Indiana University Men’s Basketball Freshman Bryson Tucker Enters the Transfer Portal Bryson Tucker is the latest member of the 2024-25 IU basketball team to enter the transfer portal according to multiple Friday afternoon reports. Tucker arrived in Bloomington as the lone member of Indiana’s 2024 high school class after he committed to Mike Woodson last spring. The McDonald’s All-American played 23 games in a reserve role. In 16.5 minutes per contest, he averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists. Tucker shot 37.8% (48-of-127) from the floor overall, including 15% from three. He made 72.2% (26-of-36) from the free throw line. Tucker did not appear in any games after IU’s Feb. 14 home contest vs. UCLA. The Maryland product was a five-star prospect by both ESPN and Rivals, and a consensus top 30 recruit. With this news, Dallas James is the lone scholarship player from the 2024-25 team who definitively has eligibility remaining who has not entered the transfer portal. Luke Goode is attempting to obtain a medical hardship waiver to return.
Indiana University Diver Carson Tyler Repeats as Three Meter National Champion Indiana swimming and diving captured its third consecutive 3-meter diving title, as senior Carson Tyler repeated as national champion in a one-two finish with classmate Quinn Henninger on Friday night at the 2025 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. Indiana remains third in the team standings through three nights with 304 points, 8.5 points from second-place Cal and 64 points out of first place.
IU’s diving program continued its national excellence with its second championship in two days after Henninger won the 1-meter title the night before. Indiana has captured multiple diving titles at each of the last three NCAA Championships and has the chance to complete just the second-ever three-event sweep Saturday with the platform. The diving final delivered on drama just as Tyler and Henninger delivered on their dives. Tyler put down the dive of the night in the fourth round, earning one ’10’ on his reverse 3 ½ somersaults tuck, scoring a total of 99.75 points. Henninger was the picture of consistency, his lowest scoring dive earning 71.40 points. It came down to the final dive with Tyler needing 65.20 points to surpass his teammate from a 3.8 degree-of-difficulty forward 4 ½ somersaults tuck. But Tyler came off the left side of the board, and the audience let out an audible gasp as he hurdled diagonally. Yet, the veteran managed to complete his 4 ½ somersaults and minimize his splash. Scores ranging from 5.0-6.5 weren’t flashy, but they added up to a 66.50 on the scoreboard – and Tyler outscored Henninger 467.45 to 466.15.
Junior Maxwell Weinrich finished seventh in the event, and diving contributed 49 points from the 3-meter event. Indiana divers are responsible for 78 of Indiana’s 304 points this meet. “Carson, Quinn and Max were dialed in when we arrived for our wake-up dive at 7 a.m. this morning,” IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “I could see it in the way they walked into the pool. The last two rounds tonight had so much drama. All three were using new dives and pushing the limits to challenge each other and the entire field. We have had many days like this in practice this season. Today was Carson’s day to win, yesterday it was Quinn’s. I Can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.”
Indiana had another point balloon in the 100-yard breaststroke with six Hoosiers between the two finals. Seniors Jassen Yep (50.89) and Josh Matheny (50.95) and graduate transfer Brian Benzing (50.99) took the top three spots in the consolation final, with senior Luke Barr (51.43) finishing 15th. That gave way to the championship heat, where senior Finn Brooks (50.50) placed fourth in front of grad transfer Caspar Corbeau (50.62). The Hoosiers made it seven consecutive top five finishes in the 400-yard medley relay, placing fifth in 2:59.73 – the third-fastest time in program history. Junior Matt King’s 40.56 freestyle split highlighted Indiana’s race, coming as the third-best anchor in the field. “It’s a fantastic three-team battle here at the NCAA Championships,” IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. “It’s going to come down to the last day! We have our best session in front of us, and I am confident our men will come out with their best effort tomorrow.”
MEDAL TRACKER
Quinn Henninger – 1-meter (champion), 3-meter (silver)
Owen McDonald – 200 IM (bronze)
Carson Tyler – 3-meter (champion)
RESULTS
100 BUTTERFLY
12. Finn Brooks – 44.59 (Second-team All-America)
13. Tomer Frankel – 44.66 (Consolation Final, Second-team All-America)
200 FREESTYLE
16. Rafael Miroslaw – 1:32.69 (Second-team All-America)
100 BREASTSTROKE
4. Finn Brooks – 50.50 (All-America)
6. Caspar Corbeau – 50.62 (All-America)
9. Jassen Yep – 50.89 (Second-team All-America, Career Best)
10. Josh Matheny – 50.95 (Second-team All-America)
11. Brian Benzing – 50.99 (Second-team All-America)
15. Luke Barr – 51.43 (Second-team All-America)
100 BACKSTROKE
6. Owen McDonald – 44.16 (All-America, Career Best)
11. Kai van Westering – 44.76 (Second-team All-America, Career Best)
3-METER DIVING
1. Carson Tyler – 467.45 (NCAA Champion, All-America)
2. Quinn Henninger – 466.15 (NCAA Silver, All-America)
7. Maxwell Weinrich – 389.20 (All-America)
400 MEDLEY RELAY
5. Owen McDonald, Finn Brooks, Tomer Frankel, Matt King – 2:59.73 (All-America)
HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Luke Barr – 200 medley relay, 200 IM*, 100 breaststroke*
Brian Benzing – 200 medley relay, 100 breaststroke*
Finn Brooks – 200 medley relay, 50 free*, 200 freestyle relay, 100 butterfly*, 100 breaststroke, 400 medley relay
Caspar Corbeau – 100 breaststroke
Tomer Frankel – 800 freestyle relay, 100 butterfly*, 400 medley relay
Quinn Henninger – 1-meter, 3-meter
Matt King – 200 medley relay, 50 free*, 400 medley relay
Mikkel Lee – 200 freestyle relay
Josh Matheny – 100 breaststroke*
Owen McDonald – 800 freestyle relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay
Rafael Miroslaw – 800 freestyle relay, 200 freestyle*
Zalán Sárkány – 500 freestyle
Dylan Smiley – 200 freestyle relay
Carson Tyler – 1-meter*, 3-meter
Maxwell Weinrich – 3-meter
Kai van Westering – 800 freestyle relay, 100 backstroke*
Jassen Yep – 100 breaststroke*
Former Indiana University Walk-On Kory Barnett Named the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Oral Roberts University Oral Roberts University and Athletic Director Tim Johnson have announced the hiring of Kory Barnett as the 13th head coach of the men’s basketball program. Dr. William M. Wilson, President of ORU, commented on this significant addition to the ORU Athletics family. “We are excited to welcome Kory Barnett as our new men’s head basketball coach. Kory is a great young man with a bright future in basketball and in life. His deep commitment to Christ and to developing student-athletes both on and off the court fits perfectly at ORU. There are great days ahead for ORU men’s basketball.”
“Among an extremely deep and talented candidate pool, we were incredibly impressed with Kory Barnett. From playing at Indiana to serving as an assistant at UCLA, Nevada, and West Virginia, Kory’s background is basketball rich. His career includes five Sweet 16’s, multiple conference championships, and he has developed and recruited over 20 NBA players,” said Athletic Director Tim Johnson. “He wants to play fast with a defensive mentality that will translate into conference championships. More importantly, he will develop a team that ORU can truly be proud of, both on and off the court. The best is yet to come!”
Barnett joins the Golden Eagles after serving as an Assistant Coach on Darian DeVries’ staff at West Virginia this past year. Barnett helped lead the Mountaineers to a 19-13 record during the 2024-25 season. Prior to WVU, Barnett spent five seasons at Nevada and six seasons at UCLA, working for coach Steve Alford at both places. In his illustrious basketball career, Barnett has been a part of eight NCAA Tournament teams, including five in the Sweet 16, two conference championship teams, seven 20-win seasons, 278 victories, and 19 NBA players (9 1st round draft picks, 2 NBA champions, 1 NBA All-Star and 1 Gold medalist). At Nevada, Barnett served as an assistant coach, contributing to the Wolf Pack’s 96 wins, including 26 victories and NCAA Tournament appearances in the last two seasons. With a primary focus on defense, he helped Nevada consistently rank among the top teams in the Mountain West in various defensive metrics, finishing 71st in KenPom in 2022-23 and improving to 42nd in 2023-24 as the team posted a combined 48-19 record. Additionally, he was responsible for orchestrating the Wolf Pack’s schedule for the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons.
In 2021, Barnett stepped in as Nevada’s head coach for a game against Pepperdine during the COVID season, leading the team to a 79-66 victory. Recently, he was recognized on Silver Waves Media’s “75 Rising Stars: Impactful Men’s Mid-Major Assistants” list and was an honored guest at the “Elite 50 Power Future Head Coaches Invitational” in April 2024. Before Nevada, Barnett was part of UCLA’s staff from 2013 to 2019, holding various roles, including assistant coach, director of operations, director of scouting & player development, and video coordinator. In December 2018, he was promoted to assistant coach before joining Alford at Nevada. During his six seasons with the Bruins, UCLA made four NCAA Tournament appearances (2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018), advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
“It is an honor to accept the head men’s basketball position at Oral Roberts University. I could not be more grateful to Dr. Wilson and Tim Johnson for the opportunity to take over such a special and historic program. I’m humbled to follow in the footsteps of the incredible coaches and players who have helped build the proud tradition of ORU basketball,” Coach Barnett said. “My staff and I will work tirelessly to build a championship program that will make each and every Golden Eagle proud. Our mission will be to develop men of high character, compete at the highest level, and pursue excellence in everything we do—mind, body, and spirit. The passion and energy our team plays with will be felt every single possession.”
“We need each and every one of you to help make the Mabee Center one of the loudest and most electric environments in all of Oklahoma next season! God has blessed my family and I beyond belief, and we cannot express the excitement we feel to join this amazing community. From the moment we stepped on campus, we felt a sense of purpose and calling. This isn’t just a job—it’s a ministry, a mission, and a family. We can’t wait to get started—let’s build something unforgettable together. Go Golden Eagles!”
A native of Rochester, Indiana, Barnett played at Indiana from 2009 to 2012, helping the Hoosiers return to the postseason for the first time since 2008 and reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in his senior year. He earned three Academic All-Big Ten honors and was nominated for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after his junior season. Following his playing career, Barnett served as a graduate assistant at Indiana in 2012-13, contributing to the Hoosiers’ Big Ten regular-season championship and another Sweet 16 run. Barnett holds a bachelor’s degree in sports communications from Indiana. He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons, Brooks and Blake. A press conference to formally introduce Head Coach Kory Barnett will be held Monday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m. inside the Mabee Center.
Top Seed Houston Cougars Survive the Purdue Boilermakers on a Last Second Layup in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 The Top Seed Houston Cougars held off the #4 Seed Purdue Boilermakers 62-60 Friday Night in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Houston called timeout with 2.8 seconds left and had the ball out of bounds underneath their own basket. Milos Uzan inbounded the ball to Joseph Tugler eight feet from the basket. Tugler saw that Uzan was wide open underneath and got the ball to him and he laid it in with just under a second left to give Houston the win and advance to the Elite 8 this afternoon facing the #2 Seed Tennessee Volunteers at 2:20 PM on CBS. Houston is 33-4 on the season and made their 6th consecutive Sweet 16 and heads to the Elite 8 for the third time in five years. The Cougars made the final four in 2021 losing to Baylor in the Semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Cougars will carry a 16-game winning streak into the Elite 8 which is the nation’s longest losing their last game on February 1. Purdue ends the year 24-12 after reaching the National Championship game a season ago falling to Connecticut in Glendale, Arizona.
Houston stalled down the stretch wasting a 10-point lead and only making one basket in the final eight minutes before Usan’s game winner. Houston missed two shots in the final five seconds as replay review confirmed that Purdue knocked the ball out of bounds and Houston had the ball underneath their own basket. Trey Kaufman-Renn scored on a dunk and then block LJ Cryer’s shot with 1:17 to go. Cam Hiede hit a three with 35 seconds left that tied the game at 60-60. Usan led Houston with 22 points and Emmanuel Sharp added 17 points. J’Wan Roberts pulled down 12 rebounds and leading scorer LJ Cryer was held to 5 points on 2-13 shooting. Houston finished the game 23-61 from the field for 37%, 9-23 from three-point range for 39% and 7-11 from the free throw line for 63%. Houston pulled down 38 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, 4 steals, 1 block and committed 7 turnovers.
Fletcher Loyer led Purdue with 16 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 14 points. Braden Smith dished out 15 assists and scored 7 points. Purdue finished the game 21-52 from the field for 40%, 8-27 from three-point range for 29% and 10-12 from the free throw line for 83%. Purdue pulled down 29 rebounds, dished out 20 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks and committed 7 turnovers. Purdue led 31-29 at halftime and Houston outscored Purdue 33-29 in the second half. The Tournament has not seen many last second dramatics, but this one was with the Cougars squandering a double-digit lead and Purdue which had the majority of the crowd with just an hour drive Northwest of Indianapolis had the chances to take the game to overtime. Every March it’s all about survive and advance and for Houston they did just that and for Milos Uzan is game winner will be the latest in a long line of March Madness moments that we will be seeing for a long long time.
Tennessee Volunteers take down their SEC Rivals the Kentucky Wildcats to Advance to the Elite 8 The #2 Seed Tennessee Volunteers took down the #3 Seed Kentucky Wildcats 78-65 in the first game of the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal Friday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tennessee is 30-7 on the season to make the Elite 8 for the second consecutive season after losing to Purdue in the Midwest Regional Final in Detroit a season ago. Kentucky finishes the year 24-12 under first year head coach Mark Pope who brought in nine transfers and returned no production from a season ago got to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019. Tennessee led 43-28 at halftime as Kentucky outscored the Vols 37-35 in the second half. The Tennessee defense set the tone as Kentucky tied a season low with 65 points and the second time this season the Wildcats have been held under 30 points in the first half. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is 15-0 in the NCAA Tournament when he is leading my 10 points or more at halftime.
Zakai Zigler led Tennessee with 18 points and 10 assists, Chaz Lanier scored 17 points and Jordan Gainey added 16 points off the bench. Felix Okpara pulled down 11 rebounds and added 8 points. Tennessee finished 29-57 from the field for 51%, 5-19 from three-point range for 26% and 15-20 from the field for 75%. The Volunteers pulled down 34 rebounds, dished out 17 assists, 8 steals, 3 blocks and committed 8 turnovers. Lamont Butler led Kentucky with 18 points, Amari Williams added 14 points and Otega Oweh added 13 points. Kentucky finished the game 25-51 from the field for 49%, 6-15 from three-point range for 40% and 9-13 from the free throw line for 69%. Kentucky pulled down 24 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks and committed 12 turnovers.
Kentucky won both meetings against Tennessee in the regular season 78-73 in Knoxville on January 22, and 75-64 in Lexington on February 11. It’s hard beat a time a third time in the same season and Tennessee showed with them with their defense that they were going to beat their SEC rivals and keep their season alive with another trip to the final four on the line Sunday and send the Wildcats home in what some believe that was a overachievement for Mark Pope considering what he had to do from the time he took over in the offseason and rebuild the roster but there is a bright outlook ahead for Kentucky Basketball looking to get back to where they have been in past and getting to the Sweet 16 is a step in the right direction.
Purdue Fort Wayne Women’s Basketball takes down Butler in the WNIT Super 16 The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team will host more basketball! The Mastodons beat Butler 87-61 in the Women’s National Invitational Super 16 on Friday night to advance to the Great 8 for the first time in program history. The Mastodons will welcome a familiar foe to the Gates Sports Center on Monday night at 7 p.m. when Cleveland State comes to town. The Mastodons won two of the three meetings against Cleveland State earlier this season, including the semifinal of the Horizon League Championship, which the ‘Dons won 83-65. The ‘Dons added another win to the best season in Purdue Fort Wayne history, moving to 27-8. Amellia Bromenschenkel won her DI-era-program-record 74th game as a Mastodon with a team-high 25 points.
Butler, who only had seven available players, came out firing and jumped out to a 23-10 lead. From there though, the Mastodons rattled off a 13-0 run to tie it up. After Bromenschenkel hit a 3-pointer with 5:04 left in the second quarter, the Mastodons never trailed again. The ‘Dons outscored Butler 60-33 the rest of the way. The Mastodons were incredible offensively down the stretch, missing just one of their final 15 shots of the game. They were 7-of-8 for 87.5 percent in the fourth quarter. They finished at a red-hot 60 percent (33-of-55) from the floor, their best for a game since 2017. The ‘Dons were also at 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from 3-point range.
Bromenschenkel was great all night. She finished 11-of-15 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3-point range for 25 points and added six rebounds. Audra Emmerson finished with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting with four 3-pointers. Both Bromenschenkel and Emmerson registered season-high scoring marks. Jordan Reid added 10 points. This is the second game in a row decided by an exact score of 87-61. Kilyn McGuff had a team-high 18 points for the shorthanded Bulldogs. Butler wraps up 2024-25 with a 16-18 record. Purdue Fort Wayne will put its 27-8 record on the line when Cleveland State visits on Monday at 7 pm.