GREENVILLE, S.C. — Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer said Pat Ngongba is returning to practice on Friday and there’s hope he’ll play in the NCAA Tournament game Saturday against TCU.

“I’m hopeful he’s gonna be available for tomorrow,” Scheyer said during a Friday press conference. “So we’ll see what he can do in practice today...Read more

GREENVILLE, S.C. — VCU’s Lazar Djokovic said it plainly on Wednesday: “We play against UNC, but we don’t play against the brand.”

The next day, just before the two teams faced off in the NCAA Tournament first round, North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble reminded his teammates of those words: They’re not respecting the brand. Let�...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Otega Oweh and Brandon Garrison teamed up to make the play to extend Kentucky’s season.

It was a fitting end to a game in which the Cats got plenty of big plays from both players.

No. 7 seed Kentucky survived a major scare from 10-seeded Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon, beating the ...Read more

NEW YORK — Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain following an MRI performed Wednesday, a new setback that adds more uncertainty to the finish line of Brooklyn’s season.

Porter is listed as out and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks, according to the team. He missed his fifth straight game ...Read more

SEATTLE — You could make the case that players have never been better. But can the same be said of the game?

Never has basketball been played so efficiently. But can it engage audiences effectively?

This seems to be a lingering question as a Sonics return becomes increasingly likely. It’s still a long way from official, but next week’s ...Read more

SEATTLE — Seattle basketball is having a moment.

The Washington Husky men are missing it.

They are an outlier amid the optimism, as a seventh consecutive men’s NCAA Tournament begins without Washington. Meanwhile, the Husky women are dancing for a second straight March, with Tina Langley’s team earning a No. 6 seed. Professional ...Read more

The season has ended for USF’s basketball team, and that’s regrettable.

It was, by no means, a star-studded group but it was imminently fascinating. These Bulls played an unselfish, high-energy, relentless brand of basketball that turned heads and warmed hearts.

The bigger question, however, is whether USF’s momentum ends with this team....Read more

The Philadelphia 76ers dominated the Kings in Sacramento, picking up a 139-118 road win behind career nights from VJ Edgecombe and Justin Edwards.

The Kings (18-53) aren’t the most competitive opponent the Sixers have seen recently, but there was plenty to like from the under-manned Sixers on Thursday.

Here’s what we learned:

—The new ...Read more

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Illinois needed a get-right game. The fans at Bon Secours Wellness Arena probably needed a rest from the nail-biters.

The third-seeded Illini delivered both late Thursday night with a good old-fashioned blowout of No. 14 seed Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Illinois turned a 10-point halftime lead into a ...Read more

The Detroit Pistons have faced significant challenges this season, but their toughest moment began to occur early Thursday morning. Detroit's All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham had been diagnosed with a collapsed lung. The timing for Cunningham's return is uncertain, but he will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Cunningham's status for the ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Long before pulling into the arena in a white luxury SUV, which arrived some three hours before the actual event, the magnitude of it all registered.

After taking part in a favorite pastime and firing a 73 on a sunshine-splashed day, and away from the camaraderie of former teammates, Dell Curry’s mind wandered as he ...Read more

MIAMI — This is 41.

On the same night he tied Robert Parish for the NBA record in regular-season games played, ageless wonder LeBron James had a 19-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Thursday’s 134-126 win over the Miami Heat. The 41-year-old playing in his 1,611th game helped the Los Angeles Lakers (45-25) win their season-best...Read more

Magic coach Jamahl Mosely stressed the importance of Orlando slowing down the Hornets from 3-point range and in transition when speaking with the media ahead of Thursday’s game at Charlotte.

The Magic failed to accomplish both tasks, and Mosley was unavailable for more than half the contest inside Spectrum Center.

With Orlando trailing by 15...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The NCAA Men’s Tournament is back in Philadelphia on Friday, and it has brought plenty of blue bloods to town: Connecticut, UCLA, Tennessee and Virginia.

But none of them has either the record or the sizzle of Miami (Ohio), the Mid-American champion from Ohio that is the toast of the nation.

The RedHawks went 31-0 in the ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dell Curry goes by a lot of names in his family.

His boys — Steph and Seth, who followed in his NBA footsteps — have long called him “Pops.” His daughter, social media influencer Sydel Curry-Lee, calls him “Dad.” His 10 grandchildren have labeled him “G Daddy.”

But in our recent conversation, in advance of ...Read more

Duke, the No. 1 overall seed in the entire NCAA Tournament, came very close to losing to No. 16 Siena on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament.

Trailing by 11 points at halftime and losing for most of the game, Duke needed a late surge to win, 71-65, and avoid the third “16 vs. 1” upset in tournament history. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he and ...Read more

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ten years and a day to Michigan State’s infamous loss to Middle Tennessee State, the Spartans made sure there would be no upset in Buffalo.

No. 3 seed Michigan State fired on all cylinders for a smooth 92-67 win over No. 14 seed North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday before 17,182 at KeyBank...Read more

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Siena coach Gerry McNamara said he never mentioned UMBC or Fairleigh Dickinson to his team, never told them of how as a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament they stunned everyone by upsetting No. 1.

“I just said it had happened before,” McNamara said.

No one expected it to happen again Friday. Not against Duke, the No. 1...Read more