Bueckers suffered a left knee injury during summer workouts in a pick-up game.

“It’s so crazy because you work so hard to get back healthy, you feel stronger than ever, and you are playing your best basketball and with one sudden movement it all shifts,�Bueckers posted on Instagram. “It’s hard trying to make much sense of it all now but I can’t help but think that God is using me as a testimony as to how much you can overcome with Him by your side.�/p>

At the start of her sophomore season, Bueckers dropped 34 points on 15-for-19 shooting in a 15-point victory against Arkansas. She tallied a career-high game despite not scoring a single bucket in the first quarter. Everyone thought the 34-point heater was a good omen for UConn, who had not won a March Madness championship since 2016.

However, Bueckers missed 16 games with a fracture kneecap and torn MCL injury. It happened just six games into the season, but she returned to action late in the season a week before the Big East tournament. With Bueckers back in the starting lineup, UConn secured another trip to the Final Four.

Bueckers, UConn on Championship Quest

Bueckers was considered the top high school prospect from the class of 2020. She could’ve played college basketball anywhere and even earned her first scholarship offer when she was still in grammar school. However, Bueckers fulfilled a childhood dream by attending UConn to play for legendary coach Geno Auriemma.

In her first two seasons with Uconn, the Lady Huskies fell short of winning a championship but advanced to the Final Four in back-to-back years.

In her freshman season, Bueckers led the team with 20.0 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. She also shot a blistering 46% from 3-point range.

In her sophomore season, Bueckers averaged only 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 29.1 minutes per game while recovering from her kneecap injury.

Last year’s Women’s Final Four was hosted in Bueckers’s home state of Minnesota, and despite the pro-Bueckers crowd, UConn could not overcome South Carolina in the championship game. Uconn lost by 15 points, and Bueckers tallied 14 point, six rebounds, and two assists in the heartbreaking loss.

UConn lost three starters from last year’s squad to the WNBA when Evina Westbrook, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, and Christyn Williams were drafted into the pro ranks. Toss in the injury to Bueckers, UConn is down four starters from last year’s Final Four team.

Junior Nika Muhl will take over at point guard, but UConn will be relying on their youngest players this year. The offense will now focus on shooting guard Azzi Fudd, who averaged 12.1 ppg and shot 43% from 3-point range in her first season.

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The Magic hit the jackpot last night when they officially won the Draft Lottery and secured the rights to the #1 pick. This is the fourth time that the Magic were awarded the top pick in the draft. The Magic previously selected Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, and Dwight Howard with the #1 pick.

• Jabari Smith (Auburn) -125
• Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) +150
• Paolo Banchero (Duke) +450
• Jaden Ivey (Purdue) +4000
• Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky) +5000
• Keegan Murray (Iowa) +20000
• Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) +20000
• AJ Griffin (Duke) +20000
• Johnny Davis (Wisconsin) +30000
• Jalen Duren (Memphis) +30000
• Tyty Washington (Kentucky) +35000
• Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) +35000
• Dyson Daniels (G League) +40000
• Tari Eason (LSU) +40000
• Marjon Beauchamp (G League) +50000
• Jaden Hardey (G League) +80000
• Nikola Jovic (Mega Basket) +80000

This year’s NBA Draft — which consists of two rounds — will take place at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn on June 23.

Last year, the Detroit Pistons secured the #1 pick and selected Cade Cunningham out of Oklahoma State.

Magic and Thunder: Smith or Holmgren

The humongous question everyone in central Florida on everyone’s mind: will the Orlando Magic select Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren with the #1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft?

Smith is the betting favorite at -125 odds to add his name to an impressive list of NBA players that were the #1 pick in the draft. Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward, averaged 17.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a freshman at Auburn. He also shot an impressive 43.6% from 3-point range. Smith has drawn comparisons to Harrison Barnes and Michael Porter, Jr.

Holmgren, a true 7-footer from Gonzaga, averaged 14.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocked shots as a freshman. He also knocked down 41.2% of his 3-pointers. Holmgren is super skinny and he’ll have to bulk up if he does not want to get thrown around like a rag doll. One scout dubbed Holmgren the “Mini Unicorn” as a smaller version of Kristaps Porzingis.

The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the #2 pick in the draft, and they’ll have an easy choice by selecting whomever the Magic do not pick — either Smith or Holmgren. Of course, Duke star Paolo Banchero could enter the mix, then the Thunder will be faced with another decision to pick Banchero or Smith/Holmgren.

Blue Bloods: Paolo Banchero, Shaedon Sharpe, AJ Griffin, Tyty Washington

Duke has two players that should get drafted in the top ten with Banchero and AJ Griffin. My brother nicknamed Banchero as the “Italian Jayson Tatum” during Duke’s run to the Final Four during the 2022 March Madness tournament. Banchero, a 6-foor-10 forward, averaged 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game during his lone season at Duke. Scouts compared him to Chris Webber and Julius Randle. Banchero is +450 odds to become the #1 pick, but he’s third on DraftKings’s 2022 NBA Draft board.

AJ Griffin only averaged 10.3 ppg as a freshman at Duke. But the 6-foot-6 swingman reminds a lot of scouts of Jaylen Brown and Jimmy Butler, which is impressive company.

Kentucky is known as “One and Done U” these days. Shaedon Sharpe and Tyty Washington  are the latest prospects to spend a short stint in Lexington under coach John Calipari. In the case of Sharpe, he didn’t actually play in a single game. Sharpe, a 6-foot-6 guard, enrolled at Kentucky this spring with intentions to play for the Wildcats for the 2022-23 season, but he declared for the 2022 NBA Draft without suiting up once for UK.

Washington is a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 12.2 points and 4.1 assists per game as a freshman. He’s often compared to former UK-star Immanuel Quickley, who currently plays for the New York Knicks.

Ochai Agbaji, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kansas, is one of the rare seniors that’s slated as a lottery pick. The 22-year old guard averaged 19.8 points for Kansas, while shooting 41.1% from 3-point land.

Big Ten Sophs: Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Johnny Davis

The Big Ten has a trio of super sophomores that could get selected in the top five of the 2022 NBA Draft. That includes Jaden Ivey from Purdue, Keegan Murray from Iowa, and Johnny Davis from Wisconsin.

Jaden Ivey, a 6-foot-4 guard, averaged 17.2 ppg during his sophomore season with Purdue. Victor Oladipo comes to mind when watching Ivey hoop it up. One scout compared him to Donovan Mitchell as a guard that can light it up. Ivey is fourth on the board at DraftKings, but he’s +4000 odds to get picked #1.

With a name like Johnny Davis, he sounds more like an old-school Wisconsin running back than a potential top five lottery pick. Davis, a 6-foot-5 guard, averaged 20 ppg and 8.1 rebounds as a sophomore. Scouts love his defensive tenacity and he’s often compared to Khris Middleton.

Keegan Murray, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 23.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Iowa. Murray reminds scouts of TJ Warren, Al Horford, or Pascal Siakim.

Long Shots: Dyson Daniels, Nikola Jovic, Jaden Hardey

A couple of players from the NBA developmental league aka the G League are long shots to get selected #1. They will most likely go somewhere in the first round, but save your money on wagering on Dyson Daniels (+40000), Marjon Beauchamp (+50000), or Jaden Hardey (+80000) as the #1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Keep an eye on Nikola Jovic. The British-born Serbian player is a long shot at +80000 odds to go #1, but he’s been rapidly rising on mock draft lists. Jovic had a strong season playing pro ball with Mega Basket in Belgrade, Serbia in the Adriatic Basketball Association. Jovic earned a prestigious honor as the ABA’s top prospect. NBA.com conducted a survey of general managers and they voted Jovic as the top international player.

Jovic had a late growth spurt, so he’s a 6-foot-10 big man with serious guard skills. The Ringer compared him to Italy’s Danilo Gallinari, but the 19-year-old has some raw talent that’s worthy of a flier for a team that has the opportunity to develop the next overseas superstar. These days, everyone is looking for the next Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPZyGnpoAXM

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Caesars Sportsbook opened Kansas as the +1000 favorite to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament, though that was far from a unanimous selection among sportsbooks.

Kansas rebuilding for another title run

Kansas came back from a 15-point halftime deficit to beat the Tar Heels 72-69 in a thrilling title game that came down to the final seconds. It was the first national championship for the Jayhawks since 2008. DraftKings listed Kansas as a +1100 pick at the start of the tournament.

That was far behind tournament favorite Gonzaga (+350), which lost in the Sweet 16. Caesars doesn’t see much of a drop-off for Gonzaga in the coming 2022-23 season, posting the Bulldogs as the +1200 second choice. Gonzaga could lose both center Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme to the NBA Draft in the coming weeks.

Kansas will also be losing much of its star power this coming offseason. Final Four Most Outstanding Player Ochai Agbaji will likely leave, as will finals standout David McCormack. Remy Martin, Mitch Lightfoot, and Christian Braun are other contributors unlikely to give Kansas minutes next year.

That turnover has led some sportsbooks to look elsewhere for a favorite, or at least consider other teams at the top of the board. FanDuel lists Kansas as a +1300 co-favorite alongside both Arkansas and Duke, each of which made deep runs this year. They also see a number of very close contenders this far out, including Houston (+1400), UCLA (+1400), Kentucky (+1500), North Carolina (+1500), and Baylor (+1500).

Duke tops March Madness odds at DraftKings

Over at DraftKings, Duke owns the top spot on the 2023 March Madness board at +900. That’s ahead of archrival North Carolina (+1100), defending champion Kansas (+1200), and Kentucky (+1200), with Gonzaga at +1400 alongside Arkansas.

Like Kansas and Gonzaga, Duke will lose some significant pieces in the offseason, likely including star freshman Paolo Banchero. The most significant departure is that of Mike Krzyzewski who coached at Duke since 1981, but retired at the end of the 2021-22 season.

No matter where you want to bet on next year’s March Madness winner, nearly all of the top contenders will be blue bloods and major college basketball powers. That doesn’t mean you can’t drop some money on a Cinderella, though. Saint Louis made a magical run to the Elite Eight this year, and DraftKings now lists them as +9000 picks to win the title in 2023 �the same odds as Illinois, and ahead of former champions like Syracuse (+10000) and Louisville (+15000).

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Kansas came into the national championship as a 4-point favorite and a -190 pick on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Kansas finds success early in second half

The Jayhawks needed to stage the largest comeback in the history of the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship to get the win. North Carolina overcame an early 7-0 deficit and dominated the rest of the first half, taking a 40-25 lead into the locker room.

But Kansas came out firing in the second half, outscoring the Tar Heels 31-10 over the first 10 minutes. Somehow, North Carolina slowed that momentum and stabilized the game, with neither team holding a lead of more than three points over the final 3:45 of the game.

LARGEST COMEBACK IN TITLE GAME HISTORY

THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/oObK7nZO88

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 5, 2022

A Brady Manek tip shot gave North Carolina a 69-68 lead with 1:41 remaining. But David McCormick scored twice on the next two Kansas possessions, including a basket with 22 seconds remaining to give the Jayhawks a three-point advantage.

Caleb Love and Puff Johnson both missed three-point opportunities to tie the game before Kansas took over the ball out of bounds with just 4.6 seconds remaining. North Carolina prepared to foul, but Dajuan Harris stepped out of bounds as he received the inbounds pass, giving the Tar Heels one last chance with 4.3 seconds left.

Caleb Love took a contested three-pointer that barely grazed the rim short, and time ran out before North Carolina could take another shot.

Agbaji wins Most Outstanding Player

Five Kansas players scored in double figures, with McCormick and Jalen Wilson leading the team with 15 points each. North Carolina had five in double figures, with R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot each contributing 15 in a losing effort.

Ochai Agbaji won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award. He scored 12 points in the final after putting up 21 in Kansas’ semifinal win over Villanova on Saturday night.

Ochai Agbaji is the Most Outstanding Player of the men's NCAA tournament �@KUHoops pic.twitter.com/qJFtbvJIlo

— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2022

The Jayhawks came back after trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half. That broke the record for the largest comeback in the history of the NCAA title game, surpassing the 15-point comeback Loyola Chicago staged against Cincinnati in 1963.

This was the first time North Carolina lost a game after leading by 15 or more at halftime in 162 games.

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No. 1 seed Kansas (33-6) comes into the final as a 4-point favorite over North Carolina (29-9), according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Self regrets missing out on 2020 tournament

Kansas earned its way into the final with a wire-to-wire win over Villanova. The Jayhawks jumped out to an early 10-0 lead in the first three minutes, then never looked back on their way to a comfortable 81-65 victory.

Heading into the final, head coach Bill Self reflected on the lost opportunity for the 2019-20 Jayhawks. Kansas was 28-3 and riding a 16-game winning streak when the season ended prematurely due to the pandemic.

“That was just a tough year all around for everybody, no matter what you did as a profession,�Self told reporters. “It was probably maybe our most equipped team to go deep in the tournament, at least going into a tournament. We had the best big man defensive player in the country. We had the best guard defensive player in the country and we had a second-team All-American on top of that. So that was tough for our guys.�/p>

Self has won just one title at Kansas in 19 years, despite having several teams with realistic shots of going all the way. This year’s team may be as good as any of them. Senior guard Ochai Agbaji leads the way, scoring 18.9 points per game. He scored 21 in the victory over Villanova, going 6-for-7 from behind the arc against the Wildcats.

Davis leads North Carolina to title game in first year

North Carolina enjoys just as much historic college basketball success as Kansas, but this year’s squad has a new look. Hubert Davis is coaching the Tar Heels for the first time this year, but has already found success, winning the John McLendon Award as National Coach of the Year ahead of the Final Four.

After beating archrival Duke in the Final Four to end Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching career, North Carolina is now one game away from an improbable national title. The Tar Heels were a bubble team in the weeks leading up to the tournament, but they never lost the belief that they could make a deep run in March.

“I would say our belief all year was strong that we can get to this point,�North Carolina senior forward Armando Bacot told reporters. “At some point, I don’t know if it was belief or if it was just us being delusional.�/p>

Bacot leads the Tar Heels with 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. North Carolina will also look for a big game out of sophomore guard Caleb Love, who scored 28 to lead the way against Duke in the semifinals.

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Stanford (32-3) comes into the latest matchup between the two women’s basketball powerhouses as a slim 1.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM.

UConn reaches 14th straight Final Four

The Cardinal are looking to go back-to-back after winning a national championship last season. Stanford has utilized a balanced, versatile, and deep roster in order to back up its 2021 title. Sophomore forward Cameron Brink leads the way, scoring 13.4 points per game along with averaging 8.1 rebounds, both tops on the team.

Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer says that while she hasn’t seen UConn in person this year, she’s more than familiar with what the Huskies are capable of.

â€Å?a href="//nrxhb.shop/news/paige-bueckers-uconn-beat-south-carolina-ot/">Paige Bueckers is a really talented player,â€Â?VanDerveer said of the UConn star. “She has a great skill set. She’s a tremendous passer, scorer. I think she can do it all. At this level on every team, you have those kinds of players, so you just have to work as hard as you can not to let her do what she really likes to do.â€Â?/p>

UConn (29-5) will make its 14th consecutive appearance in the Women’s Final Four. However, the Huskies haven’t won a national championship since 2016, a relative drought for Connecticut. And right now, UConn coach Geno Auriemma recognizes that it is Stanford that brings a winning tradition into this game.

“Anytime you play a team that’s used to winning �and they are, and they won a national championship last year, and they have everybody back �you have a built-in advantage there because your kids are attempting to do something that they’ve already done,�Auriemma told reporters.

Staley brushes off offensive struggles

While Stanford has the winning pedigree, it’s South Carolina (33-2) that comes into the Women’s Final Four as the tournament favorite. The Gamecocks rate as a -105 pick to win the national championship, making them a favorite over the field. They’ll start with a semifinal matchup against Louisville (29-4). BetMGM has posted South Carolina as the 8.5-point favorite.

The Gamecocks have been less than perfect at times during the tournament. They scored just 49 points in a second-round win over Miami, and North Carolina tested them in a 69-61 Sweet 16 matchup. But head coach Dawn Staley isn’t worried about what outside voices think of her team’s performance.

“We’re just going to play the game,�Staley told reporters. “I think a lot of people have questioned our offense throughout the tournament, and it just seems to be our team that’s been targeted about what our offense is doing, and no other team has ben targeted in the way that our team has. We’re playing good basketball.�/p>

Louisville comes in as the long shot at the Women’s Final Four, with +800 odds of winning the national championship. Head coach Jeff Walz likes the way his team is playing heading into the semifinals, though.

“We’re going to have our hands full,�Walz told reporters. “We’re going to have to play our best, there’s no doubt. At this time of the year, there’s no doubt you’ve got to play your best or you’re not going to win.�/p>

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Paolo Banchero and Duke are still alive in March Madness after securing a trip to the Final Four. Banchero is another freshman and the third-best betting favorite on the board at DraftKings at +300 odds to become the #1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

• Jabari Smith +100
• Chet Holmgren +160
• Paolo Banchero +300
• Jaden Ivey +2500
• Keegan Murray +10000
• Johnny Davis +20000
• Jale Duren +20000
• Benedict Mathurin +20000
• Shaedon Sharpe +20000
• Tyty Washington +25000
• Ochai Agbaji +35000

Keegan Murray, a sophomore forward and the Big Ten’s leading scorer out of Iowa, recently declared for the NBA Draft. He’s projected as a top-five pick, but he’s +10000 odds to become the first pick.

The NBA is waiting until the end of the season to determine the draft lottery. They set forth anti-tanking measures, but you can guess which teams will be in the running for the #1 pick, such as the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jabari Smith +100

Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward, averaged 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game with Auburn this season. He shot an impressive 42% from 3-point range and demonstrated his ability to score from anywhere on the court.

Smith is a multi-positional player and playmaker for a big guy. He’s strong enough to handle traditional big men, and he’s quick enough to defend smaller guards on the perimeter, which is the primary reason he’ll be the #1 pick.

Smith had an awful game in the second round of March Madness during an 18-point shellacking against Miami. He struggled with just 10 points on 3-for-16 from the floor, including 1-for-8 from 3-point land. On a positive note, he hauled down 15 rebounds and added three blocks in the loss.

Even though everyone who watched March Madness saw Smith play his worst game of the season (and of his short career at Auburn), he’s still the favorite at -100 odds to get selected as the #1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Smith grew up in Georgia and loved both football and basketball, even though his father �Jabari Smith, Sr. �played professional basketball. When Smith got too tall for football, he focused on basketball instead. The elder Smith played his collegiate ball at LSU and was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2000. He bounced around the league and played pro ball in Puerto Rico before heading overseas to play in Iran, Turkey, and Spain.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQZNDD7dpU0

Chet Holmgren +160

Holmgren, a true 7-foot teenager, averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocked shots per game for Gonzaga. He shot 60.7% from the floor and 39% from 3-point range. He was Gonzaga’s secondary scoring option behind Drew Timme.

The big knock against Holmgren is that he’s too skinny. He’s listed at 190, but that’s being way too generous. He’s a toothpick and makes the Unicorn look like Patrick Ewing. He’s like a smaller version of Kristaps Porzingis (pre-knee injury), who is a giant with slick guard skills, but who also blocks shots with his 7-foot-6 wingspan. He can dribble, create his own shot, and score buckets in transition.

Opposing teams tried to bang and bully Holmgren, but despite getting tossed around like a ragdoll, he always held his own and never backed down. If he can bulk up and improve his free throws, he can have a decent career.

Holmgren is a legit lottery pick, but he’s not in the same category as Smith. This might be one of those instances where he should stay in school one more season and put on some weight before he heads to the NBA to face brick-houses like Draymond Green, or DeAndre Jordan.

Holmgren is the second favorite on the board at +160 odds to become the #1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he’s most likely not going to get picked #1 even though the folks at The Ringer slated him at #1 if the Houston Rockets win the lottery.

Paolo Banchero +300

Banchero is another 6-foot-10 freshman with serious guard skills. He led Duke in scoring with 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He shot 47.8% from the floor, but needs to work on his long-range shooting after connecting on only 33.3% of his treys.

My brother referred to Banchero as the Italian Jayson Tatum. That’s a heck of a comparison. However, Banchero is the best player among the 2022 Final Four teams. He hit some huge buckets down the stretch and finished with 22 points for Duke against Texas Tech in the Sweet 16.

Scouts like Banchero because he can play more than one position and has the guard skills to be a point forward, even though Coach K used him as a post-up player.

Banchero isn’t just an ISO guy who can beat his opponent off the dribble. He has savvy pick-and-roll skills and makes good decisions as a playmaker and short-roll passer. He can handle either role in the PNR, and has the size to set picks and pop out for a 3-pointer.

Banchero — once considered the favorite for the #1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft — saw his odds slip to +300, but he’s still among the top three on the prop betting board with Holmgren and Smith.

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Murray led the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Big Ten in scoring with 23.5 points per game. He was also the nation’s fourth-best scorer and named to the All-American first team. He also had the highest-rated PER rating in the NCAA.

“I am forever grateful that Coach Fran McCaffery gave me the opportunity to live out my dream,” said Murray. “Iowa will always be my home and I’m forever grateful to be part of Hawkeye Nation.”

ESPN ranked Murray as the fifth-best prospect in the country, which makes him a potential lottery pick.

In 35 games with Iowa this season, Murray averaged 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. He shot nearly 40% from 3-point range and 55.4% from the floor.

“Looking forward to showing NBA teams my versatility on both ends of the court,” Murray told ESPN. “I’m a lot more athletic than people realize. I’m as competitive a player as you’re going to get. It doesn’t show from my facial expressions, but I love the game of basketball, and competing every single night was a blessing for me.”

Late bloomer

Recruiters weren’t knocking down the Murray family’s front door in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Murray earned just one scholarship offer and it wasn’t from a Big Ten school. He declined the chance to play for Western Illinois and decided to play an additional season at a prep school.

Keegan joined his twin brother Kris Murray for a season at Florida’s DME Academy. His hard work in Florida paid off and he caught the eye of Iowa. The Hawkeyes extended him a scholarship offer.

“I went into my first year at Iowa trying to learn,” said Murray. “I had the national player of the year on our team in Luka Garza, and veterans coming back. My goal was to learn from them and establish what I can do to get minutes and benefit our team, which meant being a hustle guy and really solid defensively. I tried to fill that role as best I could.”

Murray appeared in 31 games as a freshman and started four times. He averaged just 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He struggled from 3-point range and shot just 29.6%.

Murray: sophomore surge

After Garza graduated, Murray emerged as the team’s top player. Many sophomores go through the dreaded “sophomore slump,” but Murray was the opposite. He jumped from 7.2 ppg to 23.5 ppg or a difference of 16.3 ppg. It was the biggest single-season leap in scoring average in nearly 50 years.

“The big emphasis for me in the offseason was becoming a better all-around player physically,” explained Murray. “I put on 15 pounds and was able to increase my vertical leap. I was 205 pounds coming into college. Grew to around 6-foot-9, and between 220 to 225 pounds, which helped a lot.”

During his freshman season, he played on the wing as a small forward. This past season, Murray played in the 4-spot as a power forward, but even had stints at the 5-spot or center due to the team’s lack of height after Garza went to the NBA.

“I’ll do whatever is needed to win because of my skill set,” said Murray. “This year I needed to play the 5. I feel like in the NBA, I can play 2 to 5. I can adapt to any position I’m put in.”

Murray is projected as a first-round draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, but his stock has been going up after a strong showing at the Big Ten tournament where he earned MVP honors and averaged 25 ppg.

I’m not worried about what spot I get drafted,” added Murray. “I want to be in the best situation possible and play for a team that values my game and understands what I can excel at.”

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DraftKings Sportsbook lists Duke as the +155 pick to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, just ahead of the Kansas Jayhawks (+185).

Coach K reaches 13th Final Four

Duke held off Arkansas 78-69 on Saturday to win the West Regional title. Afterward, Coach K turned the focus to his players, rather than to himself and his last Final Four run.

“Let’s not talk about me. Talk about them,�Krzyzewski told reporters. “They’ve won a regular-season championship and they’ve won the regional championship. They did that. They did it for us. And enough about doing it for the old man here.�/p>

Krzyzewski has won five national titles over his 47 years as a head coach and has reached the Final Four 13 times. He’s the winningest coach in college basketball history at any level — in either the men’s or women’s game — with 1,202 career victories.

Yet there’s something he’s never experienced that will happen next Saturday. Duke will play its archrival North Carolina in the Final Four, the first meeting in the NCAA Tournament for the two schools despite the extensive history of success both have enjoyed.

The Tar Heels had no problems dispatching No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the regional final. While the Peacocks put together the longest March Madness run ever for such a low-seeded squad, they had no answers for North Carolina, falling behind by 19 at the half and eventually losing 69-49.

“I really thought we were going to win this game,�Saint Peter’s coach Shaheen Holloway told reporters afterward. “No disrespect to them. I just thought we could match up with them.�/p>

Duke heads into the Final Four matchup as a four-point favorite over North Carolina.

Kansas, Villanova face off in semifinals

The other national semifinal should be just as tight. Kansas enters as a 4.5-point favorite over Villanova after both teams fought their way through difficult Elite Eight matchups.

Villanova came into its regional final as an underdog to Houston. But in a scrappy game, the Wildcats kept the lead most of the way to notch a low-scoring 50-44 win and a trip to the Final Four.

“It felt like it was playing against our own selves,�Villanova guard Caleb Daniels told reporters. “It was a literal street fight. We’re not going to be perfect defensively but we’re together, and that’s the beautiful part of our program.�/p>

Kansas blew out Miami in its regional final, beating the Hurricanes 76-50, but that score doesn’t tell the whole story. Miami actually led by six at the half before the Jayhawks dominated the second half to a 47-15 tune.

“The was about as well as we can play the second half,�Kansas coach Bill Self said afterward. “These guys earned it. So proud for them and proud for our program.�/p>

Kansas now stands as a 4.5-point favorite over Villanova in their Final Four game. Villanova rates as a +450 pick to win the national championship, with UNC at +500.

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Saint Peter’s will take on North Carolina in the final Elite Eight game on Sunday. The action kicks off Saturday afternoon with a battle between Houston and Villanova. Here’s a quick look at all four games on this weekend’s NCAA Tournament slate, with odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Houston (-3) vs. Villanova

There can be no doubt that Houston is a title contender after the way the Cougars dominated Arizona in a 72-60 win on Thursday. They’re also playing the Elite Eight less than 200 miles from their campus in San Antonio, meaning they should benefit from having the crowd at their back. Despite being a No. 5 seed, Houston is now the +350 second choice to win the tournament outright.

Villanova hasn’t faced a late test yet in the NCAA Tournament. Most recently, the Wildcats beat Michigan 63-55 in the Sweet 16, pulling away from the Wolverines in the final 10 minutes behind 22 points from senior forward Jermaine Samuels. While Villanova winning this game would only be a minor upset, it will have to improve on its 9-for-30 shooting mark from behind the arc against Michigan, a number that won’t be enough to beat Houston.

Duke (-4) vs. Arkansas

Many people picked Texas Tech to beat Duke in a tossup game on Thursday. Instead, the Blue Devils held off Coach K’s retirement by at least one more game, booking a place in the Elite Eight. Paolo Banchero scored 22 to lead a balanced Duke attack in which all five starters reached double figures against the best defense in the country.

Coach K is feeling ELITE. pic.twitter.com/sDC7xjN7jM

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 25, 2022

Arkansas may be coming in as the underdog, but knows it can beat anybody after knocking off the No. 1 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs 74-68. The Razorbacks forced 15 turnovers and got Chet Holmgren into foul trouble, a combination that paid dividends down the stretch. Arkansas will look to use that same gameplan against Duke, attacking the rim and drawing fouls to stay in the game from the foul line.

Kansas (-6) vs. Miami

Kansas is the only No. 1 seed to reach the Elite Eight, a fact that has them sitting pretty as the +275 favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. But the Jayhawks haven’t exactly dominated teams so far: after easing past Texas Southern, they beat Creighton by seven, then Providence by five in the Sweet 16.

Meanwhile, Miami has blitzed its last two opponents, beating Auburn by 18 and Iowa State by 14. The Hurricanes came into the tournament as a No. 10 seed, but has the scoring punch to stay with the Jayhawks. The biggest question will be if they can slow Kansas down, as the Jayhawks sport plenty of scoring punch, even outside their starting lineup. Remy Martin scored 23 off the bench on Friday, and Miami must contain him if they hope to advance to the Final Four.

North Carolina (-8) vs. Saint Peter’s

Saint Peter’s just keeps winning, making bettors happy �at least if they live outside of New Jersey. The first No. 15 seed to ever reach the Elite Eight has already sprung upsets against theoretically superior teams in Kentucky and Perdue, so why not add North Carolina to that list?

CINDERELLA 🦚

SAINT PETER’S MAKES COLLEGE BASKETBALL HISTORY‼�pic.twitter.com/FxWta9eUF0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 26, 2022

Of course, North Carolina has done its share of giant killing as well. The Tar Heels beat No. 1 seed and defending champion Baylor in the second round, then survived a tough test with UCLA in the Sweet 16. They also have a great narrative building, as UNC would meet up with Duke in the Final Four if both win this weekend. To do so, the Tar Heels will need to find a way to solve the Peacocks’ suffocating defense, which has held all tournament opponents to 43 percent or less from the field.

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