Latest news with #Villanova
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wisconsin men's basketball officially announces Villanova game at Fiserv Forum
Wisconsin men's basketball's second trip to Fiserv Forum in 2025-26 is official. The Badgers announced their Dec. 19 game against Villanova in Milwaukee in a press release on Friday. The tip time and television information will be announced at a later date. "Any time you get the chance to schedule a powerhouse program like Villanova it's a win-win," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said in a release. "We get the chance to measure ourselves in the non-conference and Badgers fans in Wisconsin get to see a big-time college basketball game.' Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Sept. 24, with a presale opportunity for UW donors and men's basketball season ticket holders happening in mid-September. The Milwaukee game will be the third all-time meeting between Wisconsin and Villanova. The most recent game was in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, when the Badgers upset top-seeded Villanova, 65-62. Wisconsin also will play Oklahoma at Fiserv Forum on Oct. 24 for an exhibition game. 'Much like our exhibition against Oklahoma, I'm excited for our fans and alumni in Milwaukee to get a game in their backyard,' Gard said in the Friday release. 'The atmosphere has been awesome every time we've played in that area and I have no doubt Fiserv will be filled with red for these games as well." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin officially announces Villanova game at Fiserv Forum
Time Out
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Knicks stars Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart are bringing the live version of their fan-favorite podcast to Central Park
Get ready, New York: Your favorite roommates are throwing the city's hottest end-of-summer bash, and you're invited. Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are bringing The Roommates Show back to Central Park for round two, and if last year's sold-out blowout was any indication, this one's going to be even bigger. Set for Saturday, September 6 at Rumsey Playfield, The Roommates Show Block Party – Live From Central Park, presented by Tommy John, promises an all-star lineup of sports, comedy, music and pure NYC energy. Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 25, at 10am, starting at $79.99. Hosted by Brunson, Hart and their longtime college roommate Matt Hillman, the live taping will feature surprise appearances from Knicks players and famous fans, plus confirmed guests like Eli Manning and Ben Stiller. Chart-topping artist Ferg will take the stage for a live performance, and fans can expect all the food, drinks and BODYARMOR hydration they can handle. The podcast-turned-party draws its name and vibe from the trio's real-life roommate bond at Villanova and has become a cult favorite among hoops fans for its hilarious banter and behind-the-scenes look at NBA life. Last year's debut event pulled over 5,000 fans, turning Central Park into a Knicks-loving, beer-sipping, podcast-laughing block party—and this year's edition is leveling up. Tommy John returns as the presenting partner, offering on-site activations and product giveaways (because who doesn't want premium underwear with their podcast experience?). Other top-tier partners include BODYARMOR and 1800 Tequila, the latter of which will host an after-party and takeover the Friends & Family Deck for VIPs and surprise guests. 'There's no better way to kick off the season than being out in the city with the fans,' said Hart. Brunson added, 'New York showed out last season, and they showed up for us at the Block Party too, so it only made sense to run it back.'
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Will Mikal Bridges Sign An Extension With The New York Knicks?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 05: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a ... More three-point basket against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 05, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.(Photo by) As the offseason starts to grind to a halt it's a good time to check in on some of the details that matter, but are a bit more under the radar. One of those things happens to be the dates that open up extension opportunities for players and teams to negotiate. On July 6th the New York Knicks were given the green light to start those very talks with Mikal Bridges. He's able to receive up to a four-year, $156 million contract from the New York Knicks, or he can opt to enter free agency during the summer of 2026. The level of scrutiny was at an all-time high this season concerning Bridges. He was brought in with great expectations, but didn't always live up to the hype that had accompanied his arrival. Yet, he stepped up in some of the biggest moments when the lights were brightest. Is he long for New York, or are the Knicks looking to short the Villanova experiment? Why It Will Get Done This is how the New York Knicks do business. Mitchell Robinson? Extension. Jalen Brunson? Extension. Josh Hart? Extension. Deuce McBride? Extension. The only time this concept proved wrong was with Isaiah Hartenstein. That was a unique situation that was a contract that was impossible to extend because it was only a two year deal. Regardless, the lesson learned is that the New York Knicks like to have cost controlled assets, and don't like the uncertainty of losing players, especially for nothing. After the team just poured serious draft capital into acquiring Mikal Bridges it would be odd to not invest in the player. Mike Brown being hired changes the tenor of negotiations, too. Tom Thibodeau and Mikal Bridges had an assumed relationship that was rocky, at best. In Portland during the month of March, Bridges complained openly to the media about his high minute totals while pointing to the bench as a competent alternative to running the starters ragged. He mentioned that he had brought these very issues to Thibodeau, which the coach denied ever having happened. When the coach was eventually fired in June it came after the owner, James Dolan, heard feedback from the players about how the season panned out. Based on how the season played out it would be fair to assume Bridges didn't hold back from criticizing Thibodeau. This was a culmination of him failing to meet expectations, but also a coach that failed to maximize a player's strengths. Bringing Brown into the fold provides hope of what a new partnership can do for the production of Mikal Bridges who may be better optimized with a different type of usage. Even though he had plenty of lows, Bridges provided moments that etched his name into Knicks' lore for forever. His steal against Jaylen Brown in Game 1 was a thing of beauty and doing the same to Jayson Tatum to seal Game 2 made the upset over the Boston Celtics during the Eastern Conference Semifinals a distinct possibility. It felt as though he had started to make his mark in New York while endearing himself to the fans. Those moments demonstrate how valuable defensive wings that can sling it from deep really are. Bridges hasn't shown consistency in New York, but he has a track record that shows he is an elite defender that can shoot well from the corners and is fantastic in the midrange. At 28 years old he is still well in his prime and would almost certainly garner attention on the market if the team didn't pony up the money now to retain him. Why It Won't Get Done This is how the Knicks do business. Julius Randle? Traded. Immanuel Quickley? Traded. Quentin Grimes? Traded. When they can't reach a reasonable number on a contract they see it as a necessity to move that player for surplus value in fear that they'll lose them for nothing in free agency. Bridges was an odd fit for most of the season, and if that is something the new coaching staff doesn't foresee being able to fix it may be best to move off of the money now. The team could look to trade him with another rotation piece and find a player that they deem better stylistically. The offseason is still early and the window to actually extend Bridges is still wide open, but it's still fair to wonder what the hold up is. When Jalen Brunson extended last season it was thought that he did so in order to give the organization as much flexibility as possible to win a championship. The idea was that Brunson taking a lower number was a sign Bridges was willing to extend off of his current deal. Marc Stein even reported that it was expected that he would be willing to leave some money on the table on his next contract. The Knicks may be less enthused about offering him that contract and Bridges may not be enticed at the prospect of a long term commitment with the franchise after this past season. Free agency looms as a legit threat for the Knicks if they aren't able to hammer out a deal before the season. Bridges is eligible to receive a contract worth well over $200 million if he opts to wait until the summer. We'll see if both sides are able to hammer out a deal before that happens.
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin basketball officially announces non-conference matchup against Big East power
Wisconsin basketball officially announced its Dec. 19 neutral-site non-conference game against Villanova on Friday. Initially reported by CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, the contest will transpire at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as part of a two-game series. The latter match is set to tip at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a part of the 2026-27 slate. "Any time you get the chance to schedule a powerhouse program like Villanova it's a win-win," Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard told "We get the chance to measure ourselves in the non-conference and Badgers fans in Wisconsin get to see a big-time college basketball game. Much like our exhibition against Oklahoma, I'm excited for our fans and alumni in Milwaukee to get a game in their backyard. The atmosphere has been awesome every time we've played in that area and I have no doubt Fiserv will be filled with red for these games as well." The Dec. 19 showdown will also mark the first bout between the two programs since No. 8 Wisconsin upset No. 1 Villanova on a Nigel Hayes game-winner in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. UW will also suit up against opposing head coach Kevin Willard, who has served as Maryland's head coach since the 2022-23 season. 2025-26 will be his first year at the helm with the Wildcats. Of note, Willard's Terrapins defeated the Badgers 76-68 in College Park a season ago with strong performances from big men Julian Reese and Derik Queen. He owns a 2-3 clip all-time against Greg Gard's program. Wisconsin's other notable regular-season non-conference matchups include BYU in Salt Lake City, Utah, Marquette in Madison, Providence at the Rady's Children's Invitational, and the winner of TCU vs. Florida. UW will also take on the UW-Milwaukee Panthers on Dec. 30, the Oklahoma Sooners in an October exhibition and the Campbell Fighting Camels on Nov. 3 at the Kohl Center. Villanova, which won a pair of NCAA titles under legendary head coach Jay Wright in 2016 and 2018, is in search of its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2021-22 season. Wisconsin, meanwhile, aims to lean on top returning starters John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, plus transfers Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde and Austin Rapp, to return to the postseason after a 27-10 output during the 2024-25 campaign. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Villanova Coach Has Clear Stance on New York Knicks
New Villanova Coach Has Clear Stance on New York Knicks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Knicks are coming off one of their most successful seasons in this century. They finished the regular season as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference after touting one of the league's best offenses for much of the year. While the Detroit Pistons challenged them in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs, they were able to pull away and win the series in six games. Advertisement In the next series, they faced the defending champion Boston Celtics. They entered as underdogs, and after the Celtics took a 20-point lead, many believed the Celtics would cruise to another appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, the Knicks were able to overcome 20-point deficits in the first two games to take a 2-0 series lead, which proved to be too much for the Celtics to overcome, especially once Jayson Tatum went down with a torn Achilles. May 23, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) in the second quarter during game two of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New Villanova coach has clear stance on New York Knicks Waiting for the Knicks was a foe the Knicks should be familiar with by now: the Indiana Pacers. It was the eighth meeting all-time between the two sides in the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately for the Knicks, the Pacers proved to be too much to handle and won the series in six games. Advertisement For some fanbases, a berth in the conference finals for the first time in 25 years would be considered a successful season. Not the Knicks, though. They fired head coach Tom Thibodeau shortly after being eliminated. Some have joked in the past that the Knicks are essentially the Villanova Knicks, considering all of the players from that university on their team, including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. As a result, new Villanova head coach Kevin Willard identifies significantly with this Knicks team. '"I grew up on Long Island, I'm a diehard Knicks fan,' Willard said. 'I was a ballboy…my dad worked for the Knicks…I used to run around Madison Square Garden for hours & hours…Josh, Jalen, Mikal, those guys have been awesome." Advertisement The Knicks will head into next season hoping that the hiring of head coach Mike Brown will be enough to get them over the hump and bring home a title for the first time since 1973. If not, there will be plenty of Knicks fans, as well as people in the New York media there to slam Knicks ownership if they prove to be worse under Brown than Thibodeau. Brown is considered more of an offensive coach, and while the numbers looked good on paper, the Knicks' offense proved stagnant down the stretch of some of those critical playoff games. Instead of relying purely on Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, Brown will likely have an offense that can move the ball and be more reliant on cuts and ball movement than taking turns in isolation. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
