St. John’s have secured their second consecutive Big East tournament championship with a dominant 72-52 victory over sixth-ranked UConn at Madison Square Garden.
Zuby Ejiofor anchored a tenacious defensive display in New York, recording seven blocks, nine rebounds and three steals.
The imposing forward also contributed 18 points alongside team-mate Bryce Hopkins to lead the top-seeded Red Storm to a historic triumph.
Pitino’s resurgence continues
This latest piece of silverware underlines the remarkable revival orchestrated by Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino.
His squad have now become the first team to claim consecutive Big East tournament crowns since Villanova achieved three successive victories between 2017 and 2019.
Furthermore, the Johnnies are the first programme since the legendary Huskies sides of 1998 and 1999 to win both regular-season and tournament titles in back-to-back campaigns.
Huskies stifled on the big stage
Oziyah Sellers added 14 points for the victors, who established a commanding 17-point advantage before the interval.
That comfortable cushion allowed the New York outfit to control the tempo and ultimately win two of their three encounters against their conference rivals this season.
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Huskies endured a frustrating evening in attack and were restricted to an uncharacteristically low return.
The Connecticut programme were held to a final tally that was nine points worse than their previous lowest scoring output of the year.
Victor Wembanyama recorded 32 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists on his return from injury as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Charlotte Hornets 115-102 on Saturday.
The French center added four blocks and two steals in a dominant all-round performance at the Frost Bank Center.
This latest victory ensures San Antonio have now won 17 of their 19 matches since the start of February.
Wembanyama joins franchise greats
Missing Thursday’s defeat by the Denver Nuggets with a sore right ankle clearly did little to slow the towering defender’s momentum.
His spectacular statistical line marks only the second time in his career he has recorded such a comprehensive array of points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.
He now ties George Gervin for the third-most such games in franchise history, sitting only behind legendary big men Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
“It’s just a progression in general. There were many aspects of the game where we dominated them, and that shows because we won three out of four quarters.”
– Victor Wembanyama
Playmaking progress on display
The former Parisian standout displayed exceptional court vision throughout the second half of the contest.
He orchestrated impressive alley-oop finishes for team-mates Luke Kornet and Stephon Castle to demonstrate his expanding offensive arsenal.
“My playmaking most of the time happens by rolling and not even touching the ball, getting guys open by my positioning with my gravity. But I can do that, too.”
– Victor Wembanyama
Awards eligibility and team momentum
Crucially for his individual accolades, the sophomore sensation can only afford to miss three more regular-season fixtures before becoming ineligible for end-of-season NBA awards.
San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson praised his squad’s ability to navigate various challenges during their remarkable run of form.
“All these experiences are hopefully lessons we turn into knowledge and wisdom moving forward.”
– Mitch Johnson
Yaxel Lendeborg hit a dramatic three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to give Michigan a 68-65 victory over Wisconsin and send them into the Big Ten tournament championship game in Chicago.
The top-seeded Wolverines avenged their only conference defeat of the regular season to keep their hopes of securing a second consecutive tournament title alive.
Aday Mara anchored the interior for the victors, tallying 16 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks during a tense encounter at the United Center.
Elliot Cadeau also contributed 15 points and provided the crucial assist for the game-winning shot after a chaotic final possession.
Lendeborg delivers when it matters most
The Big Ten Player of the Year endured a quiet start to the contest following a similarly subdued offensive performance in Friday’s quarter-final win over Ohio State.
He began to find his rhythm just before the interval, draining a vital perimeter shot with 11 seconds left in the half to level the scoreline at 28-28.
Both sides struggled offensively in the opening period, with the eventual winners shooting just 26.7% from the field compared to their opponents’ 32.3%.
The tension escalated in the dying moments of the second half after Nick Boyd hit a clutch shot for Wisconsin to tie the game at 65-all.
Badgers fall short despite second-half surge
Austin Rapp proved to be a constant threat for the defeated side, sinking six attempts from beyond the arc to score all of his 18 points after the break.
However, Boyd endured a difficult shooting night, managing just 14 points on six-for-20 shooting a day after an exhausting career-high 38-point display against Illinois.
The defeat means the Wisconsin program misses out on a third successive Big Ten tournament final appearance, having lost the 2025 showpiece to this exact opposition.
The reigning champions will now face either UCLA or Purdue in Sunday’s title match as they pursue their fifth overall tournament crown.
They already boast a psychological advantage over both potential opponents, having comprehensively beaten the Bruins and the Boilermakers in consecutive mid-February fixtures.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with a left ankle sprain, marking his 31st absence of the NBA season.
The franchise initially listed the two-time MVP as questionable due to the ongoing management of a previous right calf injury.
However, Milwaukee medical staff subsequently downgraded the 13-year veteran to unavailable prior to tip-off in Georgia.
New setback compounds frustrating campaign
Head coach Doc Rivers confirmed the latest ankle problem stemmed from Thursday’s 112-105 defeat by the Miami Heat.
This absence establishes an unwelcome personal milestone for the Greek forward.
He has now missed more fixtures in the current campaign than in any other single season of his professional career.
Cautious approach to consecutive fixtures
Doc Rivers’ side are currently navigating a challenging schedule featuring games on back-to-back days.
The team will immediately return to Wisconsin to host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Their talismanic leader has not participated in consecutive matchups since returning from his previous calf strain on 2 March.
The Golden State Warriors suffered a fourth consecutive defeat and lost four more players to injury during a 127-117 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Head coach Steve Kerr watched his side fall further down the Western Conference standings on a damaging night in San Francisco.
Draymond Green was withdrawn shortly before tip-off with back soreness, triggering a cascade of physical setbacks for the hosts.
Veteran duo Al Horford and Seth Curry subsequently left the court with calf and adductor issues respectively, while second-year center Quinten Post sprained an ankle.
“We’re going through it,” said Kerr. “We’re about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
Play-off hopes fading
The latest casualty list compounds a miserable period for the seven-time NBA champions, who are already missing two pivotal figures.
Jimmy Butler was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL in January, whilst talisman Stephen Curry has been sidelined since late last month with a persistent knee problem.
Without their primary playmaker, the franchise has managed just five victories in 16 outings to drop to a 32-34 record.
They now sit two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers in the race for the eighth Western Conference play-off seed.
Edwards stars despite fitness doubts
Kerr confirmed Horford’s injury is a calf strain that will require a period of rehabilitation, though Green’s back problem is not thought to be severe.
This mounting crisis coincides with a daunting six-game road trip, commencing against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
One minor positive for the depleted hosts was a 20-point contribution from recently acquired centre Kristaps Porzingis.
However, the severely outmanned home side could not contain an inspired Anthony Edwards.
The Minnesota guard overcame pre-game fitness doubts to register 42 points, aiming playful banter at the sidelined Stephen Curry throughout the contest.
“Love Steph, to me he is the greatest point guard,” said Edwards. “If he’s not playing, I talk a little trash to him on the side.”
The WNBA and its players’ union face a critical Monday deadline to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement and avoid severe disruptions to the upcoming season.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stressed the urgency of finalising the deal to protect the preseason calendar, free agency, and an upcoming expansion draft.
“We have to get it done by Monday,” Engelbert said.
“We’ve got to get expansion going, we’ve got to get free agency going, and we’ve got to get the college draft, which is now a month from today.”
Revenue sharing remains the biggest hurdle
Negotiations between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) have involved intense, double-digit hour sessions over the past four days.
A final agreement hinges heavily on creating a completely revamped revenue-sharing model that satisfies both parties.
The league has proposed allocating an average of 70% of net revenue to the athletes, while player representatives are pushing for 26% of gross revenue over the lifetime of the contract.
These conflicting systems have generated wildly different initial salary cap projections, with the governing body offering $6.2m per team compared to the union’s $9.5m demand.
Preseason schedule under threat
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressed cautious optimism about recent progress despite viewing the established deadlines as somewhat arbitrary.
“As long as movement keeps us going in a forward direction, then I think we’re good,” Jackson told reporters.
Time is rapidly running out for the highest level of women’s professional basketball to resolve these foundational economic issues.
With training camps scheduled to open on 19 April and preseason fixtures commencing just six days later, any further delay could severely impact player preparation.
The sport is currently experiencing an unprecedented boom in popularity and viewership, making a seamless start to the new campaign vital for continued growth.
Luka Doncic scored a Lakers career-high 51 points to lead Los Angeles to a 142-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, marking a successful return for LeBron James following a three-game injury absence.
The Slovenian playmaker delivered an offensive masterclass, eventually checking out late in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation.
His historic haul was supported by a remarkable collective effort from the hosts’ starting line-up, who combined for a staggering 137 points.
That tally represents the highest-scoring output by a starting five in a regulation NBA fixture since the 1970-71 season.
James returns to support starring cast
James had missed the previous three games with foot, elbow and hip issues, but adapted seamlessly to a supporting role upon his comeback.
The 41-year-old veteran finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while deliberately taking a back seat to his team-mates.
“I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised this selfless approach, highlighting the forward’s desire to let his red-hot colleagues flourish.
Los Angeles now boast an 8-3 record this season when their all-time leading scorer is not one of the top two players in field goal attempts.
Reaves milestone fuels Western Conference surge
Austin Reaves continued his own spectacular form with a 30-point performance, exceeding the 25-point mark for the third consecutive outing.
The American guard also surpassed 5,000 career points during the contest, becoming just the 46th undrafted player in league history to achieve the feat.
Further offensive firepower was provided by Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who contributed 23 and 15 points respectively.
The victory secures a seventh win in eight matches for Los Angeles, propelling them to third place in the Western Conference standings with just 16 regular-season games remaining.
Doncic later revealed that a verbal exchange with 21-year-old Chicago forward Matas Buzelis provided the extra motivation for his scoring explosion.
“Somebody started talking to me, so that woke me up.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will attempt to break Wilt Chamberlain’s 63-year-old NBA record for consecutive 20-point games when he faces the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
The reigning NBA MVP has scored at least 20 points in 126 successive matches, tying a landmark previously thought to be unbreakable.
His remarkable marathon of consistency began on 1 November 2024 during a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Since that initial performance, the dynamic playmaker has secured both the regular-season and Finals MVP awards.
Chasing a mythical milestone
Chamberlain set the original 126-game benchmark over six decades ago.
The late Hall of Fame centre achieved statistical feats so dominant that the current Thunder star recently described him as “almost like a mythical creature”.
Before this extraordinary streak began, the closest any player had come to the record was Chamberlain himself with a separate 92-game run.
Oscar Robertson sits third on the all-time list after managing 79 consecutive matches with 20 or more points.
Dominating the modern era
The Canadian international’s scoring output completely eclipses his modern contemporaries.
Kevin Durant holds the closest 21st-century streak, having reached 72 games during his tenures with Oklahoma City and Golden State.
Late Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant is the only other modern player to reach the halfway mark, achieving 63 consecutive games between December 2005 and November 2006.
“My whole life is consistent, everything I do.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
By contrast, Kawhi Leonard holds the second-longest active streak across the league with a comparatively modest 42 games.
Sustaining elite performance
This unprecedented offensive output highlights a profound era of dominance for the Oklahoma City franchise.
The lightning-fast guard remains the heavy favourite to claim another MVP award for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.
Eclipsing Chamberlain’s legendary benchmark against the Celtics would firmly cement his legacy among basketball’s greatest historical scorers.