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Eric Dixon looks to lead Villanova to the finals of the College Basketball Crown when they face Darius Johnson and UCF on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Dixon became the Wildcats' all-time career scoring leader Thursday by recording 24 of his 28 points in the second half of a 60-59 victory over Southern California.
"Eric is trying to get people involved and to make the right play," said Villanova interim coach Mike Nardi. "That's just who he is. Once he gets it going, you try to move him around, put him in different spots. His teammates know where he likes the ball. Then, you let him go to work."
Dixon leads the nation with 23.1 points per game for the Wildcats (21-14).
Johnson, meanwhile, scored 31 points in UCF's 88-80 win over Big 12 counterpart Cincinnati on Thursday.
The Knights (18-16) opened the tournament on Tuesday with a 76-75 win over Oregon State, sealed in part thanks to Moustapha Thiam's blocked shot in the closing seconds.
The 7-foot-2 freshman center led the Big 12 with 2.6 blocks per game. He also is one of four Knights who averages double figures in points.
The leader of that quartet -- Keyshawn Hall at 18.8 points per game -- left the team entered the transfer portal before the College Basketball Crown. Hall committed earlier this week to another team playing on Saturday, Final Four participant Auburn.
In his absence, Johnson has picked up the slack. He matched Tyler Hendricks and Nils Machowski with 15 points against Oregon State.
"One of our biggest things this year has been maintaining and building leads," Johnson said Thursday. "Even when it got close, we got stops when we needed to and we executed offensively."
Sustained offensive execution will be key for a UCF team facing a Villanova defense holding opponents to 67.1 points per game this season.
More must-reads:
- How could Bruce Pearl's sudden retirement impact Auburn's Final Four chances?
- Cowboys' Jerry Jones provides ominous injury update on CeeDee Lamb
- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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How could Bruce Pearl's sudden retirement impact Auburn's Final Four chances?
The Auburn Tigers seemed poised for another deep NCAA Tournament run after making their second Final Four last season. But men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl's surprising decision will make that more challenging. On Monday, ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel reported Pearl is expected to retire as the head coach of Auburn. His son, Steven, is set to replace him. Why did Bruce Pearl suddenly retire? Bruce Pearl, 65, has long been connected to a post-coaching career in politics, potentially a Senate run in Alabama. However, he's not planning to enter politics this year, per CBS Sports' Matt Norlander and Isaac Trotter. Bruce Pearl has yet to speak with the media about his retirement, but perhaps he has lost his love of the game, like former Virginia Cavaliers HC Tony Bennett. Bennett, of course, suddenly retired before the start of the 2024-25 season. Without their HC, the Cavaliers regressed last season, going 15-17 and missing the Big Dance. Could the same thing happen to Auburn this season? Does Steven Pearl have what it takes to replace his father? Steven Pearl served as an assistant coach and associate HC on his father's staff for the past eight seasons. Except for that, he has no other coaching experience. Luckily for Steven Pearl, he's taking over a talented team. In a story published Aug. 5, Borzello ranked the Tigers the No. 14 team in the country in his preseason poll. Still, he noted they'll face challenges after they lost all five starters this offseason, including forward Johni Broome (6-foot-10, 240 pounds). The frontcourt concerns raise questions about Auburn winning the SEC Tournament for a second consecutive season. The conference had a record 14 teams make the NCAA Tournament last season, including the Florida Gators, the reigning national champions. The conference should be just as competitive this season. Excluding the Tigers, Borzello had five SEC teams in his latest preseason top 25. Auburn fans grew accustomed to prosperity under Bruce Pearl. During his 11-year tenure with the program, he went 244-123 and guided the program to two Final Fours. However, they should lower expectations for his son's first season. Winning the SEC is hard enough. Now, do it with a first-year HC who's dealing with some roster turnover.
Brewers announce pitcher who will take Brandon Woodruff’s turn through the rotation
Over the weekend, the Milwaukee Brewers announced devastating news that Brandon Woodruff was being placed on the injured list with a lat strain. He first felt the discomfort during a bullpen over the weekend, the strain has been labeled moderate, and there is not much optimism that he will be ready for the playoffs. With just a week remaining in the regular season and the NLDS set to begin on October 4, the long-term focus for Woodruff is clearly his postseason availability. In the short term, however, the Brewers had a more immediate challenge: finding someone to step into his spot in the rotation. Milwaukee Brewers announce which pitcher will take Brandon Woodruff’s turn through the rotation On Saturday, the Brewers designated Joel Payamps for assignment and selected the contract of Bruce Zimmermann. The 30 year hasn’t made a big league appearance since 2023, but in a twist of fate he is now slated to start Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, which originally was Woodruff’s day to pitch; As Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported, Zimmermann was told straight up that he was coming up for one day with the Brewers. However, with Woodruff being diagnosed with a lat strain that same day, plans changed, and he now will start at least one game for Milwaukee. Notably, with Zimmermann scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, he lines up to start the Brewers’ final regular season game against the Reds. Even if he doesn’t get the start, he’ll be available to pitch, giving Milwaukee the option to use him for bulk innings without risking another last-minute injury to one of their key arms heading into the playoffs. Zimmermann brings some experience to the table, with 27 career big-league starts under his belt. As a starter, he had a 4.11 ERA in Triple-A this season. While his role may seem minor in the shadow of the Woodruff injury, his performance could still play a meaningful part in helping the Brewers secure the best record in baseball, which would guarantee them home field advantage throughout the playoffs. He also could have a hand in whether or not Cincinnati makes the post season or not.
Micah Parsons has savage response to Packers' loss to Browns
The Green Bay Packers are reeling after they blew a 10-0 lead at the start of the fourth quarter on Sunday. The Packers allowed the Cleveland Browns to score 13 unanswered points to win 13-10 in front of 65,470 fans at Huntington Bank Field. Following the game, defensive end Micah Parsons had a crude response to the comeback. "Sometimes, just like today, you s--- the bed," Parsons said via ESPN. "That's just the reality of it. It happens to the best teams. Even the best Super Bowl champs make mistakes, and they pay for it early. You go back to the history of the champions and who've they've played and games they should've won. It's just that competitive. "It's that hard to win. It's hard as hell to win football games. When you win football games, it's a celebration. But when you lose, it sucks." What went wrong for the Packers in loss to Browns Parsons and the Packers had a couple of major blunders in the final minute that they want back. Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus had a blocked field goal attempt that allowed the Browns a chance to get in range for a game-winning field goal. Parsons was called for a neutral zone infraction on the first play of the Browns' drive, allowing Cleveland to start the series from the Green Bay 48-yard line with 21 seconds remaining. Parsons apologized for the penalty, calling it "unacceptable." The All-Pro finished with two tackles. Parsons has extra motivation for avenging the loss against the Browns. The Packers are set to travel to play his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 4.
Rangers forward in a fight for his future amid new competition
The New York Rangers are preparing to start a transitional season, following the arrival of new head coach Mike Sullivan and some important adjustments to the squad. Among the players facing a decisive season is Brennan Othmann, a left winger who was selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL draft. Othmann, 22, is entering his third and final year of his contract with the Rangers, but his expiring deal is not the only reason why he will have to prove himself this season. The Canadian has had difficulties meeting the high expectations around him and although he may no longer have time to establish himself as a top-six forward, this is the best time to establish himself in a lower role. Othmann's clock is ticking as competition for roster spot grows Last season, he only recorded two assists in 22 games with the Rangers, but tallied 12 goals and eight assists in 27 games with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack. In any case, now Othmann is facing heavier competition within the squad. Both Gabe Perreault and Carey Terrance have left good impressions during preseason camps, and with both having multiple years left on their contracts, the possibility that Othmann's days on the team are numbered increases. That said, the New York team needs depth, especially in the bottom-six, and Othmann must react and respond. He has the necessary grit and physicality, and if he manages to establish himself there, he could become a solid player within the bottom lineups.
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