Sports
Oklahoma State facing roster questions ahead of NIT game vs. Wichita State
Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Kanye Clary (1) puts up a shot during a first-round basketball game in the National Invitational between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Davidson Wildcats at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Oklahoma State won 84-80. Oklahoma State is seeking a trip to the quarterfinal round of the NIT for the second consecutive year.
But its hopes for victory could hinge on who is on the court for the second-seeded Cowboys (20-14) Sunday night against third-seeded Wichita State (23-11) in Stillwater, Okla.
Three players, including leading scorer Anthony Roy (17.2 points per game), were suspended for Oklahoma State’s 84-80 opening round win over Davidson.
Vyctorius Miller, as well as Isaiah Coleman, also didn’t play due to their suspensions, which were for a violation of team rules. It’s uncertain if those two, or Roy, will be available against the Shockers.
“I haven’t decided yet. We’re still working through the process,” head coach Steve Lutz told reporters. “They’ve got to meet the standards and the expectations of the program. And they’re working towards that right now.”
The Shockers are coming off a 74-70 win over Wyoming in the opening round thanks to a 17-point, 14-rebound effort from TJ Williams, who is averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and takes pressure off Kenyon Giles.
“We put the ball in his hands there and let him operate,” head coach Paul Mills said. “We needed a second playmaker. His assertiveness at the rim was terrific.”
Giles scored 15 in Tuesday’s win despite shooting only 5 of 17 from the floor and is averaging 19.1 points per outing.
Giles agreed that Williams is someone the Shockers can count on.
“You can trust this guy down the stretch,” Giles said.
Oklahoma State had only eight active players in its first round win due to the suspensions and injuries but showed it has others it can count on as well, including Kanye Clary, who poured in 20 points.
Daniel Guetta finished with 11 and became the 12th player this season to score in double figures in a game. He had played for a total of 18 minutes since New Year’s.
The Cowboys and Shockers are meeting in the NIT for the second straight year. Oklahoma State won 89-79 last season at home in the first round.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Andrej Stojakovic, No. 3 Illinois blow past No. 11 VCU
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) scores near VCU Rams forward Michael Belle (8) March 21, 2026 during the first half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. GREENVILLE, S.C. – Andrej Stojakovic scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half to help No. 3 Illinois breeze past No. 11 VCU for a 76-55 win in a second-round South Region matchup on Saturday night.
Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois (26-8), which advanced to its second Sweet 16 in 21 years. It will face No. 2 Houston on Thursday in Houston.
Keaton Wagler scored 14 and Kylan Boswell finished with 12 for the Fighting Illini, who won their first two NCAA Tournament games by a combined 56 points.
Terrence Hill Jr. led VCU (28-8) with 17 points and seven boards, while Barry Evans and Tyrell Ward had 11 apiece. The Rams shot just 7-for-32 (21.9%) on 3-point attempts in the lopsided loss.
Holding a seven-point halftime lead, Illinois opened the second half with Wagler and David Mirkovic’s back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the margin to 13.
Zvonimir Ivisic’s dunk and Boswell’s trey were part of a 7-0 Illinois spurt that put the Fighting Illini ahead 50-32 with 13:24 left. Five straight points from Hill sparked a brief Rams rally, but Wagler’s consecutive baskets, Stojakovic’s dunk and Tomislav Ivisic’s triple gave the Fighting Illini a 59-37 lead.
Illinois’ overwhelming cushion ballooned to 23 on Tomislav Ivisic’s dunk, which was answered by Ward’s 3-pointer at the 3:31 mark. Ben Humrichous’ 3-pointer with 1:52 remaining punctuated the Fighting Illini’s resounding win.
Mirkovic’s layup stamped an early 9-0 run to give Illinois an 11-2 lead. After Boswell’s 3-pointer pushed the margin to 12, VCU stormed back with a 15-3 spurt, tying the game at 23 on Ward’s putback layup.
The Rams grabbed their first lead on Hill’s mid-range jumper with 3:09 left in the first half. From there, Stojakovic answered with a personal 9-0 run to close the half and give the Fighting Illini a 35-28 lead at the break.
– Jack Batten, Field Level Media
Sports
Andrej Stojakovic, No. 3 Illinois blow past No. 11 VCU
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) scores near VCU Rams forward Michael Belle (8) March 21, 2026 during the first half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. GREENVILLE, S.C. – Andrej Stojakovic scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half to help No. 3 Illinois breeze past No. 11 VCU for a 76-55 win in a second-round South Region matchup on Saturday night.
Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois (26-8), which advanced to its second Sweet 16 in 21 years. It will face No. 2 Houston on Thursday in Houston.
Keaton Wagler scored 14 and Kylan Boswell finished with 12 for the Fighting Illini, who won their first two NCAA Tournament games by a combined 56 points.
Terrence Hill Jr. led VCU (28-8) with 17 points and seven boards, while Barry Evans and Tyrell Ward had 11 apiece. The Rams shot just 7-for-32 (21.9%) on 3-point attempts in the lopsided loss.
Holding a seven-point halftime lead, Illinois opened the second half with Wagler and David Mirkovic’s back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the margin to 13.
Zvonimir Ivisic’s dunk and Boswell’s trey were part of a 7-0 Illinois spurt that put the Fighting Illini ahead 50-32 with 13:24 left. Five straight points from Hill sparked a brief Rams rally, but Wagler’s consecutive baskets, Stojakovic’s dunk and Tomislav Ivisic’s triple gave the Fighting Illini a 59-37 lead.
Illinois’ overwhelming cushion ballooned to 23 on Tomislav Ivisic’s dunk, which was answered by Ward’s 3-pointer at the 3:31 mark. Ben Humrichous’ 3-pointer with 1:52 remaining punctuated the Fighting Illini’s resounding win.
Mirkovic’s layup stamped an early 9-0 run to give Illinois an 11-2 lead. After Boswell’s 3-pointer pushed the margin to 12, VCU stormed back with a 15-3 spurt, tying the game at 23 on Ward’s putback layup.
The Rams grabbed their first lead on Hill’s mid-range jumper with 3:09 left in the first half. From there, Stojakovic answered with a personal 9-0 run to close the half and give the Fighting Illini a 35-28 lead at the break.
– Jack Batten, Field Level Media
Sports
Harper matches career high in first pro start as Spurs hammer Pacers
Mar 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) looks over in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Rookie Dylan Harper poured in a career-high-tying 24 points in his first career start and Keldon Johnson also hit for 24 points as the host San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 134-119 win over the hapless Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
The Spurs (53-18) remain on a torrid pace as they won their fifth straight game and for the 21st time in their past 23 contests. San Antonio has lost just twice in March after going undefeated in February and remain three games behind Oklahoma City for the best record in the NBA with 11 games left.
Meanwhile, Indiana dropped its 16th consecutive outing. The Pacers (15-56) continue to establish a dubious team mark for losses in a row with every setback and have already been eliminated from postseason consideration.
San Antonio led by 13 points at halftime and by 100-85 entering the final period. Victor Wembanyama rang up 10 points over the first three and half minutes of the fourth quarter, with his 3-pointer with 8:34 to play boosting the Spurs’ advantage to 21 points. San Antonio cruised to the finish while leading by as many as 28 points in the stretch run.
Wembanyama finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots in 26 minutes of court time. De’Aaron Fox added 14 points for the Spurs, with Harrison Barnes scoring 12 and Julian Champagnie hitting for 10.
San Antonio played without star guard Stephon Castle for the second straight game because of right hip stiffness. Devin Vassell (right hamstring tightness) also missed the game for the Spurs.
Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard led all scorers with 25 points while Jarace Walker tallied 21,
Pascal Siakam scored 14 in his first game back after missing six contests with a sprained right knee and Obi Toppin added 11.
The Spurs were in command from the game’s early minutes and carried a 42-29 advantage after 12 minutes of play.
San Antonio stoked its lead to 21 points when Barnes poured in a jumper from beyond the arc with 2:42 to play in the second period.
But the Pacers swung back, finishing the half with 10-2 run capped by Siakam’s jumper with 26 seconds left that allowed Indiana to draw to 66-53 at the break.
Johnson paced all scorers with 16 points before halftime while Siakam led the Pacers with 12 points in the first half.
–Field Level Media
Andrej Stojakovic, No. 3 Illinois blow past No. 11 VCU
Andrej Stojakovic, No. 3 Illinois blow past No. 11 VCU
