Conference USA Basketball

North Texas captured the 2018 College Basketball Invitational title Friday with a 88-77 victory over San Francisco in Game 3 of the championship series at UNT Coliseum in Denton, Texas.

Roosevelt Smart was a force for the Mean Green once again as he poured in a game-high 25 points on the power of a 14-for-14 performance from the free-throw line. Ryan Woolridge also put together a strong game for the CBI champions with nine points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Frankie Ferrari paced the Dons offense with 19 points.

The Dons were ice cold in the opening half. They shot 31 percent from the field and knocked down just three of their 11 attempts from beyond the arc.

North Texas, which went five of 10 from long range before the break, took advantage to build an 11-point lead on its home floor. Smart led the charge with 13 first-half points.

The sophomore guard also established the school's new single-season scoring record:

It wouldn't be March without a second-half run, and San Francisco made one.

The Dons trimmed the Mean Green advantage to a single point, 52-51, after Souley Boum knocked down a three with just over nine minutes remaining.

They couldn't get back tied or take the lead, however, and North Texas responded with a 10-1 run to take control of the contest for good.

The Mean Green ended up making 32 free throws in the win, many of them coming down the stretch to seal the title in front of their home fans.

Here's a look at their celebration:

Now the eyes of the men's college basketball world shift to the Final Four where Villanova, Kansas, Michigan and Loyola-Chicago will battle for the national championship starting with Saturday's semifinals.

5-star center Mitchell Robinson is officially back at Western Kentucky.

Butch Stockton, Robinson's high school coach, told Evan Daniels of Scout.com that Robinson enrolled in the university Monday ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline.     

"Mitchell officially enrolled at Western Kentucky and is back on campus," Stockton said. "We just felt like it was the best place and that he could go and play."

Robinson, Scout.com's ninth-rated prospect and top-rated center in the class of 2017, left Western Kentucky in July amid uncertain circumstances. His departure came just weeks after the sudden resignation of assistant coach Shammond Williams, who is Robinson's godfather.

Williams was hired by Hilltoppers coach Rick Stansbury in June 2016; Robinson committed to the university a week later. The talented 7-footer is by far the best prospect to ever commit to Western Kentucky.

Stansbury, who previously coaxed a verbal out of Robinson during his time as an assistant at Texas A&M, has not commented on the circumstances that led to Williams' departure.

Robinson visited LSU, New Orleans and Kansas before deciding to return to Western Kentucky. Because he'd already taken classes and practiced with the Hilltoppers over the summer, he would have needed an NCAA waiver to be eligible as a transfer this season. The NCAA typically only grants those waivers in hardship cases.

Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports reported last week that Robinson was leaning toward sitting out the entire 2017-18 season to prepare for the NBA draft. However, it appears the prospect of sitting out a full year weighed too heavily, and he decided to return.

Robinson will be immediately eligible to practice with the team and play because he did not officially enroll in another university. 

Mitchell Robinson, the 5-star recruit who flirted with transferring and sitting out the 2017-18 season to prepare for the NBA, will return to Western Kentucky.

Chad Bishop of WBKO reported Mitchell is expected to enroll in the university by Monday's 4 p.m. deadline. Because he did not transfer, he will be eligible to practice immediately and play with the Hilltoppers this season.

Robinson was the No. 9 overall recruit and top-ranked center in the 2017 class, per Scout.com. By far the best prospect to ever commit to Western Kentucky, he's largely expected to be a one-and-done.

Robinson unexpectedly left Western Kentucky in late July, and the school announced he would transfer. The 7-footer has not given much insight into his decision to leave campus, but the departure of assistant coach Shammond Williams is thought to have played a part. Williams is Robinson's godfather.

Hilltoppers coach Rick Stansbury, who had a pre-existing relationship with Robinson dating back to his time as a Texas A&M assistant, hired Williams as an assistant in June 2016. Robinson committed to the team a week later.

The machinations behind Williams' resignation are still unclear. However, Robinson left campus and sought a transfer less than a month afterward. He visited LSU, Kansas and New Orleans earlier this month but appeared to be leaning toward sitting out the 2017-18 season. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports reported last week that Robinson had decided to spend the year preparing for the 2018 NBA draft, in which he'll likely be a lottery pick.

The change of heart will bring Western Kentucky back into the Conference USA championship picture and give Robinson a chance to show NBA scouts what he can do on the college stage. That said, NBA teams will monitor him closely after this month of uncertainty.

Mitchell Robinson, a 5-star center in the class of 2017, will have an opportunity to play for another school after Western Kentucky granted his release to transfer Tuesday, per Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports.

As Michael DeCourcy of Sporting News clarified, he will likely not be eligible until the 2018-19 season.

Robinson left the school two weeks into the summer semester, and the team announced Monday he was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

According to Goodman, Robinson was fine with the idea of sitting out a year if necessary to leave the school.

The 5-star recruit is Scout.com's No. 8 overall player in the 2017 class. At 7'0", Robinson uses his size to make an impact in the paint on both ends of the court. His athleticism also allows him to run the floor and fit into any system.

Players of Robinson's caliber rarely go to a school like Western Kentucky, which finished 15-17 last year and hasn't made the NCAA tournament in the past four seasons. However, Robinson's godfather, Shammond Williams, was an assistant coach for the Hilltoppers and served as his lead recruiter.

Williams has since resigned from his position, and none of the school's assistant coaches remain from last season.

Evan Daniels of Scout.com reported last Friday that Robinson had cleaned out his dorm and left the Western Kentucky campus. 

Considering Robinson could enter the NBA draft after the 2017-18 season anyway, he'll have to decide whether he wants to wait for another chance at a college season. As Forde speculated, he could instead spend this upcoming year with a professional team in another country, much like Terrance Ferguson did last season. 

ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported Friday that Western Kentucky incoming freshman center Mitchell Robinson left campus.

Goodman added the situation is fluid, but that Robinson has "serious questions" about playing at Western Kentucky. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported Robinson's dorm room was cleaned out, and Evan Daniels of Scout noted he was "expected to transfer."

According to Scout.com, Robinson is a 5-star prospect who ranks as the No. 8 overall player and No. 1 center in his class.

Robinson arrived on campus on July 10 after signing his letter of intent to play for the Hilltoppers in November.

Prior to arriving, there were rumblings that WKU was losing its grip on Robinson due to the resignation of assistant coach Shammond Williams, who is Robinson's godfather.

Despite that, Robinson's mother, Lakeisha, told Goodman on July 8 that the plan was still for Robinson to play at Western Kentucky.

BR Video

Per Scout, Robinson picked WKU despite scholarship offers from bigger schools such as Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU.

The 7'0", 222-pound big man is among the premier prospects in his class, and potentially leaving Western Kentucky creates an intriguing situation.

If he transfers elsewhere, it is likely Robinson will have to sit out one year before being eligible to play at the collegiate level.

He does have other options, though, such as taking a year off and entering the NBA draft, or even choosing to play overseas.

Middle Tennessee burned nearly every bracket in the nation last year as the No. 15-seeded Blue Raiders defeated the No. 2-seeded Michigan State Spartans, who were picked by many to win the national championship, in the first round by a score of 90-81.

This year, MTSU is firing on all cylinders, winning 27 of its 31 games and going 17-1 in conference play, with its lone league loss being a 57-54 defeat at UTEP. The Blue Raiders are projected to be a No. 11 seed in the NCAA tournament, per ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's latest projections.

The Blue Raiders are heavy favorites to win the Conference USA title and return to the NCAA tournament, but can any team take them down in the league championship?

Here's a look at the Conference USA bracket, the schedule, the latest odds and a quick tournament preview.

Bracket

Schedule

Information via conferenceusa.com. All games will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Legacy Arena at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center.

Championship Odds

Odds as of March 7 via OddsShark.

Preview

Middle Tennessee returned its two leading scorers from last season, junior guard Giddy Potts and senior forward Reggie Upshaw, but neither of them leads the team in scoring this year as transfer JaCorey Williams posts 17.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Those three players account for 63.6 percent of the Blue Raiders' scoring.

The Blue Raiders play at a very slow pace (323rd in the nation, per the Ken Pomeroy college basketball ratings), which makes their 13.7-point average point differential in their 27 victories this season all the more impressive.

MTSU has extra motivation to win the Conference USA tournament because there is no guarantee that it will make the NCAA tournament as an at-large if it loses in Birmingham this week. Here's more on the Blue Raiders' chances, per Ed Miller of The Virginian-Pilot:

With an RPI of 37, the Blue Raiders are squarely on the NCAA at-large bubble. Should they reach the final and lose, they’d be 29-5, a record that certainly passes the eye test. Working against them is that they have just two RPI top-50 wins, plus a loss to No. 241 UTEP and a home loss to No. 165 Tennessee State.

The bottom line is that the Blue Raiders can’t really risk leaving their fate to the selection committee. That motivation should make them an even tougher out this week.

Ultimately, it's really hard seeing any team taking Middle Tennessee out, especially with its need to secure an NCAA tourney berth. No other team in Conference USA ranks in the top 100 of the Sagarin ratings; MTSU is No. 45. No team in Conference USA ranks in the top 100 in offensive and defensive efficiency in the Pomeroy rankings; MTSU is No. 63 in offense and No. 41 in defense.

Louisiana Tech might have the best shot, however. The Bulldogs have won eight of their last nine games and finished the season with a 22-9 record (14-4 in conference play). When the Bulldogs played Middle Tennessee this season, they were tied with five-and-a-half minutes remaining before the Blue Raiders pulled away and won 71-61.

It's also possible that Alabama-Birmingham, who is playing in its home city, does better in front of some partial crowds that don't have to go far to see them play. That being said, they have a tough draw as a No. 7 seed and would have to face a tough Louisiana Tech team early in the quarterfinal round.

Ultimately, the Blue Raiders are too tough and, after last year's March Madness win, too experienced on the big stage to fall this week. Expect Middle Tennessee to win the league title and secure an automatic bid into March Madness.

Thursday night's college basketball game between Louisiana Tech and UAB ended on an ugly note as the benches cleared in an all-out brawl at the Bartow Arena. 

Due to mass ejections, Louisiana Tech was forced to finish the game with just four players, via AL.com (h/t SI.com):

The Bulldogs lost 79-70.

Per SI.com, UAB's Hakeem Baxter attempted to punch Louisiana Tech's Jacobi Boykins, which started the altercation. But most of the ejections were due to players leaving the bench, which is against NCAA rules.

UAB had just six players by the final buzzer, but it was enough to hold on for the win.  

On Friday, Baxter and Boykins were suspended for one game apiece, per ESPN.com. 

"We have reviewed the incident in last night's Louisiana Tech vs. UAB men's basketball game," Conference USA said in a statement, per ESPN. "Although the majority of the individuals involved were attempting to diffuse the situation, what occurred last night was unacceptable."

It is unclear at this time if any other players will be disciplined as a result of the incident.

UTEP women's basketball player Jenzel Nash was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for her alleged role in a bank fraud scheme.

According to Daniel Borunda of the El Paso Times, Nash was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud along with six other people for allegedly attempting to defraud 21 banks and credit unions.

Nash is currently suspended indefinitely by UTEP.

When asked to comment on Nash's status, UTEP head coach Keitha Adams said the following: "I'm not able to comment on it, but one thing I will say, I care about Jenzel. I'll say my prayers for her. I can't comment any more about the situation."

Per Borunda, the 23-year-old is alleged to have lied about her monthly salary to obtain separate loans in 2014 and 2015. Her boyfriend—former New Mexico State University football player Terrance Yelder—was also indicted.

Each charge against her could carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years.   

Former Southern Miss Golden Eagles basketball player Jonathan Mills died of multiple gunshot wounds Monday near his high school in Chicago, North Lawndale College Prep.

The Chicago Tribune's Rosemary Regina Sobol and Mike Helfgot reported Mills, 26, was planning to practice at North Lawndale's gym with head coach Lewis Thorpe before he was shot on the 4100 block of West Roosevelt Road at approximately 1:30 p.m. ET.

Sobol and Helfgot cited Officer Thomas Sweeney, a Chicago police spokesman, who indicated Mills died at the scene.

Thorpe told Sobol and Helfgot that he hurried to the scene after receiving a call from his nephew, who told him Mills had been shot. The coach then proceeded to describe what he saw when he arrived at a fence around a store parking lot, with Mills covered by a blanket.

"It hurt me so bad," Thorpe said. "It looked like he fell, and his head and maybe part of his upper body had slammed against the gate."

Thorpe, who had known Mills since seventh grade, further explained how he felt about the tragedy and discussed why he and others were so fond of Mills—and how good of a player he was:

I'm so messed up. I am so shocked. When I say he was well liked…everybody loved him.

He was special, the best rebounder to ever come out of Chicago public school basketball.

He was a phenomenal player. He was just a phenomenal kid. Oh, I love that kid so much. We had a really good relationship.

The Tribune named Mills a first-team all-state player in his senior year, when he averaged 14 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks per game.

Mills helped North Lawndale secure the Public League title in 2009. He then attended Eastern Utah Community College before spending two seasons with the Southern Miss program from 2011 to 2013. He planned to play professionally overseas and was working with Thorpe to get in shape.

Chicago has been notorious for gun violence, with 2,000 victims of the crime as of early July, according to CNN (via Fox6Now.com).

Western Kentucky's frontcourt just received a huge asset. On Wednesday, 5-star center Mitchell Robinson told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein he's committed to the school.

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Robinson is the No. 1 center in the nation and the No. 9 overall prospect in the class of 2017. He is also the No. 2 player in his home state of Louisiana. 

This is such a win for Western Kentucky that WKUInsider.com's Jody Demling called Robinson "the biggest recruit ever" for the program. 

With such a high rating, Robinson had attention from larger schools, including North Carolina, Texas A&M and LSU, per 247Sports. That makes his decision to go to Western Kentucky—a Conference USA team that has gone to the NCAA tournament four times in the past 13 years—surprising. 

Regardless, this 7-footer is an athletic center who can not only dominate down low with his superior blocking ability, but he can add a defensive presence away from the basket as well because of his speed:

He has a solid pair of hands that will help when it comes to rebounding and catching the ball in the post, which will make him a nightmare under the basket. 

Robinson will have to work on his strength and his offensive game down low. At 200 pounds, there's a possibility heavier, more physical big men around the NCAA could bully him. But that shouldn't be a major concern with his intangibles. 

By the time he arrives at Western Kentucky for the 2017-18 season, the Hilltoppers will have just lost big men Anton Waters, Ben Lawson and Phabian Glasco to graduation, which means Robinson could step in and start immediately. 

If Robinson lives up to his ratings and the hype, then Western Kentucky will be a team college basketball fans will be seeing on the big stage in a couple of years. 

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com. 

Star ranking courtesy of 247Sports.