TUCSON, Arizona (AP) – Arizona released the notice of allegations it received from the NCAA last fall, including the five Level I violations. The school released the notice after a judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by ESPN this week. Violations include a lack of institutional control over the men’s basketball and swimming programs, and unethical behavior by assistant basketball coach Emanuel Richardson for accepting bribes of $ 20,000. Richardson was among 10 people arrested in an FBI investigation into college basketball and served three months in prison.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Michaela Onyenwere scored 24 points and No. 9 UCLA defeated No. 11 Arizona 58-49 to reach the championship game of the Pac-12 tournament. The third seed Bruins will play against Stanford, the top seed, for the conference title on Sunday. The Bruins overcame an off-shooting night in the semifinals, preventing a late rally from Arizona that resulted in a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come in just over a minute in two minutes. UCLA finished the game with a 9-2 run over the final by 1-04. Pac-12 Player of the Year Aari McDonald led the runner-up Arizona with 24 points.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Cameron Brink reached a career height of 24 points and got 11 rebounds to lead Stanford into the title game of the Pac-12 tournament with a 79-45 win over the state of Oregon. Stanford will face UCLA No. 9 for the championship on Sunday. Brink, who was elected to the conference’s all-freshman team this season after averaging 9.8 points at 58.6% shooting and 6.8 rebounds per game, finished 9 of 13 points and added four blocks. Kiana Williams had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists for Stanford. Aleah Goodman scored 12 points and Taylor Jones pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the state of Oregon.
TUCSON, Arizona (AP) – James Akinjo has made a name for himself as one of college basketball’s toughest guards, first in Georgetown, now in Arizona. Akinjo had 19 points in his first game against Arizona and eclipsed 20 points seven times, including a 26-point game against Washington on February 27. He led the Wildcats with 15.6 points and 5.4 assists per game this season. His 53 3-pointers and 37 steals were team highs. Early adversity in his life in Oakland, California forced him to develop some of that tenacity. Basketball too.
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