has been on this stage more than anyone, will no doubt have a plan. Advertisement 'They're really smart in terms of how they scout and what they do, and so they will play percentages,' a coach said. 'They will pack the paint in other ways and not just have one-on-one coverage against her. So, I think that will be really interesting for them, too. 'They're going to expose your disadvantage.' That scouting allows the Huskies to be extremely efficient. They lead the nation in points per play (1.03) and don't turn the ball over. UConn's 13.6 percent turnover percentage ranks fourth nationally and best among the teams still playing. When you don't turn the ball over and you capitalize on your offensive possessions, you can play steady in a way that wears down opponents. 'It's a game of runs for the rest of us. And for them, they just stay steady,' said one coach. 'And when you're not in your run, they capitalize.' Weaknesses: Lack of regular-season strength of schedule, streaky outside shooting The Huskies ended up with a No. 2 seed largely because they simply didn't have the same strength of schedule as other No. 1 seeds. The Big East got two bids out of their conference while the Big Ten got 12. Advertisement 'The one thing that is also unique and different is that they've probably been trying to manage the lack of competition in their conference,' said one coach. Without that night-in and night-out competition, UConn hasn't been tested as much or as regularly as other teams despite playing an incredibly difficult nonconference schedule. UCLA plays in a much stronger and deeper conference. This three-game stretch against Oklahoma, USC and UCLA is by far the toughest the Huskies have faced this season. UCLA has the advantage in the paint with Betts, but one way the Huskies can counteract that is in trading 3-pointers for 2s. But one coach pointed out that UConn's best shooters are coming into this matchup on a cold streak. Against USC in the Elite Eight, Azzi Fudd finished with just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting while Ashlynn Shade wasn't even able to get a single field goal attempt off in 13 minutes. Though multiple coaches have sung the praises of Sarah Strong this season, one coach said that for Strong to be as good as she can, UConn needs its outside shooters to step up and create space for her to work. Advertisement 'Azzi Fudd has to shoot the ball well. Ashlynn Shade has to shoot the ball well to allow Sarah Strong to really play her game,' the coach said. X-factor: Strong Speaking of Strong, the freshman forward was dominant against USC, scoring 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. 'She's a playmaker,' one coach said. Auriemma said the Huskies put in a handful of new plays specifically for Strong against USC, knowing the Trojans would try to take away Bueckers early. Strong hit two early 3s and had 15 points by halftime. 'She's the difference-maker for them even more so than Paige,' the coach said, 'even though Paige is elite.' Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. UCLA Bruins, Connecticut Huskies, Women's College Basketball, Women's NCAA Tournament 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
04-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Scouting the Final Four: Who do coaches say has the edge? UConn or UCLA?
TAMPA, Fla. — The best two players left in March Madness are competing in Friday's second game of the Final Four: UCLA has 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, and UConn has sensation Paige Bueckers. Through the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament, neither has faced a one-on-one matchup that has truly stopped them. Advertisement Led by UCLA's Cori Close, coaching in her first Final Four, and UConn's Geno Auriemma, coaching in his 24th, these teams are very different. Which is why The Athletic enlisted the help of coaches who saw them firsthand. As the Bruins and Huskies gear up for a game that could go either way, multiple coaches who coached against them this season weighed in. They were granted anonymity so they could speak with candor. It all starts with Betts, who averages 20 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and has gone for at least 30 points in two of her last three games. Even on an 'off' night when she got into foul trouble and sat out for much of the second quarter against LSU in the Elite Eight, she still finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocks, including two in the first 10 seconds of the game. Just this week, she was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. 'Obviously, Lauren Betts' efficiency, her ability to affect both sides of the floor, nobody else has that,' one coach said. 'That is the difference-maker.' 'Usually when you see 6-foot-7, there's only so much you can do defensively to stop her,' said another coach. 'She really is capable of moving laterally, guarding one-on-one and guarding off-the-ball screens better than most 6-foot-2 posts.' That's not to say Betts is UCLA's only hope, though. One of her greatest qualities, one coach said, is her willingness as a passer. With guards who aren't afraid to shoot, UCLA can challenge teams inside and out. Junior guard Gabriela Jaquez had 18 points against the Tigers and went 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Junior forward Timea Gardiner had 15, knocking down 5-of-8 3-pointers. 'The thing that makes them so very, very difficult to beat is they just have great length and size,' one coach said. 'And with that great length and size, they could all shoot the basketball.' Advertisement The Bruins are also physical, one coach said, which could work in their favor depending on how the game is called. 'Nobody wants to talk about this, but that's where officiating comes into play,' the coach said. 'What's going to be allowed? What's not going to be allowed? If the game is allowed to be physical, the advantage is gonna be UCLA.' Her name is Lauren Betts, and she's our 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 DPOY 🤫 🗞️: #GoBruins — UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) April 2, 2025 UCLA doesn't attempt many 3s. The Bruins' 21.1 attempts from beyond the arc rank No. 117 nationally. Jaquez and Gardiner were dominant against the Tigers, which could be a good sign for UCLA. But that's not the norm for the Bruins, whose 33.7 3-point percentage ranks 78th nationally. UConn, by comparison, is a top-10 team from deep, knocking down 38.3 percent. 'If they play as good as they can play, then they win the national championship,' one coach said of the Bruins. 'But I think with their outside shooting, if Londynn (Jones) and Timea and Kiki (Rice) are all off, they can lose.' Gardiner is UCLA's top 3-point shooter with a near-40 percent clip. Rice, Jaquez and forward Angela Dugalić all hover around the 36 percent mark, while Jones comes in at 35.3 percent. 'If you can make life somewhat difficult for Betts, and then some of those pieces on the outside are having a really tough shooting night,' one coach said, 'you have a chance.' Rice, a junior point guard, averages 12.9 points and 5.1 assists, but she may need to step it up against the Huskies, according to one coach. 'I think that the X-factor for them is Rice. But I don't think Rice has played as well this year as she did last year, and they need her to play well,' the coach said. 'She's a leader and she's a slasher, she drives, she makes things happen. She's the one player with that skill set on that team. … She's got to have a good game.' Advertisement Another coach pointed to the array of UCLA's players who average between 8 and 13 points but have had massive recent performances. Rice (23 points against Richmond), Jaquez (18 points against LSU), Jones (22 points against Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament) and Gardiner (five 3-pointers against LSU) have stepped up, but the coach was most impressed with what 6-4 forward Janiah Barker brings off the bench. Barker, the Texas A&M transfer who made the SEC All-Freshman team two years ago, is now a junior and gives UCLA another scoring option, averaging 7.5 points in 17.4 minutes per game. 'OK, let's say those guys don't play good and you put Barker in. I mean, god damn, she's really f—ing good. Like really f—ing good,' the coach said. The coach wasn't alone in that assessment. 'Barker just gives you a whole different element because of her athleticism. And coming off the bench? It makes it incredibly difficult. She can't shoot it. She's not a kid that we were going to go out and guard, but around the rim, she's really good. Super athletic,' one said. 'To bring Barker off the bench is insane. Yeah, first-team All-SEC — that's a huge benefit when you get into the postseason, whether you get in foul trouble or you're just looking for a spark.' Janiah Barker proved to be a true game-changer off the bench for @UCLAWBB 💪#B1GWBBall x 𝐁𝟏𝐆 𝐒𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 — Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) March 4, 2025 Is there anyone who rises to the moment quite like Bueckers? The Huskies star guard has 105 points in her past three games, including a career-high 40 against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. She's the only Auriemma star without a national title and is playing like someone who has every intention of changing that. But as one coach pointed out, Bueckers has plenty of help around her — a welcome sight for a UConn team that is finally healthy this NCAA Tournament. 'I think everyone on their team has to be able to shoot the ball well. You saw that in the USC game. When they do, they're great,' the coach said. 'They provide so much space that you have to be one-on-one or you have to pick your poison.' Advertisement The Huskies shot 45 percent from the field in the Elite Eight against USC and 45.5 percent from 3. UConn also boasts a dominant defense, ranking first nationally for scoring defense (52 points per game) and fourth nationally for opponent field goal percentage (34.6). The Huskies aren't as strong at defending the 3, with opponents shooting 28.9 percent from deep. But defending Betts will be the priority anyway. Auriemma, who has been on this stage more than anyone, will no doubt have a plan. 'They're really smart in terms of how they scout and what they do, and so they will play percentages,' a coach said. 'They will pack the paint in other ways and not just have one-on-one coverage against her. So, I think that will be really interesting for them, too. 'They're going to expose your disadvantage.' That scouting allows the Huskies to be extremely efficient. They lead the nation in points per play (1.03) and don't turn the ball over. UConn's 13.6 percent turnover percentage ranks fourth nationally and best among the teams still playing. When you don't turn the ball over and you capitalize on your offensive possessions, you can play steady in a way that wears down opponents. 'It's a game of runs for the rest of us. And for them, they just stay steady,' said one coach. 'And when you're not in your run, they capitalize.' The Huskies ended up with a No. 2 seed largely because they simply didn't have the same strength of schedule as other No. 1 seeds. The Big East got two bids out of their conference while the Big Ten got 12. 'The one thing that is also unique and different is that they've probably been trying to manage the lack of competition in their conference,' said one coach. Without that night-in and night-out competition, UConn hasn't been tested as much or as regularly as other teams despite playing an incredibly difficult nonconference schedule. UCLA plays in a much stronger and deeper conference. This three-game stretch against Oklahoma, USC and UCLA is by far the toughest the Huskies have faced this season. Advertisement UCLA has the advantage in the paint with Betts, but one way the Huskies can counteract that is in trading 3-pointers for 2s. But one coach pointed out that UConn's best shooters are coming into this matchup on a cold streak. Against USC in the Elite Eight, Azzi Fudd finished with just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting while Ashlynn Shade wasn't even able to get a single field goal attempt off in 13 minutes. Though multiple coaches have sung the praises of Sarah Strong this season, one coach said that for Strong to be as good as she can, UConn needs its outside shooters to step up and create space for her to work. 'Azzi Fudd has to shoot the ball well. Ashlynn Shade has to shoot the ball well to allow Sarah Strong to really play her game,' the coach said. so fresh, so clean 📺 ESPN — UConn Women's Basketball (@UConnWBB) March 25, 2025 Speaking of Strong, the freshman forward was dominant against USC, scoring 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. 'She's a playmaker,' one coach said. Auriemma said the Huskies put in a handful of new plays specifically for Strong against USC, knowing the Trojans would try to take away Bueckers early. Strong hit two early 3s and had 15 points by halftime. 'She's the difference-maker for them even more so than Paige,' the coach said, 'even though Paige is elite.' (Photos of Sarah Strong and Gabriela Jaquez: Joe Buglewicz and Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
