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Shaka Smart Named Head Coach at Marquette

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Wisconsin native Shaka Smart has been named the 18th head coach of the Marquette University men’s basketball program on Friday.  The university will officially Smart during a news conference on Monday.

In 12 seasons as a head coach at Virginia Commonwealth (2009-15) and Texas (2015-21), Smart guided the two programs to a total of eight NCAA Tournament appearances.  Those trips were highlighted by a run to VCU’s first Final Four appearance in 2011.

The 43-year-old Smart owns an overall record of 272-142 (.657) and seven of his first 10 teams played in the NCAA tournament.  He posted a record of 163-56 (.744) at VCU and five trips to the NCAA.  While at Texas, the Longhorns were 109-86 (.559) and made NCAA appearances in 2016, 2018 and 2021.  Texas also claimed the National Invitation Tournament title in 2019.

 

 

Badgers dominate North Carolina 85-62 in opening round victory

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The Wisconsin Badgers played their most complete game of the season in defeating North Carolina in the opening-round of the NCAA Tournament 85-62 Friday night.

Brad Davison had a career high 29 points on 10/15 shooting.  D’Mitrik Trice added 21 points as the Badgers drained 13 of 27 three point attempts.

With the victory Wisconsin will play the top seed in the South Region, Baylor, on Sunday.

This game marked the first time in North Carolina coach Roy Williams career that he has lost an opening-round game.

Overall the Badgers shot 51 percent from the field and 57 percent in the second half.

Wisconsin took a 40-24 lead at halftime.  In the second half North Carolina got as close to 12 points on a couple occasions, but the Badgers answered with three’s.

 

Badgers open NCAA Tournament Friday against North Carolina (AUDIO)

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The Wisconsin Badgers (17-12) drew the number-9 seed in the South Regional and will square off against number-8 seeded North Carolina (18-10) in a first-round game Friday (6 p.m.) at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana (CBS).

The winner will face either No. 1 Baylor (22-2) or No. 16 Hartford (15-8) on Sunday.

The Badgers are one of a record nine Big Ten teams to make the 68-team NCAA Tournament field.

The Tar Heels finished in a tie for sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, then beat Notre Dame and Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament before falling to second seeded Florida State 69-66 in the semifinals.

Wisconsin enters the tournament coming off of a 62-57 loss to Iowa in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.  They’ve won just two of their last eight games.

But those losses all came against teams in front of them in the Big Ten standings.  The Badgers fell to Michigan, Illinois, [Read more…]

COVID halts Marquette hoops for two weeks

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With the start of the college basketball season just over a month away, the Marquette men’s and women’s basketball teams have shut down for two weeks after two positive tests for COVID-19.

After testing on Monday, both the men’s and women’s program had a positive test.  Following NCAA guidelines, the players and coaching staffs for each team will quarantine for the next 14 days.  They’ll be eligible to return to practice on November 4.

While schedules haven’t been released yet, college teams can begin playing games on November 25.  That would give Marquette roughly three weeks to get ready for their season openers.  Official practices for NCAA teams got underway last Wednesday.

 

Wisconsin awarded NCAA tournament hosting duties

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The NCAA is returning to Tampa, Florida, for the 2023 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four and Wisconsin will play co-host with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC) at Amalie Arena.

The two partnered to play host to the 2016 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in Tampa previously.

This will mark the fifth time Wisconsin will serve as host or co-host of the event, including 2006, 1997 and 1993 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.  Wisconsin hoisted the National Championship trophy in 2006.  The 1993 and 1997 Frozen Fours were won by Maine and North Dakota, respectively.

This also marks the third time Amalie Arena will see the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four with the event taking place in the building in 2012, as well.

Regional sites for 2023 are Fargo, North Dakota, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Manchester, New Hampshire.

Wisconsin to host 2024 Cross Country Championships [Read more…]

Fiserv Forum awarded 2025 NCAA Tournament games

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Fiserv Forum – Photo Courtesy of Marquette Athletics

The NCAA awarded first and second round 2025 men’s basketball tournament games to Marquette University to be played at Fiserv Forum.  The event will be in addition to the 2022 opening round games at Fiserv Forum in 2022.

Milwaukee is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament.  The Bradley Center hosted the event seven times previously: 1992, 1996, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2017.  The Mecca also hosted NCAA Tournament games in 1984.

“We are looking forward to hosting the 2022 and 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds with Fiserv Forum,” Marquette director of athletics Bill Scholl said in a statement.  “The Bucks have been tremendous partners with the university and we couldn’t be more excited to showcase the arena and the city of Milwaukee to college basketball fans from around the country.”

 

WIAC the latest D-3 Conference to put the brakes on fall sports

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The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) became the fourth NCAA Division III conference with Wisconsin members to either cancel or postpone fall sports for the 2020-21 academic year on Monday.

Conference seasons and championships in football, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country are canceled for the 2020-21 academic year.

Women’s tennis and women’s golf will be moved to the spring semester.  Schools can hold practices within the limitations stipulated by the NCAA during the fall term. [Read more…]

Two Badgers selected in women’s hockey draft

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The Wisconsin women’s hockey duo of Presley Norby and Maddie Rowe were selected by the Minnesota Whitecaps in the 2020 National Women’s Hockey League Draft on Wednesday night.

Norby was selected by the Whitecaps in the third round, while Rowe went in round five.

Norby ended her Badger career with 94 points in 153 games and tallied at least 20 points in each of her four seasons in Madison.  Ten of her 38 career goals were game-winning scores.  She helped the Badgers win their fifth NCAA title in 2019.

A River Falls, Wisconsin native, Rowe was a versatile player in the Badgers lineup, splitting time between forward and defense her first two seasons before spending her final two years on defense.  Rowe recorded 30 points during her Badger career and a +50 plus/minus rating.  She tallied a career best 19 points during her sophomore season.

NCAA supports plan allowing athletes to earn money

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The NCAA on Wednesday said its Board of Governors today (Wednesday) gave support to a plan that will allow athletes to earn money for their names, images and likenesses without involvement from the NCAA, schools or conferences.

The proposed rule changes will still have to be voted on by NCAA membership at the next convention in January, and the NCAA said it will ask Congress to help keep states from passing their own compensation laws and to come up with a national standard.

The NCAA stressed that member institutions do not need to pay athletes to utilize their name, image and likeness.

The recommendations are a significant win for college athletes’ rights, but they may just be a starting point with several more details needing to be worked out before any kid of deal is finalized.

Wisconsin not allowing senior spring-sport athletes an extra year of eligibility (AUDIO)

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Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez

The University of Wisconsin will not be allowing senior spring-sport athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 closing down their seasons early.

On his monthly radio show Wednesday night on the Badger Sports Network at Learfield IMG College, UW athletic director Barry Alvarez said the NCAA overreacted in restoring a year of eligibility to spring sports students amid the coronavirus-related shutdown.

The university issued a statement on Thursday afternoon and it said, “The NCAA Division I Council’s vote last month to allow institutions to provide an additional season of competition and extend the period of eligibility for spring-sport student-athletes comes at a time of unprecedented uncertainty in college athletics.  UW Athletics places tremendous emphasis on its student-athletes earning an undergraduate degree and having a great competitive experience.  In the case of the UW spring student-athletes to which the NCAA’s waiver would apply, a substantial percentage of the student-athletes are scheduled to earn their degrees before next spring.  In spite of today’s [Read more…]