Portland knocks out Gonzaga
LAS VEGAS — Maisie Burnham scored 19 points, Alex Fowler had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Portland beat two-time defending West Coast Conference Tournament champion Gonzaga 64-60 on Tuesday to claim an NCAA Tournament berth.
Portland (23-8) snapped a six-game losing streak against the No. 16 Zags — with its last win coming in the tournament semifinals during the 2019-20 season. The Pilots won the tournament championship that year before the season was canceled due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Portland played in four straight NCAA Tournaments from 1994-97 before getting back in 2020.
Fowler, averaging 17.9 points, missed her first five shots before finishing 7-for-14 and securing her first double-double of the season for Portland.
ACC: Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby is The Associated Press men’s basketball player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the second straight season a Demon Deacons player took the honor after Alondes Williams earned it a year ago. Pitt coach Jeff Capel was named coach of the year and Duke freshman Kyle Filipowski was named newcomer of the year.
Big 12: Big 12 scoring and rebounding leader Jalen Wilson of Kansas is the unanimous pick as The Associated Press Big 12 player of the year. Kansas State senior forward Keyontae Johnson joined Wilson as the only unanimous first-team picks. Johnson, a transfer from Florida who has turned into a top player after a frightening collapse more than two years ago, was also selected as newcomer of the year in voting by a panel of 17 journalists who cover the league. First-year Kansas State coach Jerome Tang was voted as coach of the year.
Big East: Marquette’s Tyler Kolek is the Associated Press Big East player of the year and Shaka Smart is the unanimous pick for coach of the year after the two led the Golden Eagles’ surprising run to their first regular-season championship in 10 years. Xavier’s Souley Boum was voted newcomer of the year in balloting by 11 writers and broadcasters who cover the conference.
Big Ten: Purdue’s Zach Edey is The Associated Press player of the year in the Big Ten Conference and the Boilermakers’ Matt Painter and Northwestern’s Chris Collins split coach of the year honors. Edey received all but one vote for player of the year in balloting by 14 journalists who cover the conference. Maryland’s Jahmir Young beat out Indiana’s Jalen Hoodschifino for newcomer of the year. Edey and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-davis were unanimous selections to the AP All-big Ten first team. Joining Edey and Jackson-davis on the first team are Northwestern’s Boo Buie, who played for Troy High, Penn State’s Jalen Pickett, a former Siena standout, and Iowa’s Kris Murray.
Pac-12: Jaime Jaquez was named AP’S player of the year in the Pac-12 on Tuesday and Bruins coach Mick Cronin is the conference coach of the year. Washington forward Keion Brooks was named Pac-12 newcomer of the year by an eight-person panel of journalists who cover the conference.
SEC: Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, whose tremendous season on the court has been clouded by controversy off it, is The Associated Press player of the year and newcomer of the year in the Southeastern Conference. Texas A&M’S Buzz Williams was named coach of the year in voting by 14 reporters who cover the SEC. Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV and Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s national player of the year, were unanimous first-team picks.