Dunk of the tournament? @UNC_Basketball pic.twitter.com/n61yM1ZlVY

— PK80 Invitational (@pkinvitational) November 24, 2017

Forward Theo Pinson is averaging 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists this year for North Carolina. Oh, and, he can also get off the floor.

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

Way out West, Texas and Gonzaga have tipped off in the made-for-television PK80 tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

It’s the third-place game in the tournament’s Motion Bracket.

I’m watching from my living room in San Antonio, the home of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four, all set to watch this game and a few others today and tonight.

Anxious to see the Longhorns for the first time.

Also, we’ll try to size up North Carolina- Michigan State, which starts at 7:30 tonight, and Duke-Florida, which is set for 9:30.

So, if you need a break from the National Football League this afternoon, check back with thejbreplay.com for some observations.

I’ll be here all day.

Texas-Gonzaga

The Longhorns, who played well in an overtime loss to Duke on Friday, have hit the wall.

They jumped out to a 16-8 lead on the Bulldogs.

Now early in the second half, the Bulldogs have surged into a 48-33 lead.

Texas freshman forward Mo Bamba has five points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Bamba has been pushed around a little bit by Gonzaga’s big guys. He looks out of sorts at the moment, with the Bulldogs on their big run.

But he is the real deal.

Bamba is one of those players who will inspire your imagination, and then he’ll take an ill-advised three from the top of the circle.

Gonzaga’s Jeremy Jones

Jones, who played in high school at East Central, is on the floor for the Zags. A transfer from Rice, he’s averaging 3.4 points in 9.6 minutes off the bench.

Havoc is on display in Portland. Where it's been until now is beyond me? But Horns now trail by 4 with 2:07 left. Possible scintillating finish ahead.

— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) November 26, 2017

Oh, brother…

Texas has erased a 21-point deficit and has tied the game against Gonzaga at the end of regulation.

The Longhorns outscored the Zags 15-4 in the last few minutes.

Bamba hit a bucket and then forced a bad pass on the inbounds, which Texas intercepted and turned into a buzzer-beating three.

In overtime, Gonzaga forced a few turnovers, kicked its transition game into gear and subdued Texas, 76-71.

Jaren Jackson Jr. with another double double! pic.twitter.com/9s5M2Gu5Pk

— Spartan Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) November 25, 2017

Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson, Jr.

I can still remember Jaren Jackson hitting big threes in the Spurs’ first championship season, in 1998-99.

Tonight, his son will take the spotlight when Michigan State plays North Carolina in the finals of the PK80 tournament.

Freshman center Jaren Jackson, Jr., is starting for coach Tom Izzo’s Spartans.

Through two games, the former McDonald’s All-American is averaging 12.5 points and 10 rebounds.

In 1999, his father enjoyed two of the biggest games of his career in Portland, in the same arena that Michigan State and Carolina will duel tonight.

Back then, it was known as the Rose Garden.

In June of 1999, Jaren Jackson, Sr. came off the bench to score 19 points in Game 3 and 11 points in Game 4 as the Spurs swept the Trail Blazers in the NBA’s Western Conference finals.

Michigan State 63, North Carolina 45

Jaren Jackson, Jr., a projected lottery pick in the next NBA Draft, didn’t have much of an impact on the finals of the PK80 Victory Bracket.

The Michigan State freshman center picked up two early fouls and sat out most of the first half.

A flagrant foul — questionable, in my view — sent him to the bench in the second half.

Nevertheless, Michigan State throttled North Carolina, 63-45, holding the Tar Heels to 24.6 percent shooting.

“I thought out defense was really, really good,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo told ESPN. “Our offense, we hung in there.”

Sophomore guard Joshua Langford led the Spartans with 23 points.

Jackson, considered a “stretch-four” because of his ability to shoot from distance, finished with three points, five rebounds and two blocks.

He started the tournament with a flourish, producing 13 points and 10 rebounds against DePaul and 12 points and 10 boards against Connecticut.

Duke – Florida

Riding the hot shooting of KeVaughn Allen and Chris Chiozza, Florida jumped on Duke in the opening minutes of the PK80 Motion Bracket title game, moving out to leads of 18-4 and 24-10.

Did Duke flinch? Hardly. Center Marvin Bagley III led a rally that propelled the Blue Devils to a dominant run. At one point, Duke was up 44-37 and cruising.

But Florida settled down, kept playing and took a 53-47 lead into into intermission. Great up and down play by two talented teams.

Where did Florida get all this talent? Jalen Hudson is destroying Duke right now with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Gators are leading the Blue Devils 80-70 with 5:29 remaining in the game.

Duke’s size is starting to take a toll on Florida. Blue Devils are on a 24-10 run. Florida’s lead is down to three. We’re about to see a great finish here. Two free throws by Gary Trent, Jr., give Blue Devils an 85-84 lead. Less than a minute remaining.

Jalen Hudson turns it over on the dribble. Trent hits two free throws. Duke now up by three. There’s 8.9 seconds left. Florida with possession. Bagley has 30 points and 15 rebounds. Duke wins 87-84.

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

I do my best to avoid the Black Friday shopping scene.

It’s just not appealing to think about walking elbow-to-elbow with hundreds of others in a mall concourse on the day after Thanksgiving.

Even though I know I will need to make a few purchases at some point before the Holidays, I will take a pass today in pursuit of a few more leisurely pursuits.

Specifically, I’m on my way to the Leon Creek Greenway.

Instead of battling the crowds, I’ll try to find some peace out there on the concrete path that runs through Northwest Bexar County.

Later, I’ll head over to the UTSA Convocation Center to watch some basketball.

Both the UTSA women and men are playing later today.

Follow along for updates.

Final: NIU 69, UTSA women 55

Northern Illinois scored 17 of the first 19 points and then held on to win, 69-55, beating the home team on the first day of the two-day UTSA Thanksgiving Classic.

Forward Kelly Smith produced 15 points to lead five players in double figures for Northern Illinois (4-1).

Sophomore forward Tija Hawkins led UTSA (1-4) with 13 points.

The Roadrunners have lost four straight.

Maybe they can get a few problems ironed out before they take on North Dakota on Saturday at 2 p.m.

UTSA men 72, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 58

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m running late for the men’s game between Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTSA.

No excuses. Just had to get some dinner and some coffee in between the afternoon contest and the nightcap.

As I get settled into my seat at press row, I see UTSA has the game well in hand, leading 33-23 with 3:30 remaining.

Freshman Jhivvan Jackson, UTSA’s leading scorer, is dressed out. He’s on the bench. But he hasn’t played yet.

UTSA now leads 41-27 at interimssion.

The Roadrunners defeat the Islanders 72-58.

UTSA improves to 4-2 on the season.

? Mr. George Willborn III pic.twitter.com/TEwBTpOWBZ

— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) November 25, 2017

Incarnate Word’s Augustine Ene goes in for a shot. Loyola Marymount beat Incarnate Word 91-87 on Wednesday at the UIW Convocation Center. (Joe Alexander / theJBreplay.com)

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

The University of the Incarnate Word on Wednesday night showed flashes of high-level execution on the offensive end that seemed to frustrate the Loyola Marymount Lions.

At times, the Cardinals would simply out-run the Lions from the West Coast Conference, pushing out to leads of 10 and 12 points in the first half.

But in the end, the Lions wore down the Southland Conference’s Cardinals with bigger athletes and a more physical style, rallying late in the second half behind point guard James Batemon for a 91-87 victory.

“Our biggest (issue) was, we gave up too many offensive rebounds, you know, and they got the ball too low (in the paint),” UIW coach Ken Burmeister said. “We couldn’t stop ’em.”

Trailing by seven in the second half, the Lions called on Batemon, who scored 10 points in a row to give Loyola Marymount a 77-74 edge with 4:25 remaining.

The Lions never trailed again.

“Their point guard, Batemon, at the end of the game, he took it at us,” Burmeister said. “I thought both teams played with great effort. We missed a couple of inopportunity free throws (at the end).

“We caused some turnovers and we didn’t take advantage of (them).”

Batemon scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half for the Lions (3-1), who won their third game in a row and their first of the season on the road.

Forward Eli Scott also did some damage, moving around with a muscular frame to produce 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Loyola Marymount essentially won the game on the boards, out-rebounding UIW 43-23, including 19-11 on the offensive glass.

For the Cardinals (3-1), redshirt freshman forward Christian Peevy hit 6 of 8 shots from the field and scored 20 points off the bench.

Starting forward Shawn Johnson enjoyed a strong overall game with 18 points and nine rebounds. He also produced two blocks and two steals.

But Johnson, s 6-5 senior from New Orleans, was held to only three points in the second half.

He was not pleased with himself or with a rash of mistakes by his teammates in the last five minutes.

“At the end, at home, you can’t miss free throws like that, no matter who it is,” Johnson said. “That’s on us. We lost by four. We missed jump shots. We missed easy layups. We lost that game. I had a dumb turnover.

“Just several mistakes that cost us this game. But overall we’re going to learn from it. We’re going to bounce back. We played pretty good together, for the most part.”

Incarnate Word plays on the road Saturday at the University of Houston.

The status of forward Charles Brown III is uncertain. Brown went down with a leg injury in the second half and didn’t return.

UIW forward Shawn Johnson drives for a basket and draws a foul in the first half Wednesday night against Loyola Marymount. Video: theJBreplay.com

Loyola Marymount center Mattias Markusson blocks a shot in the first half. Loyola Marymount beat Incarnate Word 91-87 on Wednesday at the UIW Convocation Center. (Joe Alexander / theJBreplay.com)

Point guard James Batemon scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half Wednesday night as Loyola Marymount rallied to beat the University of the Incarnate Word 91-87.

With Loyola Marymount trailing by seven, Batemon scored 10 points in a row to lift the Lions into a 77-74 lead with 4:25 remaining.

Loyola Maymount (3-1) never trailed again.

Freshman forward Christian Peevy scored 20 off the bench for UIW (3-1).

Senior forward Shawn Johnson pumped in 15 of his 18 in the first half, when the Cardinals took a 46-41 lead into the dressing room at intermission.

Near the end of a physical, fast-paced contest, UIW post Charles Brown III suffered a right leg injury and had to come off the floor.

The Cardinals play next on Saturday at the University of Houston.

Devin Wyatt: UIW is ready for tougher competition. Video: theJBreplay.com

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

When the pain in forward Devin Wyatt’s knee flared up last summer, he tried to rest it.

But with his senior year at the University of the Incarnate Word looming, he didn’t sit for too long before he’d get on the floor again to continue fine-tuning his game.

His work ethic notwithstanding, Wyatt soon discovered a painful truth.

He was no match for a damaged meniscus cartilage.

“Every now and then, (I’d) go out there and do something and then it would bother me,” he said. “Then it really got bad when the school year started. Then, we found I tore it.”

At that point, doctors prescribed a medical procedure.

Given the timeline of the injury and rehabilitation, it’s remarkable that Wyatt returned to full speed workouts in mid-October.

It’s also commendable that he has played in all three games for UIW (3-0) leading into Wednesday night’s home matchup against Loyola Marymount (2-1).

“He’s a very good athlete,” UIW coach Ken Burmeister said. “(He) blocks shots. His (best) attribute is that he’s a nice young man that, you know, has an upside.

“Unfortunately, it’s getting late in his career. The injury set him back. But, who knows? We’re going to need him. I think that’s the biggest strength (of our team) is that we’ve got a bench, that we haven’t had in years.”

Wyatt is doing his best to be part of it.

The 6-foot-8, shot-blocking specialist has played only six, nine and 11 minutes, respectively, as UIW opened the season against three Division III opponents.

But with Division I foes such as Loyola Marymount, Houston, Gonzaga, UTEP and Florida on the schedule in the next month, UIW will need Wyatt’s size and athleticism to compete.

Burmeister said Wyatt is not yet in top shape.

“But he is trying hard,” said the coach, who never asks for anything more.

Wyatt, who played at Loyola Marymount in 2014-15 as a freshman, admitted that it’s been a struggle to regain the form that made him UIW’s top shot blocker last season.

“I feel a little rusty, but it’s understandable considering I haven’t played in so long,” he said. “But it’s slowly coming back. The more I play, the better it (feels).”

LAST SEASON

Playing at home, Loyola Marymount erased an eight-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation and defeated UIW 91-90 in overtime.

“They had an outstanding point guard who put about 30 on us,” Burmeister recalled. “With the 3-point shot and an opportunity to go to the line, an eight-point lead is sometimes not enough.

“We made a stupid play right at the end. We fouled about 80 feet from the basket and just didn’t play smart.”

INJURY REPORT

UIW point guard Jalin Hart has returned to practice and is expected to play against Loyola Marymount. Hart banged his knee in practice last week, sat out a day of practice Thursday and didn’t play Friday at home against McMurry.

KEY PLAYERS

UIW: Forward Charles Brown III, three games, 16.7 ppg,7.0 rpg, 59.5 % FG; forward Shawn Johnson, three games, 10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, six blocks, 12 steals; forward Christian Peevy, 13.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 70.6 % FG, four blocks, three steals.

Loyola Marymount: Point guard James Batemon, three games, 16.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 11 assists, 7 steals; guard Eli Scott, 15.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 50 % FG; guard-forward Steven Haney, 13.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg; guard Cameron Allen 12.3 ppg; 7-foot-3 center Mattias Markusson, 7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg

Video: Big Ten Network

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have surged to a 4-0 start behind the play of forward Jordan Murphy, a junior from San Antonio’s Brennan High School.

Producing four straight double-doubles, Murphy is averaging 24.8 points and 12.8 rebounds.

Murphy is also shooting 62 percent from the field. He ranks 8th in the nation in rebounding and is tied for 14th in scoring.

UTSA runs its halfcourt offense last week at home against East Central, Oklahoma. After winning one of three in the Bahamas Showcase, the Roadrunners (3-2 overall) will return home to take on Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Friday.

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

The UTSA Roadrunners shot a season-high 53.8 percent from the field Sunday and cruised to a 90-77 victory over James Madison at the Bahamas Showcase.

With the victory, UTSA (3-2) will return to San Antonio feeling better after losing on the first two days of the three-day event in Nassau.

The Roadrunners didn’t shoot it well in losses to Coastal Carolina (83-69) and Bradley (71-69).

They also got off to a slow start against James Madison, falling falling behind 10-3 and 12-6.

But by intermission, they had turned the momentum in their favor.

Moving the ball and hitting high percentage shots, UTSA increased a six-point halftime lead to 18 twice in the second half against James Madison (1-4), a Division I program at the FCS level.

UTSA coach Steve Henson told the team’s radio broadcast that his players needed a win before they left the island.

“The way the game ended yesterday, it left a bad taste in our mouth,” Henson said. “The first few possessions, we weren’t good. But I think we did a lot of good things and had a lot of different people step up.

“Loved our assists numbers (23 assists/12 turnovers) Loved how we moved the basketball. We looked like a good team on the offensive end.”

Freshman guard Jhivvan Jackson led five players in double figures with 22 points. Jackson entered the game averaging a team-best 15.8.

“He’s got terrific potential,” Henson said. “He’s got a long way to go on the defensive end. He’s got to focus on the details. But he’s a special talent. He can do things that a lot of guys can’t do.”

Jackson grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to Texas in seventh grade. He scored more than 2,000 points in his career at Euless Trinity High School.

“He’s just so quick, and he can shoot the ball,” Henson said. “He’s going to keep getting better and keep getting better. He’s just getting started. But, yea, he’s a very talented player.”

Scoring leaders:

UTSA: Jhivvan Jackson 22, Nick Allen 15, Austin Karrer 11, George Willborn III 10, Deon Lyle 10.

James Madison: Darius Banks 15, Joey McLean 14, Stuckey Mosley 13, Develle Phillips 10.

Coming up:

Friday: Texas A&M Corpus Christi at UTSA, 7 p.m.

UTSA forward Deon Lyle plays one-on-one defense against James Madison’s Gerrom Scissum Sunday at the Bahamas Showcase. Credit: Robyn Modica, for UTSA athletics

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

JoJo McGlaston hit three free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining to lift Bradley to a 71-69 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners Saturday in the Bahamas.

“We were in position (to win),” UTSA coach Steve Henson told the team’s radio broadcast. “We had a little lead there (at the end) and couldn’t close it out.”

Trailing by one with seven seconds left, Bradley rushed it up court and drew a foul. Officials called it on UTSA’s Austin Karrer against McGlaston.

“I love our guys,” Henson said. “But I didn’t let ’em off the hook.”

Asked by radio broadcaster Jay Howard what he meant by “letting ’em off the hook,” the coach responded, “It would be real easy to walk in there and say bad call. I mean, big call there. They said we fouled a three-point shooter.
I didn’t think we did.

“But it didn’t have to be that way. It shouldn’t have mattered. We had 19 turnovers and we got to learn from that. (We’ve) got to grow from that. We shouldn’t have been in a position where that call would have mattered.”

UTSA (2-2) trailed for most of the game against Bradley (3-1) until a late surge, led by Roadrunners guards Keaton Wallace and Jhivvan Jackson.

Down by 7 with 10 minutes left, the Roadrunners went on a 9-0 run, which was capped by two free throws from Giovanni De Nicolao.

The Roadrunners continued to push, hiking the lead to six points at one juncture and then to five with 2:46 remaining.

De Nicolao made two free throws with seven seconds left, as UTSA went up 69-68.

But the Roadrunners couldn’t hold on, dropping their second game in a row in the Bahamas Showcase.

UTSA will close out the trip with a game against an opponent (TBA) Sunday. Leading scorers were:

UTSA: Keaton Wallace 22, Jhivvan Jackson 15, Giovanni De Nicolao 11.

Bradley: Donte Thomas 18, JoJo McGlaston 15, Darrell Brown 14.

Shawn Johnson takes it to the hoop. Courtesy photo, by Soobum Im / the University of the Incarnate Word.

The Division I Cardinals (3-0) of the Southland Conference scored the first 17 points of the game.

Charles Brown III and Shawn Johnson led UIW with 19 points apiece. Johnson shot 70 percent from the field and went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.

He nearly missed his first double-double of the season, grabbing a game-high eight rebounds, and led all players with four steals.

Point guard Jalin Hart did not play. Hart had to sit out Thurday’s practice with ice on a sore knee.

With Hart out, UIW replaced him with freshmen Augustine Ene, who started and scored 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting.

The Cardinals get their first test from Division I competition Wednesday night with a visit from Loyola Marymount.

Coastal Carolina 83, UTSA 69

Freshman guard Jhivvan Jackson continued to shine with 19 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Coastal Carolina handed UTSA its first loss of the season, 83-69, on opening day of the Bahamas Showcase Opener at Nassau.

New UTSA athletic director Lisa Campos holds her son, Christopher, as she is serenaded by the band and the pep squad.

By Jerry Briggs
For theJBreplay.com

Just as new UTSA athletic director Lisa Campos completed her introductory press conference Friday afternoon, she walked out of the Bexar Room in the University Center and into a wall of sound.

The school band and the pep squad had gathered to welcome her to campus. First, they played the fight song. Next, it was the school song.

Campos, 40, was clearly moved.

As she walked further into the glassed-in area of the university center, the brass was playing loudly. Her husband, Darren D’Attilio, and her wide-eyed son, Christopher, looked around in wonder.

Asked later about the gesture from the university, she said, “Oh, my gosh. It’s just about the pride and the support. It was fantastic.”

Campos comes to UTSA from Northern Arizona, where she had served as athletic director since 2012.

UTSA president Taylor Eighmy said she has agreed to a five-year contract, starting in the first year with a base salary of $375,000.

Officially, she starts on Jan. 15.

The UTSA job had been open since September, when Lynn Hickey stepped down after 18 years.

Campos arrives with a reputation as a fundraiser and as an organizer who helped NAU to 32 Big Sky and Western Athletic Conference championships.

“Her candidacy kept rising to the top,” Eighmy said.

UTSA president Taylor Eighmy introduces Lisa Campos as the school’s new athletic director.