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Arizona Wildcats face Long Island Sharks in first round of NCAA Tournament

By The Associated Press

Long Island Sharks (24-10, 18-3 NEC) vs. Arizona Wildcats (32-2, 19-2 Big 12)

San Diego; Friday, 1:35 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wildcats -30.5; over/under is 148.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 2 Arizona and LIU square off in the NCAA Tournament first round.

The Wildcats’ record in Big 12 games is 19-2, and their record is 13-0 in non-conference games. Arizona is the best team in the Big 12 with 15.6 fast break points.

The Sharks are 18-3 in NEC play. LIU is fourth in the NEC with 13.6 assists per game led by Malachi Davis averaging 3.4.

Arizona averages 86.1 points, 15.0 more per game than the 71.1 LIU allows. LIU has shot at a 48.1% clip from the field this season, 8.9 percentage points greater than the 39.2% shooting opponents of Arizona have averaged.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tobe Awaka is averaging 9.4 points and 9.5 rebounds for the Wildcats. Brayden Burries is averaging 16.5 points over the last 10 games.

Jamal Fuller averages 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Sharks, scoring 16.4 points while shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc. Greg Gordon is shooting 60.9% and averaging 15.5 points over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wildcats: 9-1, averaging 79.8 points, 36.5 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.2 points per game.

Sharks: 8-2, averaging 74.5 points, 29.9 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 51.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.4 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Cheryl Reeve steps away from the WNBA grind for a Hall of Fame induction

By The Associated Press
Cheryl Reeve is taking a break from her busy WNBA season to head to Knoxville this weekend and be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. She's only the second WNBA coach to enter the Hall of Fame, joining former Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor, who was inducted in 2001. “(I appreciate) the magnitude of this recognition of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the great work that has gone into this institution,” Reeve said. “To walk around and see the history of how much has been done years before I could ever have this opportunity to coach. Grateful to the WNBA because I think there was some consideration given schedule wise.” Reeve will be joined by WNBA greats Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne in this year's class. Parker and Delle Donne also will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. Other inductees include ESPN broadcaster Doris Burke, Kirkwood Community College coach Kim Muhl, Spanish star Amaya Valdemoro, French great Isabelle Fijalkowski and Clemson's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Barbara Kennedy-Dixon.
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