Big Ten Basketball

The final Big Ten/ACC challenge of his coaching career will see Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils visit the Ohio State Buckeyes on Nov. 30. 

This year's interleague competition includes number of high-profile matchups over three days as Michigan State hosts Louisville, Syracuse hosts Indiana, and North Carolina hosts Michigan. 

The series will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. The Big Ten won last year's challenge 7-5 for its second consecutive victory.   

Duke is 4-3 all-time against Ohio State but hasn't faced the Buckeyes in the regular season since hosting in 2012. North Carolina, playing its first season since Hubert Davis took over for the retired Roy Williams, is 4-4 all-time against Michigan, having fallen to the Wolverines at the Battle 4 Atlantis in November 2019. 

Two blue bloods in Indiana and Syracuse will meet for the sixth time, with the Orange winning five times, including the last meeting in 2013. 

A number of schools will face off for the first time in Big Ten/ACC Challenge history, including Iowa-Virginia, Minnesota-Pitt, Miami-Penn State, Nebraska-NC State and Maryland-Virginia Tech. The ACC leads the all-time conference series 12-7-3 overall and 138-113 in individual games. 

This year's schedule is likely to include a number of ranked matchups as well. 

On June 1, ESPN's Jeff Borzello's preseason rankings included these schools from both conferences: No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Purdue, No. 8 Michigan, No. 12 Maryland, No. 13 Duke, No. 16 Virginia Tech, No. 19 Florida State, No. 20 North Carolina, No. 23 Virginia and No. 24 Michigan State. 

According to those rankings, here's a look at the biggest ACC/Big Ten matchups:

• No. 13 Duke at No. 5 Ohio State
• No. 19 Florida State at No. 6 Purdue
• No. 8 Michigan at No. 20 North Carolina
• No. 16 Virginia Tech at No. 12 Maryland

Of course, plenty can happen between June and November, but the current schedule is likely to produce at least a few ranked matchups. Either way, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge rarely fails to entertain.   

Iowa star Luka Garza has officially measured in at 6'11¼" with shoes on at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine. 

Per NBA.com, Garza weighed in at 242.8 pounds with a standing reach of 8'11½". His hands measured in at 9" long and 9¼" wide. 

Garza's weight on Tuesday was significantly lower than what he played at for the Hawkeyes last season:

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman noted leading up to the combine that scouts were keeping an eye on Garza's weight loss because they did "question his defensive mobility and offensive quickness" at the next level. 

Garza has one of the most impressive resumes of any player in this year's class. The 22-year-old led the Hawkeyes to a 22-9 record and was the consensus National Player of the Year in 2020-21. 

Despite the many accolades Garza racked up at the college level, his NBA prospects are uncertain at this stage of the process. 

Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo wrote in March that the two-time All-American isn't highly regarded in draft circles because of his lack of quickness, particularly on the defensive end against more athletic big men. 

Woo specifically cited Iowa's 82-71 loss to Illinois in the Big Ten tournament when Illini center Kofi Cockburn scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds primarily matched up against Garza. 

Here's what one executive for a Western Conference team told Woo about Garza as a draft prospect:

“Even looking at it favorably, I don’t think he can go in the first round. But I do think he has to get drafted. There’s too much positivity around his motor, production and who he is as a human being. In the second round, you can’t say you’re not going to think about giving him a chance to find a role. But how many people [in the NBA] will you find who think he’s a first-rounder? Not many.”

Wasserman has Garza ranked as the No. 50 prospect in the 2021 class right now, though he did point out "there isn't a big difference between the late 40s and Nos. 50-70 range."

If Garza can put separation between himself and some of the other players in that range during the combine, it would certainly help his chances of getting drafted in the second round. 

Based on the work that Garza has clearly put in at the gym to get his weight down by 20 pounds since the end of the college season in March, he is at least showing the motivation to get better. 

Garza's college production over the past four seasons was significant. The Washington, D.C., native averaged 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 31 starts as a senior. He also shot 44.0 percent from three-point range on 3.2 attempts per contest. 

A Feb. 19 meeting between the seven seniors on the 2020-21 Wisconsin men's basketball team, head coach Greg Gard and his coaching staff was secretly recorded and sent to the Wisconsin State Journal.  

"I just feel like, coach, we don't have a relationship," starter Nate Reuvers said on the recording, per Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal. "In my mind, it's too late for that. I personally don't think or feel like you care about our future aspirations. I can't talk to you. I just don't want to talk to you. After this, coach, I don't know what type of relationship we're going to have, if we have one."

On Tuesday, Gard and Wisconsin's athletic director Barry Alvarez responded to the situation:

Polzin reported that the 37-minute audio file was sent to the newspaper via an anonymous email. 

The general theme of the meeting echoed Reuvers' comments, that the players didn't feel like Gard was behind them, that he cultivated a culture where coaches and players pointed fingers rather than taking accountability and that some players felt like they couldn't even speak to Gard.

"Coaches have to be able to respond to adversity, just like players do," one of Wisconsin's seniors told Polzin. "They have to try different things, and that's what coach Gard did. Is it something that us players reacted well to? No. And that's why we confronted him about it."

But that same player said he felt the meeting was productive. 

"[Gard] sat there, he listened and there was not one dry eye in the entire room at the end of everything," he said. "The biggest thing that he did at the end was he apologized again and he was in tears and he said, 'It’s not your fault, it's my fault.'"

Just one of the players, Brad Davison, is returning next year (the senior class was granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Reuvers, Aleem Ford, Micah Potter and D’Mitrik Trice are attempting to turn pro, while Trevor Anderson (Valparaiso) and Walt McGrory (South Dakota) transferred to different schools. 

Assistant coach Alando Tucker was also replaced with another former Badgers player, Sharif Chambliss, on Gard's staff. 

Davison said he was disappointed that the edited conversation was made public, calling the locker room environment a "sanctuary." 

"Every locker room that you are in, you are with individuals that you've cried with, that you've bled with, that you've sweat with and that you've worked with," he said. "When you have tough conversations, the reason why you have tough conversations in the locker room is because you care for the people in the locker room and because you love them and want what's best for them and ultimately you want to grow with them."

Former Orlando Magic and Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of felony firearm and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

According to Cara Ball of WXYZ Detroit, the charges stem from the May 22 shooting death of 66-year-old Clyde Edmonds, who was related to Appling through marriage.

Appling's girlfriend, Natalie Banister, was charged with one count of accessory after the fact and one count of lying to a peace officer for allegedly driving the getaway car.

In 2017, the Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported Appling was sentenced to one year in jail for resisting police and carrying a concealed weapon. In 2020, Darcie Moran of the Detroit Free Press reported he was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license.

The 2020 charge came after police said they found heroin in his car during a traffic stop that happened because he was driving erratically.

Appling played five games for the Magic during the 2015-16 season.

He is best known for his collegiate career, having played four seasons for the Spartans from 2010-11 through 2013-14.

Former Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was arrested Monday in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred Saturday in Detroit, according to Miriam Marini of the Detroit Free Press.

The 29-year-old was arrested in Chelsea, Michigan, more than 50 miles from Detroit, and police said a firearm was recovered at the time of the arrest.

Appling had initially been named a suspect by the Detroit Police Department, who allege the former basketball player had a verbal altercation with a 66-year-old man that became physical. The police allege Appling fired multiple gunshots before fleeing the scene.

The man who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene.

Appling is best known for his time at Michigan State from 2010-14, where he averaged 10.6 points across 142 games. The Spartans won two Big Ten tournament titles with three trips to the Sweet 16 during his four-year career.

The point guard spent some time professionally in the G League and played five NBA games for the Orlando Magic in 2015-16. His career featured some international competition as well, most recently in Italy in 2019.

Legal trouble had been an issue for Appling in the past, however, including a one-year jail sentence in 2017 for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police, per ESPN.com. He was also given 18 months probation in 2020 for drug-related charges.

Former Michigan State and Orlando Magic basketball player Keith Appling is a suspect in the shooting death of a 66-year-old man.

Detroit Police released a statement that said the victim and suspect "had a verbal altercation, which turned physical" Saturday in Detroit, per Brett Kast of WXYZ Detroit. The suspect then fired multiple gunshots and killed the older man before fleeing the scene.

Police identified the suspect as Appling and said he was "armed and dangerous."

Appling has had a number of run-ins with the law.

In February 2020, Darcie Moran of the Detroit Free Press reported he was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license after police said they found heroin in his car when they pulled him over for driving erratically.

The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported in August 2017 that he was sentenced to one year in jail for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police.

Appling is best known for his time at Michigan State. He played for the Spartans for four seasons from 2010-11 through 2013-14 and helped lead them to the NCAA men's tournament four times and the 2014 Elite Eight.

While he went undrafted, he played in the NBA G League and appeared in five games for the Orlando Magic during the 2015-16 campaign.

The 2022 recruiting class for the Michigan State men's basketball team reportedly took a major hit Friday. 

According to basketball reporter Joe Tipton, Emoni Bates will decommit from the Spartans and reopen his recruitment. Bates is a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 overall player in his class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

This is not the first notable loss for Tom Izzo's 2022 recruiting class, as big man Enoch Boakye, who is a 4-star prospect on 247Sports' composite rankings, decommitted in February. Boakye then reclassified to the 2021 class and joined the Arizona State Sun Devils.

As for Bates, Tipton reported he is "open to both college and pro options."

Travis Branham of 247Sports noted "it will come as little surprise if Bates follows the footsteps of other elite prospects such as Jalen Green and goes the professional route."

The small forward checks in at 6'8" and 200 pounds, and 247Sports' Brandon Jenkins listed Paul George as an NBA player comparison.

Like George, Bates has the versatility to defend multiple positions, shoot from the outside, attack off the bounce and set up teammates when opposing defenses collapse on him. He can simply shoot over smaller defenders and blow past bigger ones, and that skill set should easily transition to the NBA.

Even if he was at Michigan State for just one season, he is someone who could guide the Spartans to the Final Four and a Big Ten championship.

Instead, he may look to explore his professional options before eventually reaching the NBA.

Maryland has agreed to a contract extension with men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon, the school announced Wednesday.

The deal adds three more seasons to his current contract, keeping him with the program through the 2025-26 season.

Athletic director Damon Evans provided a statement on the latest news:

"We believe in Coach Turgeon and are excited about what the future holds for Maryland basketball. Coach is fully committed to Maryland and we are in agreement of the expectations for our program as we move forward. Coach and the staff have already been at work recruiting and building on our recent success. We all need to do our part, pulling in the same direction, pursuing a championship-level program."

Patrick Stevens of the Washington Post reported the terms of the deal feature heavy incentives for postseason success:

There was speculation about Maryland potentially moving on from Turgeon, but it would have taken a $6 million buyout to fire the coach this offseason, per Jeff Ermann of 247Sports.

While divisive among fans, Turgeon has seen plenty of success in his 10 years with the program since coming over from Texas A&M in 2011.

The coach has a 221-113 record at Maryland, making five of the last six NCAA tournaments after a slow start to his tenure. The Terrapins would have made the field last year as well but March Madness was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The squad still earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.

This past season, Maryland reached the Round of 32 after beginning the year with a 10-10 record, including a 5-9 mark in the Big Ten.

The Terps have even higher expectations in 2021-22 after getting transfers Qudus Wahab from Georgetown and Daron Fatts Russell from Rhode Island.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello listed the team No. 6 in the country in his early rankings for next season.

There are concerns about Turgeon's upside with his current team, going 5-5 in the NCAA tournament with just one Sweet 16 appearance in 10 years. It appears Maryland will still give him more time to get the most out of his squad.

Iowa Hawkeyes big man Luka Garza was announced Tuesday as the winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award as the men's college basketball Player of the Year.

The news was announced on Tuesday's episode of SportsCenter.

The 2020-21 college basketball season came to a close Monday night with Baylor routing previously undefeated Gonzaga, 86-70, in the men's national championship game. The Bears overcame a three-week COVID-19 pause in February to capture the program's first title.

Now it's awards season with Garza joining UConn's Paige Bueckers as this year's Wooden Award recipients. The other finalists on the men's side were Baylor's Jared Butler, Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu and Gonzaga's Corey Kispert.

Garza, who previously earned Naismith Player of the Year honors, continued to compile accolades for his standout senior season. He was also a finalist for the Wooden Award last year.

The 6'11" center was a hallmark of efficiency, averaging 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks while shooting 55.3 percent from the field, including 44 percent from three-point range. He also racked up 13 double-doubles.

He continued to shine in the postseason, tallying 105 points in four games between the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament, but the Hawkeyes were eliminated in the conference semifinals and the second round of the Big Dance.

Past winners of the Wooden Award include Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.

Along with on-court contributions, the award's qualifications state the candidates must also "exhibit strength of character" throughout the season.

Luka Garza was a Naismith Award winner, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and a two-time consensus All-American during his time at Iowa, but he is making history away from the court.

Garza will become the first college athlete to sell a non-fungible token (NFT) now that he is eligible to profit off his image and likeness following the Hawkeyes' loss to Oregon in the NCAA men's tournament and the end of his collegiate career, per Daniel Roberts of Decrypt.

"This is my first time doing anything to make money off my own name, so it's really kind of new waters for me," Garza told Decrypt. "I'm studying economics in college, and my dad was big in tech throughout his life, so I saw the opportunity to expand my brand."

The NFT, which went on sale at OpenSea at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, is a one-of-one virtual trading card featuring images of Garza playing for the Hawkeyes, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Children's Hospital at the University of Iowa. 

Whoever wins the auction will also receive autographed game-worn shoes from the Iowa big man, a private meditation session with him, a chance to show off his or her skills in a game of H.O.R.S.E. against Garza, a lifetime VIP pass to any basketball camp hosted by the Hawkeye and the opportunity to attend dinner and a movie with the 22-year-old.

There will also be the chance to say one was part of history by winning the first NFT sold by a college athlete.