Patrick Mahomes Urges Chris Beard to Stay at Texas Tech Amid Texas HC Rumors
Mar 28, 2021
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacts during the second half of the championship of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament between Texas Tech and Virginia, Monday, April 8, 2019, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Patrick Mahomes isn't ready to stop cheering for a Chris Beard-led basketball team.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback urged Beard, who is the Texas Tech men's basketball head coach, to remain at his alma mater amid rumors he could leave for the Texas Longhorns:
It is no surprise Mahomes, who attended Texas Tech's Final Four game in 2019, wants Beard to stay put. The coach has been with the Red Raiders for five seasons and has a 112-55 record with three NCAA tournament appearances.
He led Texas Tech to the Big 12 regular-season title and its only Final Four appearance in men's basketball history in the 2018-19 campaign after the team reached the Elite Eight the previous season.
However, the Texas job is open after Shaka Smart left for Marquette.
Beard seems like a natural fit considering Texas is his alma mater and he had experience as a student assistant. Chip Brown of 247Sports reported he is the "leading candidate" for the position.
Still, the Longhorns don't have an MVP quarterback lobbying for them on social media.
Report: Texas Tech's Chris Beard Front-Runner to Replace Shaka Smart at Texas
Mar 27, 2021
Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard signals to his team as they played against Arkansas in the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard has reportedly emerged as the front-runner to replace Shaka Smart as the men's basketball coach at Texas.
Chip Brown of 247Sports reported Saturday that Beard is the favorite to move between Big 12 programs. The potential hire is unlikely to come before Thursday, when Beard's buyout to leave for another team within the conference drops to $4 million, per ESPN's Jeff Borzello.
Smart left Texas earlier this week to take the job at Marquette in what was viewed as a soft landing since he was on the hot seat after the Longhorns were upset in the 2021 NCAA tournament. It's unclear if Smart would have returned in 2021-22 had he not left on his own accord.
Beard is 112-55 in five seasons at Texas Tech, his second head coaching job at the Division I level. He previously spent one season at Arkansas-Little Rock.
The Red Raiders peaked in 2018-19, going 31-7 and reaching the NCAA championship game before losing to Virginia. Beard has been successful at Texas Tech by targeting transfers, either from JUCOs or other programs.
Texas would be a different job entirely, coming with expectations to land 5-star recruits and make deep runs in the tournament. The Longhorns consistently failed in March under Smart, losing in the first round in each of their three tournament appearances during his tenure. Texas has not made the second weekend since 2008, and the program has been increasingly itching for a return to prominence.
Beard graduated from Texas and was a student assistant under Tom Penders, so it could be difficult for Texas Tech to keep him in Lubbock.
If Texas fails to land Beard, it would have to go back to the drawing board. Kevin Durant recently advocated for fellow former Longhorn Royal Ivey, per Jeff Goodmanof Stadium. Ivey is an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets.
Oklahoma HC Lon Kruger Retiring After 35 Years as CBB Coach
Mar 25, 2021
Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger on the sidelines in the second half of a second-round game against Gonzaga in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Monday, March 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oklahoma men's basketball head coach Lon Kruger is retiring, per Jeff Goodman of Stadium.
Kruger, 68, has served as Oklahoma's coach since the 2011-12 season and has been a college coach since 1982.
Lon Kruger will retire, and is expected to move back to Las Vegas to be around his son, new UNLV coach Kevin Kruger, and also spend time with his grandkids.
OU confirmed Lon Kruger will meet with the team at 3 ET (h/t Stadium/CBS Sports/ESPN). Kruger has won at every college spot: Kansas State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma. His son, Kevin, is now the head coach at UNLV. Good to see when someone like Lon leaves on his terms.
Kruger has led Oklahoma to a 195-128 record in his 10 seasons at the helm, including seven NCAA tournament appearances and one Final Four berth.
Previous stops included Texas-Rio Grande Valley (1982-86), Kansas State (1986-90), Florida (1990-96), Illinois (1996-00) and UNLV (2004-11). He's 674-432 for his career, with 20 Final Four appearances and two Final Four berths.
As ESPN'sJeff Borzellonoted, "Kruger is considered one of the more underrated coaches of his generation. One of only three coaches to lead five different programs to the NCAA tournament."
Big news with Lon Kruger retiring at #Oklahoma. That will be a highly coveted job. Best of luck in retirement to one of the most high class, down to Earth people I've run across in my 20 years in this business.
Lon Kruger did a fantastic job of bringing Oklahoma basketball back to prominence. The program had a losing record the two seasons prior to his arrival. Joe Castiglione will undoubtedly hire an elite recruiter. Plenty to sell w/ the tradition.
In his final season with the Sooners, Kruger led the team to a 16-11 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament, where they defeated Missouir before losing to undefeated Gonzaga in the second round. He'll leave behind one of the better coaching vacancies in college basketball, as the Sooners have reemerged as a major threat out of the Big 12.
Oklahoma now has two basketball head-coaching vacancies, with women's head coach Sherri Coaleretiringlast week.
Cade Cunningham, No. 4 Oklahoma State Hold off No. 13 Liberty in NCAA Tournament
Mar 19, 2021
Oklahoma State forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (12) blocks the shot of Liberty's Chris Parker during the first half of a first round NCAA college basketball game Friday, March 19, 2021, at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are winners in the Big Dance for the first time in 12 years.
No. 4 Oklahoma State defeated the No. 13 Liberty Flames 69-60 in Friday's first-round showdown of the 2021 NCAA men's tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Avery Anderson III led the way in the Midwest Region for the victors, who won their first NCAA tournament game since the 2008-09 season.
Cade Cunningham struggled throughout at 3-of-14from the field and 2-of-8from deep, but Oklahoma State's team defense was too much for Liberty.
A solid showing from Elijah Cuffee was not enough for the Flames, who were unable to pull off the first-round upset like they did in 2019 against Mississippi State.
Avery Anderson III, Strong Defense Help OSU Survive Cunningham's Struggles
The national narrative around Oklahoma State starts with Cunningham, and for good reason.
The Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Yeartold reportershe wants to have a "Melo-type" run in the NCAA tournament, much like Carmelo Anthony did when he led Syracuse to the national title as a freshman in 2003.
His postseason journey started with what figured to be a favorable matchup against a defense that was 170th in KenPom'srankingsthis season, but that wasn't the case out of the gate. He missed all five of his shots from the field and turned it over three times as the Cowboys slogged their way through the first half.
Fortunately for the Big 12 representative, Anderson III came to the rescue by taking defenders off the dribble, extending his game to the outside, battling for boards and anchoring the perimeter defense to keep the team within striking distance during Cunningham's struggles.
While it seemed like a matter of time before Cunningham, who was far more effective in the second half, broke through, Oklahoma State also started to take control by dialing up the full-court pressure and picking up the tempo.
The Cowboys missed multiple opportunities to pull away as they misfired from deep (3-of-15, 20.0 percent), but their efforts on the defensive side, 13 offensive rebounds and overall advantage while putting more pressure on Liberty's ball-handlers made the difference.
Perhaps the best news for the Cowboys is the fact that they survived and advanced with Cunningham playing poorly by his standards and the three-point shots not falling. Both of those things figure to change, which could mean a deep run.
Turnovers Too Much for Liberty to Overcome
Liberty was not about to be intimidated by a big-conference school.
After all, it faced Purdue, Mississippi State, South Carolina, TCU and Missouri during the regular season, defeating the Bulldogs and Gamecocks. It looked up to the bracket-busting task against another notable program in the early going Friday and took a three-point lead into intermission.
Blake Preston established position down low and scored on the blocks, Darius McGhee found his stroke from outside, and the entire Flames defense swarmed Cunningham whenever he tried to create and prevented the star from taking over.
Despite that effort and Cuffee hitting from deep, the Flames lost their lead in the second half because of an inability to take care of the ball.
They struggled to handle the Cowboys' overall athleticism against the full-court press and finished with 18 turnovers. Liberty failed to string together consistent offensive possessions, and an inability to protect the ball in key moments helped create transition opportunities for Oklahoma State.
Cuffee did what he could to keep it close, and future Cowboys opponents will likely study the Flames' defensive strategy against Cunningham.
Still, the turnovers ended any upset chances.
What's Next?
The Cowboys will face the 12th-seeded Oregon State Beavers in Sunday's second-round clash after the Pac-12 representative upset the fifth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers.
De'Vion Harmon to Miss Oklahoma's 1st 2 NCAA Tournament Games Due to COVID-19
Mar 17, 2021
Oklahoma guard De'Vion Harmon passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Oklahoma guard De'Vion Harmon told reporters Sunday that playing in a March Madness game would fulfill a lifelong dream. But he'll have to wait a bit longer to achieve it.
Sooners coach Lon Kruger said Wednesday that Harmon returned a positive test for COVID-19 and he would miss the first two rounds of tournament play (h/t Jeff Goodman of Stadium).
Harmon averaged 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game for Oklahoma this season.
"Players have this as a goal, so it's so sad for De'Vion," Kruger said, perJohn E. HooverofSports Illustrated. "He's not gonna have that opportunity the first weekend. We challenged our guys to win a couple and so he can come back next weekend."
Harmon, an All-Big 12 honorable mention, was the team's second-leading scorer behind Austin Reaves, who was named an Honorable Mention on the Associated Press All-American Team and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 first team.
He made significant progress from his freshman year, hitting 47.7 percent of his shots from the field this year after shooting 36.4 percent through 31 appearances as a freshman.
After a 15-10 campaign that ended in a quarterfinal loss to Kansas, the Sooners drew a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament. They are slated to tip off against No. 9 Missouri in first-round play on Saturday at 7:20 p.m. ET.
Cade Cunningham Says He Models Game After LeBron James, Luka, Paul George
Mar 17, 2021
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2)points during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March. 1, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham, one of the top prospects in the 2021 NBA draft class, said Wednesday he tries to learn from a multitude of different players.
Cunningham, who's 6'8'', told Sam Vecenie of The Athletic he likes to study taller players who are often tasked with running an offense.
"I watch plenty of LeBron [James], but I wouldn't say there's one particular guy that I really lock in on," he said. "I try to take a bunch of different things from a bunch of different guys. Khris Middleton, Paul George, LeBron, Luka [Doncic], all the big guards. Not even big guards, but big shot creators and playmakers who can get to a shot when they need to."
Cunningham has enjoyed a terrific freshman season with the Cowboys. He's averaged 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 threes and 1.4 steals across 25 appearances. He's shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, including an impressive 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The 19-year-old Texas native was challenged down the stretch of the regular season and in the Big 12 conference tournament as OSU played eight straight games against ranked opponents. He played in seven of those contests, averaging 24.3 points and scoring 40 in an overtime win over rival Oklahoma.
He also shined in the Big Ten title game with 29 points in Oklahoma State's loss to Texas.
The Cowboys received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, and they'll open March Madness on Friday with a clash against 13th-seeded Liberty.
Cunningham's performance during the Big Dance likely won't have much impact on his NBA stock, though he could solidify himself as the presumptive No. 1 selection with a dominant showing in the coming weeks.
The 2020 McDonald's All-American, who arrived at OSU as a5-star prospectand the No. 1 overall recruit, told Vecenie he doesn't place himself in a specific positional category as he prepares for the next level.
"I think I'm just a basketball player who is good with the ball in his hands," Cunningham said. "I don't know what position you want to call it, but I think I'm at my best when I'm making plays. I think that's how I'll translate to the NBA."
Cunningham is well on his way to proving himself as the total package—a player who can score on the wing or run the offense from the point while being able to defend all five positions.
If his development continues at its current trajectory, he could be a few years away from counting himself alongside the likes of James and Doncic as the league's best all-around players.
UNLV's T.J. Otzelberger Reportedly to Be Named Iowa State HC
Mar 16, 2021
UNLV head coach T.J. Otzelberger instructs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Utah State in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference men's tournament Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
The Iowa State men's basketball program has reportedly found its next head coach.
According to Sam Gordon of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Big 12 school will hire T.J. Otzelberger after it parted ways with Steve Prohm on Monday.
Otzelberger was the head coach for UNLV for the last two seasons.
Prohm coached the Cyclones for six seasons and finished with a 97-95 record. The team made the NCAA men's tournament in three of his first four years and won the Big 12 tournament twice.
However, Iowa State went 12-20 last season and an abysmal 2-22 this year.
According to Gordon, Otzelberger has strong connections to the Cyclones. He was an assistant coach for the program on two different occasions for eight seasons under Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Prohm.
He is also friends with athletic director Jamie Pollard. His wife, Alison Otzelberger, whose maiden name was Lacey, played basketball at Iowa State.
Otzelberger went 70-33 with South Dakota State in three seasons before taking over for the Runnin' Rebels prior to the 2019-20 campaign. He was 29-30 with UNLV in two seasons and did not provide much stability for a program that has not made the Big Dance since 2013.
UNLV will have to find its sixth head coach in 10 years.
Otzelberger takes over a Cyclones program that struggled mightily this season but posted six straight seasons of 23 or more wins and made the NCAA tournament every year from 2011-12 through 2016-17.
After two years, thanks to the cancellation of the 2020 tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the field for the NCAA men's basketball tournament has been determined...
Why You Were Meant to Root for Oklahoma State
Mar 14, 2021
Oklahoma State guard Avery Anderson III, center, celebrates after defeating West Virginia in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 6, 2021, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)
If you want to see a future star shine, saddle up and hop on the Oklahoma State bandwagon.
Oklahoma State's Tourney History
To say the Cowboys are hungry for a championship is an understatement. Oklahoma State captured its only national titles in 1945 and 1946, back when the field consisted of just eight participants.
Now in the Big 12, OSU last made the Final Four in 2004. While the Cowboys have since made the tournament seven times, they last advanced past the opening stage in 2009. Despite receiving a one-year postseason ban last June for infractions by former assistant Lamont Evans, they're eligible while appealing the decision.
Buoyed by a burgeoning superstar, this squad is expected to make lots of noise.
This Year's Best Player
Cade Cunningham is the runaway favorite to become the No. 1 pick of this year's NBA draft. He recently joined Marcus Smart, Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant as the only freshmen to win Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same campaign.
NBA fans scouting incoming rookies will want Oklahoma State to survive as long as possible to get more looks at Cunningham. The 6'8", 220-pound guard has the physicality to defend multiple positions and the court vision to steer this uptempo offense.
He'll have help, particularly from backcourt-mate Isaac Likekele, but the Cowboys will go as far as Cunningham takes them.
Why They're Going to Win
Although its track record contains plenty of blemishes against Big 12 foes, Oklahoma State also collected a handful of impressive victories over steep competition. The Cowboys closed the regular season by defeating West Virginia on the road without Cunningham and Likekele.
They also have a flair for the dramatic, pulling out four overtime victories against ranked opponents. This is a fun, dangerous team capable of advancing deep into the March Madness bracket.
Texas Beats Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State 91-86 for 2021 Big 12 Championship
Mar 13, 2021
Texas forward Jericho Sims (20) looks to pass while covered by Texas Tech Red forward Tyreek Smith (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 men's tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
The Texas Longhorns have won the Big 12 tournament for the first time in school history thanks to their 91-86 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday.
The Longhorns advanced to the championship game for the first time since 2011 after Kansas had to withdraw from the tournament prior to Friday's semifinal due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program.
Oklahoma State had all sorts of momentum going into this matchup coming off an 83-74 win over No. 2 Baylor in the semifinal Friday.
Texas did play the Cowboys well during the regular season, with the Big 12 rivals splitting two games. Oklahoma State won the previous matchup 75-67 in double overtime on Feb. 6.
The turning point in the game came with 1:51 remaining. After Oklahoma State forced a turnover, Avery Anderson III's layup attempt slipped out of his hands, allowing Texas to maintain an 81-75 lead and get possession back.
Cade Cunningham started slow before turning things on in the second half. The star freshman finished with 29points in the loss.
Matt Coleman III was able to match Cunningham point for point. The Longhorns guard scored a game-high 30 points on 10-of-14 shooting in the win.
Balanced Offense Carries Longhorns to Big 12 Title
Even though Oklahoma State looked like the better offensive team coming into this matchup, the Longhorns balanced attack carried them to a victory.
Sims, Jones and Matt Coleman III were all in double-digits in scoring early in the second half. Sims caused all sorts of problems for the Cowboys, especially in the first half when he racked up nine points and seven rebounds.
Eye test: Texas *looks* like a Final 4 team. Guards, talent, size - they've got it all.
Stats say something else.
Jericho Sims picked a helluva time to have the GAME OF HIS LIFE against OK State
Texas shot 55.2 percent from the floor in the first half thanks to 18 points in the paint. Only eight three-point attempts as Jericho Sims and Kai Jones combined for 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
Texas was completely overpowering Oklahoma State in the first half. The Longhorns eventually built a 14-point lead with 90 seconds remaining before the intermission. They went into the break with a 43-33 lead thanks to Jones and Sims.
If head coach Shaka Smart could have scripted the start of this game, it would have looked like this for Texas.
Despite those good vibes early, Oklahoma State has been a second-half team in the Big 12 tournament. It averaged 45 points in the final 20 minutes of games against West Virginia and Baylor in the previous two days.
Texas fans will tell you from first-hand experience that their team has struggled in the opening minutes of the second half of games after playing well early. And Cade Cunningham is much better in the second half of games. This will be a great finish.
The Cowboys looked to be in trouble coming out of the break when Oklahoma State went on a 17-7 run that cut the lead to 52-50 less than six minutes into the second half.
Brock Cunningham and Coleman scored on back-to-back possessions to give Texas breathing room and to get momentum back on its side.
After the Cowboys went on another run to get within 73-67 and less than five minutes remaining, they were dealt a big blow when Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe fouled out on Texas' next possession.
Texas scored on three consecutive possessions following Moncrieffe's exit to extend its lead to eight points in the final three minutes.
That wound up being enough for the Longhorns to hold off Oklahoma State's comeback attempt. The program can celebrate its first conference tournament title and an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Cowboys Can't Overcome Slow Start in Defeat
It's no secret that Oklahoma State's success hinges largely on Cunningham. That formula has worked wonderfully in the first two rounds of the tournament. He racked up 25 points in the Cowboys' come-from-behind win over Baylor on Friday.
The championship game looked like it was going to be another romp for Oklahoma State based on the opening tipoff.
That would end up being the top highlight for the Cowboys early in the game. Cunningham looked completely off of his game with four points on 2-of-8 shooting and three fouls at the break.
Things looked much better for Cunningham and Oklahoma State coming out of the intermission. He scored 25points on 9-of-15shooting in the second half and played an integral role in the Cowboys' comeback attempt early on.
As good as the offense looked after head coach Mike Boynton had time to make adjustments, the Cowboys defense was never able to find an answer for Texas.
Oklahoma State actually had a better field-goal percentage than Texas (50.8 to 49.1), but the Longhorns made 15 more free throws than the Cowboys.
Despite the disappointing ending to their run in the conference tournament, the Cowboys' season will continue in the NCAA tournament next week. ESPN'sJoe Lunardibumped them up to a No. 2 seed in his most recent bracketology update before Saturday's game.
A win might have ensured the Cowboys end up on the No. 2 line, but they still figure to be no worse than a No. 3 when the field is announced on Sunday.
What's Next?
Both teams will be included in the NCAA tournament field that will be announced Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
