Cronin, dad reunite after UCLA’s OT win

Late Thursday

First Four

UCLA 86,

Michigan State 80 (OT)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — UCLA showed plenty of fight in its overtime win over Michigan State.

The Spartans showed some fight, too — among themselves.

After coach Tom

Izzo and forward Gabe Brown carried a shouting match into halftime, the Spartans (15-13) proceeded to blow an 11-point lead over the next 20 minutes. UCLA (20-7) forced overtime on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s three-point play with

3.3 seconds to go, then pulled away in the extra session.

“The kids really needed this,” said

Bruins coach Mick Cronin, whose team had lost four straight. UCLA faces No. 6 seed Brigham Young today.

An interaction Cronin had after the game served as a cherry on top that all Americans can relate to.

Cronin, a Cincinnati native, had not seen his father, Harold “Hep” Cronin, since the start of the pandemic. The TBS broadcast team featured Hep often in the stands, sporting his UCLA shirt and sweating out every possession like one would expect from a longtime high school basketball coach.

After the game, Hep walked down to the first row and shared a conversation with Mick.

NIT first round N.C. State 75, Davidson 61

DENTON, Texas — DJ Funderburk and Manny Bates combined for 35 points on 15-of17 shooting as North Carolina State won a first-round National Invitation Tournament game.

Funderburk matched his season high with 21 points, hitting 8 of 10 shots and grabbing seven rebounds. Bates went 7 for 7 for 14 points and had seven rebounds.

Jericole Hellems added 13 points for the Wolfpack (14-10), which will play a quarterfinal next Thursday against the winner between Buffalo and Colorado State.

Luka Brajkovic scored 15 points for Davidson (13-9). Hyunjung Lee added 13 points, Kellan Grady 12 to surpass 2,000 for his career, and Michael Jones 11.

Boise State 85, SMU 84

FRISCO, Texas — Devonaire Doutrive scored on a putback with 10.1 seconds to play for the Broncos (19-8).

Mladen Armus, who made the play to keep the ball alive for Doutrive, also forced a turnover on the other end.

Boise State will play the winner of today’s Memphis-Dayton game in a quarterfinal Thursday.

Armus scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Broncos, who hit a seasonhigh 14 3-pointers.