Sadnews: Kentucky’s most favrite star players have parted ways

Brandon Newman has been coached by Oklahoma State head coach Steve Lutz at Western Kentucky and Purdue.

STILLWATER, Oklahoma: This season, Steve Lutz will be a recognizable sight on the floor.

Guard Brandon Newman of Western Kentucky, who followed Lutz from Bowling Green, Kentucky to Stillwater, made his commitment to Oklahoma State on Friday night.

This season, the 195-pound, 6-foot-5 guard averaged 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

Before joining the Hilltoppers, Newman began his career at Purdue, where Lutz coached him for a season while Lutz was the Boilermakers’ assistant. After sitting out the 2019–20 campaign, he played in 28 games as a redshirt freshman, averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 37.9% from outside the arc and 39.8% from the field.

Newman, a Valparaiso, Indiana native, was a four-star prospect in 2019 who choose Purdue over Ohio State, Creighton, Indiana, and Kansas State.

Joining a 2024 signing class that also includes FIU guard Arturo Dean, Texas Tech forward Robert Jennings, UCF forward Marchelus Avery, and high school signee Jeremiah Johnson, Newman becomes Lutz and Co.’s seventh transfer portal commit. These six join returning players Bryce Thompson, Jamyron Keller, and Connor Dow as Oklahoma State’s 2024–25 scholarship holders.

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Harvard will play Kentucky in the Sweet 16

Earlier in the season, in Lexington, the Wildcats defeated the Crimson 5-2.

This Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Boone Tennis Complex, the fifth-seeded Kentucky men’s tennis team (26-2) will host the Harvard Crimson (22-6) in an NCAA Tournament Super Regional match.

The Crimson and the Wildcats met once more this season at the Boone Tennis Complex, where the Wildcats prevailed 5-2. Back in February, JJ Mercer and Joshua Lapadat of Kentucky won the doubles point by defeating Cooper Williams and Daniel Milavsky of Harvard, 6-4. Taha Baadi defeated Williams in straight sets, Lapadat defeated Henry von der Schulenberg in two swift sets, Charlelie Cosnet defeated Melchior Delloye in straight sets, and Eli Stephenson, a freshman from Harvard, defeated Masato Perera in straight sets. After winning the last three meetings, Kentucky now leads Harvard 6-5 in the all-time series.

After winning the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament a week ago against Illinois and DePaul, Kentucky moved on to the round of 16. The Wildcats defeated Illinois 4-3 on Saturday after defeating the Blue Demons sweeping last Friday. In the first two NCAA Tournament games, UK’s doubles point record was split, but the Cats won two of the matches in the opening weekend set thanks to singles triumphs from senior Lapadat and freshman Jack Loutit.

After defeating Boston University and No. 22 Michigan State, Harvard is headed to the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row. Williams, ranked No. 15, and von der Schulenberg, ranked No. 66, are the two top-ranked singles players for the Crimson. Williams and Milavsky’s doubles team is ranked No. 19 in the ITA top-20. Before the Crimson’s NCAA run, Harvard defeated Princeton 4-3 to secure a share of the 2024 Ivy Championship, its third straight and 33rd overall in program history.

For the third year in a row, and for the seventh time in school history, the Wildcats want to make it to the NCAA quarterfinals. The Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma will host the 2024 quarterfinals, semifinals, and team championship from May 16–25.

Fans can purchase items from Nathan’s Taqueria truck at the Boone both before and during the game. Those who are unable to attend can still follow along via streaming and live stats. On their YouTube account, Cracked Racquets will also provide CrossCourt coverage of the Super Regional round.

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