Jersey Guys Stewart & Jones Displaying Physical, Mental Toughness for Robert Morris

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Robert Morris guard Kavon Stewart is from Paterson, N.J., and Colonials forward Lucky Jones hails from Newark, two of the toughest inner-cities in the Garden State

Yet coach Andy Toole believes his two North Jersey products didn’t really learn about toughness until they came to play for him.

“I always tell them that they got tough when they came to hang out with me, and I’m a Jersey Shore guy,” Toole, a product of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, N.J., jokingly said here Thursday. “That North Jersey toughness, I’m not sure I’m buying it.”

No. 16 seed Robert Morris will need all the toughness it can muster when it goes up against Jahlil Okafor, the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, and top-seeded Duke in a South Region game at 7:10 p.m. Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter Hits Game-Winning 3-Pointer Over Baylor

https://vine.co/v/OYuxbmb0H1b

By JACK LeGWIN

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —  R.J. Hunter knows he probably blew up more than a few NCAA Tournament brackets with his game-winning 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining in a 57-56 win over Baylor.

But he isn’t worried about that .

It’s March and his shot from well beyond the arc certainly qualified as Madness.

“We just fought to the end, and that is what we wanted to do,” Hunter said in the press conference after the game. “Thank God for that 50-footer.”

Down 56-44  with 2:38 left, Georgia State closed the game on a 13-0 run to win the affair in thrilling fashion, becoming the second No. 14 seed to upset a 3 on Thursday following UAB’s win over Iowa State earlier. Hunter went on a 9-0 run by himself, which included the winning shot with 2 seconds left.

Okafor, Kaminsky, Cauley-Stein, Grant Named Naismith Finalists

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky, Kentucky junior Willie Cauley-Stein, Notre Dame junior Jerian Grant and Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor were named finalists Thursday for the Naismith Trophy.

Should Kaminsky win, he’ll become the sixth Big Ten player to earn the honors, and the third in six years, following Trey Burke of Michigan (2013) and Ohio State’s Evan Turner (2010). Notre Dame’s lone Naismith Trophy winner was Austin Carr in 1971, while Kentucky earned its only award in 2012 (Anthony Davis). Duke has won more Naismith Trophies (7) than any other school, and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) leads with 16.

“We have four tremendously talented individuals playing key roles for their highly successful teams, so we believe that any of the finalists are worthy and deserving of the Naismith Trophy,” said Eric Oberman, Atlanta Tipoff Club executive director.

Former Oregon Signee Ray Kasongo Piling Up Offers (UPDATED)

Ray Kasongo, the 6-foot-10 power forward who had originally signed with Oregon before the school did not admit him, piled up scholarship offers this week at the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The Toronto native went for 9 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday as the College of Southern Idaho lost to Georgia Highlands 67-66 on a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining in the Round of 16.

LSU, Kansas State, Seton Hall, UNLV, Ole Miss and Mississippi State all offered Kasongo this week, while Kentucky, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Oregon State and Wichita State have shown interest.