UNDATED (AP) — Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd helped UConn to an undefeated season heading into March Madness. The pair became the first teammates in six years to make The Associated Press All-America team. It’s the 10th time that teammates have made the first team, seven of those involving UConn players. The last pair to achieve the feat was Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard in 2020. Strong and Fudd were joined by Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Texas’ Madison Booker. Strong was a unanimous choice from the 31-member national media panel that chooses the AP Top 25 each week.
UNDATED (AP) — College basketball teams are continuing to lean more and more on the 3-point shot. That comes in the 40th season since the 3-pointer was fully integrated into the sport. Division I teams took an average of nearly 40% of their shots from 3-point range this season. Now many of those teams are in March Madness. The challenge now is finding the right balance in taking and making those shots when the season is on the line.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Gonzaga is back in the NCAA Tournament and still looking for a title breakthrough. The Bulldogs have made 27 straight tournament appearances and made it to the title game twice, losing both times. The Zags head to Portland this time as a No. 3 seed to face No. 14 Kennesaw State on Thursday night. Fifth-seeded Wisconsin plays No. 12 High Point, No. 4 Arkansas plays No. 13 Hawaii and No. 6 BYU plays No. 11 Texas in the other first-round West Region games at the Moda Center.
UNDATED (AP) — Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd’s NCAA Tournament experiences have run the gamut at his previous schools. Boyd reached the Final Four with Florida Atlantic in 2023, endured an overtime loss in the round of 64 with the Owls a year later and then lost in the First Four with San Diego State last season. This era of the transfer portal has enabled plenty of players to get a taste of March Madness at multiple schools.
UNDATED (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is treating a 17-point loss to Texas as a useful reset before the NCAA Tournament. Her fourth-ranked Gamecocks lost the SEC title game 78-61 to Texas after a 14-0 first-quarter hole. A similar loss in the SEC titgle game 2022 ended with a national championship. South Carolina will be the No. 1 seed again and will face the winner of Southern and Samford on Saturday. The Gamecocks have made the Final Four as a No. 1 seed the last five seasons.
UNDATED (AP) — Houston’s LJ Cryer fell just short last year in his bid to become the first men’s basketball player to win an NCAA Tournament at two different schools. LSU’s MiLaysia Fulwiley now is trying to accomplish the feat on the women’s side. Fulwiley was part of South Carolina’s 2024 national championship team and its runner-up squad last year before switching schools. LSU (27-5) is the No. 2 seed in the Sacramento 2 Region and hosts Jacksonville (24-8) in a first-round game Sunday.
UNDATED (AP) — Duke is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, but could be missing two key players due to foot injuries. Point guard Caleb Foster is not likely to play until the Final Four, if the Blue Devils get there, but big man Patrick Ngongba II may be close to returning. The Blue Devils aren't the only team missing key players in March Madness. No. 20 Texas Tech will be without All-American big man J.T. Toppin due to a torn ACL. BYU sharpshooter Richie Saunders also is out with a torn ACL. North Carolina will be without stellar freshman Caleb Wilson due to a broke thumb suffered in practice. Michigan is also missing a key player in backup point guard L.J. Cason due to a torn ACL.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Tramon Mark hit a fadeaway jumper from just inside the 3-point line with 1.1 seconds left, and Texas survived a late rally to beat N.C. State on Tuesday night in a First Four matchup of power-conference teams that limped into March Madness. Mark scored 17 points to lead the Longhorns (19-14), who had lost five of six entering the NCAA Tournament. Texas moved into the bracket as the No. 11 seed in the West region and will face sixth-seeded BYU on Thursday night in Portland, Oregon. Darrion Williams led the Wolfpack with 21 points.
