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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Thursday / March 28.
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    INDIANAPOLISAndrew Harrison apologized to Frank Kaminsky for his apparent racial slur on the podium after Wisconsin’s victory in the national semifinals and an NBA scout told SNY.tv the comment likely won’t impact Harrison’s draft stock.

    “First i want to apologize for my poor choice of words used in jest towards a player I respect and know,” Harrison Tweeted.

    “When I realized how this could be perceived I immediately called big frank to apologize and let him know I didn’t mean any disrespect.

    “We had a good conversation and I wished him good luck in the championship game Monday.”

    ESPN’s Shannon Spake reported Sunday that Harrison had Kaminsky’s phone number and called him to apologize.

    CBzLh7xUsAAYFPo.jpg-largeINDIANAPOLIS — Karl-Anthony Towns sat in a corner locker inside Lucas Oil Stadium speaking at first in tones so hushed you could barely hear him.

    Gradually, with a throng of reporters crowded around him, Towns’ voice rose up and he patiently answered every last question, even as he and his teammates had just come off a crushing, season-ending 71-64 loss to Wisconsin here in the national semifinals.

    There would be no 39-0, no 40-0, just 38-1 and a sudden, season-ending, heart-breaking loss.

    Towns, the projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick from Piscataway, N.J., had never lost a game in his college career until this night, and he hadn’t lost a postseason game at all since losing the New Jersey Tournament of Champions final in March 2013.

    “We did something great, but we just weren’t perfect,” Towns said after a game in which he went for 16 points and 9 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive glass.

    NCAA Basketball: Final Four-Wisconsin vs KentuckyINDIANAPOLIS — In the wake of Kentucky’s 71-64 loss here to Wisconsin in the national semifinals, you can expect a parade of players to head to the NBA in the coming days.

    One NBA scout told SNY.tv before the Final Four that seven Kentucky players “are gone.”

    Go ahead and add Willie Cauley-Stein to the head of the list.

    “I know what I’m doing,” the 7-foot junior said, according to Kyle Tucker of the Louisville Courier-Journal. “It’s time to take another step. Probably my last game here.”

    Cauley-Stein, who managed just 2 points and 5 rebounds, also said on the podium: “You know, we’ll never be on the same team like this again. You know, that’s going to set in. We got a month of school left with each other, and that’s it. So I mean, that’s what you’ll remember.”

    NCAA Basketball: Final Four-Michigan State vs DukeINDIANAPOLIS — Duke’s cadre of one-and-done freshmen proved too much for Michigan State’s core of upperclassmen and the Blue Devils rolled into Monday night’s NCAA championship game.

    Freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones combined for 46 points, 17 rebounds, 6 steals and 6 assists as the Devils overcame a slow start in the early minutes to whip Michigan State, 81-61, in the national semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.

    Duke (34-4) will play for its fifth national title under head coach Mike Krzyzewski against the Kentucky/Wisconsin winner here on Monday.

    “Well, we beat a heck of a team, a championship team, championship program in Tom’s program,” Coach K said. “Our guys knew how difficult a game it was going to be.”

    By CHRIS BARCA

    NEW YORK — The high school career of Montverde (FL) Academy star Ben Simmons couldn’t have ended more appropriately.

    With a bang and another national championship.

    As Montverde fans chanted “Three!”behind the bench at Madison Square Garden, the LSU-bound Australian forward and expected 2016 lottery pick streaked down the court and threw down a one-handed slam with 20 seconds left, sealing the Florida school’s 70-61 win over undefeated Oak Hill (VA) Academy and its third straight Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals title.

    Simmons said only one thing was running through his mind as he bounded down the floor uncontested.

    “I got three rings!” he said win a laugh after the game.

    -c92dd738abeb4d84INDIANAPOLIS — Five years ago, Wagner college AD Walt Hameline made a big and bold move by hiring Danny Hurley to coach the school’s basketball team.

    Hurley had spent nine years as a high school at St. Benedict’s Prep and made the rare jump to the Division level.

    How’d that work out?

    Well, Wagner won 25 games two years later and Hurley then moved on to coach Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10. In three years there, he improved from 8 wins to 14 to 23 and was in line to land the St. John’s job until he agreed Sunday to a six-year extension with the Rams and the Red Storm hired Chris Mullin.

    BRYANT

    INDIANAPOLIS — The Thomas Bryant saga is over.

    The 6-foot-10 McDonald’s All-American from Huntington (W.V.) Prep committed to Indiana on ESPN, choosing the Hoosiers over Syracuse, Kentucky and Missouri.

    “I’m very excited,” said Bryant, a native of Rochester, N.Y. “I’ve been thinking about this long and hard. I’ve been talking it over with my mom and coaches. [Huntington Prep] coach Arkell [Bruce] and everything, just mostly my mom. We just felt like being at Indiana was the best decision for me.”

    Bryant is Indiana’s third commit for 2015, following 6-8 forward Juwan Morgan and 6-7 forward O.G. Anunoby, who committed in the fall.

    Bryant recently visited Indiana, as did big man Thon Maker of Orangeville Prep (Ontario).

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