Luke DeCock

Luke DeCock

Luke DeCock has spent 25 years immersed in some of college basketball’s most heated rivalries, covering Duke, North Carolina and NC State as a columnist for the Raleigh News & Observer. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and been syndicated nationally. A three-time NC sportswriter of the year and the 2021 National Headliner Award winner for sports commentary, Luke will be inducted into the US Basketball Writers Association’s Joe Mitch Hall of Fame at the Final Four in April, 2026. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he now resides in his hometown of Chicago.

The Shot Was In, Then Bounced Out – Nebraska is Going to the Sweet Sixteen

Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner’s half-court heave at the buzzer almost was a ‘never-forget-that’ March Madness moment. Almost.

Behind the Scenes of UCLA’s Skyy Clark’s Midnight Trip to the Dentist

The Bruins guard broke his tooth in Friday's win over UCF. But he’s good to ‘hoop like normal’ against UConn, says his emergency dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Goldfine.

Braden Smith Sets D1 All-Time Assist Record, Leads Purdue Into 2nd Round Against Miami

The Boilermakers senior guard broke Bobby Hurley’s record 33 years to the day since Hurley’s final college assist

Overtime! 2 Buzzer Beaters! Kentucky Tops Santa Clara in Classic

Santa Clara’s Allen Graves hit a would-be game-winner with 2.4 to play, and Oweh countered with a heave that thunked off the glass to tie the score at 73

High Point Beats Wisconsin on Guard's First 2-Point Basket of Year

Chase Johnston's layup to beat Wisconsin was his 68th basket of the year — and his first worth only two points

In Return To Penn, McCaffery Honors Legacy of Fran Dunphy

Under Dunphy, the Quakers were frequent visitors to the NCAA Tournament. McCaffery has brought his alma mater back to the Big Dance.

Big Ten Champion Purdue Is Heating Up at the Right Time

Purdue looked like the team it was projected to be in beating Michigan Sunday night. Here's what the Big Ten championship revealed about both teams' NCAA Tournament outlooks.

Yaxel Lendeborg and Michigan Struggle, Still Beat Ohio State

Ohio State's game plan to shut down Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg worked but the Wolverines, as usual, still found a way to win

As Losses Mount, Loyola Chicago Faces An Uncertain Future

The Ramblers had high hopes for the season but are now in last place in the Atlantic-10, raising questions about the future of coach Drew Valentine