Basketball

1/20/2025 |  Vanderbilt fined $250,000 by SEC for allowing fans to storm court after victory over Tennessee (Associated Press (AP)) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Vanderbilt was fined $250,000 by the Southeastern Conference on Sunday for allowing fans to storm the court Saturday in celebration of a 75-75 basketball victory over No. 6 Tennessee.
Vanderbilt was penalized for a second offense under the conference’s revised access to competition area policy. The first violation — and a $100,000 fine — came when fans stormed the football field after a 40-35 victory over Alabama in October.

1/20/2025 |  Spurs, Pacers make their way to Paris, for a week where all eyes will be on Victor Wembanyama (Associated Press (AP)) NANTERRE, France (AP) — Officially, Indiana will be the home team on the scoreboard when it plays San Antonio in Paris on Thursday.
The Pacers know better. They will not be feeling right at home.
“It’s going to be a big crowd against us, honestly,” Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard said.
He’s not wrong, for one 7-foot-4 reason. The upcoming NBA Paris Games — Indiana vs. San Antonio on Thursday and Saturday, the Pacers being the designated home team for the first matchup and the Spurs getting that distinction for the second game — are essentially going to be a weeklong celebration of France’s own Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s reigning NBA rookie of the year who likely will be an All-Star this season for the first time.

1/20/2025 |  NCAA Extends Partnership with Gerflor Brands for D-I Basketball and All Volleyball Events (Athletic Business) The NCAA has officially extended its longstanding partnership with Gerflor USA’s family of brands — Connor Sports, Sport Court and Taraflex — to continue delivering world-class playing surfaces for some of the most celebrated championships in collegiate sports. 
Since 2006, Connor Sports has been the Official Court provider for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s basketball championships and the iconic Final Four games. The expertly crafted hardwood courts from Connor Sports have set the stage for unforgettable moments in NCAA history, combining cutting-edge engineering with a dedication to athlete performance and safety. The partnership provides floors to the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Regionals and Final Four games, as well as ancillary events. Connor also provides coordination and onsite support for the NCAA-owned floors at the Men’s First Four and the tournament's 1st and 2nd rounds. 

1/17/2025 |  Brittney Griner and other WNBA players happy to be playing in US during their offseason (Associated Press (AP)) MIAMI (AP) — Brittney Griner is embracing the opportunity to play again during the WNBA offseason without having to go overseas.
The 6-foot-9 WNBA All-Star said she would never play abroad again except with USA Basketball after spending 10 months in a Russian prison in 2022 when authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis.
Now she’ll be playing in the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league that’s based in Miami. Play begins Friday night and goes until the middle of March.

1/17/2025 |  Investors pitch new international basketball league that would offer players equity (CNBC Sports)

• Maverick Carter, LeBron James’ business partner, is advising a group of investors who are trying to raise $5 billion to form a new international basketball league, people familiar with the matter said.
• The league would consist of both men’s and women’s teams and plans to play in eight markets.
• Players will be offered an equity stake in the league, people familiar with the matter said.