Men's College Basketball

UNC and Duke are listed first and second on a list of the most valuable NCAA men's college basketball teams.

The study was done by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University Columbus. Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal relayed the findings.

The schools are ranked by enterprise value. UNC is at $378 million, while Duke sits second at $370 million. Indiana ($279 million), Ohio State ($262 million) and Louisville ($260 million) round out the top five.

Per Harvard Business School, enterprise value "is calculated by combining a company's debt and equity and then subtracting the cash amount not used to fund business operations."

Duke's revenue was listed first overall at $47.6 million. UNC was first in cash flow ($23.2 million).

Beaton offered more context on Brewer's study. In essence, it's a regular study with an overriding question from the professor: "What would these teams be worth if they could be bought and sold like a pro sports team?"

"He answers it by studying revenues and cash flows while making financial projections about the team’s sustainability. In a way, it’s not different than it would be if he were analyzing the value of any other business," Beaton added."

"Brewer cautions that while he’s calculating what the financials say a team should be worth if it were put up for auction, the real price could dwarf that because sports franchises are rare assets. The Boston Celtics just sold for $6.1 billion, and a wealthy Duke alum might pay almost as much in the alternate universe where the Blue Devils actually were on the market."

Brewer also did a study for women's college basketball teams, with reigning national champion UConn topping the list at a $95 million enterprise value. The top five rounded out with South Carolina ($86 million), Baylor ($77 million), Stanford ($74 million) and BYU $60 million).

He also did a study of college football programs that was released in January, after Ohio State won the national championship. The Buckeyes were No. 1 at $1.95 billion. They were one of nine teams to cross the billion-dollar mark. Texas ($1.9 billion), Michigan ($1.66 billion), Georgia ($1.34 billion) and Notre Dame ($1.29 billion) rounded out the top five.

Memphis men's basketball coach Penny Hardaway is worried one of the impacts of name, image and likeness opportunities in college sports will be less parity when it comes to the postseason.

"March Madness is not about the madness anymore because of the NIL," he said during a Tuesday appearance on The Pivot Podcast (48:10 mark). "If you have $10 to $15 million and I only have $100,000 to give my best player and then I have to trickle down, like I get a million? Some of these small schools, these Cinderella schools, don't have a million to give in NIL. It's not going to happen."

The comments come after the men's Final Four consisted of four No. 1 seeds (Florida, Houston, Duke and Auburn) and the women's Final Four consisted of three No. 1 seeds (South Carolina, UCLA and Texas) and a No. 2 seed (UConn).

Florida and UConn cut down the nets as deserving national champions, but there was a notable lack of bracket-altering upsets that have come to define the Big Dance.

There have only been a few NCAA tournaments during the NIL era, so it is likely too early to draw significant conclusions. Last year in the men's tournament, 11th-seeded North Carolina State reached the Final Four, while UConn was the top-seeded team in the 2023 men's Final Four as a No. 4 seed.

The Huskies were joined by two No. 5 seeds in San Diego State and Miami, as well as a No. 9 seed in Florida Atlantic.

Still, it isn't difficult to see Hardaway's logic that the schools with bigger budgets will be able to land all the best players in an era when money is so important on the recruiting trail. What's more, the ability to freely transfer during multiple windows means those same powerhouse schools could easily convince an overlooked player at one of those "Cinderella" schools to join their program after a successful season.

Hardaway was able to navigate the challenges that come with the current era of college basketball and lead the Tigers to a 29-6 record and No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament this past season.

While Memphis won the American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles, it lost in the first round of the Big Dance to 12th-seeded Colorado State.

Now he is just starting another offseason where NIL is sure to be a focal point on the recruiting trail and transfer market.

Seth Trimble, a rising guard, will return to North Carolina for his senior season, per comments made to Joe Tipton of On3.

The news dropped after UNC lost guard Elliott Cadeau in the transfer portal to Michigan. UNC freshman guard Ian Jackson has also entered the transfer portal.

Trimble previously entered the transfer portal in April 2024 after his sophomore season but returned to school.

Last season, Trimble averaged 11.6 points on 42.8 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

Trimble and the rest of the Tar Heels hope to bounce back from a tough season that saw the team barely sneak into the NCAA tournament off the bubble. UNC won its First Four game against San Diego State before falling to Ole Miss in the first round.

The Tar Heels do have an impressive arriving class that's ranked fifth in the country, per 247Sports. It includes a pair of 4-star combo guards, Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon, as well as 5-star power forward Caleb Wilson.

UNC will need some or all of them to step up with the team losing a lot of production. The team's top scorer, RJ Davis, has exhausted his eligibility. Cadeau (No. 4 scorer) is officially gone, and Jackson (No. 2 scorer) could be as well. Trimble should continue to play an integral role next year as UNC looks to return to prominence.

After his stellar freshman season at Texas, shooting guard Tre Johnson is ready to test his skills at the next level.

Johnson announced on Tuesday's episode of NBA Today that he is declaring for the 2025 NBA draft.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman ranked him as the No. 6 prospect in his draft big board and predicted he would be selected by the Toronto Raptors with the No. 7 pick in his latest mock draft.

Johnson started all 33 of his appearances for the Longhorns and led the team with 19.9 points per game while adding 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He shot 42.7 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three-point range on his way to earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Texas went 19-16 this season and ended the year with an 86-80 loss to Xavier in the First Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Johnson scored 23 points in that game and chipped in 6 rebounds and two assists.

Wasserman stated that his final collegiate performance "painted a fairly accurate picture of the scouting report," as he "wowed with perimeter creation, footwork for separation and rhythm, balance on his jumpers and high-level shotmaking skill from on and off the ball."

Johnson could use some improvements in his playmaking ability, and he showed a penchant for settling for jump shots rather than driving to the rim aggressively. His defense has also left much to be desired, but the right development can make him a reliable NBA player.

"Johnson will look like an easy fit and sure-fire scorer/shooter to plug in right away," Wasserman added. "He'll likely start to draw serious consideration closer to No. 4 or No. 5, based on the idea that it's difficult to reach a certain level of stardom relying so heavily on tough pull-ups or step-backs without offering another layer of playmaking or impact defense."

Michigan transfer guard Justin Pippen has committed to Cal, he told On3's Joe Tipton.

The son of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen received limited playing time during his freshman season at Michigan. He averaged 1.6 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 28 appearances.

Pippen last played during Michigan's regular-season finale. He suffered what head coach Dusty May called a possible concussion in practice ahead of the Big Ten tournament and did not see the court during the Wolverines' NCAA Tournament run.

247Sports' Travis Branham first reported Pippen's intention to transfer on March 24, prior to the Wolverines' elimination from the Sweet 16.

Pippen overall played just 6.6 minutes per game as he competed for playing time on a crowded backcourt staffed by Tre Donaldson, Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr., with Rubin Jones and L.J. Cason leading the Wolverines' reserves.

Pippen entered college ranked by 247Sports as a four-star recruit after a high school career spent playing alongside Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James at Sierra Canyon in California.

At the time, 247Sports analyst Travis Branham described Pippen as a player with "good instincts for the game" who could develop into "a highly impactful high-major guard, much like his brother did at Vanderbilt before him."

Pippen's older brother, Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., played three seasons for Vanderbilt before entering the NBA. But he was a freshman starter who was playing more than 30 minutes per night in his first college season.

Pippen could now be hoping to take the next step forward in his development with Cal, where starting guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. just finished his final year of college eligibility. Blacksher's departure could open up an opportunity for Pippen to compete for a rotation spot and more playing time next fall.

After winning the 2025 national championship on Monday night, Florida was unanimously voted as the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The Gators defeated Houston 65-63 in a thrilling game to claim their third national title in program history. The Cougars claimed the No. 2 spot in the final Top 25, and the rest of the poll is as follows:

1. Florida
2. Houston
3. Duke
4. Auburn
5. Tennessee
6. Alabama
7. Michigan State
8. Texas Tech
9. Maryland
10. Michigan
11. St. John's
12. Kentucky
13. BYU
14. Purdue
15. Arizona
16. Wisconsin
17. Iowa State
18. Ole Miss
19. Texas A&M
20. Arkansas
21. Louisville
22. Clemson
23. Gonzaga
24. Saint Mary's
25. Memphis

Florida moved up two spots from the previous AP Top 25 released on March 17. The Gators finished the year with a 36-4 record after overcoming a 12-point deficit to defeat the Cougars in an epic finish that included a stunning defensive stop as the buzzer sounded.

Besides the Gators, most of the movement came further down the poll. St. John's fell six spots to No. 11 after its upset loss to Arkansas in the second round. After their losses in the first round, Louisville and Clemson were the biggest fallers, with the Cardinals dropping 11 spots to No. 21 and the Tigers tumbling 10 spots down to No. 22. Memphis nabbed the No. 25 spot after falling nine spots.

In positive news, Purdue made the biggest leap by moving up eight spots to No. 14 after its run to the Sweet 16. Arizona's run to the same round earned a six-spot jump to No. 15, while Michigan and BYU both moved up four spots to No. 10 and No. 13, respectively.

After a year full of excitement, it can be expected that the 2025-26 season will produce more fun moments as teams across the nation try to knock Florida from its perch as the national champion.

Michigan State guard Jase Richardson will declare for the 2025 NBA draft, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Richardson, the son of former NBA star Jason Richardson, is projected as the No. 9 pick in the latest mock draft by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

Richardson helped the Spartans win the Big Ten regular season title and make the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament during his freshman season.

After spending 21 games coming off the Spartans' bench, Richardson was elevated to the starting lineup ahead of a Feb. 8 game against Oregon.

He went on to post a career-high 29 points against the Ducks in his first college start, an outing that apparently impressed head coach Tom Izzo enough to keep Richardson in the starting lineup for the remainder of the season.

Richardson averaged 16.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in nine games while helping Michigan State go 8-1 to close out the season.

His postseason was highlighted by a 21-point outing in Michigan State's conference semifinal loss to Wisconsin and a 20-point performance in the Spartans' Sweet 16 win over Ole Miss.

Richardson finished his freshman season having led the Spartans with 41.2 percent shooting from deep while committing just 30 turnovers in 912 total minutes.

Originally projected as a second-round draft pick, Richardson's improvement over the second half of the season may have been enough to get him in the lottery conversation.

Scouts could potentially get another look at Richardson during the draft combine starting May 11, followed by the beginning of the draft on June 25.

Izzo will meanwhile work on rebuilding his roster after the likely departure of Richardson alongside the transfers of Tre Holloman, Xavier Booker and Gehrig Normand and the expiring eligibility of Jaden Akins, Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala.

After falling short against Houston in the Final Four this past weekend, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer is still feeling a wave of emotion.

Scheyer addressed Duke fans after arriving back to campus and admitted that he's still "heartbroken" over how the season ended in a video posted to social media Tuesday:

The Blue Devils led by 14 points with eight minutes left in the game before the Cougars made an epic comeback to earn a 70-67 win. Houston ultimately lost to Florida 65-63 in Monday's national championship game.

In what was likely his final college game, Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg had a game-high 27 points while adding seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks. He's projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and he leaves behind a Blue Devils team that finished with a 35-4 record and won an ACC championship. It was the program's first appearance in the Final Four since 2022, the team's final year under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski before Scheyer succeeded him.

"This is our first time losing with our full team since November, and it's a s---ty feeling, it's a feeling that we got used to not thinking about," Scheyer said.

Despite the loss, Duke is expected to be in the national title conversation once again next season. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Blue Devils as the favorites to cut down the nets next season at +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000).

Replacing Flagg is no small task, but Duke's 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 by 247Sports. 5-star prospects Cameron Boozer and Shelton Henderson lead a talented crop of newcomers as Scheyer tries to lead the Blue Devils back to the mountaintop.

One year after backing out of a commitment to Kentucky following John Calipari's departure from the school, Jayden Quaintance has decided he wants to play in Lexington.

Haminn Quaintance, Jayden's father, told ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Tuesday that his son has committed to the Wildcats.

Jayden entered the transfer portal last week after one season at Arizona State. It was also revealed at that time he underwent surgery on March 19 to repair a torn ACL.

Haminn told Givony last week that Jayden projects to be cleared for contact in September, putting him on track to potentially be available for the start of the 2025-26 season.

Quaintance, who reclassified to be in the 2024 recruiting class, was the youngest player in Division I college basketball last season. He won't turn 18 until July 11.

247Sports had Quaintance ranked as a 5-star recruit and No. 9 overall player in the 2024 class. It also had him as the sixth-best player in the transfer portal this year.

When Quaintance originally reclassified, he committed to Kentucky in November 2023. Following Calipari's departure in April 2024, Quaintance was released from his letter of intent and opted to attend Arizona State.

Since NBA rules require players turn 19 during the calendar year they are drafted, Quainance isn't eligible to turn pro until 2026. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman had him ranked as the ninth-best prospect in the 2026 class in a very-early top 20 released last November.

Despite being incredibly young for a college player, Quaintance didn't look overmatched as a freshman. He averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and recorded six double-doubles in 24 starts for the Sun Devils.

Quaintance is the seventh different player who is committed to Kentucky for next season between the transfer portal and incoming freshman class. He joins a group that includes Mouhamed Dioubate, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.

The Wildcats finished 24-12 in their first season under head coach Mark Pope. They earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and lost to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson couldn't believe his team failed to get off a shot in its final three offensive possessions of Monday's 65-63 loss to Florida in the national championship game.

Speaking to reporters after the defeat, Sampson called it "incomprehensible" the Cougars didn't even have an attempt to either tie the score to force overtime or win the game at the end of regulation.

Houston's last field-goal attempt was LJ Cryer's missed jumper with 1:25 remaining. Joseph Tugler got an offensive rebound off that miss, but Alex Condon knocked the ball out of his hands and out of bounds for a turnover.

The Cougars' final four possessions, including the Tugler play, all ended in steals for Florida. Condon was credited with three, with Will Richard getting the other against Emanuel Sharp.

Florida wasn't exactly lighting up the stat sheet during this time period. It only scored three points over the final 85 seconds, with all three coming at the free-throw line.

But that turned out to be enough because of the Cougars' inability to execute their offense. They were leading 63-62 at the time of Cryer's missed jumper.

The final play was an absolute mess that with terrible spacing on the floor. There were eight different players between the two teams bunched together near the top of the arc.

Sharp thought he had a look from three and pulled up to shoot, but then stopped himself in midair when Walter Clayton Jr. came flying in to close out. Sharp dropped the ball to avoid being called for a travel, but no one was there to grab it.

A few players on both teams finally moved in on the ball, causing it to bounce around as time expired.

Sampson did praise Sharp, who was emotional on the court after the loss, as one of the reasons why Houston even made it to the title game.

"I told him I loved him," Sampson said when asked what he told Sharp. "I told him I loved him, and I really focused on the job he did on Clayton. He did an awesome job on him. He made a couple reads that I'm sure he wish he'd had over, but we don't get there without that kid."

It truly was an incomprehensible sequence of events that occurred to prevent the Cougars from winning their first national championship. It was a combination of great defense on Florida's part and poor execution in crunch time by Houston.

Despite the bitter end, this was still one of the best seasons for Houston basketball. The Cougars won a program-record 35 games and advanced to the title game for the first time since the 1983-84 season.