MARK FEW

Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren was wrapping up a multi-day visit Friday with the Orlando Magic, who hold the No. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) (Marcio Jose Sanchez)ORLANDO, Fla. — (AP) — Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren was wrapping up a multiday visit Friday with the Orlando Magic, who hold the No. 1 pick; Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero. The Magic taking a long look at Holmgren probably isn't a surprise to another past Orlando star player. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren was wrapping up a multiday visit with the Orlando Magic.

Jamal Shead scored a career-high 21 points and Houston led throughout in a 72-60 victory over top-seeded Arizona.

JD Notae scored 21 points despite missing 20 shots and fourth-seeded Arkansas made Gonzaga miserable on both ends of the floor, bouncing the top overall seed from the NCAA Tournament with a 74-68 win.

Top seeds Gonzaga, Arizona and Kansas are in the NCAA Sweet 16.

Mississippi State has named Chris Jans its men’s basketball coach a day after he led New Mexico State in the NCAA Tournament's second round.

Drew Timme scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half and top overall seed Gonzaga struggled to shake No. 16 seed Georgia State for 30 minutes before pulling away late for a 93-72 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

(AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)Gonzaga will head into the NCAA Tournament exactly where it ended up in the final AP Top 25: right on top. 1 in the final AP Top 25 for the second straight year. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, lost to Baylor in last year's national championship game. “It's a reward for being good for four months, 4 1/2 months, and this (NCAA) tournament is a reward for being good for three weeks. UConn, Southern California, Boise State, Colorado State and Texas finished out the final Top 25 of the college basketball season.

Gonzaga will head into the NCAA Tournament exactly where it ended up in the final AP Top 25 — right on top.

Last season’s NCAA Tournament ultimately unfolded in familiar fashion.

Gonzaga, Arizona and reigning national champion Baylor remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

The top six and seven of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 lost on the same day last week, both records.

The madness arrived early this year.

Gonzaga is the unanimous No. 1 in the latest Associated Press men’s basketball poll.

PJ Pipes scored 27 points and Jalen Williams 15 for Santa Clara (18-10, 8-5), which ranks third in the WCC. “He hit a lot of tough shots.”The 12-point margin of victory was the lowest of the season in a WCC game for Gonzaga. But the Zags erupted for a 20-4 run and Santa Clara missed 10 of 11 field-goal attempts. Santa Clara got within single digits several times early in the second half, but the Bulldogs led 59-46 with 12 minutes left. “We battled all the way through until the end,” Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said.

Drew Timme had 23 points and nine rebounds, Andrew Nembhard added 21 points, and top-ranked Gonzaga beat Santa Clara 81-69 to win its 10th straight West Coast Conference regular-season title.

Gonzaga has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

Auburn is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been formally announced as the next coach of the U.S. men’s basketball team.

Jaden Shackelford scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half, Jahvon Quinerly and JD Davison both hit key 3-pointers later, and No. 16 Alabama held off Gonzaga’s big second-half rally for a 91-82 win over the third-ranked Bulldogs.

Baylor coach Scott Drew knew his sixth-ranked Bears might need time to blend a changed roster after losing four starters from a national-championship run.

Andrew Nembhard scored 24 points, freshman Chet Holmgren showed off his unique skill set and top-ranked Gonzaga overwhelmed No. 2 UCLA 83-63 to win the Empire Classic.

Bellarmine Gonzaga Basketball Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) shoots next to Bellarmine forward Curt Hopf (42) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Spokane, Wash. Gonzaga won 92-50. "I was breaking down last night watching our UCLA game — they literally have their whole team back," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. San Diego State takes on Georgetown the same night in the Wooden Legacy. EMERALD COAST CLASSICElsewhere in Florida, LSU plays Penn State and Oregon State faces Wake Forest on Friday in the main bracket of the Emerald Coast Classic hosted by Northwest Florida State College. ___For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.

The rise of exempt tournaments the past few years has turned the week of Thanksgiving into a reason to give thanks for some college hoops.

Gonzaga and UCLA continue their hold on the top two spots in The Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll, setting the stage for their highly anticipated showdown this week.

The destination is the summer pro-am run by former NBA star Jamal Crawford. “It was unreal to see a unicorn in real life!” Crawford tweeted in August. “Chet Holmgren is special.” Fast-forward three months and as much as top-ranked Gonzaga might be downplaying all the “unicorn” talk, it’s clear Holmgren is a special talent unlike any that’s come through the Bulldogs’ program.

Dixie St Gonzaga Basketball Gonzaga assistant coach Brian Michaelson directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dixie State, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) (Young Kwak)SPOKANE, Wash. — (AP) — Julian Strawther had 17 points and 10 rebounds as top-ranked Gonzaga beat Dixie State 97-63 in their season opener Tuesday night without coach Mark Few on the sideline. Rasir Bolton added 15 points for Gonzaga (1-0), which was undefeated last season before losing to Baylor in the national title game. Cameron Gooden had 15 points and Dancell Leter scored 13 to lead Dixie State (0-1), a member of the Western Athletic Conference from St. George, Utah. Dixie State, however, made only one of its first 13 and trained 23-4 with 8:50 left in the first half. Brock Gilbert's 3-pointer pulled Dixie State to 47-35 early in the second.

Julian Strawther had 17 points and 10 rebounds as top-ranked Gonzaga beat Dixie State 97-63 in their season opener without coach Mark Few on the sideline.

Drew Timme of Gonzaga is the lone unanimous selection on The Associated Press preseason All-America team.

At one point during Gonzaga's yearlong run at No. 1 last season, coach Mark Few felt so comfortable with the leadership he had on the floor, he could have left a rack of basketballs on the court, walked away and the Bulldogs could have run practice themselves. The talent is certainly there, it’s just a matter of how quickly Gonzaga can fit the pieces together.

Mark Few’s Bulldogs start this season in the same position, hoping to complete that final step this time around. The Zags were the runaway top choice in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball preseason poll released Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Few entered the plea during a hearing Friday, saying he was “pleading guilty because I am guilty,” according to the court documents. He is 630-125 at Gonzaga, and his .834 winning percentage is the best of any active coach. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence in Idaho and must pay a fine of $1,000 in lieu of spending four days in jail.

Gonzaga is the preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll.

SPOKANE, Wash. — (AP) — Gonzaga coach Mark Few will miss two exhibition games and the first game of the regular season after he was arrested last month on suspicion of driving under the influence. His first game will be Nov. 13 against Texas, a showdown of expected top-10 teams. I again offer my sincere apology and I remain committed to learning from this mistake,” Few said in a statement. Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford said he continues to have full confidence in Few leading the program. Few is 630-125 at Gonzaga, and his .834 winning percentage is the best of any active coach.

Gonzaga Few DUI FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2021, file photo, Gonzaga coach Mark Few signals to players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Santa Clara in Spokane, Wash. Few has been cited for driving under the influence. “Mark told me he had spent the day with his family. I asked him how much he had to drink today and Mark told me nothing. Lovingler said in the documents that he could smell alcohol on Few’s breath through the open car window. Few is 630-125 at Gonzaga, and his .834 winning percentage is the best of any active coach.

Newly released legal documents say Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few’s breath smelled of alcohol and he had bloodshot eyes on the night he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, though he initially told a police officer he had not been drinking.

Almost 20 states have passed laws allowing college athletes to profit but the NCAA is urging lawmakers to create a standardized framework.

A federal law governing how college athletes can earn money off their fame seems like a certainty.

Twenty teams have entered the NCAA Tournament unbeaten.

The NCAA Tournament has been dominated by the East, mixed with the occasional championship foray by a school from the Midwest.

Now comes the hard part for Gonzaga.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)It’s not easy to bury a team as good as USC, let alone in a half, no matter how easy Gonzaga made it look. He asked Few the day before their game against the high-flying Trojans whether his defense was getting lost in the shuffle. “Obviously, I think he’s the best defender in the country,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. Then Baylor’s bout with the virus came late in the season, requiring a pause of three weeks plus. After everything else fans weathered throughout this wacky season, a few more days might finally deliver a national championship game worth the wait.

Gonzaga (30-0) has been an offensive juggernaut rarely seen in college basketball. Ad“Everyone wants us to keep moving forward, but that’s not how we roll,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. That doesn’t lessen our desire to win this game, the next game or win two more games.”The next one won't be easy. The Bears were embroiled in one of the darkest scandals in college basketball history, when Patrick Dennehy was murdered by teammate Carlton Dotson in 2003. They played in the Final Four.”___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25

On Saturday in the national semifinals, the Zags will face 11th-seeded UCLA, which beat Michigan 51-49 in a later Elite Eight game. All-American Corey Kispert had 18 points and eight boards on an “off” night — only 6 for 19 from the floor. “We just tried to stay moving,” Suggs said about attacking the USC zone, which had been shutting down teams all month in Indy. “It was a little surprising," USC coach Andy Enfield said, “because we'd been playing great basketball.”The Zags have a way about doing that to people. ALL-WEST TEAMThe All-region team included both Mobley brothers, Suggs, Kispert and Timme, who was named the West's most outstanding player.

The scary part is, he thinks that also might be true for the undefeated Zags. Nembhard had 17 points and eight assists, both season highs, to keep the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed rolling with Sunday's 83-65 rout of fifth-seeded Creighton in the West Region semifinals. Defensively, the Zags held Creighton to 40 points over the final 30 minutes as they methodically turned a 27-25 game into a blowout. “They just play so fast, so efficient with everything they do," said Marcus Zegarowski, who led Creighton with 19 points. That just about finished off Creighton as the Zags moved within three wins of becoming the first undefeated national champion since Indiana in 1976.

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) celebrates with teammate Corey Kispert (24) after defeating Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Monday, March 22, 2021. Drew Timme scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the top-seeded Bulldogs beat No. “Thought we got a little better feel for the pace of things in the second half,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. SECOND WEEKENDThe last time Gonzaga was eliminated before the tournament's second weekend was in 2015, when the Bulldogs were a No. Oklahoma failed to reach the second week for the third straight tournament appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2016.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)INDIANAPOLIS – Corey Kispert scored 15 of his 23 points by halftime and No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga rolled in its NCAA Tournament opener, beating Norfolk State 98-55 on Saturday night. 1 seed in tournament history. Kispert knocked down five 3s in the opening half, while Watson offered some immediate interior production off the bench. AdGonzaga: There’s history on the line for Gonzaga in this tournament run as the top overall seed for the first time in program history.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)Gonzaga and Baylor spent almost the entire season holding down the top two spots in the Top 25. Makes sense they'd hold down a bunch of spots on The Associated Press All-America teams. The Bulldogs' Corey Kispert and the Bears' Jared Butler led the way with first-team nods Tuesday from the national panel of 63 media members that vote each week in the AP Top 25 poll. Just like the first- and second-team All-Americans, their teams also will be playing in the NCAA Tournament this week. ___AP Basketball Writer John Marshall and AP Sports Writers Michael Marot and Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.

Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating BYU in an NCAA college basketball game for the West Coast Conference men's tournament championship Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)Gonzaga has completed a start-to-finish run atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, will try to become the first unbeaten national champion since Indiana in 1976. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

Second round winners: Michigan, Florida State, Texas, Alabama. On to the upsets ...First round winners: Baylor, North Carolina, Winthrop, Purdue, Texas Tech, Colgate, Virginia Tech, Ohio State. AdFirst round winners: Gonzaga, Missouri, UCSB, Virginia, USC, Kansas, VCU, Iowa. Second round winners: Gonzaga, Virginia, USC, Iowa. The Big Ten tournament gets replaced by a Final Four in the heart of Big Ten country.

The NCAA Tournament is next. Kispert hit three early 3-pointers and scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half. Ad“Gonzaga responded in the second half,” said BYU guard Alex Borcello, who had 15 points. KNELL'S NIGHTKnell entered the title game averaging 5.8 points per game, but got some open looks against Gonzaga's pressure. It’s a heck of an accomplishment.”UP NEXTBYU should be a lock to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The NHL is down to a season-low eight players on the COVID-19 list after play on Tuesday night, five of them on the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s a marked improvement in the 11 days since the league had a season-high 59 players on the list. The Flyers have moved into third among NHL teams, with players spending a combined total of 98 days on the list, one more than Buffalo. He joined Nellie Fox (1959), Dick Allen (1972) and Frank Thomas (1993, 1994) as the team's only MVP winners. ___The West Coast Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be held without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 Baylor remained atop Monday's latest AP Top 25, where they have been for all 13 polls this season. 8 in the AP poll to pull closer to the committee's seeding of seventh overall shortly before the Crimson Tide scored 115 points in a win over against Georgia. THE TOP TIERCoach Mark Few’s Bulldogs received 59 of 64 first-place votes in the new AP Top 25, while Scott Drew’s Bears claimed the other five. The Jayhawks fell out of last week’s poll for the first time in 12 years. Kansas was one of three new additions to this week’s poll, joined by No.

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)Gonzaga and Baylor have played like the nation's best teams all year. The committee that will ultimately select the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament sees it that way, too. 1 overall seed followed by the Bears in rankings released Saturday by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. “There's two teams that have been amazing all year.”Third-ranked Michigan and fourth-ranked Ohio State followed as the other two No. NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said the NCAA is requiring seven consecutive days of COVID-19 testing for teams before arriving for the tournament, as well as daily testing throughout their stay.

Michigan took advantage of Villanova's loss at St. John's to jump into the top three, Ohio State climbed three spots to No. The Jayhawks began their Top 25 streak on Feb. 2, 2009, when freshman guard Bryce Thompson was 6 years old. “We have plenty of games to go win and I know this team can do it,” Kansas guard Christian Braun said. 15, followed by Tennessee, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Creighton and Southern California. The Bruins dropped out, along with Kansas, Florida and Drake, whose 18-0 start was spoiled in a 74-57 loss to Valparaiso.

Alexander scored 16 points and St. John's smothered No. The latest victory gave St. John's its first four-game Big East winning streak since the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament team. '”AdVillanova was the first top-5 opponent to play in the Queens gym since St. John's lost 72-71 to No. If we can get a Big East game, we’ve got to play the Big East game. St. John's: Saturday at Providence, which has won nine of the past 11 meetings.

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme celebrates after scoring a basket during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Pacific in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)Gonzaga, Baylor and Villanova remained atop The Associated Press men's college basketball poll Monday, while ninth-ranked Alabama climbed to its highest ranking in 14 years. Villanova remained third followed by Michigan, with the Wolverines cracking the top five for a second straight season under Juwan Howard after being unranked earlier in the year. 18 Tennessee took the week's biggest tumble, falling 12 spots after losses to Florida and Missouri. ___More AP college basketball: http://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

1 Gonzaga overcame a slow start with a surge to end the first half, pulling away late to beat rival Saint Mary's 73-59 on Saturday night for its 18th straight victory spanning the past two seasons. Joel Ayayi scored 16 points for the Bulldogs (14-0, 5-0 West Coast Conference). Saint Mary's pulled to 56-48 on Dan Fotu's layup with 9:01 to play before another decisive Gonzaga burst, this time 8-0. Saint Mary's: F Kyle Bowen fouled out with 4:01 left. Saint Mary’s: At Loyola Marymount on Thursday.

The top-ranked Zags and second-ranked Bears remained 1-2 in Monday's latest Top 25 as they have all season. 25 Florida State had the week's biggest tumble, falling seven spots after losing at Clemson and then having its game against No. 6 Kansas fell three spots after the Texas loss, bringing the total of teams that fell from last week's rankings to 11. CONFERENCE WATCHThe Big Ten continues to have the biggest haul of ranked teams, though the Big 12 has a strong showing in the poll's top tier. But the Big 12 has three of the top six teams in Baylor, Texas and Kansas, and five teams overall.

17 Michigan State — sets the stage for what could be an epic start to the new year in the improbably deep Big Ten. 15 Illinois and Michigan State visits the Cornhuskers. The weekend wraps up Sunday with Wisconsin visiting Penn State, Northwestern heading to Michigan and Ohio State traveling to Minnesota in a pair of matchups involving ranked teams. The Hokies already have wins over teams that were ranked in Villanova and Clemson. BIG 12 BATTLESThe Big Ten has the most teams in the Top 25 but the Big 12 may have the best — the league has five teams ranked in the top 13.

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)It's hard to decide who has been more dominant in men's college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference. The sixth-ranked Badgers began a run of Top 25 teams from the league, jumping three spots after wins over Nebraska and then-No. 12 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes dropped from fourth to 10th while surprising Rutgers began a run of four more Big Ten teams at No. Minnesota, whose lone loss came to Illinois and which was last ranked on Dec. 4, 2017, plays its next six against Top 25 teams: Michigan State, at Wisconsin, Ohio State, at Michigan, at Iowa and the Wolverines at home.

click to enlarge Photo via Orlando Apollos"He should probably stay in his lane - like I tell my players - and figure out homelessness. I think he's got a state that borders Mexico, and get that mess figured out. "@ZagMBB head coach Mark Few didn't hold back when discussing @GavinNewsom with our @GoodmanHoops. I think he's got a state that borders Mexico, and get that mess figured out. If this all sounds familiar, its because Waddells statement is almost an exact echo of President Donald Trumps feelings and tweets toward California.