Latest news with #Sweet16s
Indianapolis Star
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana women's basketball coach Teri Moren seeks another golden summer with USA Basketball
Show Caption IU coach Teri Moren for the second straight summer will lead a USA Basketball women's national underclass team. Moren has 10 straight seasons of 20 or more wins at IU, including seven NCAA tournament appearances, three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. Moren had to rebuild her IU roster, which continues still, after losing four starters. There is no doubting how great a coach Teri Moren is given what she's built Indiana women's basketball into, and those coaching duties will expand to USA Basketball. Moren in 11 season leading the Hoosiers had 10 straight seasons with 20 or more wins, seven NCAA tournament appearances, three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. She was national coach of the year in 2023 and is two-time Big Ten coach of the year in 2016 and 2023. And in July, she will lead the USA Basketball Women's Under-19 National Team at that age division's FIBA World Cup in Brno, Czech Republic. Moren served as an assistant coach last summer but has been elevated with Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey and South Florida coach Jose Fernandez serving as her assistants. Moren served two summers ago as an assistant coach on the Under-19 national team alongside Joni Taylor, who is Texas A&M's coach, and Old Dominion coach Delisha Milton-Jones. Players on that team included Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, South Carolina's Chloe Kitts, UCLA's Kiki Rice and Londynn Jones, Cotie McMahon, who was at Ohio State until transferring to Ole Miss this cycle, and others. They won a gold medal and this summer's team could make it four straight golds at the Under-19 level. They have good base to go off of, too. Moren led her first USA Basketball women's team last summer to a gold medal at the FIBA Under-18 Women's AmeriCup in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Conceivably, most of that team will remain, and there was star power to it. Connecticut's Sarah Strong turned into a dominant post for the Huskies, who won the national championship. Several of the top Class of 2025 recruits per On3 industry ratings were part of the roster, including No. 2 overall Jazzy Davidson (USC), No. 3 Sienna Betts (UCLA), No. 11 ZaKiya Johnson (LSU) and No. 16 Leah Macy (Notre Dame). USC's Kayleigh Heckel and Kennedy Smith, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards, Mississippi State's Madison Francis, Texas' Jordan Lee, Florida's Liv McGill and Duke's Arianna Roberson made up the rest of the team. Perhaps Moren's own players from that recruiting class could get attention. She'll have No. 42 Maya Makalusky, a 6-foot-3 forward from Hamilton Southeastern, and No. 61 Nevaeh Caffey, a 5-10 guard from Incarnate Ward in St. Louis, on campus as part of a rebuilt roster. They are both Ms. Basketball winners, Makalusky in Indiana and Caffey in Missouri. The transfer portal has helped rebuild an IU roster that lost four of its starters, three to graduation and the surprising entry of Yarden Garzon as the program's all-time leading 3-point shooter left to go to Maryland. Shay Ciezki is the lone returning starter, but there was talent added, too. The 2024 Indiana Ms. Basketball winner hailed from 25 miles away, Bedford North Lawrence's Chloe Spreen. She decided to return to the Hoosier State after a season at Alabama. Dutch guard Phoenix Stotijn transferred from Arkansas and fellow backcourt 'mate Jerni Kiaku committed from Duquesne. Former McDonald's All American Zania Socka-Nguemen was the lone forward to commit to IU so far. She decided to leave from UCLA. Then 6-0 wing Emely Rodriguez entered the transfer portal from UCF and has visits scheduled to Iowa on May 12 and IU on May 13, per Prep Girls Hoops.
Forbes
21-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Bouquet Box Flower Bar Is Turning DIY Floral Arranging Into A Blooming Franchise Business
It's not a party without flowers Social media has transformed every celebration—whether it's a child's birthday or a large corporate event—into a full-blown production. Gone are the days of simple snacks and a few decorations. Today, personalized experiences and Instagram-worthy activities are the norm. That's exactly why Bouquet Box Flower Bar could be the next big franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to break into the event planning or floral industries. Bouquet Box Flower Bar is an exciting new offshoot of Bouquet Box, a floral subscription service launched in 2021 by Courtney Sixx in collaboration with famed floral purveyor Mark's Garden. Each Bouquet Box delivery includes a curated selection of fresh blooms, along with a vase, grid, and easy-to-follow instructions for creating a professional-quality arrangement at home. Bouquet Box Flower Bar Cofounders Courtney Sixx and Amy Nebens What started as a successful DIY floral subscription service has now blossomed into a high-demand, hands-on event activation known as the Bouquet Box Flower Bar—a unique offering that turns any gathering into a memorable floral experience. Sixx and Crawford In 2023, Bouquet Box collaborated with supermodel Cindy Crawford on a Mother's Day-themed box. This connection led to an introduction to Best Buddies International, where the Flower Bar concept was first born. "Cindy sits on the board of Best Buddies International and put us in touch with them when they were looking for flower ideas for their Mother's Day gala," says Sixx. Since Bouquet Box is a DIY experience rather than a traditional florist, Sixx came up with the idea to set up a flower bar at the event. "We wanted guests to enjoy a floral buffet, where they could create their own arrangements. When they were done, they took their vases to their tables as centerpieces and brought them home as favors. It was amazing—for us, the guests, and the hosts." It turned out to be hit because flower arranging is something anyone can do. Anthony K. Shriver, Founder and Chairman of Best Buddies International, shared, "Our Best Buddies participants and guests had an amazing time creating beautiful floral arrangements at the Bouquet Box Flower Bar during our Mother's Day events. Everyone walked away with flowers, fun, and new friendships." Following that success, Bouquet Box began receiving requests to bring its flower bars to other events such as bridal showers, baby showers, Sweet 16s, bat mitzvahs, and even corporate gatherings. Most notably, the brand became an official partner of Miss America in 2024. Sixx holding a Bouquet Box arrangement at Miss America With growing demand, Sixx realized the model wasn't sustainable with just her and partner Amy Nebens, a former editor at Martha Stewart Weddings. "We needed local boots on the ground—people immersed in their communities where outreach and integration could be seamless," says Sixx. Designed to be both affordable and flexible, the flower bar franchise was built with working mothers and creative entrepreneurs in mind. "The startup cost is low compared to most other franchises," says Sixx. "There's no need for a brick-and-mortar space or ongoing inventory since flowers and vases are ordered per event. It's a true home-based franchise." Thanks to its flexible model, franchisees can set their own schedules and scale the business based on their availability. "It's ideal for women who want a creative outlet with the freedom to work around family life or another job," Sixx adds. Bouquet Box provides franchisees with everything they need to succeed: a trusted system, logistical support, fulfillment, product access, branding assets, and ongoing coaching. 'No floral expertise is required—just a love of flowers and an entrepreneurial spirit.' Nicky Hilton Rothschild at Bouquet Box Flower Bar So far, Bouquet Box Flower Bar franchisees have made a splash at high-profile events for brands like Bloomingdale's, MaxMara, the Jackson Hole Film Festival, the LPGA, the Caldera House, and The Carriage House in Palm Beach. With the growing popularity of DIY floral bars and personalized event experiences, Bouquet Box Flower Bar is poised to be one of the most exciting and accessible low-cost franchise opportunities for 2025 and beyond.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Readers judge me as too soft and too critical. I will continue to seek perfection
One literary contributor wrote that I'm too soft in my critiques. Another wrote I am too critical. As always, I will continue my quest to please everyone. David writes: Enjoyed your piece on (Jeremy) Pruitt and his lawsuit. However, think you were too easy on both Pruitt as well as (Phillip) Fulmer. They deserve each other. My response: Thanks for the constructive criticism. As always, I value input from my literary contributors. After reading your critique, I reread the column in which I wrote that Pruitt was the worst coach in Tennessee history and that Fulmer was 'masquerading as an athletic director.' You're right. I probably was too soft in addressing their bungling antics. I will try to toughen up my prose. Another David writes: I just finished reading your column in which you express your opinion that the Lady Vols will reach their first final 4 before Rick Barnes' Vols. I appreciate you as one of the nation's finest sports writers, but I've read your columns over the basketball season. And I've seen you over and over expressing negativity towards Barnes. I can only conclude that you don't care for Rick as a coach or as a person. I don't know which. As you acknowledge, Barnes is a great recruiter, he understands the transfer portal better than most, and he has a great understanding of the NIL world. Any criticism of Barnes is unfounded. He's a Naismith Hall of Fame coach who's been sought out by players because they want a year under Barnes before going to the NBA. My response: If you read my column regularly, how could you possibly think that I don't care for Rick as a person? I once wrote a column about a friend who rededicated his life to Jesus Christ after hearing Barnes speak at a luncheon. I can't imagine anyone criticizing Barnes on a personal level. As for as his coaching, I've written many times – as you pointed out in your email – about his attributes. He's a future hall of fame coach whose teams haven't achieved greatness in the tournament. How could any columnist ignore that? And no coach is above criticism. Neither is any columnist – nor literary contributor. James writes: I've been telling you both the Vols and Lady Vols teams need a big, strong, mobile, offensive center who can muscle and score in the paint. You told me they are hard to find. However, watching the tournaments a lot if not most of the Sweet 16s have one. The men just added Jaylen Carey from Vandy which is fine, but at 6-foot-8 he is 4 to 5 inches too short. He won't be able to stop the bigger centers. So now the men's team has 4 "big" men but none of them is a true scoring center. Can't we do better? My response: I resent your personal condemnation of Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. But since you are a hall of fame literary contributor, I will publish your attack. But don't let it happen again. Glenn writes: After watching Duke, Houston, Florida and Auburn in the Final Four it's easy to see why Barnes-coached teams have never made it. Too much reliance on perimeter shooting. The Vols lost to Houston in the first half as their low-percentage perimeter shots weren't going in. They attacked the rim more in the second half and played the Cougars even. My response: Attacking the rim is OK. But personally attacking Barnes the way you did is out of line. Mike writes: I am delighted to hear that the Vols have added Georgia Tech as a future nonconference opponent. When I was a student at UT, the Vols played Georgia Tech every year, and it was a series fans from both schools enjoyed. I would like having this rivalry come back as an annual game for a long, long time, not just for two years. This is the type game schools should be scheduling rather than the two or three nonconference junior high opponents SEC teams load on their schedules. My response: Those junior high opponents helped Tennessee reach the College Football Playoff. And I would prefer to see the Vols renew rivalries with SEC teams – not SEC quitters like Georgia Tech. Colorado Mark writes: Glad to see another Vol (Chase Dollander) make it to the Rockies. They need all the help they can get. Actually, can they just make Tennessee one of their farm teams? ADAMS: Former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt lawsuit vs NCAA is likely fool's gold Tony Vitello should be getting a check from the Rockies just for slowly building their roster. I hope Dollander can handle this thin Colorado air. It has not been kind to pitchers. By the way, how many more teams will the Vols 10 run-rule this season? I am gonna say three maybe four. Omaha, here we come. My response: If Tennessee doesn't already have a strong alumni chapter in Colorado, it should build one. Same for Omaha, where the home of the College World Series has become the second home of the Vols. John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or Follow him at: This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Literary contributors judge me as too soft and too criticial
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
High Point Coach To Join Creighton As Coach-In-Waiting
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - MARCH 20: Head coach Alan Huss of the High Point Panthers addresses the ... More media after a first round game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 20, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by) High Point men's basketball coach Alan Huss is finalizing a deal to join his alma mater Creighton as the coach-in-waiting under current head coach Greg McDermott. The news was first reported by Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 and confirmed by multiple people who were not authorized to speak publicly because a formal announcement is still forthcoming. The exact timeline on the transition is not clear. McDermott, 60, has been at Creighton since 2010 and has been a head coach since his days at Division II Wayne State beginning in 1994. At Creighton, he has guided the Bluejays two 10 NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight. Ryan Kalkbrenner, the team's outgoing center, was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and won Big East Defensive Player of the Year four times. Huss, 46, is a Decatur, Illinois native who played at Creighton from 1997-2001. Playing under head coach Dana Altman and alongside future NBA star Kyle Korver, Huss was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams (1999-2001), two Missouri Valley Conference Tournament titles (1999 & 2000) and one MVC regular-season title (1999). Huss totaled 94 games as a Bluejay with 39 starts. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in business administration from Creighton in 2002. Huss then served as an assistant under McDermott from 2017-23 before taking over at High Point, where he is 56-15 in two seasons. His team went 29-6 and 14-2 in the Big South this year before losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Fox Sports
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
College basketball rankings: Houston, Purdue headline way-too-early Top 25
College basketball has become a year-round sport, which means it's never too early to start talking about next season. The transfer portal is loaded with over 1,700 names, while the coaching carousel brought several fascinating moves between Sean Miller heading to Texas, Darian DeVries taking over at Indiana, Buzz Williams heading to Maryland, former Terps coach Kevin Willard went to Villanova, and so much more. The only certainty with the offseason in college hoops is the uncertainty that still surrounds roster building, NIL money and the portal. That said, it gives us no shortage of things to talk about because, in this fluid atmosphere, a coach's ability to win the speed dating portion of the offseason is so key. There's not much time to allocate your money and bring portal players in, so the on-the-fly nature of this is really intriguing. And, just because you spend a lot on a roster does not mean that you're a lock to make the NCAA Tournament or a lock to make a run. Ask Kansas State and Indiana how things fared for them this past year or Bill Self and Kansas how the Jayhawks did the last two years after appearing to have crushed the portal. With that in mind, here's our first snapshot of the 2025-26 season. 1. Houston First off, how about the pedigree that the Cougars have built? They're the class of the Big 12, losing just one conference game, notching a pair of Final Four appearances in the last five years along with three Elite Eight appearances and five Sweet 16s. Roster continuity is a theme to their rich success, and they've got that in place with Emanuel Sharp and potentially Milos Uzan, not to mention JoJo Tugler and Terrance Arceneaux. But the Cougars are also bringing in a loaded recruiting class that ranks at No. 4 in the country and is headlined by Chris Cenac Jr. and Isiah Harwell. 2. Purdue The Boilermakers made the Sweet 16 and gave Houston all it could handle in that game. They should have as much returning experience and perimeter firepower as anybody in the sport next season. Braden Smith could very well be the preseason national player of the year after being a finalist for the Naismith Award this season, while his backcourt sidekick, Fletcher Loyer, will also be back. Trey Kaufman-Renn headlines the frontcourt after his strong 2024-25 campaign, while the Boilers have made one of the biggest splashes in the portal with South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff (17.6 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 2.8 APG). 3. Louisville The Cardinals are the champions of the transfer portal at the moment, having reeled in one of the best bucket-getting guards in America in Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell, while Isaac McKneely comes in from Virginia and Adrian Wooley comes from Kennesaw State. Five-star guard Mikel Crown Jr. is set to arrive next season and will team up with returnees J'Vonne Hadley and Kasean Pryor. There's a lot to like about Pat Kelsey's team as he heads into his second season. He's done a great job in a short period of time and has restored the Cardinals to the top of the headlines in college hoops for the right reasons. 4. Duke While the Blue Devils took a loss that will stick with them for a long time, don't expect Duke to waver from their status as one of the nation's best. They have the No. 1 recruiting class for the third time in the last four years, headlined by Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Cameron is a 6-foot-9 forward who can do a little bit of everything and will be a handful for any defense to stop, while Cayden will be in a lead guard role and is a really skilled playmaker with upside. Fellow five-star prospects Shelton Henderson and Nikolas Khamenia are a pair of dynamic wings as well. 5. UConn I expect a big bounce-back season from Connecticut, which gave Florida all it could handle in the second round of the NCAA Tournament before the Gators narrowly survived. Why do I have the Huskies in the top five? They bring back Solo Ball, big man Tarris Reed and wing Jaylin Stewart while notching one of the best transfer guards in America with former Georgia standout Silas Demary. The decision for Alex Karaban to go pro or return for his senior year is key, as is what else Dan Hurley does in the portal. 6. Texas Tech The Red Raiders were a matchup nightmare for opponents this season with their versatility and athleticism. If this group can remain intact for 2025-26, they have a chance to be one of America's best. Rising junior JT Toppin could come back and be one of the best players in the country after averaging 18.2 PPG and 9.4 RPG this past season. Second-leading scorer Darrion Williams could also return along with Christian Anderson, who scored 22 points and was huge in the Sweet 16 comeback victory over Arkansas. While things are always fluid in the offseason, there's a lot of potential in Lubbock next year and Grant McCasland has the money to keep the majority of his pieces intact. 7. Alabama Having a fully healthy Latrell Wrightsell is one of the Tide's top storylines heading into next season. The team's second-leading scorer ruptured his Achilles in November but will be working his way back and leads the returnees alongside Aden Holloway, who should make a big leap in his junior year. Look for sophomore Aiden Sherrell to take his game to another level next season as well. Nate Oats brings in a top-10 recruiting class and has gone into the portal with rising sophomore guard Jalil Bethea, rising junior big man Taylor Bol Bowen, and a 7-foot veteran in Noah Williamson. The job Oats and his staff have done cements Alabama into my top 10. 8. St. John's Coming off a 31-win season, which included a sweep of the Big East regular season and tournament titles, Rick Pitino charges St. John's into his third year at the helm and has already made a pair of big splashes in the transfer portal. Bryce Hopkins, when healthy, is as tough of a wing as any in the conference, while shooting guard Jo Sanon looks to help solve the Johnnies' perimeter shooting problem. With All-Big East selection Zuby Ejiofor returning to headline one of the country's top frontcourts, the big question for Pitino and his staff to answer now is at point guard. But either way, with quality returning star power and a couple of really nice additions, the Johnnies belong in the top 10. 9. UCLA Coming off a year that frustrated him at times and ultimately led to a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, Mick Cronin went out and attacked the portal, bringing in New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent. The 6-2 guard, who averaged 20.3 points and 6.4 assists for the top team in the Mountain West this past season, is wired to score at a high level, something we did not see consistently from the Bruins this season. With rising senior Tyler Bilodeau back, the Bruins have one of the best forwards in the Big Ten, and he'll be teaming up with Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker. The former McDonald's All-American has come to LA looking for a change of scenery after averaging just 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11 minutes per game in his two years in East Lansing. But having Dent join Bilodeau and returning impact guard Skyy Clark gives this team strong upside. 10. Iowa State T.J. Otzelberger has a strong returning core and has already notched a couple of intriguing portal adds to keep the Cyclones rolling into 2025-26. Tamin Lipsey is pegged to be back, while Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson will join him to provide long, versatile weapons for the Cyclones to count on. Jefferson will be a senior and has the potential to be a star next year after averaging 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this past season. Then there's Momcilovic, a rising 6-8 wing who had eight games of 16-plus points in his sophomore season. Look for him to continue making strides and get more shots. Couple that with the nation's 21st-ranked recruiting class and transfer portal adds Blake Buchanan (Virginia), Eric Mulder (Purdue Fort Wayne) and Mason Williams (Eastern Washington), and you can feel the makeup of a dangerous team if Otzelberger, who's 54-18 in the last two seasons with a Sweet 16 appearance, can get to work in the lab and develop roles. He's become one of the best in the country at doing that. 11. Auburn 12. Kansas 13. Florida 14. Arizona 15. Michigan 16. Kentucky 17. Tennessee 18. Michigan State 19. Arkansas 20. Gonzaga 21. BYU 22. Creighton 23. North Carolina 24. Texas 25. Iowa John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
