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As March Madness continues, there are quite a few members of the Utah Jazz who have been watching closely as their alma maters battle it out on the collegiate stage.

First, there’s Jazz head coach Quin Snyder who got emotional when speaking with reporters about coach Mike Krzyzewski coaching his final regular-season game at Duke where Snyder played and also was an assistant for a time.

Duke advanced to the Elite Eight on Thursday night with a win over Texas Tech.

Then there’s former Baylor standouts Royce O’Neale and Jared Butler, who have been doing some trash talking to other players that went to top-tier basketball schools and have teams competing in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think Baylor is just on another level,” said Butler, who won a national title with the Bears last season. “The torch is being passed and there are up-and-coming programs that are getting significantly better.”

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But Baylor ended up getting knocked out this week in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, which means that the braggadocios talking that Eric Paschall has done, has aged a little better.

“JB tried to come to me saying he won a national championship, but I’m like, well I have two,” the Villanova product said. “I redshirted one but I still have a ring. You have one measly little one. It’s cute.”

Villanova beat Michigan on Thursday night to advance to the Elite Eight.

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Stat of the week

Bojan Bogdanovic missed a seventh straight game on Friday because of a left calf strain, making this the longest amount of time during a regular season that he’s missed time due to injury.

Though Bogdanovic did not join the Jazz in the Orlando bubble in 2020 in order to have surgery on his wrist, he played in every single game of the regular season before it was suspended due to COVID-19 and in every other season he has played in the NBA he has never missed more than four games in a single season until now.

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This week in Jazz history

On March 27, 2015, longtime voice of the Utah Jazz and former two-time All-Star “Hot” Rod Hundley died at 80. Hundley was a Hall of Fame broadcaster who followed the Jazz from their inception in 1974 in New Orleans through 35 seasons before retiring from that post in 2009.

Extra points

  • Instant analysis: Jazz drop 3rd straight game with loss to Hornets (Deseret News)
  • Salt Lake City Stars could soon be donning throwback jerseys (Deseret News)
  • Jazz head coach Quin Snyder refuses to talk about coaching rumors (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Surrounded by friends, family and rumors in NYC, Donovan Mitchell focuses on the present (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • According to the numbers, Rudy Gobert is on pace for another DPOY (KSL.com)

Around the league

Kobe Bryant’s estate reaches new deal with Nike.

NYC mayor changes rules, allows unvaccinated athletes to play home games.

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Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be sidelined at least two weeks with knee injury.

Up next

March 27 | 5:30 p.m. | Utah Jazz @ Dallas Mavericks | NBA TV

March 29 | 8 p.m. | Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers | TNT

March 31 | 8 p.m. | Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers | TNT

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