UNDATED (AP) — Penn State has hired VCU’s Mike Rhoades to be its men’s basketball coach. The Pennsylvania native takes over a program coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in more than a decade. The Penn State board of trustees approved a seven-year deal worth $25.9 million for Rhoades. He replaces Micah Shrewsberry, who was hired away by Notre Dame last week. Penn State is coming off its first NCAA appearance since 2011 and first NCAA victory since 2001. Rhoades was 129-61 in six seasons as head coach at VCU, including three NCAA Tournament bids. A few hours after Rhoades’ hire was announced on Wednesday, VCU announced it hired Utah State coach Ryan Odom to replace him.
UNDATED (AP) — A congressional hearing targeting what one lawmaker called “NIL chaos” in college sports drifted into the consequences of college athletes being deemed employees. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held the first hearing Wednesday related to college sports in the House or Senate in more than two years. The intended focus was name, image and likeness compensation for athletes. College sports leaders have been asking for a federal law to bring uniform regulation to the way athletes can earn money through sponsorship or endorsement deals.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has taken a seat on the bench in the political game. The organization that governs college athletics was once at the forefront of hot-button issues such as the Confederate flag and transgender rights. But that stance evolved quickly as one Republican-controlled state after another rushed to pass laws that cover everything from abortion to transgender rights to drag shows. The NCAA’s new approach came into sharper focus this week as Texas prepares to host both the men’s and women’s Final Four. Not a word has been spoken about moving these events out of Houston and Dallas.
UNDATED (AP) — Black female representation in the coaching and sports administrative ranks has often existed on a minute scale. That’s true even in a sport like basketball, which along with track and field has the highest concentration of Black female college athletes. The number of women coaching women’s sports has increased in the past decade but Black women continue to lag behind most other demographic groups. Some Black female players say having been coached by a Black woman at some point in their careers was crucial to their development.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Brea Beal changed her game and became a key piece of South Carolina’s run to three straight Final Fours. The defending national champions advanced with an 86-75 win over Maryland, a game that turned when Beal and the Gamecocks’ defense held the Terrapins to nine points in the second quarter to take control. Beal has been a focal point of the team’s defense since arriving four seasons ago alongside more heralded players in Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke. Beal turned herself into a defensive stopper and most likely will check Iowa All-American Caitlin Clark in the national semifinals on Friday.
UNDATED (AP) — The battle for the national championship in women’s basketball is on. Defending champion South Carolina will face Iowa in the second national semifinal after an 86-75 win over Maryland. LSU will face Virginia Tech in the first game after the Hokies defeated Ohio State 84-74. The Final Four is in Dallas on March 31 and the championship game is two days later on April 2.
DALLAS (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey is returning to Texas for another Final Four. The former Baylor coach says some people with ties to her lengthy tenure in Texas will be in the stands when the Tigers play Virginia Tech in the national semifinals Friday night in Dallas. Mulkey is the third coach to lead multiple schools to the Final Four. She made four trips with Baylor. It’s her first with LSU in her second season. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley returns to the scene of her first national championship five years ago. The Gamecocks play Iowa.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half, Rubin Jones scored all 12 of his after halftime and North Texas closed on a 10-0 run to beat Wisconsin 56-54 in the semifinals of the NIT. North Texas (30-7) advances to the program’s first NIT championship game on Thursday. Conference USA is now 16-1 this postseason. North Texas, which trailed 41-29 at halftime, took its first lead of the game at 56-54 with 2:08 remaining on Moulaye Sissoko’s shot in the lane to cap a 10-0 run. The Mean Green, the nation’s leader in scoring defense at 55.7 points per game, held Wisconsin without a point for the final 9:07 of the game.
