Latest news with #Mid-AmericanConferenceTournament
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Akron Zips basketball star Nate Johnson announces transfer to Kansas State
Nate Johnson's change of heart has led him from the Akron Zips to the Kansas State Wildcats. Johnson announced on social media Sunday, April 20, he has committed to continue his college basketball career at Kansas State. Advertisement Zips news: Akron men's basketball coach John Groce agrees to another contract extension When last season ended, Johnson told the Beacon Journal he planned to return to the University of Akron, and he later announced he would be back with the Zips men's basketball team. However, Johnson reversed course when he entered the NCAA transfer portal last week. As a redshirt junior guard last season with Akron, Johnson was voted Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, MAC Defensive Player of the Year and the MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. He averaged 14 points on 43.9% shooting from the field, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.1 minutes. Advertisement More Akron basketball: Zips great Enrique Freeman helps Pacers earn historic comeback vs. his hometown Cavs Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) plants a kiss on the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship trophy at Rocket Arena on Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. Akron's season ended March 21 with a 93-65 loss to Arizona in a first-round NCAA Tournament game in the East Region in Seattle. Akron went 28-7, and its 28 wins are a school record. Johnson is the second starter Akron has lost to the transfer portal this offseason. Senior forward James Okonkwo also changed his mind and committed to Utah after announcing he would be back with the Zips. In terms of additions Akron has made this offseason, former Ohio State wing Evan Mahaffey announced his transfer to UA. His younger brother, Eric, is with the Zips, too. Advertisement Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@ On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Former Akron Zips star Nate Johnson announces transfer to Kansas State
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nate Johnson in transfer portal? Akron Zips basketball star reportedly enters portal
After it appeared the Akron men's basketball team team would have its core players back for another run at the NCAA Tournament, the Zips could be poised to lose the league player of the year just days after another starter left through the transfer portal. Akron Zips star Nate Johnson is reportedly entering the transfer portal, according to multiple college basketball writers on Twitter, including Jeff Borzello of ESPN, Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 and John Fanta of Fox and NBC Sports. Advertisement Johnson has one year of eligibility remaining after leading Akron to Mid-American Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and to the NCAA Tournament in 2025. Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) dribbles the ball against Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) during an NCAA Tournament first-round game March 21, 2025, in Seattle, Washington. Johnson, a 6-foot-3 junior guard, was named MAC Player of the Year after he averaged 14.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists this past season. Johnson was a redshirt who did not play during Akron's run to a MAC Tournament title and an NCAA appearance in 2022. Johnson starred on Akron's 2024 and 2025 teams that won MAC Tournament championships and played in the NCAA Tournament. Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) drives to the basket for a layup against Miami during the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. On April 13, Akron starting forward James Okonkwo announced he was transferring to Utah. Advertisement It's quite a reversal from the days after Akron's season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 93-65 loss to No. 4 Arizona on March 21 in Seattle. At that point several key Zips players told the Beacon Journal they planned to return to UA next season. Within a few days, 11 players said they were coming back to Akron. Nate Ulrich contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron basketball's Nate Johnson reportedly enters NCAA transfer portal
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watson scores 23 to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 in WNIT title game, set program record for wins
Watson scores 23 to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 in WNIT title game, set program record for wins BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chellia Watson scored 23 points with seven rebounds and six assists to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 at Alumni Arena on Saturday to win the WNIT championship and set a program record for single-season wins. Buffalo (30-7) won five games in a row — a program record in postseason play — after a loss to Toledo in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament to claim its first WNIT crown. Advertisement Kirsten Lewis-Williams finished with 18 points, Terah Harness scored 17, including four 3-pointers, and Lani Cornfield added 15 points and 11 assists for the Bulls. Jordyn Beaty added 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Lewis-Williams was fouled as she hit a spinning layup and hit the and-1 free throw to make it 80-all with 3:26 to play. Brianna Jackson made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to put Troy back in front 14 seconds later. Lewis-Williams had a layup attempt blocked by Zay Dyer but grabbed her own rebound and kicked it out to Harness for a 3-pointer and an 83-81 lead with 2:57 remaining. The Bulls last lead was 6-4. Beaty stole the ball and raced to the other end for a layup and a four-point lead with 1:45 left before Emani Jenkins hit three free throws to cut Troy's deficit to 86-84 with 18 seconds remaining. After Beaty made 1 of 2 foul shots, Lewis-Williams stole the ball and her free throw with five seconds left capped the scoring. Dyer had 15 points and 17 rebounds, her 18th double-double of the season, to lead Troy (24-14). The Trojans appeared in the program's first postseason championship game. Advertisement A record 5,650 fans were in attendance, Buffalo's first sellout in program history. Cornfield threw an arcing no-look pass over her head to Harness for a corner 3-pointer that made it 64-all nearly a minute into the fourth quarter. Jackson answered with a three-point play and Fortuna Ngnawo added a jumper before Ashley Baez and Dyer made back-to-back layups to make it 73-67 with 6:43 to play. Buffalo took a 6-0 lead when Cornfield found Beaty for a wide-open layup but Troy responded with a 14-4 run. Shaulana Wagner's jumper capped the spurt and made it 14-10 with 3:13 left in the first quarter and the Trojans took a 44-34 lead into halftime. Both teams were members of the Mid-Continent Conference from 1993-97. Advertisement Buffalo went 18-2 at home this season, including an 80-78 win over the Trojans in the season opener on Nov. 4. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and
Associated Press
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Watson scores 23 to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 in WNIT title game, set program record for wins
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chellia Watson scored 23 points with seven rebounds and six assists to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 at Alumni Arena on Saturday to win the WNIT championship and set a program record for single-season wins. Buffalo (30-7) won five games in a row — a program record in postseason play — after a loss to Toledo in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament to claim its first WNIT crown. Kirsten Lewis-Williams finished with 18 points, Terah Harness scored 17, including four 3-pointers, and Lani Cornfield added 15 points and 11 assists for the Bulls. Jordyn Beaty added 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Lewis-Williams was fouled as she hit a spinning layup and hit the and-1 free throw to make it 80-all with 3:26 to play. Brianna Jackson made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to put Troy back in front 14 seconds later. Lewis-Williams had a layup attempt blocked by Zay Dyer but grabbed her own rebound and kicked it out to Harness for a 3-pointer and an 83-81 lead with 2:57 remaining. The Bulls last lead was 6-4. Beaty stole the ball and raced to the other end for a layup and a four-point lead with 1:45 left before Emani Jenkins hit three free throws to cut Troy's deficit to 86-84 with 18 seconds remaining. After Beaty made 1 of 2 foul shots, Lewis-Williams stole the ball and her free throw with five seconds left capped the scoring. Dyer had 15 points and 17 rebounds, her 18th double-double of the season, to lead Troy (24-14). The Trojans appeared in the program's first postseason championship game. A record 5,650 fans were in attendance, Buffalo's first sellout in program history. Cornfield threw an arcing no-look pass over her head to Harness for a corner 3-pointer that made it 64-all nearly a minute into the fourth quarter. Jackson answered with a three-point play and Fortuna Ngnawo added a jumper before Ashley Baez and Dyer made back-to-back layups to make it 73-67 with 6:43 to play. Buffalo took a 6-0 lead when Cornfield found Beaty for a wide-open layup but Troy responded with a 14-4 run. Shaulana Wagner's jumper capped the spurt and made it 14-10 with 3:13 left in the first quarter and the Trojans took a 44-34 lead into halftime. Both teams were members of the Mid-Continent Conference from 1993-97. Buffalo went 18-2 at home this season, including an 80-78 win over the Trojans in the season opener on Nov. 4.
CBS News
04-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Central Michigan fires basketball coach Tony Barbee after four seasons
Central Michigan fired basketball coach Tony Barbee on Thursday after the Chippewas failed to advance to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the second time in three years. Athletic director Amy Folan announced that Barbee would not return for a fifth season, saying the program "needs to go in a different direction." Central Michigan went 14-17 overall and 7-11 in conference play to finish 10th in the 12-team standings. Barbee had a 49-75 record with the Chippewas, including 0-2 in MAC Tournament games. The 53-year-old previously had coaching stints at UTEP and Auburn. He spent eight years as an assistant at Kentucky before taking over at Central Michigan in 2021.
