Watching college hoops? Check out these games and these local players making moves
Here's a look at who to watch on Saturday in NCAA Tournament games. As it stands, five players (and two coaches) with local ties move on.
Regardless of whether you consider Villanova a Philly school, here’s a sobering truth — with the Villanova women’s team’s loss, Philadelphia’s drought without a college basketball national championship will extend past five years.
However, there is hope. To beat UCLA on Thursday night, Gonzaga ran the play that won Villanova its last national championship… so even if a Philadelphia team can’t win the title, it was nice to see that a Philly coach’s playbook will help a team get closer to one.
There are also several Philly locals left in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Michigan State and AJ Hoggard (Archbishop Carroll) lost Thursday, despite his best efforts, and Houston’s Jarace Walker, whose older sister is a senior guard on St. Joe’s women’s team, headed home on Friday following a loss to Miami.
But as it stands, five players (and two coaches) with local ties move on.
Speaking of Walker, this twist dropped late Friday as it looks like he could be a one-and-done with the Cougars.
What to look forward to today:
Saturday brings more Philly hoops action, even if no local teams are playing. In the women’s tournament, the game’s two top coaches, UConn’s Geno Auriemma and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, are both Philadelphia locals. No. 2 UConn plays No. 3 Ohio State at 4 p.m. in Seattle (ESPN), while Staley’s top-ranked Gamecocks face No. 4 UCLA in Greenville (2 p.m., ESPN).
Also, No. 9 FAU plays No. 3 Kansas State (6:09 p.m., TBS) with a Final Four berth on the line, and guard Jalen Gaffney (Westtown) will be a key piece off the bench as the Owls look to make history.
» READ MORE: Watch how defense became a family affair for Villanova guard Bella Runyan
Wooga and Wong will Miami to win
Miami was one of four schools to advance to the Sweet 16 in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, but the fifth-seeded men’s team faced the unenviable task of facing No. 1 Houston.
The Hurricanes pulled the upset, winning 89-75, and two Philly locals were a big reason why.
Isaiah Wong (Bonner-Prendie) and Wooga Poplar (Math, Civics and Sciences) combined for 31 points and 10 rebounds to knock out one of the tournament’s top seeds. Wong was the headliner, scoring 21, but Poplar helped the Hurricanes run away with it.
But every advancement comes at a price. With the Hurricanes’ win, local product Walker was knocked out. Walker scored 16 and added 11 rebounds, but his team fell two wins short of playing in the Final Four in its home city.
Last Villanovan knocked out
Villanova has a saying: “Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat.” Javon Quinerly only spent one season on the Main Line, but is still a Wildcat even after four years in Tuscaloosa.
Quinerly was the final remaining Villanovan remaining in either tournament, but his run came to an end, as No. 1 Alabama was upset by No. 5 San Diego State, 71-64. The guard scored 10 points, but his final shot, a layup to get within four, was swatted at the rim.
» READ MORE: Did Maddy Siegrist’s legendary Villanova career end at the NCAA Sweet 16?
ICYMI: Heartbreak for Hoggard
Michigan State lost a heartbreaker in overtime to Kansas State on Thursday, 98-93, but it wasn’t because of AJ Hoggard. The Coatesville native had a career-high 25 points and added six assists, but the Spartans fell to a historic performance from the Wildcats’ Marquis Nowell. AJ Hoggard won’t make it to Houston, but at least one Hoggard will — his father, Anthony Hoggard, will attend his 32nd Final Four in 33 editions of the Tournament.