LAS VEGAS — Timmy Allen has dedicated every game he has played to his mother since she died of cancer in 2016.
He gave her something special Wednesday night — at a contest benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, no less.
Allen hit a tiebreaking floater with 1:14 left to help Utah dodge a rousing comeback try by No. 6 Kentucky for a 69-66 upset. The Utes’ sophomore, who has a tattoo on his arm and messages written on his shoe memorializing his mother, Elise, said his mind went straight to her.
LAS VEGAS – College basketball’s all-time winningest program hits the Las Vegas Strip for two games this week tipping off on Wednesday night when Kentucky faces Utah. The No. 6-ranked Wildcats come travel west for the first time in three years boasting an 8-1 record and will face a Utes team (8-2) that owns wins over Minnesota and rival BYU. The game, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer and presented by UK HealthCare, tips at 8 p.m. PT on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
“We’ve got two hard games in Vegas – both of them,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari during Tuesday’s media availability in Lexington ahead of the Cats’ games vs. Utah and Ohio State on Saturday. “We could lose both and go home at Christmas and it not be a very good Christmas, but you almost have to surrender to that so we can just play. So, I surrender to it. That could happen to us. I walk into every game and say the same thing. Whatever happens, I’ll deal with. Win or lose, I’ll deal with whatever happens so that I can just coach the game.”
Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.
The event benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). In addition to the game, Coaches vs. Cancer will be a beneficiary of GolfBlue on Friday, Dec. 20 at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The famed course, which played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson a year ago, will be provide a challenge for golfers traveling in from the Bluegrass and local sponsors. Foursomes and individual playing positions are still available with information on www.bbnvegas.com or by emailing info@bdglobalsports.com.
Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX. For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV. Kentucky fans can also visit www.bbnvegas.com or follow @BBNLasVegas for full info on the week’s events.
MEDIA: KENTUCKY OPEN PRACTICE
Kentucky will be opening up its practice today, Dec. 17, 2019, to media. Practice is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Coronado High School and is expected to go at least an hour. Practice may be delayed based on the team’s travel from Lexington.
Media attending the practice need to check-in with UK’s Eric Lindsey or Deb Moore upon arrival. There are no in-practice restrictions. Media are free to capture B-roll, pictures, etc. At this time, there are no plans for media interviews afterwards.
JOHN CALIPARI ON FORMER UTAH COACH RICK MAJERUS
John Calipari’s remarks on the late Rick Majerus:
“Well. I knew him well. I went out and spent some time with him when he was out in Utah. We had the NBA lockout and I ended up drafting one of his guys, Keith Van Horn, and I saw him in that practice and fell in love with him there and ended up drafting him. He had a heck of a year for me. Shoot, I can remember we went through LA and played the Lakers and he got 38 against the Lakers. But I went out and spent time with him – and a basketball genius and one of the biggest-hearted people you’d ever meet. Let me just tell you. I know for a fact when guys got fired in our profession, if he knew you, he’d send you a check. Like, ‘You probably need this right now.’ Like, $5,000. I’m not talking about 100 bucks. Like, if he knew, no one else knew. The only reason I know it is because two of the guys told me. Like, ‘He’s the best. Do you know what he did for me?’ He didn’t do it for any reason other than, ‘You know what? I’ve been in this. This is a tough business and if I can help you, I will.’ So, my respect for him and the guys that worked for him. Del Harris who was with him in Milwaukee with the Bucks would tell you he’s one of the best human beings ever. I’ll say it again: a basketball genius. It’s all he did was basketball. I like watching the Alaska shows and I don’t sleep in my office. This guy was basketball. He was like Kentucky Fried Chicken. We do chicken. There are no hamburgers here. Nothing. We do chicken. That’s kind of what he was.”
NBA SCOUTS
Representatives from all 30 NBA franchises are flocking to Las Vegas this week. Organizers for the Kentucky-Utah game have tallied 60 NBA scouts who will be in attendance at the game on Wednesday. “I have managed a lot of basketball games in my career, which now spans across three decades. I’ve never seen much more than a couple of dozen at an event,” said Brooks Downing, bdG Sports, LLC CEO.
BILL WALTON, DAVE PASCH ON THE CALL
Hall of Famer Bill Walton and Dave Pasch will call the game on ESPN2. Walton, a two-time NCAA Champion and two-time NBA Champion, has become widely recognized for his colorful commentary during west coast games on ESPN and Pac-12 Networks.
LAS VEGAS – UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center will be nationally recognized when Kentucky plays Utah on December 18 at T-Mobile Arena. The seventh-annual event in Las Vegas benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), and is managed by Lexington-based sports marketing firm bdG Sports.
“Being a presenting sponsor of this event provides us the opportunity to showcase and honor one of our other nationally-ranked Kentucky teams — the UK Markey Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer program in the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Mark Newman, UK executive vice president for health affairs.
Funds raised by Coaches vs. Cancer directly benefit American Cancer Society’s research programs. ACS is currently funding 10 grants in Kentucky totaling more than $4 million, including more than $2.8 million with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. In addition to research, ACS locally provides education on cancer prevention and early detection, free rides to treatment through “Road to Recovery” and free/reduced lodging for those in treatment through Hope Lodge Lexington and hotel partners across the state.
“We’re so grateful to our friends at UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center for their partnership with the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer,” said Erica Kellem Beasley, American Cancer Society executive director for Kentucky. “Their support of Coaches vs. Cancer helps to further raise awareness and funds for this important initiative that impacts so many lives.”
Kentucky, 6-1 on the season and ranked No. 8 nationally, will head west for an extended trip. After the Utah game, the Wildcats will play top-10 foe Ohio State three days later also at T-Mobile Arena. Utah currently sports a 6-2 record but owns wins over Minnesota and BYU in the past two weeks. Tip-off for the game in Vegas is set for 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
“We are excited to welcome UK HealthCare as a partner as we support Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports. “This event has grown into such a tremendous platform to showcase the best in college basketball under the Coaches vs. Cancer banner. As a Kentuckian, I am honored that we can now showcase the great work being done at the Markey Cancer Center as well.”
Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.
In addition to the game, Coaches vs. Cancer will be a beneficiary of GolfBlue on Friday, Dec. 20 at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The famed course, which played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson a year ago, will be provide a challenge for golfers traveling in from the Bluegrass and local sponsors. Foursomes and individual playing positions are still available with information on www.bbnvegas.com or by emailing info@bdglobalsports.com.
Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX. For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV. Kentucky fans can also visit www.bbnvegas.com or follow @BBNLasVegas for full info on the week’s events.
ESTERO, Fla. – The #22/21 Gonzaga women’s basketball team claimed the title of the Gulf Coast Showcase with a 63-50 victory over Purdue on Sunday evening inside Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. The title was the fourth nonconference tournament title in program history, and the first under Head Coash Lisa Fortier.
“It’s really exciting; I’m really happy for these guys,” Fortier said. “I thought they played really well the last two days and certainly today. [They] overcame really good shooters, really big players, the best shot-blocker in the country, really fast athletes and a bunch of different stuff. We had foul trouble intermittently, we had different players step up—we had a different high scorer every game. I’m really happy with their efforts. They played so hard and made big plays.”
VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) – Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s willingness to give youth a chance paid off Saturday night.
Again relying on a predominantly young lineup, No. 3 Stanford won the Greater Victoria Invitational tournament championship with a 67-62 victory over No. 10 Mississippi State.
“We have a very young team,” VanDerveer said. “People really stepped up and it was very exciting.”
ESTERO, Fla. – Led by an MVP performance from sophomore Ed Croswell, the La Salle University men’s basketball team took home the Gulf Coast Showcase championship with an 81-76, overtime victory over South Alabama at Hertz Arena on Wednesday evening.
Croswell scored 18 points and added 12 rebounds while senior Isiah Deas scored a team-high 21 points for the Explorers, who held an 11-point halftime lead but saw the Jaguars fight all the way back and build an 11-point lead of their own with 8:46 left.
LAS VEGAS — McKinley Wright had a steal and two free throws in the final 10 seconds Tuesday night to lead Colorado to a 71-67 win over Clemson in the MGM Main Event championship game at T-Mobile Arena.
Tad Boyle’s No. 21 Buffaloes improved to 5-0 with the win while Clemson dropped to 5-2.
The Buffs rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half and led by six with 2:36 to play before the Tigers closed the gap to two, 69-67, with 1:45 to go. After the two teams traded misses, Wright finally came up with his steal with 10 seconds on the clock and was fouled with six remaining.
Liberty was crowned the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase Champion after pulling out the 62-49 victory over Kansas City. The win over the Roos was the Flames’ eighth win this season, becoming the first team in Division I to reach the eight-win mark. Freshman Kyle Rode was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Scottie James was named to the All-Tournament Team.
VICTORIA, B.C. – Three of the top teams in NCAA Division I basketball are preparing to make the trek to the inaugural Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford to be played at CARSA Gymnasium next week, Nov. 28-30, on the campus of the University of Victoria.
All three are unbeaten as Stanford, 4-0, leads the trio, with a No. 3-ranking behind No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Baylor. The Cardinal just defeated No. 23 Gonzaga earlier this week. Mississippi State, which played in the last two NCAA Final Fours, is off to a 3-0 start and ranks #10 in the nation. The explosive Lady Bulldogs have averaged 123 points per game in their last two wins over Murray State and Troy. Syracuse, also 3-0, is preparing to play top-ranked Oregon at home before making the trek from New York to British Columbia.
“It’s impressive to have a community like Greater Victoria embrace a major women’s college basketball tournament like it has done leading up to this event,” said Brooks Downing, the CEO of bdG Sports, the Kentucky-based event organizer. “But they’re about to find out just how good these teams really are. The 2020 NCAA champion may be in this eight-team field.”
The bracketed tournament tips off on Thursday, Nov. 28 with Green Bay taking on Bowling Green at 11 a.m. PT, followed by Miss. State vs. San Francisco at 1:30 p.m. The evening session begins at 5 p.m. with Syracuse vs. Houston and the first-round nightcap features Stanford battling California Baptist at 7:30 p.m. The semifinals will start at 5 p.m. on Friday and the championship game will be played at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. All eight teams will play three games in Victoria.
“This tournament has created a buzz in the city that we haven’t seen in quite some time,” said Howard Kelsey, a BC Sports and Canada Basketball Hall of Famer and tournament partner. “With the recent FIBA announcement as well, the Greater Victoria Invitational is in a perfect spot to capitalize on the excitement this city has for basketball.”
Along with the three full days of games, the City of Langford and tournament organizers will play host to a youth clinic that will feature 90 girls from the Langford community and the California Baptist Women’s Basketball team. Clinic participants will have the chance to run drills with the California Baptist team and learn from its coaches.
“We’re thrilled to be partnered with the City of Langford and to provide such an incredible experience for these girls who aspire to be champions in their own right,” said tournament partner, Dave Munro.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are priced on a per session basis at $20 CAD for endzone, $35 CAD for sideline and $125 CAD courtside (approximately $15, $27 and $95 USD respectively). Tickets can be purchased at www.victoriainvitational.com or vikestickets.universitytickets.com.
Group discounted tickets are available and can be purchased by emailing Max Winebrenner at mw@bdglobalsports.com. Discounted rates are $15 for endzone and $10 for sideline.
LAS VEGAS – Colorado, which has started the season 3-0 and earned a Top-25 ranking for the first time in six seasons, leads a highly competitive field in the sixth-edition of the MGM Resorts Main Event, to be played Nov. 24/26, 2019 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The tournament is being played on a weekend for the first time and tips at 5 p.m. PT Sunday and the Heavyweight Bracket features the Buffaloes taking on Mountain West-foe Wyoming followed by TCU vs. Clemson at 7:30 p.m.
Colorado opened with wins over conference-mate Arizona State in China, San Diego and battle-tested UC Irvine. The Buffaloes are ranked #23 in the AP poll, its first ranking in six seasons. TCU has started the season 4-0, beating UC Irvine as well on a RJ Nembard three-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining.
“What’s most impressive about our 2019 lineup is the quality of coaches we have with these four teams,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports, the event organizer. “Jamie Dixon is 22-1 in November at TCU, Brad Brownell is one of the most successful coaches to ever lead Clemson, Tad Boyle has led the Buffs into the Top 25 again and Allen Edwards continues to build a respectful program at Wyoming.”
ESPN2 will televise the TCU-Clemson clash as well as the championship game on Tuesday, Nov. 26, which will be played at 8:30 p.m. PT, following the consolation game at 6 p.m.
The Middleweight Bracket features three games which this year will be played on the college floor at Ed Clark High School in Las Vegas. The action tips on Sunday at noon PT with UC Irvine versus Detroit. Louisiana then takes on Detroit on Monday at 1 p.m. and the action concludes on Tuesday with UC Irvine versus Louisiana at 1 p.m.
Tickets for the Heavyweight Division can be purchased at AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXSTIX. Ticket information and hotel room information for the MGM Resorts Main Event can also be found at www.mgmresortsmainevent.com and on social media at @NeonHoopsLV.
