By Daniel Marco | @DanielMarco1995 “WE SLEEP IN MAY!” The message was written across the white board in the Connecticut locker room at NRG Stadium late Monday night. The Huskies will rest – eventually. The Connecticut Huskies continued their rampage through the NCAA tournament, defeating the San Diego State Aztecs, 76-59, Monday night at NRG …
Read MoreBy Christopher Wright Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON — Emeka Okafor, the defensive foundation of the 2004 champion Connecticut Huskies, was the 2023 team’s biggest cheerleader in the dressing room at NRG Stadium Monday night. After the national champion Huskies returned from the net-cutting ceremony following their emphatic victory over San Diego State, Okafor bounced …
Read MoreBy Daniel Marco | @DanielMarco1995 Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON — The U.S. Basketball Writers Association held its annual awards luncheon Monday morning in Houston to honor distinguished members of the sports writing community. The USBWA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 included Seth Davis, Bob Logan, Kevin Scarbinsky, Lesley Visser and Grant Wahl. Davis, …
Read MoreBy Christopher Wright Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON-– “The ball was in my hand perfectly,” San Diego State’s Lamont Butler remembered after being asked once more about his game-winning shot to beat Florida Atlantic Saturday evening, a buzzer-beater that earned the Aztecs a spot in the championship game against Connecticut Monday night. Butler retold his …
Read MoreBy Daniel Marco | @DanielMarco1995 Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON – When you think of college basketball, the big name, upper echelon programs come to mind; Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA, the so called “blue bloods.” With this year’s run to the title game, Connecticut has staked its claim as a member of that …
Read MoreBy Daniel Marco | @DanielMarco1995 Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON — Purdue junior center Zach Edey has been named the winner of the 2023 Oscar Robertson Trophy as the National Player of the Year, as voted on by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Edey, an imposing 7-foot 4-inch, 295-pound big man from Toronto, Canada, averaged …
Read MoreBy Christopher Wright Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2023 class on Saturday, with the global game and international competition at the center of the celebration. The inductees include Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. Other members of the class are Greg Popovich, Dwyane Wade, …
Read MoreBy Daniel Marco | @DanielMarco1995 Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON — “One more!!!” The Connecticut Huskies shouted as they ran down the tunnel at NRG Stadium after their 72-59 victory over the Miami Hurricanes Saturday night. It was a dominant effort from the Huskies in a game they never trailed in, and led by as …
Read MoreBy Christopher Wright Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON – Lamont Butler was running out of space, and the San Diego State Aztecs were running out of time. Trailing Florida Atlantic by a point as the final seconds ticked away, with a spot in the national championship game at stake, Butler followed the instructions of coach …
Read MoreBy Christopher Wright Sports Capital Journalism Program HOUSTON – The 2023 NCAA Men’s Final Four, rife with coaching personalities, includes San Diego State’s Brian Dutcher, who brings a blue-collardom. The Aztecs’ coach rarely talks about himself but sings praises when any of his players are brought up. Dutcher has taken a defensively tough group to …
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