No. 2 UConn Beats No. 10 Marquette, Secures Big East Title

BIG EAST Championship | No. 2 UConn Men's Basketball vs. Marquette

BIG EAST Championship | No. 2 UConn Men's Basketball vs. Marquette | Image: UConn Huskies/YouTube

Donovan Clingan scored 22 points and 16 rebounds, and Tristen Newton and Jaylin Stewart drilled crucial 3-point shots, propelling UConn past Marquette for a 73-57 victory in the Big East title clash on Saturday night.

The Huskies, as the top seed, clinched their first Big East tournament crown since 2011, a triumph before their departure from the conference between 2013 and 2020. Avenging their last year’s tournament semifinal defeat to Marquette, UConn overcame the third seed with a tailored strategy.

Newton’s impactful performance of 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds, alongside Stewart’s unexpected contribution of nine points in the second half, boosted UConn’s shooting efficiency to 63% after an initially sluggish start.

An impressive 19-5 run orchestrated by Newton and Stewart in the second half turned the tide in UConn’s favor after a lackluster offensive outset reminiscent of their prior matchups against Xavier and St. John’s.

Marquette, led by Kam Jones with 13 points and eight rebounds, and David Joplin contributing 12 points and six boards, couldn’t capitalize on UConn’s shaky start, struggling themselves with poor shooting early on.

Despite UConn’s initial struggles, a dunk by Samson Johnson followed by a slow start by Marquette kept the game tight until UConn’s breakthrough late in the first half.

The first half remained closely contested with neither team establishing a substantial lead. UConn’s persistence from beyond the arc paid off as Newton’s 3-pointer finally gave them a slight edge at 19-15.

Joplin’s defensive plays sparked a brief surge for Marquette as they briefly took the lead at 22-21 late in the first half, only to be answered by Newton’s clutch 3-pointer ensuring UConn led 26-24 at halftime.

A strong start in the second half, highlighted by Clingan’s aggressive play, propelled UConn to a lead as Stewart and Newton’s scoring spree expanded the gap to 60-44 with less than six minutes remaining.

Despite a late push by Marquette to narrow the deficit, UConn’s commanding lead proved insurmountable down the stretch.

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    WCC to Add Grand Canyon and Seattle in 2025

    WCC adding Seattle U and Grand Canyon University

    WCC adding Seattle U and Grand Canyon University

    Seattle and Grand Canyon will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and moving to the West Coast Conference starting July 2025.

    The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

    Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.

    As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

    Saint Mary’s is currently a member of the West Coast Conference.

    The WCC, while also integrating Oregon State and Washington State this autumn (excluding football), will expand from 11 to 13 members by the 2025-26 season.

    The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

    The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

    Following the departures of Sam Houston and New Mexico State last year, Seattle and Grand Canyon’s exit from the WAC will reduce the conference’s membership to just eight by July 2025.

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  2. College Sports News

    Ex-Cal State Fullerton G Max Jones Commits to Kansas State

    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

    Notable alternatives that Jones purportedly pondered were New Mexico, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago.

    During the previous season with the Titans, Jones maintained an average of 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games, in which he started 21. He secured the second-highest scoring position within the team, alongside being the second in 3-pointers with 42 baskets and 41 steals.

    In the season prior, Jones held an average of 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games, amassing 34 three-pointers and 30 steals.

    Before making his way to Cal State Fullerton post the 2021-22 season, Jones spent two years at Division II Tampa, where he managed to achieve an average of 21.9 points across 21 games during his sophomore year with the Spartans.

    In the recent offseason, Kansas State acquired Dug McDaniel, a former player from Michigan recognized as one of the premier point guards available in this year’s transfer portal.

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  3. College Sports News

    Stanford Names Basketball Court in Honor of Tara VanDerveer

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    View From The Top with Tara VanDerveer, Former Coach of Stanford Women’s Basketball

    Tara VanDerveer’s legacy at Stanford will now be visibly acknowledged, with the school revealing on Thursday that the basketball arena’s floor will bear the name of the esteemed Hall of Fame coach.

    At the age of 70, VanDerveer stepped down following her 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal.

    She steered Stanford to 14 Final Fours and secured three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). VanDerveer embarked on her coaching journey at Idaho (1978-80) and later coached at Ohio State (1980-85).

    In January, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski to clinch the title of the most successful college basketball coach in history, across both men’s and women’s teams. VanDerveer concluded with a remarkable 1,216-271 record, boasting a 1,064-220 tally with the Cardinal.

    Alongside the unveiling of the Tara VanDerveer Court at Maples Pavilion this November, Stanford also established an endowed position in women’s basketball for an assistant coach in VanDerveer’s honor.

    VanDerveer said in a statement, “This endowment will go a long way to strengthening the future of Stanford women’s basketball. I have many wonderful memories of leading the women’s basketball program at Maples Pavilion.”

    “It’s an honor, and a little surreal, to know that my name will be linked to both in these ways, and I look forward to celebrating with all our fans this fall.”

    Last month, Stanford appointed Kate Paye, one of VanDerveer’s longtime assistant coaches who played for the Cardinal from 1991-95 and began coaching under VanDerveer in 2007, as the new head coach.

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