INDIANA ALL-STARS BASKETBALL
BOYS
INDIANA ALL-STARS 104 JUNIOR ALL-STARS 97
(FLORY BIDUNGA 34PTS 22REB)
GIRLS
JUNIOR ALL-STARS 83 JUNIOR ALL-STARS 80
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SEMI-STATE
NORTH
CLASS 4A AT LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON (LOEB STADIUM)
11 AM ET | G1: LAKE CENTRAL (22-9) VS. WESTFIELD (21-10)
2 PM ET | G2: HOMESTEAD (19-10) VS. CONCORD (20-10)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 3A AT KOKOMO (MUNICIPAL STADIUM)
11 AM ET | G1: TWIN LAKES (25-4) VS. DELTA (21-8)
2 PM ET | G2: FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (24-8) VS. NEW PRAIRIE (24-5)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 2A AT OAK HILL
11 AM ET | G1: MADISON-GRANT (17-10) VS. ILLIANA CHRISTIAN (19-9)
2 PM ET | G2: WESTVIEW (19-10) VS. ROCHESTER COMMUNITY (20-10)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 1A AT LAPORTE (SCHREIBER FIELD)
10:30 AM CT | G1: MORGAN TOWNSHIP (13-13) VS. FREMONT (13-13)
1:30 PM CT | G2: LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (25-6) VS. UNION CITY (16-6)
7 PM CT | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
SOUTH
CLASS 4A AT MOORESVILLE (PIONEER FIELD)
11 AM ET | G1: NEW PALESTINE (25-5) VS. MOORESVILLE (30-3)
2 PM ET | G2: FLOYD CENTRAL (25-3) VS. AVON (18-15)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 3A AT CASTLE (UNIVERSITY OF EVANSVILLE)
10 AM CT | G1: CRAWFORDSVILLE (19-12) VS. BREBEUF JESUIT (23-9)
1 PM CT | G2: SILVER CREEK (24-8) VS. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (19-9)
7 PM CT | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 2A AT PLAINFIELD
11 AM ET | G1: GREENCASTLE (16-10) VS. NORTH POSEY (24-5)
2 PM ET | G2: KNIGHTSTOWN (18-8) VS. PROVIDENCE (19-7)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 1A AT JASPER (RUXER FIELD)
11 AM ET | G1: SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH) (14-8) VS. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (17-15)
2 PM ET | G2: BARR-REEVE (25-6) VS. SHAKAMAK (21-7)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
4A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/Gy192ADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/LTKEoADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-4a-baseball-state-tournament-class-4a-state-championship.htm
3A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/TebSvADqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/X93YfgDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-3a-baseball-state-tournament-class-3a-state-championship.htm
2A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/Px-26ADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/UQqFlgDpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-2a-baseball-state-tournament-class-2a-state-championship.htm
1A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/LSqLFgDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/Pxpp7QDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-1a-baseball-state-tournament-class-1a-state-championship.htm
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL STATE FINALS FRIDAY/SATURDAY
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 5:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM CT
CASCADE (29-2) VS. LAPEL (24-5)
CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT
NEW PALESTINE (25-4) VS. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (24-4)
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 4:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM CT
TECUMSEH (24-9) VS. ROSSVILLE (27-3)
CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT
TRI-WEST HENDRICKS (28-6) VS. WESTERN (28-2)
INDIANA BOYS GOLF REGIONALS
1. LAKE CENTRAL | SANDY PINES GC | THURS, 8 AM CT |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 1-5)
2. WARSAW COMMUNITY | STONEHENGE GC | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 6-10)
3. HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) | COYOTE CROSSING GC | FRI, 9 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 11-15)
4. MUNCIE CENTRAL | THE PLAYERS CLUB | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONAL 16-20)
5. WASHINGTON | COUNTRY OAKS GC | THURS, 8:30 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 21-25)
6. PROVIDENCE | CHAMPIONS POINTE GC | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 26-30)
NBA FINALS SCHEDULE
GAME 1: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, THURSDAY, JUNE 6 (8:30 ET)
GAME 2: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (8 ET)
GAME 3: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 (8:30 ET)
GAME 4: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, FRIDAY, JUNE 14 (8:30 ET)
GAME 5: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, MONDAY, JUNE 17 (8:30 ET)*
GAME 6: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, THURSDAY, JUNE 20 (8:30 ET)*
GAME 7: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (8 ET)*
* = IF NECESSARY
WNBA SCORES
LAS VEGAS 95 DALLAS 81
MINNESOTA 86 LOS ANGELES 62
NHL PLAYOFFS
2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL
FLORIDA PANTHERS (1A) VS. EDMONTON OILERS (2P)
GAME 1: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 8, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 2: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 10, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 3: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 13, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 4: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 15, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 5: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 18, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 6: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 21, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 7: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 24, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
BOSTON 9 ATLANTA 0
ST. LOUIS 4 HOUSTON 2
CINCINNATI 12 COLORADO 7
SAN FRANCISCO 9 ARIZONA 3
PHILADELPHIA 2 MILWAUKEE 0
NY METS 9 WASHINGTON 1
PITTSBURGH 10 LA DODGERS 6
TAMPA BAY 5 MIAMI 3
NY YANKEES 9 MINNESOTA 5
TORONTO 3 BALTIMORE 2
CHICAGO CUBS 7 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6
TEXAS 9 DETROIT 1
LA ANGELS 3 SAN DIEGO 2
OAKLAND 2 SEATTLE 1
KANSAS CITY AT CLEVELAND POSTPONED
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES
INDIANAPOLIS 11 COLUMBUS 6
WEST MICHIGAN 3 SOUTH BEND 2
PEORIA 7 FT. WAYNE 3
COLLEGE BASEBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT (SUPER REGIONALS)
BEST OF THREE
X-IF NECESSARY
SUPER REGIONALS
HOST SCHOOL IS GAME 1 HOME TEAM; VISITING SCHOOL IS GAME 2 HOME TEAM; COIN FLIP DETERMINES GAME 3 HOME TEAM
AT LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM
KNOXVILLE, TENN.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
TENNESSEE (53-11) VS. EVANSVILLE (38-24), 3 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
TENNESSEE VS. EVANSVILLE, 11 A.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-TENNESSEE VS. EVANSVILLE 6 P.M.
AT DICK HOWSER STADIUM
TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
FLORIDA ST. (45-15) VS. UCONN (35-24), NOON
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
FLORIDA ST. VS. UCONN, 11 A.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-FLORIDA ST. VS. UCONN, NOON
AT DAVENPORT FIELD AT DISHAROON PARK
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
VIRGINIA (44-15) VS. KANSAS ST. (35-24), 7 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
AT MONONGALIA COUNTY BALLPARK
MORGANTOWN, W.V.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
VIRGINIA (44-15) VS. KANSAS ST. (35-24), 7 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
AT KENTUCKY PROUD PARK
LEXINGTON, KY.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
KENTUCKY (43-14) VS. OREGON ST. (45-14), 6 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
KENTUCKY VS. OREGON ST., 9 P.M.
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-KENTUCKY VS. OREGON ST., TBD
AT FOLEY FIELD
ATHENS, GA.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
GEORGIA (42-15) VS. NC STATE (36-20), NOON
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
GEORGIA VS. NC STATE, NOON
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-GEORGIA VS. NC STATE, TBD
AT DOUG KINGSMORE STADIUM
CLEMSON, S.C.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
CLEMSON (44-14) VS. FLORIDA (32-28), 2 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA, 2:30 P.M.
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA, TBD
AT OLSEN FIELD
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
TEXAS A&M (47-13) VS. OREGON (40-18), 2 P.M.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
OKLAHOMA 8 TEXAS 3
MLS
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
UFL
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES
NBA FINALS NEWS
THE NBA FINALS WERE TOO LATE FOR DALLAS’ LUKA DONCIC TO WATCH AS A KID. NOW, HE’S IN THEM
BOSTON (AP) — Luka Doncic didn’t stay up all night to watch NBA Finals games as a kid. They usually started at something like 3 a.m. in his native Slovenia. He had school to get to a few hours later. He’d wake up and find out who won.
Make no mistake, though: Doncic was paying attention.
“Every kid who plays basketball dreams about this,” Doncic said. “I was one of them.”
Dreams become reality for Doncic on Thursday night, when the 25-year-old makes his NBA Finals debut for the Dallas Mavericks as they take on the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of this year’s title series. He could become the first player to win a scoring title and a championship in the same season since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000, and a title surely would only add to the argument that Doncic — who leads all players in this postseason in points, rebounds and assists — may be the best player in the game right now.
“This is going to be the international finals,” said Kyrie Irving, Doncic’s backcourt mate in Dallas. “Everybody’s going to be watching. Every finals is international, but the world is watching.”
He didn’t have to clarify why. Yes, the NBA Finals have long been available in more than 200 countries and territories, broadcast in something like 50 different languages and dialects. And it’s hardly a new thing for foreign players to star on the NBA’s biggest stage; two of the past three NBA Finals MVPs were Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo for Milwaukee in 2021 and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic for Denver last year.
“Amazing. First time here. Hopefully it’s not the last,” Doncic said Wednesday at NBA Finals media day in Boston. “But never take it for granted. You never know if you are going to come back, so just enjoy the experience.”
Doncic — who became a father for the first time this season, calling that development “the greatest thing in the world” — is a global corporation by himself, a player who speaks four languages fluently and has an enormous following everywhere. And a championship would only add to his rapidly growing legend.
“Luka is at a spectacular, stratospheric level,” Hall of Famer Pau Gasol said at an event in Spain this week. “What he has done … is within the reach of very few in the history of this sport.”
The numbers back up what Gasol is saying.
Doncic is averaging 28.7 points per game in his six regular seasons; only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain — both at 30.1 — have a higher career average. He’s the only player in NBA history to have averages of at least eight assists and eight rebounds per game. He’s one of two players with at least 10,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists through his first 400 career games; Oscar Robertson is the other.
“Game’s too simple, too easy,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said late in the regular season, when asked why voters haven’t rewarded Doncic with an MVP award yet. “He makes it look too easy. Unfortunately, that’s what happens with some of the greats … we take for granted their talent.”
Doncic wants no part of talk that winning is easy. He may make it look easy — he had a league-best 73-point game this season, 13 different games of scoring at least 40 points in the regular season, and that number could have been even higher considering he scored exactly 39 points on eight other occasions.
Coaches in his native Slovenia call him the best player in the world, especially after his exploits in Olympic, European championship and World Cup play in recent years. Opposing international coaches have done the same.
“When you talk about basketball IQ, everybody has different levels,” Kidd said Wednesday. “When you look at Luka’s level of understanding the game, time and score, who’s on the floor, he is at the head of the class in that sense. When you look at the stage, he’s not afraid of the stage, of the moment. Successful or not, he loves that moment. … We’re playing in the Finals, because of his IQ and his willingness to step up on that stage and not be afraid to fail.”
Stopping Doncic in these finals is not an option, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. Containing is the goal.
“You’ve just got to be very aware of what you’re willing to live with and what you’re willing to take away and when it’s time to adjust,” Mazzulla said. “There’s not one coverage. There’s not one player. It’s going to take multiple coverages. It’s going to take multiple players. It’s going to take a team effort.”
The numbers don’t just happen, Doncic insists. Nor do the wins. Doncic was a proven pro before he even got to the NBA after starring as a teenager for Real Madrid, a club he has remained very close with. But his star has continued shining brighter in each of his NBA seasons — and now, kids in Slovenia will be waking up over the next couple weeks to see how their hero did in the finals.
“It’s very hard to win,” Doncic said. “You watch a lot of film and go to work. And it’s very hard. I don’t think people understand how hard it is to win games in this league, especially in the playoffs. So, I think we earned to be here. We deserved that. Because every game we’re playing in the playoffs, it’s really hard to win.”
REDEMPTION-MINDED CELTICS SET TO MATCH UP WITH OPPORTUNISTIC MAVERICKS IN NBA FINALS
BOSTON (AP) — As the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics prepare to tip off the NBA Finals, the four biggest names in the series are looking at this moment through different lenses.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the Celtics’ most tenured and scrutinized stars on their roster – see it as a chance at redemption after falling just short two seasons ago and then failing to return last year.
“You think that you’re young, if you’ve been once, you’ll continue to keep going,” Tatum said. “We realized that last year. We kind of took it for granted at certain moments.”
And now?
“I’m not thinking about what it would mean for my legacy or anything like that,” he said. “Just excited to play some basketball … and go out there and try to get the job done.”
Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving see it as their first opportunity to make good on a partnership that began late last season after Irving was traded from Brooklyn following a tumultuous run of two-plus seasons with the Nets.
But the duo was still learning to play with each other during their truncated time together last season and didn’t make it to the postseason. After a slow start this season, they found cohesion after the All-Star break and emerged from a deep Western Conference field.
For Irving, it has been a reminder that success can be fleeting. He won his lone championship with Cleveland in 2016 and has played with three teams over the past eight years. His time in Dallas has reinvigorated him.
“These young guys are very hungry. They want a championship. I want a championship,” he said. “So our feelings are very mutual. But I’ve always reminded them that this is a process. Failure is going to be part of this, too. Get it out your mind that this is about to be a clean sweep or everything is about to feel good throughout this journey and all that.
“I’m just very real, very honest. That’s what’s helped me grow as a leader.”
Doncic credits the partnership with Irving for uncorking the potential of a team that entered the postseason as a fifth seed.
“His leadership is amazing,” Doncic said. “The way he connects us. I think me and Kyrie are the leaders of this team, but he’s the one that’s been in the Finals. He’s the one that won in the Finals. He’s the one that is really leading it.”
They’ll matchup with a Boston team playing like a group that has learned from its recent shortcomings. That was exhibited during a 64-win regular season that established it as a favorite to raise the franchise’s 18th championship banner entering the postseason.
Through the first three rounds, the Celtics have met the challenge, losing just two games along the way under the guidance of second-year coach Joe Mazzulla.
They’ve also benefited from an offseason shakeup of its roster that saw longtime emotional leader Marcus Smart and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon traded in favor of 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, who won a championship with Milwaukee in 2021.
Brown said a core that features seven players from the 2022 team that lost in the Finals to Golden State, is up to the challenge.
“I think this is a special group. I really do,” Brown said. “We’ve been able to go through the experiences of having success but not having success at the same time. I think to solidify the ultimate goal is to get over the hump and win. I think that will add a lot to our legacy. But as of right now, that story is kind of still untold.”
COACHING PERSPECTIVES
This stage is nothing new to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who is in the Finals for the fifth time as a player or coach.
He has experienced lows, such as losing back-to-back trips to the Finals in 2002 and 2003 as a player with the New Jersey Nets. He has also seen success, earning his lone title as a player with Dallas in 2011 at age 38 and one as an assistant on the Lakers 2020 championship team.
The biggest lesson he has taken away is to approach it like business and be ready to live with the results. That has been his message to his team throughout these playoffs.
“This is the best of the best at the highest level,” Kidd said. “It’s fun. That’s what the Finals are all about, is seeing what team is going to step forward and take advantage of mistakes.”
Mazzulla was an assistant on Ime Udoka’s staff in 2022. What he learned from that experience is that the details of winning never change, even on this stage.
“The toughest team will win,” Mazzulla said. “The team that makes the most plays will win. The team that can execute the details at a high level will win. It’s no different.”
FRIENDS AND COMPETITORS
Irving is ready for what he expects to be an icy greeting from Boston’s home crowd for Game 1 on Thursday.
Celtics fans haven’t held a high opinion of him since he ended two disappointing seasons in Boston by leaving for the Nets and joining Kevin Durant in free agency in 2019.
He then rankled the Boston faithful even more when he flipped his middle finger at fans after making a shot during Brooklyn’s first round playoff series loss to the Celtics in 2022. But he said he is looking forward to matching up with “brothers” and former teammates Tatum and Brown.
“They’ve gotten tremendously better. They’ve led their team to this point. So I’m proud of them,” Irving said. “I’m looking forward to the competition because this is what we’ve all strived for since we were kids, basketball at this level playing against the best of the best.”
NBA FINALS NOTEBOOK: PORZINGIS A GO, KYRIE AND LEBRON MAKE NICE, HARDAWAY JR. THROWS SHADE AT DAD
BOSTON (AP) — Celtics 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis said he will be ready to “just go out there and hoop” for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night after missing Boston’s last 10 games with a strained left calf.
“It was a long road to get to this point for me. But feeling good,” he said at media day on Wednesday. “(It) burns inside of me, not being able to be out there. But tomorrow finally I’ll get the chance and I’m excited.”
Porzingis said he couldn’t predict how it will be once he gets into a game for the first time since April 29.
“I did as much as I could to prepare for this moment, but there’s nothing like game minutes and game experience that I’m going to get tomorrow,” he said. “It will be tough to jump into the finals like this.”
An offseason acquisition that helped solidify the Celtics frontcourt, Porzingis averaged 20 points, 7.2 rebounds and almost two blocks per game. But he was again dogged by injuries that limited him to 57 games.
He left Game 4 of the first-round series against the Miami Heat and missed all of the next two rounds, when Boston eliminated Cleveland in five games and swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
“Guys so far have been playing great, taking care of business, guys stepping up,” he said, singling out Al Horford’s work at center in his absence. “I just look forward to add more to complete the mission.”
KYRIE AND LEBRON
LeBron James praised former teammate Kyrie Irving on a podcast, calling him “the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen.”
The feeling is mutual.
“There’s a lot of gratitude there, as well,” Irving said on Wednesday when asked if he had heard James’ comments. “I think we both have been able to mature and really appreciate what we got a chance to accomplish.”
James said on his podcast “Mind the Game” that he’s happy and proud to watch Irving in the finals, but at the same time he’s “mad that I’m not his running mate anymore.”
“There was nothing on a basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do,” he said.
Irving and James reached the finals three straight seasons with the Cavaliers, winning it all in 2016 and losing to the Warriors the following year. Then Irving requested a trade, and the relationship soured.
“I think there were some things that got in the way of our relationship when I was a little bit younger,” Irving said at NBA Finals media day on Wednesday. “Now that I’m able to vocalize how I feel as a man, be comfortable in it, stand on my square, my beliefs, where I’m coming from, I feel like our relationship’s different because of that now.
“(I) definitely miss him,” Irving said. “Just a mutual respect there for what we brought to the table. His leadership, my leadership style, I think it meshed very well. I was learning a lot from him that I’m appreciative for the rest of my life.”
Irving wound up in Boston, where he also had a still-festering fallout. In previous trips back to the Garden, he has been received rudely and a similar welcome is expected for Game 1 on Thursday night.
TRASH-TALKING TIM
Tim Hardaway Jr. couldn’t resist the chance to talk trash about his father.
Asked on Wednesday what it meant for him to be playing in the NBA Finals for the first time, Hardaway said, “It means a lot. Especially being the first of my family to do so.” Reporters chuckled and gasped.
Hardaway’s father was a five-time All-Star in 13 NBA seasons and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. He finished in the top 10 of the NBA MVP voting three times, and also won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
But he only made it as far as the conference finals once, losing with the Miami Heat to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in 1997.
Hardaway Jr. has never averaged 20 points in a season, like his father did five times, and his award votes have come mostly as a sixth man. But he said he had the advantage of his father’s experience.
“I wouldn’t get to this point without my dad,” he said. “He’s always by my side. He’s always a phone call away. He’s always supporting me, always coming to the games. He’s a phone call away when I’m struggling, when I’m not, even if I’m having great games in a stretch, he’s telling me to keep my head down, don’t stop, keep that energy, keep that flow going. And, he’s always reiterating to me: always have fun. He’s been telling me that since high school, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do my whole entire career.
“The guy has lived it and done it. So, you know, that’s the luxury I do have of having a father that played in this league.”
WNBA NEWS
FAST START SENDS LYNX TO BLOWOUT OF SPARKS
The Minnesota Lynx scored the game’s first 11 points and never looked back en route to an 86-62 blowout of the host Los Angeles Sparks in Commissioner’s Cup competition on Wednesday.
Napheesa Collier scored seven of her game-high 25 points in Minnesota’s opening deluge. She shot a blistering 10-for-15 from the floor to pace the Lynx to a 32-for-65 night (49.2 percent) as a team.
Minnesota held Los Angeles to just 20-of-77 shooting (26 percent) on the other end, including 4-for-28 (14.3 percent) from 3-point range. The resulting 62 points marked a season low for Los Angeles.
Despite falling behind by as many as 28 points in the third quarter, the Sparks rallied in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 12.
Dearica Hamby, the only Los Angeles scorer in double figures with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, capped the Sparks’ fourth-quarter surge by sinking a layup with 4:46 remaining.
That was as close as Los Angeles could come. Bridget Carleton snuffed any hope of a Sparks comeback by hitting a 3-pointer at the 3:08 mark, which kicked off a 7-0 run that gave the visitors a 20-point lead.
Minnesota (7-2) held Los Angeles (2-7) without a field goal for the final 3:30 to send the Sparks to their third consecutive defeat. The Lynx have won three in a row and five of the past six.
Carleton finished with 15 points. She shot 4-for-4 from 3-point range and added seven rebounds in the win. Kayla McBride scored 13 points for Minnesota, and Alanna Smith chipped in 10.
Collier led the Lynx with nine rebounds.
Ten of the 11 Los Angeles players who logged minutes scored points. Rae Burrell wound up with a season-high nine points off the bench to go with five rebounds.
Layshia Clarendon scored seven points. Rookie Cameron Brink blocked two shots and grabbed six rebounds, but she scored just two points on 1-of-5 shooting before fouling out.
A’JA WILSON (36), ACES BUILD EARLY LEAD, CRUISE BY WINGS
A’ja Wilson scored 14 of her game-high 36 points in the first quarter Wednesday night as the visiting Las Vegas Aces dumped the Dallas Wings 95-81 in the teams’ first clash since last year’s WNBA playoffs.
Wilson hit 15 of 22 shots from the field as Las Vegas (5-2) built an 18-point first quarter lead and led throughout, disappointing a large crowd hoping that Dallas (3-5) could avenge a 3-0 series sweep in the league semifinals.
Wilson also grabbed 12 rebounds, while teammate Kelsey Plum added 20 points. Jackie Young contributed 19 points and seven assists and Tiffany Hayes came off the bench to hit for 11 points in her first game of the year after being signed last week.
Arike Ogunbowale fired in 31 points and dished out seven assists for the Wings but made just 9 of 23 attempts from the field. Teaira McCowan scored 14 points and hauled in a game-high 15 rebounds. Maddy Siegrist added 14 points and Monique Billings tallied 12.
But Dallas simply didn’t have enough to hold back a team that seemed motivated after a 78-74 loss Friday night in Atlanta. The Aces hit nearly 49 percent from the field and held the Wings to 37.8 percent, including 5 of 25 on 3-pointers.
Las Vegas established its intentions early. Wilson got it off to an 11-2 start with eight points in less than three minutes. The margin hit double figures less than four minutes in, and it was 29-16 after a quarter.
Dallas found its footing in the second quarter behind Ogunbowale, who scored 14 points, including consecutive 3-pointers that started a 19-8 run to end the half. Her foul shots with 21.7 seconds left got the Wings within 47-42 at the break.
The margin was still five when Ogunbowale hit a 3-pointer with 4:35 remaining in the third. But Young countered with a 3-pointer to begin an 18-9 burst that Wilson capped with a fadeaway to make it 75-61 after three.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
OKLAHOMA OUTSLUGS TEXAS, NEARS 4TH STRAIGHT WCWS TITLE
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma blasted three home runs and Kelly Maxwell held Texas to four hits as the Sooners beat the Longhorns 8-3 in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series championship series on Wednesday.
Oklahoma (58-7) will have a chance to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive WCWS title on Thursday, while Texas will try to force a decisive Game 3.
Maxwell struck out eight, walked four and allowed just one earned run in the complete-game victory.
After Texas’ Mia Scott hit a solo homer in the first, Maxwell held the Longhorns without another hit until the sixth, when Texas staged a rally to score two more.
By that time, though, the Sooners had scored seven, and Maxwell struck out pinch hitter Victoria Hunter to end the inning and strand two.
Texas (55-9) hadn’t given up a run in three WCWS games coming in, and had only allowed three hits in winning its games by a combined 15-0.
However, it just took just two batters for the Sooners to get on the board, with Tiare Jennings blasting a two-run home run to left-center after Jayda Coleman was hit by a pitch to begin the game.
Scott cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning.
The Sooners stretched the lead in the third, with a two-run homer by Kinzie Hansen followed immediately by a solo shot by Kasidi Pickering.
Oklahoma added runs in each of the final three innings to stretch the lead.
NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
OILERS SEEK TO BECOME THE SIXTH NHL TEAM SINCE 2000 TO WIN THE CUP AFTER MIDSEASON COACHING CHANGE
Firing a coach during the season is typically seen as a sign that a season has gone off the rails.
Based on recent history in the NHL, it also can been seen as a sign that a talented team might be ready for a turnaround.
The Edmonton Oilers are the latest team on that list, having made it to the Stanley Cup Final less than seven months after firing coach Jay Woodcroft 13 games into the season.
Kris Knoblauch took over a team that was 31st in the standings and helped them win the Western Conference as he tries to become the sixth NHL coach since 2000 to win it all after being hired during the season. That happened just twice in the NHL in the 20th century with Toronto’s Dick Irwin (1932) and Montreal’s Al MacNeil (1971) doing it.
Teams in the NHL have been far more willing to fire coaches than in most other major sports leagues with only five of the 32 teams having coaches who have been on the job more than two seasons.
If Knoblauch can finish the job and lead the Oilers to the title, the six times that has happened in the NHL since 2000 would equal the total times that has happened in the NFL (0), NBA (4) and Major League Baseball (2) combined in their long histories.
The NBA coaches to do it are Jack McKinney in 1980 for the Lakers, Pat Riley two years later for Los Angeles and again in 2006 with Miami, and Tyronn Lue in 2016 with Cleveland. The two managers to win a World Series after being hired during the season are Jack McKeon with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and Bob Lemon with the Yankees in 1978.
The five coaches who have led their teams to Stanley Cup titles since 2000 after taking over during a season:
Craig Berube, 2019 St. Louis Blues
Mike Yeo was fired 19 games into the 2018-19 season and replaced by Berube. St. Louis dropped to last in the standings in early January before putting together an impressive run.
The Blues finished second in the Central Division and rallied from a 3-2 series deficit in the second round to beat Dallas in double overtime in Game 7. They then overcame a 2-1 series deficit in the conference final to beat San Jose in six games to make their first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.
There, Berube led St. Louis to a seven-game series win over Boston for the franchise’s first championship.
Mike Sullivan, 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins were sputtering early in the 2015-16 season and looked poised to waste another year of Sidney Crosby’s prime when they fired Mike Johnston and promoted Sullivan from the AHL.
Fueled by some key midseason additions and brilliant play from Crosby, Pittsburgh surged into the playoffs and didn’t slow down from there. The Penguins lost three games combined in the first two rounds and then rallied from 3-2 down in the conference final to beat Tampa Bay.
They overwhelmed San Jose in a six-game series and hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in Crosby’s career.
Darryl Sutter, 2012 Los Angeles Kings
The Kings were mired in 11th place in the West in December and struggling to score when they fired Terry Murray and eventually brought Sutter off his farm in Alberta for his first coaching job in more than five years.
Sutter’s blunt style and attention to detail proved to be just what the Kings needed and helped them reach the playoffs as the eighth seed. They raced through the playoffs, upsetting top-seeded Vancouver in five games in the first round and winning 15 of their first 17 playoff contests.
Los Angeles eventually finished off New Jersey in six games for its first championship and the Kings’ four losses were tied for the second fewest in a Cup-winning run since the first round went to best-of-seven in 1987.
Dan Bylsma, 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins
After making it to the final in 2008, the Penguins were barely over .500 in February the next season, leading GM Ray Shero to fire Michel Therrien and promote Bylsma from the AHL.
Pittsburgh went 18-3-4 down the stretch to earn the fourth seed in the East. From there, the Penguins survived tough series against Philadelphia and Washington before sweeping Carolina in the conference final.
That set the stage for a rematch against Detroit and Pittsburgh came out on top this time, winning Game 7 on the road for the franchise’s first title since 1992.
Larry Robinson, 2000 New Jersey Devils
The Devils were in first place in the East and had the third-best record in the NHL with eight games left in the regular season when GM Lou Lamoriello made the shocking decision to fire Robby Ftorek and promote Robinson from his role as an assistant.
New Jersey had won only one playoff series the previous four seasons and were stumbling late in 2000 when Lamoriello decided a change was needed.
Boy, was he right.
Robinson increased practice time and stressed a commitment to defense that paid off in a playoff run that featured a comeback from 3-1 down in the conference final against Philadelphia and a 2-1 double overtime clincher on the road in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against defending champion Dallas.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: PIRATES’ PAUL SKENES BEATS DODGERS
Shohei Ohtani hit a home run off of Paul Skenes, but the touted right-handed rookie and the Pittsburgh Pirates prevailed 10-6 over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Nick Gonzales matched his career high with four RBIs for Pittsburgh, including a two-run double that ignited a seven-run second inning. Yasmani Grandal, Edward Olivares and Ke’Bryan Hayes each had RBI singles for the Pirates, who can sweep the three-game series with a win on Thursday.
Skenes (3-0) surrendered a two-run blast to Ohtani and a solo shot to Andy Pages but earned the win by limiting Los Angeles to those three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking one over five innings.
Jason Heyward led the Dodgers with three hits and two runs, while Ohtani, Pages and Will Smith tallied two hits apiece.
Reds 12, Rockies 7
Spencer Steer hit a go-ahead home run and Jonathan India added a grand slam to cap a six-run ninth inning as Cincinnati stunned Colorado in Denver.
Steer clubbed a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth to put the Reds ahead 8-7 before India followed four batters later with his fourth career grand slam to open up a five-run lead. Jeimer Candelario and TJ Friedl also homered for Cincinnati, which has won four straight.
Elias Diaz went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs for the Rockies, who squandered a 4-0 lead after the first inning and lost their fifth straight game.
Yankees 9, Twins 5
Carlos Rodon retired the first 16 hitters he faced and pitched six solid innings as New York recorded a victory over visiting Minnesota.
The Yankees matched a season high with their seventh straight win and improved to 5-0 in the season series against the Twins. Rodon (8-2) won his career-high sixth straight start, giving up two runs on three hits and no walks to go along with a season-best nine strikeouts.
New York’s Aaron Judge drove in five runs and reached base for the 31st straight game. Carlos Santana and Royce Lewis homered for the Twins, while Kyle Farmer had two hits and scored twice.
Rangers 9, Tigers 1
Jonah Heim and Josh Smith each homered and Jose Urena took a perfect game into the sixth inning as Texas salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a win over Detroit in Arlington, Texas.
Urena (2-5) had his no-hitter broken up by Justyn-Henry Malloy’s first major league hit, a leadoff homer in the sixth. The home run was the only hit allowed by Urena, who walked one and struck out six over 6 2/3 innings.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager exited with left hamstring tightness after extending his on-base streak to a career-high 28 games with a run-scoring single in the second inning. Detroit starter Kenta Maeda threw two pitches before departing the game due to right side abdominal discomfort.
Blue Jays 3, Orioles 2
Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a walk-off single to deep right field against Craig Kimbrel (4-2) in the bottom of the ninth inning as Toronto defeated visiting Baltimore.
Justin Turner had three hits for the Blue Jays, who are 3-3 on their seven-game homestand. Yimi Garcia (2-0) pitched a perfect ninth to earn the win.
Anthony Santander hit a solo home run for the Orioles, who had won the first two games of the four-game series by a combined score of 17-3.
Rays 5, Marlins 3
Isaac Paredes doubled twice and drove in three runs as visiting Tampa Bay defeated Miami.
Since 2019, the Rays are 23-3 against the Marlins, including a two-game mini-sweep in this week’s series. Tampa Bay starter Zach Eflin, who had been out due to back inflammation, pitched for the first time since May 18, allowing two runs on three hits in four innings.
Richard Lovelady (2-4) tossed a scoreless sixth inning to earn the win. Miami starter Braxton Garrett (2-1) gave up five runs on six hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
Angels 3, Padres 2
Nolan Schanuel and Zach Neto homered and Jose Soriano pitched six solid innings to help Los Angeles beat San Diego, completing a three-game sweep in Anaheim, Calif.
Soriano (3-5) allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits. Matt Moore tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season.
Fernando Tatis Jr. went 4-for-4 with an RBI for the Padres. Manny Machado exited in the fourth inning with a mild right hip flexor strain and is day-to-day, according to manager Mike Shildt.
Mets 9, Nationals 1
Luis Torrens hit two of New York’s three home runs, Luis Severino pitched eight strong innings and the visiting Mets beat Washington to complete a three-game sweep.
Francisco Lindor had two hits and went back-to-back with Torrens during a six-run sixth inning, while Harrison Bader drove in three runs with a double and a sacrifice fly for the Mets. Severino (4-2) gave up one run on seven hits.
Jesse Winker had two hits for the Nationals, who have lost five of their past six. Washington starter Patrick Corbin (1-7) allowed six runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Cardinals 4, Astros 2
Nolan Arenado homered among the team’s five hits as St. Louis eked out a victory over host Houston to salvage the finale of the three-game series.
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (4-6) allowed two runs and scattered five hits over six innings, striking out three without issuing a walk. Ryan Helsley pitched the ninth for his 20th save.
Yainer Diaz and Trey Cabbage hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning for the Astros.
Red Sox 9, Braves 0
Nick Pivetta pitched seven shutout innings and Rafael Devers hit two home runs as Boston blanked visiting Atlanta to split the teams’ two-game series.
Devers hit a solo shot in the second inning and added a two-run bomb in the seventh. Jarren Duran also went deep for the Red Sox, while Jamie Westbrook collected his first major league hit in his third game.
Austin Riley’s fourth-inning single against Pivetta (3-4) was the only hit for the Braves, who were shut out for the first time this season.
Giants 9, Diamondbacks 3
Wilmer Flores hit a grand slam in a six-run third inning and San Francisco ended a six-game losing streak with a win against Arizona in the finale of a three-game series in Phoenix.
Heliot Ramos and Jorge Soler also homered and Thairo Estrada had three hits and an RBI for San Francisco. Giants starter Jordan Hicks allowed two runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Arizona starter Jordan Montgomery (3-4) allowed six runs and seven hits in two-plus innings. Pavin Smith had three hits, including a solo homer, and Blaze Alexander and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had two hits each for Arizona, which was trying to win a season-high fifth game in a row.
Phillies 2, Brewers 0
Nick Castellanos smacked a two-run homer to lift host Philadelphia to a victory over Milwaukee, completing a three-game sweep.
Castellanos stayed hot after hitting a walk-off RBI double in the 10th inning of the Phillies’ 2-1 win on Tuesday. Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola (8-2) tossed seven shutout innings and allowed two hits. Jose Alvarado threw a scoreless ninth for his 11th save.
The Brewers managed only three hits, with two coming from William Contreras. Milwaukee starter Aaron Ashby (0-2) gave up two hits and two runs in five innings.
Cubs 7, White Sox 6
Mike Tauchman led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run as the Cubs handed the visiting White Sox their 13th consecutive loss.
Tauchman, who finished 2-for-4 with three runs, lined a 98 mph fastball from White Sox reliever Michael Kopech (1-6) into the bleachers in left-center. The 398-foot shot was his first career walk-off homer and his fifth long ball of the season.
Dansby Swanson went 2-for-3 with two runs, Cody Bellinger had two RBIs and Hector Neris (6-0) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Corey Julks and Paul DeJong went deep for the White Sox, who tied their record for the longest single-season losing streak, a mark set from Aug. 9-26, 1924.
Athletics 2, Mariners 1
Joey Estes took a perfect game into the seventh inning, Zack Gelof hit a home run and Oakland held off visiting Seattle.
Estes (2-1) wound up yielding one hit and no walks in 6 1/3 innings. Mason Miller recorded the first five-out save of his career, his 12th overall this season, to help the A’s end a two-game losing streak. The Mariners had won four games in a row and eight of the past nine.
Logan Gilbert (3-4) pitched well in defeat, allowing just two runs, only one of which was earned, in seven innings. Julio Rodriguez’s ninth-inning homer accounted for the Mariners’ lone run.
Royals-Guardians, ppd.
Kansas City’s scheduled game at Cleveland was postponed due to inclement weather. The contest will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 26.
NFL NEWS
LIONS DB KHALIL DORSEY CARTED OFF FIELD WITH LOWER LEG INJURY DURING TEAM’S MANDATORY MINICAMP
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions defensive back Khalil Dorsey was carted off the field with a lower leg injury during the team’s mandatory minicamp on Wednesday.
Dorsey was a key player, mostly on special teams, for the NFC North-champion Lions last season. He played in 13 games during the regular season, including two as a starter, and appeared in all three playoff games.
The 26-year-old Dorsey starred at Northern Arizona. After going undrafted, he played in six games as a rookie in 2020 with the Baltimore Ravens before going on injured reserve. He was with the New York Giants during the offseason in 2022 and Detroit signed him to its practice squad late in that year.
Dorsey, who was re-signed in March, is part of a suddenly deep secondary with the Lions.
The Lions attempted to improve a weakness with moves such as acquiring Carlton Davis III in a trade with Tampa Bay and drafting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds of the draft.
Earlier this week, before Dorsey was injured, Lions coach Dan Campbell said the team has a lot of options in the secondary due to talent, competitiveness and versatility.
“Honestly, we have no idea who our starting lineup’s going to be right now and it’s exciting,” Campbell said Tuesday. “It’s so good. There’s no telling who’s going to be outside corners, who’s going to be our nickel, who’s going to be our safeties.
“This thing is wide open across the board. It’s going to be great to let these guys compete and just go after it and see who is going to be the most reliable guys for us, most dependable.”
BROWNS SIGN GM ANDREW BERRY, KEVIN STEFANSKI TO EXTENSIONS
The Cleveland Browns signed general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski to contract extensions on Wednesday.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed for Berry and Stefanski, who arrived in Cleveland ahead of the 2020 season. Two playoff berths and two NFL Coach of the Year awards for Stefanski apparently were reason enough for the Browns to extend their contracts.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry leading the Cleveland Browns,” team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “Since the day they were hired, each has worked tirelessly to help the Cleveland Browns win.
“We are proud of what they and the team have achieved, but Kevin and Andrew would be the first to say that Browns fans deserve even more. Their leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to overcome obstacles bode well for the future of this franchise.”
The Browns have posted a 37-30 record under their watch, highlighted in 2020 by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Cleveland overcame season-ending injuries to star running back Nick Chubb and starting quarterback Deshaun Watson to finish with an 11-6 record in 2023 and a postseason berth. Seven players on the Browns were selected to the Pro Bowl.
“Despite facing multiple player injuries and using five different starting quarterbacks, Andrew and his staff built a roster that adapted well, while Kevin and his staff led the team to its second playoff appearance in four years, earning Coach of the Year honors for the second time in that period,” the Haslams said. “They are two of the brightest people we know, and selfless people who only care about what is best for the Cleveland Browns. We are thrilled that Kevin and Andrew will remain with the team for the future.”
COWBOYS’ ZACK MARTIN: RETIREMENT POSSIBLE AFTER 2024 SEASON
Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin acknowledged that the upcoming season could be his last.
“I’m not saying 100 percent, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities,” the seven-time All-Pro said of the notion of retirement, per The Dallas Morning News.
“And that’s one thing I don’t want to do. For myself, I don’t want to be thinking, ‘Oh, this is it. This is it.’ I want to stay in the moment, and I want to play the best that I can play at this point and be the best right guard this team needs on a weekly basis. And then after the season, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”
The Cowboys are adjusting the departure of left tackle Tyron Smith, who left the team this offseason and signed with the New York Jets.
Smith, 33, is a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection. He was voted to eight Pro Bowls in his 13 seasons wth the Cowboys.
Martin, who turns 34 in November, is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection. He has started all 152 games in which he has played since the Cowboys selected him with the 16th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.
REPORT: 49ERS, JETS, COLTS TRIED TO TRADE FOR JEFFERSON
The Minnesota Vikings received calls from at least three teams interested in trading for Justin Jefferson before signing the superstar receiver to a long-term contract.
The San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, and Indianapolis Colts all reached out to the Vikings about Jefferson, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“This was all before the draft,” Schefter said on the latest episode of “The Adam Schefter Podcast.” “And every team that called the Vikings before the draft was told, ‘We’re not trading him.’ The conversations went nowhere with anybody.”
Jefferson – who became the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback Monday – negotiated a new deal with Minnesota for over a year, and his future was the subject of speculation before the two sides finally agreed to a four-year, $140-million deal this week.
There were rumors that the Vikings tried to jump into the top five of the NFL draft in April to select LSU receiver Malik Nabers in a move that would’ve resulted in trading Jefferson. Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell, however, said Tuesday that the team “never” considered moving the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year. O’Connell’s outfit drafted quarterback J.J. McCarthy in 2024 after moving up one spot to No. 10 overall.
Jefferson has recorded 392 receptions, 5,899 yards, and 30 touchdowns since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2020. The former LSU star has averaged 98.3 yards per game, a league record among players with at least 200 catches.
Despite the unsuccessful reported attempt to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler, the 49ers, Jets, and Colts added to their respective wide receiver rooms this year.
San Francisco – which shopped star wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel in April – used a Round 1 pick on receiver Ricky Pearsall. With Aiyuk, Samuel, Pearsall, and dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey, the Niners have one of the NFL’s most dynamic skill-position player groups.
New York had an aggressive 2024 offseason, as the team tried to improve the supporting cast around Aaron Rodgers. The Jets signed two-time 1,000-yard receiver Mike Williams and drafted wideout Malachi Corley in the third round. They joined a WR depth chart headlined by 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson.
Indianapolis took second-round pass-catcher AD Mitchell to give second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson a new weapon. The Colts also signed their top wide receiver, Michael Pittman Jr., to a three-year, $70-million contract in March after originally placing the franchise tag on him.
Jefferson tied a career single-game high with 12 catches against Indy in a Week 15 matchup in 2022. He had 123 yards and one TD versus the Colts that day.
GENERAL SPORTS NEWS
PRO ATHLETES UNDERSTAND GAMBLING ON THEIR GAMES IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE NO-NO. SOME LEARNED THE HARD WAY
BOSTON (AP) — Professional athletes get the lecture at the start of every season, and see the warnings any time they walk into their locker room or clubhouse: If you gamble on your games, the consequences are severe.
And, every once in a while, there is a more personal reminder.
When Major League Baseball banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for life — following the NBA’s permanent exile of Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter in April — it reinforced the message that the talk about gambling isn’t just talk.
“What you do in the dark will come to light, I guess,” Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen said this week after Marcano, his former teammate, was banished. “And you’ve got to deal with the consequences of poor choices.”
A 24-year-old Venezuelan with 149 games of major league experience, Marcano was the first active baseball player in a century banned for life for gambling. MLB said he placed hundreds of bets totaling more than $150,000 on baseball in 2022 and 2023 — including wagers on the Pirates while he was on Pittsburgh’s big league injured list.
“I don’t know if it’s anywhere closer to home than here, because a lot of these guys were his teammates,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We’re talking about a 24-year-old kid that’s been banned for life. I think that’ll resonate extremely hard in our clubhouse.”
Baseball dodged an even bigger scandal when two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani was found to be blameless in connection with the millions of dollars in bets placed by his former interpreter. Ippei Mizuhara admitted stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete’s bank account to fund his gambling addiction; he pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud on Wednesday — the same day MLB banned Marcano and suspended four other players, who bet on major league games while in the minors, for one year.
Porter, who played 37 career NBA games for Memphis and Toronto over the last four seasons, went even further – sharing inside information with bettors and taking himself out of games early to help deliver the under on prop bets.
Other players said they should have known they were gambling with their careers.
“The rules are very clear, and everybody knows what not to do,” Dallas Mavericks swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. said Wednesday at media day before the opener of the NBA Finals. “We have countless, countless meetings in the summer and during preseason and throughout the season.”
Gambling has long been a scourge of professional sports, at least since the 1919 Chicago White Sox threw the World Series and brought to the forefront the risk of players giving less than their full effort. For decades after, any connection with gambling was forbidden.
“The reason is simple: We have to protect the integrity of this game,” said Torey Lovullo, who managed one of the suspended players, pitcher Andrew Saalfrank, for parts of this season and last.
But leagues more recently opened their minds — and wallets — to some forms of gambling, once they realized they could get a piece of the action. What started with an acceptance of fantasy sports became a widespread embrace of full-on sports gambling since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for it in most states.
Still, gambling on one’s own sport remains a no-no.
The fear is that players — especially those at the lower end of the salary scale — could be swayed by gamblers offering them a cut if they shave a few points or make a timely error or pull themselves out of a game before they a milestone is hit, as Porter did. (Porter made $1.9 million in 2021-22 but was earning around $400,000 on a two-way contract this season.)
“I’d like to think there’s too much integrity within our fraternity to do that, but honestly I know money can sway a lot of people. I hope that’s not the case at all,” Detroit Tigers player representative Casey Mize said Wednesday. “And, yes, the fact that it’s taken three or four years for this to come out is, you can’t help but think maybe there will be more the past few years.”
Baseball Rule 21 — many players and managers can cite it by number — says: “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.” It’s posted in every clubhouse in English and Spanish.
Shelton called it the “one non-negotiable rule we have in our sport. … The gold standard.”
“They just make it so clear that ‘Fine, go bet on the other things, but don’t bet on your sport,’” Mets outfielder and union representative Brandon Nimmo said before New York’s game against the Nationals on Wednesday. “For me, it’s such a clear-cut line that you know you are doing wrong when you are doing it.”
As Nimmo spoke, the 4,000 square-foot BetMGM Sportsbook in the left field concourse was efficiently separating fans from their money. A BetMGM sign just to the right of the batter’s eye in center field reminded those in the stands that their next bet was no farther away than their smartphone.
“But also just because they are selling beers here doesn’t mean I want to have a beer before the game,” Nimmo said. “There are things that we have to abstain from that are available at the park.”
No matter what rules and safeguards are in place, Nimmo said, someone will try to find a way around them.
But not him.
“I am just not that greedy,” he said. “For me, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.”
BETTING SCANDALS FOR MLB’S MARCANO AND NBA’S PORTER ARE HARDLY THE FIRST IN PRO SPORTS
Sports and gambling are once again in the spotlight following lifetime bans handed to San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano and Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter.
MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023. The 24-year-old Venezuelan with 149 games of major league experience became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling.
New York Giants outfielder Jimmy O’Connell in 1924 was the last active major leaguer banned for life under the sport’s gambling provision. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader, agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after an investigation concluded he bet on Cincinnati Reds games while managing the team.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly was also suspended for one year on Tuesday for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues, and three minor leaguers also were banned for one year for betting on big league games: pitchers Jay Groome of San Diego and Andrew Saalfrank of Arizona, and infielder José Rodríguez of Philadelphia. Each of those four players wagered under $1,000. Saalfrank and Rodríguez played previously in the majors.
Those bans came nearly two months after an NBA probe found Porter disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games, even betting on the Raptors to lose.
Here is a glance at other betting scandals involving professional sports:
— In 1920, a Chicago grand jury indicted eight members of the Chicago White Sox on charges of fixing the 1919 World Series, which became known as the “Black Sox Scandal.” White Sox owner Charles Comiskey immediately suspended the eight players, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and they were banned permanently a year later by newly appointed baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Although a jury returned a not guilty verdict on all charges against the eight, their ban from baseball remains in place.
— In 1946, Hockey hall of famer Babe Pratt was suspended for gambling before being reinstated weeks later, with the NHL Board of Governors issuing a warning that any further instances of gambling would lead to a player’s lifetime suspension.
— In 1948, Billy Taylor and Don Gallinger were issued lifetime bans from the NHL for betting on hockey games.
— In 1951, 35 active and former players were accused of fixing at least 86 games between 1947 and 1951. Among those implicated were four members of the Adolph Rupp-coached Kentucky Wildcats, accused of taking bribes from gamblers ahead of an NIT game against Loyola during the 1948-49 season. An NCAA investigation found several violations, which led to the cancellation of Kentucky’s 1952-53 season.
— In 1980, two Italian soccer teams were relegated and five others penalized for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal that was dubbed “Totonero.” Most notably, Paolo Rossi was banned for two years for his involvement while playing for Perugia.
— In 1981, Former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn and four others, including New York mobster Jimmy Burke, were convicted of conspiring to fix basketball games in the 1978-79 season.
— In 1985, Tulane suspended its basketball program in the wake of point-shaving and other allegations. The school resumed basketball for the 1989-90 season.
— In 1989, Pete Rose agreed to a lifetime ban after an investigation for MLB by lawyer John Dowd found Rose placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985-87 while playing for and managing the team. Now 82, baseball’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits remains ineligible for induction into Cooperstown, and has numerous requests for reinstatement denied.
— In 1996, 13 Boston College football players were suspended for gambling, including two who bet against B.C. in a 45-17 loss to Syracuse. Coach Dan Henning, who informed school officials upon hearing allegations of players placing bets with bookies, resigned. No evidence of point-shaving was found.
— In 2007, current Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet was placed on two years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling while serving as an assistant coach with the Coyotes. He was reinstated by the NHL the following year. Also initially implicated in a gambling scheme titled “Operation Slapshot” involving a New Jersey-based ring were several players, Wayne Gretzky’s wife, Janet Jones, and Gretzky’s former agent and then Coyotes GM Michael Barnett.
— In 2008, NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty to wire fraud and transmitting betting information for taking thousands of dollars from a gambler for inside tips on games, including games he worked. He was sentenced by a federal judge to 15 months behind bars.
— In 2019, former Wales men’s rugby team captain Rob Howley was sent home on the eve of the Rugby World Cup, where he was to work as an assistant coach. Howley had made 363 bets, including on Wales’ 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam decider against Ireland. He was suspended from rugby for 18 months.
— In 2021, England defender Kieran Trippier was banned for 10 weeks after providing insider information on his potential transfer to friends who were then betting on the outcome.
— In the NFL, at least 15 players have been suspended by the league for gambling violations. The list dates to 1963, when two eventual hall of famers, Green Bay halfback Paul Hornung and Detroit defensive tackle Alex Karras, were suspended for the season for betting on league games. In 2022, the NFL suspended then Atlanta receiver Calvin Ridley for the entire season for gambling on NFL games a year earlier while away from the Falcons addressing mental health concerns.
— In May 2023, Brazil’s lower house of Congress opened a probe into a soccer match-fixing scandal. It is the third investigation into evidence of wrongdoing by soccer players who allegedly made sure to get bookings and gave away penalties in exchange for bribes.
— Last summer, six-time major tournament-winning golfer Phil Mickelson was alleged to have wagered more than $1 billion over the last three decades, and wanted to place a $400,000 bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup, while representing Team USA, in a book written by renowned gambler Billy Walters. A month later, Mickelson wrote in a lengthy social media post that he has stopped gambling, and acknowledging his betting habits crossed the line from moderation to addiction. Mickelson denied ever betting on the Ryder Cup.
— Soccer players Ivan Toney of Brentford, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle and Nicolò Fagioli of Juventus have all served gambling bans this season. Fagioli was banned for seven months by the Italian soccer federation. Italian player Tonali was banned for 10 months last year for betting on teams he played for.
— In October, the NHL issued a 41-game suspension to Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto for sports gambling. The NHL would only say there was no evidence of Pinto betting on hockey. Pinto declined to reveal any details upon rejoining the Senators in January.
— In March, the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter and close friend of newly acquired two-way star Shohei Ohtani following reports regarding his ties to an illegal bookmaker. Three months later, Mizuhara pled guilty in federal court to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account. He spent the money to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker, plus $325,000 worth of baseball cards and his own medical bills. Mizuhara capitalized on the language barrier to keep Ohtani’s financial advisers from understanding their client, and at times, Mizuhara even impersonated the player to the bank to prolong the fraud.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
KANSAS LOSES GUARD ELMARKO JACKSON TO TORN PATELLAR TENDON DURING BILL SELF’S BASKETBALL CAMP
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson, who started 17 games as a freshman and was expected to be a big contributor this season, tore his patellar tendon during a scrimmage at Jayhawks coach Bill Self’s basketball camp.
Jackson, who was injured Tuesday, will have surgery in the next few days, the school said Wednesday, but the rehab process is likely to take a full year. That is a major blow to the backcourt of the Jayhawks, whom many expect to be the No. 1 team in the preseason AP Top 25.
Jackson, a former McDonald’s All-American, averaged 4.3 points last season.
“We are all crushed by this,” Self said in a statement. “Elmarko has had a terrific spring. He has worked so hard and has improved so much. This will be a challenge that he will meet head-on and he will return as good as ever.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
5-STAR LB ZAYDEN WALKER COMMITS TO GEORGIA
Five-star linebacker Zayden Walker, a Top 25 player in the Class of 2025, committed to Georgia on Wednesday.
Walker, the second-ranked linebacker in the class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, chose the Bulldogs over Florida State, Miami, Penn State and South Carolina among 29 offers.
“It felt like home,” Walker told On3 Sports. “I made my decision to commit to Georgia over the weekend when I was on my official visit. I had been close to committing before, but that was the right time. My family was there, I knew that is where I wanted to go and I made my decision.”
The Schley County High School standout from Ellaville is considered the 23rd-best prospect in the class, fifth-best out of Georgia, according to 247.
EXPANDED COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF WILL BEGIN WITH 1ST-ROUND GAME ON DEC. 20 IN PRIME TIME
The first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff will kick off with a first-round game on Dec. 20 and conclude with the title game one month later in Atlanta.
The CFP announced its entire schedule on Wednesday. The four first-round games will be on Dec. 20 and 21. ABC and ESPN will televise games on Friday and Saturday night with an 8 p.m. EST kickoff, while TNT will have the Dec. 21 afternoon games at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. The afternoon games will go up against a pair of NFL games with Houston-Kansas City at 1 p.m. and Baltimore-Pittsburgh at 4:30 p.m.
Mike Mulvihill, Fox president for insights and analytics, thinks there will be room to accommodate both audiences. Fox has the Ravens-Steelers game as it goes up against a CFP late afternoon matchups.
“I think it will be fine for the NFL and college football to coexist on that date. I think both events will rate just fine,” he said.
The four first-round games, which will be played on college campuses, will be announced on Dec. 8. TNT has a pair of games through a sublicense with ESPN.
ESPN’s $7.8 billion deal with the CFP, which was announced in March, allowed it to sublicense games to other networks. Financial terms of the sublicense were not announced.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship will air on ESPN.
The top four conference champions will receive first-round byes. The quarterfinals will begin on Dec. 31 with the Fiesta Bowl at 7:30 p.m. New Year’s Day will kick-off with the Peach Bowl at 1 p.m. followed by the Rose Bowl in its traditional 5 p.m. spot and the Sugar Bowl at 8:45 p.m.
The semifinals are the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10. Both have 7:30 p.m. start times before the championship game takes place on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
ESPN will announce its schedule for most of the bowl games on Thursday.
MEN’S GOLF
TOP PLAYERS TEE OFF IN MAJOR TUNE-UP AT MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
It is fitting that, to prepare for the U.S. Open, the best golfers in the world will play the invitational hosted by golf’s greatest major champion.
Nine of the top 10 players in the world rankings and the entire top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings will tee off Thursday in the Memorial Tournament, which has long been hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Missing from the group is Jon Rahm of Spain, who is ranked seventh in the world but as a LIV Golf member is ineligible for the Memorial.
Nicklaus would prefer his tournament be returned to the weekend that shares its name, Memorial Day weekend, but the PGA Tour designed the 2024 schedule to have signature events on either side of the U.S. Open for a three-week stretch of elite golf.
A field of just 73 players will compete for the $20 million purse, but as a “player-hosted” invitational, the Memorial still features a 36-hole cut to the top 50 players and ties.
Players’ opinions may differ over whether they want to play a tournament the week before a major, but what remains constant is the current generation’s reverence for Nicklaus, the 18-time major winner.
“I always dreamed of coming here and playing in this tournament and it’s a dream come true just to be here in the field,” said Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, who’s making his fourth start at the Memorial. “So I’m excited. It would mean a lot to me to be able to shake his hand and win this golf tournament with all the history here and what Mr. Nicklaus has meant to the game and, like I said, it’s just an honor to be in the field this week.”
Viktor Hovland of Norway shook Nicklaus’ hand last season after he defeated Denny McCarthy in a playoff. That propelled Hovland into a stellar summer that culminated with him winning the final two legs of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Since then, he was having a disappointing 2024 before a third-place finish at the PGA Championship.
Hovland reunited with his old swing coach, Joe Mayo, which seemed to coincide with his return to form at the last major.
“Yeah, it feels the same,” Hovland said of that relationship. “Talking about the same stuff and working along the same lines. We’re getting some good work done and I’m pretty pumped to play the rest of the summer.”
This will be the first tournament Xander Schauffele plays since winning the PGA Championship last month and rising to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He had finished second at the Wells Fargo Championship the week prior, and statistically he has looked like the best golfer not named Scheffler this year.
“The type of golf I was playing those past two weeks is definitely the golf you need to play on a property like Muirfield, no doubt,” Schauffele said. “I think it’s just a really penalizing golf course if you’re slightly off, and there’s a chance that (in the past) I was either not in the right head space or I was maybe a little too aggressive at times around this property.”
The field also features stars such as two-time Memorial winner Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Collin Morikawa and Max Homa. Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, last week’s winner at the RBC Canadian Open, chose to withdraw to rest before the U.S. Open.
2024 THE MEMORIAL: PREVIEW, PROPS, BEST BETS
The final tune-up before next week’s U.S. Open just happens to be one of the biggest non-major events of the year.
Jack Nicklaus’ the Memorial Tournament begins Thursday at Muirfield Village, which is also the seventh signature event of the year featuring an elite 73-player field competing for the $20 million purse.
Our golf experts preview the event and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
Location: Dublin, Ohio, June 6-9
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (Par 72, 7,571 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $4M)
Defending Champion: Viktor Hovland
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @MemorialGolf
PROP PICKS
–Collin Morikawa to beat Xander Schauffele (+105 at DraftKings): Schauffele claimed his first major title in his most recent start and has been a top-10 machine with nine through 11 2024 events. But Morikawa has also rediscovered elite form, posting consecutive fourths and five top-10s over his past five starts. It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Schauffele since his breakthrough major victory, while Morikawa hunts for his first win since October.
–Viktor Hovland as top Scandanavian (+140 at BetMGM): After a rough start to 2024, Hovland reconnected with his previous swing coach and immediately contended until the 72nd hole at the PGA Championship. He also won at Muirfield in a playoff last year, but does have to fend off stiff competition in this prop. Ludvig Aberg (+150) has skyrocketed to sixth in the world with five top-10s already this year, while Alex Noren (+275) has displayed strong recent form that includes six top-20s in his past nine starts.
–Si Woo Kim Top 20 (+140 at DraftKings): Signature events make for some attractive finishing place bets due to their limited fields. This week is 73 players, meaning Kim needs to only beat 53 for a quality pay off. He is coming off a MC and a T56 in his past two starts, but Kim has three consecutive top-20s prior to that and finished fourth here last year.
2024 Prop Picks Record: 30-33-1
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+360 at DraftKings) has won four of his past seven starts, including the Masters, The Players Championship and two signature events. He finished third last year, one stroke out of a playoff between Hovland and Denny McCarthy. Scheffler has been backed by 20 percent of the money wagered on the winner, more than twice that of any other player in the field.
–Xander Schauffele (+900) makes his first start since claiming his first career major at the PGA Championship. He has been backed by a modest 3 percent of the money.
–Rory McIlroy (+900) seeks his third win of the season but has never finished better than T4 at the Memorial (2016).
–Collin Morikawa (+1400) has consecutive fourth-place finishes and is second at the book with 9 percent of the money backing him to win for the first time in 2024.
–Viktor Hovland (+1600) is trying to join Tiger Woods as the only player to win the Memorial in consecutive years. He’s coming off a solo third at the PGA Championship.
–Patrick Cantlay (+2500) is seeking his first win since 2022. However, the 2019 and 2021 champion’s 70.32 career scoring average at Muirfield Village is the lowest among players with at least 10 rounds.
NOTES
–Muirfield Village has played host to the tournament every year since 1976 and is the only course in the United States to host the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup.
–Each of the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings are in the 73-player field along with nine of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.
–Robert MacIntyre withdrew from the event one day after claiming his first PGA Tour victory (Canadian Open).
–The four sponsors exemptions this week are Billy Horschel, Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Alex Noren. 2024 Jack Nicklaus Award winner Jackson Koivun, a freshman at Auburn, was also awarded a spot in the field as the best Division I college golfer.
–The Aon Swing 5 players who earned spots in the field are Davis Riley, Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup, Victory Perez and Davis Thompson, who replaced MacIntyre.
RACING NEWS
RACING ICON PARNELLI JONES DIES AT 90
Parnelli Jones, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1963, died Tuesday in Torrance, Calif. He was 90.
“The racing world has lost a great competitor and a true champion,” read a statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske. “Parnelli Jones was one of the most accomplished racers in history, and his determination and will to win made him one of the toughest competitors I have ever seen.
“From racing against him on track to competing against him as a fellow team owner, I always respected Parnelli’s passion and commitment to the sport he loved. I was proud to call Parnelli a good friend for many years, and our thoughts are with his family as we remember one of the true legends of motorsports.”
Jones, a native of Arkansas who was raised in Southern California, became the first driver to qualify for the Indy 500 at a speed in excess of 150 mph. He also is the only driver to lead the race twice for 400 or more miles, according to the IndyCar series.
He took part in seven Indianapolis 500 races and led for 171 of the first 196 laps in 1967 before a ball bearing broke three laps from the finish.
Jones retired as an Indy car driver in 1968 at age 34 but co-owned the team that won the Indy 500 in 1970 and 1971 with Al Unser behind the wheel.
He drove in other disciplines, too, including on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit until 1970, winning four times. His final NASCAR victory came at the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway on Jan. 22, 1967.
His team, Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing, also branched out in Formula One, the Sports Car Club of America’s Formula 5000 road racing series and the USAC Dirt Car series.
Still, it was his win 61 years ago in Indianapolis that Jones said defined him.
“The thing about Indianapolis is that it gives you a title for all time, it opens doors for you forever,” Jones told Motorsport.com in 2016. “I won a lot of races in other cars — sprint cars, midgets, stock cars, Baja 1000, because that’s what a lot of us did in those days. But even so, I’m introduced as the ’63 Indy 500 winner. That’s the status this place gives you.”
WOMEN’S TENNIS
MIRRA ANDREEVA DEFEATS NO. 2 ARYNA SABALENKA TO REACH THE FRENCH OPEN SEMIFINALS AT AGE 17
PARIS (AP) — Mirra Andreeva, an unseeded 17-year-old from Russia, surprised No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4 at the the French Open on Wednesday to become the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since Martina Hingis at age 16 in 1997.
“I tried to play brave,” the 38th-ranked Andreeva said. “And I managed to win.”
She is also the youngest player to eliminate someone ranked No. 1 or 2 at Roland Garros since Monica Seles — like Hingis, now a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame — was 16 when she beat Steffi Graf in the 1990 final.
Andreeva has yet to win a tour-level title of any sort and is competing in only her fifth Slam tournament.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, is a two-time champion at the Australian Open, including in January, and had won the first 23 Grand Slam sets she played in 2024 until dropping two in a row against Andreeva. Sabalenka was visited multiple times by a trainer and doctor on Wednesday and often clutched at her midsection, although it was not clear what was wrong.
When she broke to end the match with a beautiful lob that Sabalenka didn’t even move to try to get to, Andreeva broke into a wild smile, then covered her face with both hands.
“Honestly, I was really nervous before the match. I knew that she would have an advantage, especially with the crowd,” said Andreeva, whose older sister, 19-year-old Erika, lost to Sabalenka in the first round last week. “But I actually was a little surprised, because you guys also cheered for me.”
On Thursday, Andreeva will face another newcomer to this stage: 12th-seeded Jasmine Paolini, a 28-year-old from Italy, who reached her first major semifinal with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion two years ago.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Paolini, who has won two titles in her career, neither on clay courts.
The other matchup Thursday involves two players who have far more experience and far greater accomplishments: No. 1 Iga Swiatek against No. 3 Coco Gauff. Swiatek is seeking her fifth Grand Slam title and fourth in Paris; Gauff won the U.S. Open last September and was the runner-up to Swiatek at Roland Garros in 2022. They both won quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Whoever wins that semifinal is likely to be a big favorite in the final against Andreeva or Paolini.
Had Sabalenka and Rybakina won Wednesday, this would have been only the second time in the professional era, which began in 1968, that the women seeded 1-4 all advanced to the semifinals. The other was way back in 1992, when Seles, Graf, Gabriela Sabatini and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario did it.
But Paolini and Andreeva put a stop to that.
Andreeva already had shown plenty of promise, making her way to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year and the Australian Open this year. She is precocious on the court and off, and is still refining her game, currently with the help of coach Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion.
“I kind of see the game. I just play wherever I want. I don’t even have a plan,” Andreeva said with a chuckle. “So when I see an open space on the court, I try to play there. Or if I think that maybe she will run there, I try to play behind her back or something like that. Me and my coach, we had a plan today, but again I didn’t remember anything during the match. I just try to feel as I play and that’s it.”
Paolini exited in the first or second round in each of her first 16 Grand Slam appearances before making it to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
With Jannik Sinner into the men’s semifinals, it is the first time an Italian woman and Italian man both have appeared in the final four at the same Grand Slam tournament in the same year. It’s quite a moment for their country in tennis: On Monday, Sinner will become the first man to be No. 1 in the ATP rankings.
Paolini finished with 22 unforced errors, fewer than half of Rybakina’s 48. And Paolini accumulated seven breaks against the big-serving Rybakina, who hit 10 aces.
Paolini dominated the opening set, making just one unforced error while Rybakina made 16. In the second set, after getting within a point of a 5-3 lead, Paolini lost a bit of nerve, allowing Rybakina to force a third.
The final set went back-and-forth, until Paolini broke one last time for a 5-4 edge, then served out the victory and let out a yell when Rybakina sent a backhand long.
“I (got) a little bit too emotional in the second set,” Paolini said. “But then I said to myself: ‘OK. It’s good. She’s a great champion so it can happen. Just fight. Try to keep it there. Try to hit every ball.’ And, yeah, it worked.”
MEN’S TENNIS
ALEXANDER ZVEREV REACHES FRENCH OPEN SEMIS FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR
Alexander Zverev punched his ticket to the French Open semifinals for the fourth straight year with a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4 quarterfinal victory over Alex de Minaur on Wednesday in Paris.
The fourth-seeded Zverev converted 5 of 6 break points while knocking off the 11th-seeded de Minaur of Australia.
Zverev has won 11 consecutive matches entering his semifinal clash with No. 7 seed Casper Ruud of Norway, who advanced via walkover due to top-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic withdrawing due to a right knee injury sustained in the previous round.
Zverev wasn’t particularly sharp with 48 unforced errors and 20 winners on Wednesday, but the German came through during pivotal times in the match.
Now his focus is on reaching his second Grand Slam final. In the first one, Zverev lost to Austria’s Dominic Thiem in five sets in the 2020 U.S. Open, falling after winning the first two sets.
“I have a mindset that you have to work harder than everyone else to be the best player,” Zverev said after Wednesday’s victory. “I think the best players are all doing that.
“For me, I like to work to my limit and, if I do that, playing five sets is not that difficult. I have been doing that over many years now and I am happy it is paying off. I am happy to be in another semifinal, hopefully I can win one.”
After winning the first set, Zverev had to rally in the second, as de Minaur held a 6-5 lead. Zverev staved off a set point before winning the game to force a tiebreaker.
Zverev fell behind 4-0 in the tiebreak before battling back. He eventually posted the final four points to win the set.
“Running for everything, putting the balls back in the court, sometimes it pays off,” Zverev said. “I wish I would be more aggressive sometimes, but if I’m winning, I’m happy. I’m in the semifinals, and that’s all that matters.”
In the third set, Zverev held a 5-2 lead before de Minaur won the next two games. Zverev then broke the Aussie’s serve to finish off the victory.
While de Minaur had 28 winners, he was hurt by 53 unforced errors.
Meanwhile, Ruud will be well-rested on Friday due to Djokovic’s injury. Ruud has lost in the final in each of the past two French Opens — falling to Spaniard Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Djokovic last season.
Ruud also easily defeated Zverev in three sets in last year’s semis at Roland Garros.
No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy and third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain will meet in Friday’s other semifinal.
TOP INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES
COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS’ KELLY AGAINST 18-GAME REGULAR SEASON: ‘TOO MANY’
Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly strongly disagrees with the idea of the NFL adding an 18th regular-season game in the future.
“Eighteen games sounds great when Roger (Goodell is) saying it on Pat McAfee,” Kelly said about a recent interview with the NFL commissioner on “The Pat McAfee Show,” according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. “But until you’re the one that’s going out there and putting the helmet on for 18 of those games, then come talk to me.”
Kelly, the Colts’ NFLPA representative, is a vice president on the union’s executive committee.
In April, Goodell said that the league is “good” with 17 games but that he would like to see a schedule featuring 18 regular-season games and two preseason contests at some point. The NFL set its current format in 2021 with three preseason games and 17 regular-season appearances for each team, up from 16 as part of the previous slate.
“I (wish) people understood how hard it was to play 16, then they (added) another one?” Kelly said. “And they get rid of preseason games, well, OK, who’s that going to hurt? The guys that don’t have a shot, the guys that are the undrafted guys or late-round (picks) that need to go out there and improve themselves. I think that the fans see it like they don’t watch the preseason games, but they have no idea what goes on inside the building.”
“I just think it’s too many games,” the 31-year-old added.
The current collective bargaining agreement between players and owners – which runs through the 2030 season – can be amended or renegotiated, notes Holder. Adding a 17th game to the schedule was a hot topic around the NFL during the league’s most recent CBA negotiations. The deal ultimately passed with 51.5% of players voting in favor.
A first-round pick in 2016, Kelly has started 111 games for the Colts since entering the NFL. However, the four-time Pro Bowler has played only three full seasons in the league and missed three games due to injury in 2023.
INDIANA FEVER
FEVER HOPING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MUCH-NEEDED PRACTICE TIME
By Madie Chandler | FeverBasketball.com
Thirty-three days after the official start of the WNBA season, the Indiana Fever got to complete a full practice together for the first time since preseason training camp.
“You get to fix all the things that you can’t get right just watching video,” coach Christie Sides said. “…It’s live action. You can’t just walk through things and get better, so just being able to do things live changes the game.”
For several weeks now, Indiana has relied on film studies and slow-paced walkthroughs to bring the young team up to speed. That changed on Wednesday as Sides and the rest of her coaching staff were able to hold a high-intensity practice ahead of a matchup in Washington on Friday.
The 2-9 Fever have an opportunity to add another tally to the win column as they take on Katie Lou Samuelson’s sister, Karlie, and the 0-9 Mystics. Not without a concerted effort on defense, however.
“Transition defense is one that we can really work on right now because we have some time,” Sides said. “Also, we did a lot of breakdowns as it relates to keeping the ball in front of us.”
A defensive rating of 111.8 makes Indiana last in the league, and separates the Fever from the 11th-place Mercury by eight points. The next largest margin between two teams’ defensive ratings is that between the sixth-place Dallas Wings and the fifth-place Chicago Sky, who are separated by just 4.3 points.
It’s clear that Indiana needs time in the gym to grow chemistry and raise their defensive intensity, but the early-season schedule has made that nearly impossible.
“I don’t know if I’ve experienced anything like it ever in my 12 years of coaching in this league,” Sides said of the schedule. “That grind of a schedule – two back to backs against one or two of the best teams in the league…It’s just really tough. And I’m really proud of our players…They just keep showing up.”
Kelsey Mitchell, seventh-year guard and 15 point-per-game scorer, knows this type of work takes time. She also knows it’s her job as a pro to put in those hours in the gym.
“All you can do is rack up as many reps as you can,” Mitchell said on Wednesday. “You’re not going to get it all back in a couple of days…but you get your daily deposits and you deposit every day. I think in the long run, we’re going to see the fruits of our labor.”
Rookie guard Caitlin Clark echoed Mitchell’s sentiment, adding that more practice time will let her learn her teammates’ tendencies and clean up her playmaking game. Clark is turning the ball over 5.4 times a game, but her 6.4 assists each contest is a good enough mark for fourth best in the league.
“To be able to go up and down and to actually play live and see how things are working, to try new things…we’re just competing a lot more,” Clark said.
The intensity and competition of a full practice allowed the Fever to get some much-needed reps in and implement different actions that they hope will help them find the win column on Friday.
INDIANA FOOTBALL
PONDS NAMED TO LOTT TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After earning Freshman All-America honors as a true freshman at James Madison in 2023, transfer defensive back D’Angelo Ponds is the first Indiana football student-athlete to earn preseason honors as the Lott IMPACT Trophy has named him to its preseason watchlist.
As a true freshman in 2023, Ponds appeared in 13 games with 10 starts and was tabbed a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and was a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. He was a second-team All-Sun Belt pick after he posted 13 pass breakups and two interceptions. His 15 passes defended ranked No. 11 in the FBS, and he finished with 51 tackles – 32 solo – to go along with 2.0 sacks.
Ponds made his collegiate debut against Bucknell in Week 1 and scored a touchdown off of a blocked punt in Week 2 at Virginia. In Week 4, he made his first collegiate start came at Utah State in Week 4 which was accompanied by his first collegiate interception against the Aggies. He broke up at least one pass in eight games and added a second interception versus Appalachian State. Overall, he posted four takeaways, with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented by the The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and is in its 21st season. The 42-man preseason watchlist is comprised of 18 defensive backs, 13 defensive linemen and 11 linebackers, which includes 12 Big Ten student-athletes.
The award is the only major college football award that considers character. Named after former NFL Hall of Fame star Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy annually goes to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, a player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, all characteristics exhibited by Lott during his illustrious playing career.
The annual winner is selected by a national voter panel, consisting of former winners, members of the media, coaches, and members of the Board of Directors of The IMPACT Foundation. The winner will be announced at a gala, black-tie event at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California, on December 8.
PURDUE MEN’S GOLF
SEKNE NAMED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the second straight season, Purdue men’s golfer Herman Sekne has earned All-America recognition, garnering Honorable Mention honors from PING and the Golf Coaches Association of America, the organization announced today.
A year ago, Sekne was named a third-team honoree, becoming Purdue’s first All-American since 2002 (Lee Williamson). He is the first Purdue golfer since Shiv Kapur (2002, 2004) to earn All-America distinction twice, and only the eighth Boilermaker to do so.
The 2024 Big Ten Golfer of the Year and Les Bolstad Award winner, Sekne had perhaps the finest career of any Boilermaker golfer in school history. A three-time, first-team All-Big Ten honoree, Sekne set career school records in stroke average (71.42) and rounds in the 60s (36). He finished his career with 19, top-10 finishes (in just 39 events) and a school-record four tournament victories. He was in the top five, 14 times.
On the season charts, he ranks first (2022-23), third (2023-24) and fourth (2021-22) on the stroke average list, while ranking second (2022-23) and fifth (2023-24) on the top-10 finishes list. He owned 59 rounds (112 total rounds played) of under par or better.
Sekne’s individual titles came in the Rich Harvest Farms Intercollegiate (Oct. 2021), Purdue Fall Invitational (Oct. 2021), the Boilermaker Invitational (April 2023) and the Windon Memorial Classic (Sept. 2023).
Sekne owns the school record for lowest 18-hole round (62 at the Big Ten Championships, 2023) and 54-hole tournament (197 at the Windon Memorial Classic, 2023). He has four of the nine-best, 18-hole scores in school history (64 or lower) and four of the seven-best, 54-hole tournament scores (202 or better).
PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
DREWS NAMED TO U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second consecutive Olympics, opposite Annie Drews will represent the United State as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Drews, who played for Purdue 2012-15, is one of eight returners that won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Boilermaker was an integral member of the national team’s gold medal run, recording 15 points and 14 kills in the gold medal match.
The U.S. Women went into the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the world and have won one Olympic gold medal (2020), three silver medals (1984, 2008 and 2012) and two bronze medals (1992 and 2016).
The women’s Olympic competition schedule and pools will be revealed at the conclusion of the 2024 Volleyball Nations League preliminary rounds, which end on June 16. The U.S. Women play their final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League next week in Fukuoka, Japan.
The opposite will wear the number 11 jersey, which she has worn as a member of the U.S. national team since 2017. Indoor volleyball at the 2024 Olympic Games will take place at South Paris Arena 1.
BUTLER ATHLETICS
BUTLER ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024
The Butler Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome eight individuals and one team as its Class of 2024.
The Class of 2024 includes the 2013 women’s cross country team, Lori Efroymson Aguilera and Sergio Aguilera (special service award), Joe Franklin (special service award), Kris Gauson (men’s cross country/track and field), A. J. Graves (men’s basketball), Jim Grubbs (men’s swimming), Paige McCracken-Sealey (women’s golf), and Shlomo Shemesh (men’s tennis).
This year’s Hall of Fame class will be celebrated at an event later this year. Information will be available soon.
“The Butler Athletics Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a Bulldog student-athlete and those who have significantly supported Butler Athletics,” said Grant Leiendecker, Butler Vice President/Director of Athletics. “We are extremely proud to recognize this group of exceptional Bulldogs who continue to be tremendous representatives of The Butler Way.”
The Butler Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 1991 to provide a forum in which those who have brought honor and respect to Butler University and its athletic program could be acknowledged and permanently enshrined in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Inductees have made exceptional contributions to the prestige of the University in the field of athletics, and continued to demonstrate in their lives the values imparted by athletics.
2013 WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM
The 2013 women’s cross country team finished third in the nation at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, which remains the best finish by a Butler women’s team in any sport. The Bulldogs went 144-9 against Division I opponents during the season. Four of the runners (Katie Clark, Mara Olson, Olivia Pratt and Kristy Legg) combined to earn 14 All-America designations during their respective cross country and track and field seasons at Butler.
Lori Efroymson Aguilera and Sergio Aguilera
Their generosity is felt throughout the Butler campus, creating enriching opportunities for students. Significant contributions to Butler Athletics include the naming gift for the Efroymson Family Gym in Hinkle Fieldhouse, support for Butler student-athletes through scholarships, and donations toward Hinkle Fieldhouse renovations. Throughout Butler’s campus, the family’s generosity has been showcased through the Efroymson Diversity Center, the Efroymson Center for Creative Writing, the support of multiple Butler fundraising campaigns, and many other examples.
JOE FRANKLIN, Cross Country/Track & Field Coach, 1994-2007
During his time in Indianapolis, Franklin built the Butler program into a national force in men’s and women’s cross country. He led eight teams (six men’s, two women’s) to the NCAA Cross Country Championships with seven squads earning top-25 finishes between 1998-2006. In 2004, Franklin was named USTFCCCA National Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Butler men to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championship. The Bulldogs sent a team to the NCAA Championships five of the last six years Franklin was at the helm and dominated the Horizon League in cross country. Franklin earned conference Coach of the Year honors 17 times in cross country and was named Men’s Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 1998. Under Franklin, Butler athletes earned track or cross country All-America honors nine times, won 128 conference titles and earned 276 all-conference awards. Franklin mentored Victoria Mitchell to the 2005 NCAA title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
KRIS GAUSON, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field, 2008-11
On the track, Gauson won Horizon League titles and set school records in the outdoor 800m and 1500m, of which the latter was also a Horizon League Record. He was just the second male runner in school history to break the indoor 4-minute mile. The 2011 Horizon League Outstanding Outdoor Runner received Midwest Regional Honors multiple times. In cross country, Gauson won the 2010 Horizon League individual title. Following his time at Butler, Gauson earned multiple individual British national championships, competed at the 2011 World University Games, and finished eighth in the 1500m at the 2012 British Olympic Trials.
A.J. GRAVES, Men’s Basketball, 2004-08
Over his four-year career, Graves scored a total of 1,807 points, which is still seventh in Butler program history. Leading the Bulldogs to the 2007 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and another appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Graves was twice selected to the All-Horizon League First Team (2007 and 2008). His 303 career three-pointers are second in program history, while he also is among the Top 15 in career assists and steals.
A two-time Academic All-American, Graves was also selected as one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in 2008. In 2007, he was named honorable mention All-America by both the NABC and Associated Press.
JAMES (JIM) GRUBBS, Men’s Swimming 1973-76
Grubbs earned four varsity letters as a member of the men’s swimming team from 1973-76 and was named the team’s Most Valuable Swimmer in each of his final three seasons. He set Indiana Collegiate Conference records in the 200 Butterfly and 400 relay and was named ICC Most Valuable Swimmer in both 1974 and 1975.
PAIGE McCRACKEN-SEALEY, Women’s Golf, 2004-08
McCracken-Sealey earned All-Horizon League honors three times, including First Team recognition in both 2007 and 2008. The 2008 Butler Female Senior Athlete of the Year had 10 top-five finishes over her career, taking medalist honors in three events. As a junior, she led her team to the Horizon League Championship and had five top-ten finishes. McCracken-Sealey was named an All-America Scholar Athlete by the National Golf Coaches Association and received the Kim Moore Spirit Award from the same organization.
SHLOMO SHEMESH, Men’s Tennis, 1995-99
Shemesh earned four varsity letters in men’s tennis from 1995-99. He played No. 1 singles all four seasons. As a freshman, he earned a national ranking behind his 26-7 record. The two-time Midwestern Collegiate Conference Player of the Year (1998, 1999) earned All-MCC First Team honors in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
BALL STATE ATHLETICS
BALL STATE ANNOUNCES 2024 HALL OF FAME CLASS
MUNCIE, Ind. –- Ball State Athletics has announced the newest members of its Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2024 induction class includes the winningest team in baseball program history, a highly decorated softball player, an NCAA outdoor All-American in the hurdles, two record-breaking football players, a three-time All-MAC recipient in women’s volleyball and a five-time MAC champion diver.
The seven-member class features the 1999 Ball State baseball team, Sean Baker (football), Dave Garrow (swimming & diving), Jenny Gilbert (softball), Linise Gordon (cross country/track & field), Megan Hammons (women’s volleyball) and Keith Wenning (football).
The group will be inducted Friday, Oct. 4, at the Alumni Center. The class will also be honored at the Oct. 5 football game against Western Michigan in Scheumann Stadium.
“We look forward to celebrating this year’s talented hall of fame class,” said Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell. “I continue to be impressed by the standard of excellence within Ball State Athletics, and this year’s class represents the very best of that proud tradition.”
1999 Ball State Baseball Team
Ball State’s 1999 baseball team still holds the program record for wins after finishing that season with a 42-18 ledger. The Cardinals owned a 25-6 Mid-American Conference mark which earned Ball State the 1999 conference title and the right to host the league’s tournament.
This star-studded roster had the MAC player and freshman of the year in Larry Biggie and current assistant coach Justin Wechsler, respectively, along with two All-America selections.
The Cardinals had 11 players from this squad picked in the Major League Baseball draft from 1999-2001, including five in 1999.
Sean Baker, Football
This defensive powerhouse set the tone early in his career earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2008. Baker was a member of the 2008 squad that finished the season 12-0 helping Ball State to a MAC West Division Championship, a national ranking of No. 23 and an appearance in the GMAC Bowl. He also earned Walter Camp Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week as a freshman.
Baker continued to succeed throughout his tenure as a Cardinal earning All-MAC Second Team accolades in 2010 and was voted to the 2011 All-MAC First Team squad. After his senior season in 2012 he competed in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star game.
Following his four years at Ball State, Baker signed as an NFL free agent with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Atlanta and Indianapolis. Baker is currently a defensive/special teams assistant coach for the Houston Texans.
Dave Garrow, Swimming and Diving
A five-time MAC champion diver, earning three-straight titles on the 1m (1996, 1997, & 1998) and two on 3m (1996 & 1997), Garrow still remains one of the most decorated divers in the Cardinals record books.
The 1996 and 1997 MAC Diver of the Year, Garrow also earned All-MAC First Team honors in 1998.
Garrow’s accolades went well beyond the diving well, as he was a three-time (1996, 1997, & 1998) Academic All-MAC recipient.
Jenny Gilbert, Softball
A two-time All-American left fielder as a student-athlete for Ball State from 2011-2014, Gilbert helped guide the Cardinals to three MAC Regular Season Championships (2012, 2013 & 2014) over her playing career.
Gilbert, the only All-American in program history, became just the fourth two-time All-America selection in MAC history when she was named a second team NFCA All-American in 2014 after earning third team status one year earlier. The only three-time MAC Player of the Year (2012, 2013 & 2014), Gilbert finished her career as one of only 11 players in NCAA Division I history to earn her respective conference player of the year award three times.
Gilbert finished her collegiate career as the league’s record holder in runs batted in (246), runs scored (215), home runs (75), doubles (62) and slugging percentage (.810). Her 75 home runs ranked eighth in NCAA Division I history at the conclusion of her career, and she became the NCAA career home run leader among Canadian-born players with her 66th blast versus North Dakota State (March 22, 2014). In addition, she ended her playing career tied for ninth in NCAA Division I history with 246 RBI, while her .810 slugging percentage was 10th.
Following her Ball State playing days, Gilbert signed with the Akron Racers after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
Linise Gordon (Cross Country/Track & Field)
A 2000 All-American in the outdoor 400m hurdles, Gordon was a part of five Ball State MAC championship teams (1998, 2000 & 2001 outdoor; 1998 & 2001 indoor).
Gordon earned All-America status for the 2000 outdoor season after finishing among the top eight America-born runners in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her senior season, Gordon was selected as the Co-Most Valuable Performer at the 2001 MAC Outdoor Championships.
Gordon finished her career as the record holder in the 400m hurdles and the 4×400 relay.
Megan Hammons (Women’s Volleyball)
A member of two teams which advanced to the NCAA Tournament (1999 & 2000), Hammons not only set the school record for career kills during her playing days for the Cardinals, but also finished her career as the MAC’s all-time kills leader with 1,827.
Hammons was a highly decorated player, earning first team All-MAC (2000 & 2001), second team All-MAC (1999), MAC All-Freshman Team (1998) and MAC All-Tournament Team (1998 & 2001) honors.
A true team player, Hammons helped Ball State to the 1998 MAC regular season title and the 1999 regular season and tournament championships.
After Hammons’ collegiate career, she played with the Grand Rapids Force of the United States Professional Volleyball League.
Keith Wenning (Football)
After a decade and at the time of his induction, this quarterback still holds Ball State career records for touchdown passes (91), passing yards (11,187), pass completions (1,012) and pass attempts (1,598). Wenning became the first quarterback in Ball State history to pass for 10,000 or more yards in a career.
A two-time All-Mid-American Conference second team selection, Wenning was a 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist and had a spot on the 2013 Maxwell Award Watch List and 2013 Davey O’Brien Award Watch List as a senior.
Wenning’s name is etched into the record books as he still owns the top five single-game completion totals and the top three single-game pass attempt totals in Ball State history, along with the top three marks for completions in a season by a Ball State quarterback including a school record 301 in 2012.
Wenning guided Ball State to two bowl game appearances: the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
HORIUK JOINS USI
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball announced the signing of junior forward Oleksandr (Alex) Horiuk (Chernivtsi, Ukraine) for the 2024-25 season. Horiuk is the eighth player to sign with USI and Head Coach Stan Gouard this spring.
“We are excited to welcome Alex to the Screaming Eagle family, anticipating his significant contributions to the team and community,” Gouard commented. Alex’s future at USI promises to be both impactful and inspiring.”
Horiuk transfers to USI after playing the last two seasons at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He played in 39 games over two seasons for UTRGV, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest.
Last season, Horiuk posted 1.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per outing in a two-year high 22 games, making one starts. He recorded a season-high four points on the road versus Utah Valley University and six rebounds on the road against the University of Texas Arlington.
During his freshman season in 2022-23, the 7-foot-0 forward recorded 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. He recorded a career-high 16 points and nine rebounds versus Southwestern Adventist University.
Prior to beginning his collegiate career, Horiuk finished his prep career by averaging 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 3.0 assists per game at College Prep Academy in 2021-22. The native of Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and Citrus Heights, California, also played three seasons at Jesuit High School (Carmichael, California), posted 4.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a junior and helped the Marauders to a 16-0 perfect mark in 2020-21.
The Screaming Eagles reached the Ohio Valley Conference Championship post-season in 2023-24 marking the second-straight season since USI made the transition to NCAA Division I. USI appeared in the 2023 College Basketball Invitational during its first transition year.
RANDALL JOINS USI
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball announced the signing of junior guard/forward Jayland Randall (Detroit, Michigan) for the 2024-25 season. Randall is the seventh player to sign with USI and Head Coach Stan Gouard this spring.
“Jayland is an exciting and very skilled player at 6-foot-5,” commented Gouard. “He is comfortable at any of the perimeter positions and can create off the bounce for himself and his teammates.
“I believe Jayland will develop into an elite three-level scorer,” Gouard continued “He has tremendous versatility and length, which will allow him to guard multiple positions for us.
“Jayland effectively uses change of speeds and direction in his attack off the bounce and plays the game with great passion,” concluded Gouard.
Randall arrives at USI after playing the last two seasons at Alabama A&M University. The 6-foot-5 guard/forward played in 50 games over two seasons for Alabama A&M, averaging 5.8 points, 2.1 rebounds per contest.
Last season, Randall posted a two-year career-high with 7.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per outing in 33 games, making three starts. He recorded a career-high 17 points on the road versus Bethune-Cookman University and seven rebounds in home game against the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
During his freshman season in 2022-23, the Detroit, Michigan native recorded 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 12 points at Alcorn State University and grabbed a season-best four rebounds versus Rust College.
Before beginning his collegiate career, Randall lettered in basketball at Chandler Park Academy (Harper Woods, Michigan). He was named first-team All-Charter League as a sophomore and junior.
The Screaming Eagles reached the Ohio Valley Conference Championship post-season in 2023-24 marking the second-straight season since USI made the transition to NCAA Division I. USI appeared in the 2023 College Basketball Invitational during its first transition year.
MARIAN VOLLEYBALL
MARIAN VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES 2024 SEASON SCHEDULE
INDIANAPOLIS – Coming off of the program’s seventh consecutive appearance in the NAIA Tournament and a 20-11 record, the Marian volleyball team has announced their schedule for the 2024 season. Head Coach Kallie Noble and the Knights will play a 28-game regular season schedule, opening the season on August 17.
Marian’s season will open on August 10, as they take on IU-Kokomo in a preseason tuneup with a scrimmage in Kokomo. The regular season will then begin the next Saturday, as the Knights travel south to face the second of five Indiana University branches, opening the year at IU-Southeast on August 17. Marian will play their home opener the following Wednesday on August 21, hosting IUPUC in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
The Knights will play in two tournaments to close out the opening month of the year, competing at the University of St. Francis Onset Invitational and the Xavier University Big East Blastoff. In Fort Wayne at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Marian will take on Aquinas College and IU-South Bend on Friday, August 23, and on Saturday they will take on University of Northwestern Ohio and IU-East. Leading into Labor Day Weekend, Marian will travel to the French Quarter and New Orleans for Xavier’s tournament, playing against Loyola (La.), Columbia College, Xavier, and MidAmerica Nazarene over a three-day period. Marian’s first game of the weekend will be on Thursday, August 29.
The Crossroads League stretch of 18-games begins on Wednesday, September 4, with the league schedule moving to a Wednesday and Saturday format for the upcoming season. Marian’s league slate opens at Spring Arbor and St. Francis, with the first home match of the league season taking place on September 11, as the Knights take on Bethel University. Marian will travel to Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday, September 14, and then will host three consecutive matches, as Huntington, Taylor, and Indiana Wesleyan come to town. The first half of the league season will end with a road match at Goshen College, and a home match against Grace College on October 2.
The second half of the league season starts with home contests against Spring Arbor and St. Francis the week of October 7. On October 18, Marian will play their lone Friday matchup of the Crossroads League slate, kicking off homecoming weekend with a 7:00 p.m. matchup against Mount Vernon Nazarene. After three straight road matches against the Foresters, Trojans, and Wildcats, Marian will host their senior day contest against Goshen College on Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. The regular season will conclude at Grace College on November 6.
The Crossroads League Tournament will be held at the higher seeds of the league from November 9-16, with the championship game taking place on November 16. The NAIA Opening Round match is scheduled for November 23, and the NAIA Tournament Final Site will take place in Sioux City, Iowa, from December 4-10 at the Tyson Events Center.
Marian will report for fall camp on Monday, August 5, leading in to their scrimmage on Saturday, August 10 at IU-Kokomo.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
28 – 15 – 6 – 24
June 6, 1934 – New York Yankees outfielder Myril Hoag, Number 28 hit 6 singles in one game. A 1938 newspaper wire once said that Hoag was requesting a reasonable raise prior to the 1938 season after he outplayed teammate Joe DiMaggio in the World Series. It was hard to find press articles about Hoag even on days like this where he did amazing feats. I guess when the Yankees had the likes of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio on the roster, the rest of the fellas don’t have room for print on them.
June 6, 1965 – New York Yankees Tom Tresh, Number 15 hammered away 3 consecutive Home Runs to help blank the Chicago White Sox 12-0.
June 6, 1965 – Philadelphia Phillies Johnny Callison, Number 6 launched 3 consecutive base cleaners himself as the Phils downed the Chicago Cubs.
June 6, 1971 – Willie Mays, Number 24 saved the day once more as the legend hit his record 22nd extra inning Home Run of his career. It would be his final over the wall hit in the extra sessions of his glorious career.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Joe’s Sense of Loyalty Will Bring him Back. Joe Namath Quites Football in Clash with Rozelle over Saloon Ownership!
June 6, 1969 – Quarterback Joe Namath resigns from football after NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle tells Namath that he must sell his share in a stake of a bar ownership. This occurred 5 months after Broadway Joe was awarded the Super Bowl III MVP trophy. Rozelle referenced media reports that the bar was frequented with “mafia associates” and was not in the best interest of the NFL. Namath quitting stunned everyone, including the Commish. Late June and early July meetings between NFL execs and Namath proved fruitful as eventually Namath sold his stake and played with the Jets once again in the 1969 season.
If you want to be able to be able to read through some old articles like The New York Daily News, you need to check out Newspapers.com. At Newspapers.com, you can get access to over 640 million pages’ worth of news from the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and more dating back from 1798 to yesterday. Get a free one week subscription to Newspapers.com by visiting SportsHistoryNetwork.com/newspapers. And with a paid subscription, you’ll also be helping to support the production of this and other Sports History Network shows.
Birthdays of the Hall of Fame players for June 6
June 6, 1879 – Jimmy Johnson was the quarterback for the Carlisle Indian Industrial School from 1899 to 1903 as well as Northwestern University’s Dental School in 1904 and 1905. Mr. Johnson was selected to enter the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.
June 6, 1889 – William Anderson Alexander was an American football player and coach and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Alexander was the head football coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1920 to 1944. His squad was crowned the National Champions with the 1929 Rose Bowl win over the University of California by a narrow score of 8-7.
June 6, 1901 – Walter Koppisch was a halfback out of Columbia University that earned his way into the College Football Hall of Fame in the 1981 selection class. He played professionally for the Buffalo Bisons and the NY Giants in the NFL. At the age of just 23 years old, he was named head coach of the Bisons making his one of the youngest NFL head coaches in the history of pro football. The National Football Foundation’s website bio lists that Koppisch stunned the rival defense of New York University in 1924 with electrifying touchdown runs of 76, 67 and 55 yards – all in one quarter – as Columbia romped to a 40-0 victory. Koppisch’s performance prompted Columbia Lions coach Percy Haughton to proclaim: “He’s the best back I’ve ever coached!” But Koppisch was also an all-around talent. He was also a bone-crushing blocker on offense and a beast of a defensive player as he gained All-America recognition in both his junior and senior seasons.
June 6, 1919 – Darold Jenkins is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame for his successes as the center for University of Missouri from 1939 through the 1941 season . Mr. Jenkins did not play much his first couple of seasons with the Tigers, but when give the opportunity during his junior season he excelled, earning All-Big Six honors as well as becoming a consensus All-American in his senior season per the NFF. After college he served his country in WWII as a bomber pilot, and during his 27th flying mission he was shot down and captured serving 17 months in a Nazi POW camp. Mr. Jenkins survived the ordeal and upon returning home he became a successful attorney for the Missouri State Highway Commission.
June 6, 1935 – Bobby Mitchell is a Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee who played as an NFL flanker, halfback and wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. He was a four time Pro Bowl selection as a pro and played his college ball at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champagne. When Mitchell left the Browns for the Redskins in 1962, he became the first African-American player to ever wear the Washington jersey, making the organization the last franchise in the NFL to break the color barrier.
June 6, 1963 – North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada – Rueben Mayes, the fantastic Washington State running back from 1982 to 1985 was born. The FootballFoundation.org shares that Mayes rewrote darn near every Cougar rushing record during his career! Reuben goes down as one of the greatest running backs in Pac-10 history. By career’s end, the 1984 consensus First Team All-America set 15 school records, including single-season (1,632) and career rushing yards (3,519), rushing touchdowns (23), rushing average (5.53) and 100-yard games (13). Additionally, he established an NCAA Division I single-game record with a 357-yard rushing performance against Oregon in 1984. Reuben Mayes was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 after the National Football Foundation tabulated their votes.
Other June 6 Football VIPs
June 6, 1870- James Parrish Lee was a Harvard University All American in 1889. In 1890 he helped to lead the Harvard squad to a perfect 11-0 season as he sealed the deal by scoring what the NY Times described as a “Brilliant Run” in defeating rival Yale for the first time in years.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
June 6
1918 — Casey Stengel, after being traded by Brooklyn in the offseason, made his return to Ebbets Field a memorable one. In his first at-bat, Stengel called time, stepped out of the batter’s box and doffed his cap. A bird flew out and the fans broke into laughter.
1934 — Myril Hoag hit a major league record six singles in the New York Yankees’ 15-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox.
1939 — The New York Giants hit five home runs in the fourth inning in a 17-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at the Polo Grounds. With two out, Harry Danning, Al Demaree, Burgess Whitehead, Manny Salvo and Joe Moore connected as the Giants scored eight runs in the inning.
1945 — In the first game of a doubleheader, Boston’s Boo Ferriss scattered 14 hits to beat Philadelphia 5-2. Ferris, 8-0 on the year, tied the AL mark held by Chicago’s John Whitehead for wins at the start of a career.
1975 — Cleveland manager Frank Robinson hit two three-run homers in a 7-5 win over the Texas Rangers.
1986 — San Diego Padres manager Steve Boros was ejected before the first pitch of the game with the Atlanta Braves when he tried to give umpire Charlie Williams a videotape of a disputed play in the previous night’s 4-2 loss to Atlanta.
1992 — Eddie Murray drove in two runs at Pittsburgh to pass Mickey Mantle (1,509) as the all-time RBI leader among switch-hitters.
1995 — J.D. Drew of Florida State hit a record-setting three homers in his final three at-bats in a 16-11 loss to Southern California in the College World Series. Drew finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and 12 total bases, also a series record.
1996 — For the second time in major league history and first in the AL, a cycle and a triple play took place in the same game. Boston’s John Valentin hit for the cycle, while Chicago turned a triple play in the Red Sox’s 7-4 victory. In 1931, Philadelphia’s Chuck Klein hit for the cycle in the same game that the Phillies turned a triple play against the Chicago Cubs.
2000 — The Rally Monkey is born, thanks to the Anaheim Angels’ video crew playing a clip from the 1994 film Ace Ventura, Pet Detective on the JumboTron. With the words Rally Monkey superimposed over a monkey jumping up and down in the Jim Carrey movie, the crowd goes wild as the Angels score two runs in the bottom of the 9th to beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5.
2003 — Insisting the corked bat, designed to put on home run displays during batting practice, was accidentally used in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is suspended for eight games by Major League Baseball. Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president of on-field operations, agrees that the Cubs outfielder’s use of an illegal bat was an “isolated incident,” but one that still deserves a penalty.
2007 — Trevor Hoffman became the first major leaguer with 500 career saves when he closed out the San Diego Padres’ 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2017 — Scooter Gennett hit four home runs, matching the major league record, and finished with 10 RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 13-1. Gennett became the 17th player to homer four times in one game.
2022 — Eduardo Escobar hits for the cycle in an 11-5 win over the Padres; he is the first Mets player to do so since Scott Hairston in 2012, and the first player for any team to accomplish the feat at Petco Park.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
June 6
1919 — Man o’ War wins his first race, a 5-furlong contest over a straightaway at Belmont Park. The 3-to-5 favorite wins by six lengths, covering the distance in 59 seconds.
1924 — Cyril Walker captures the U.S. Open with a three-stroke victory over Bobby Jones.
1936 — Granville, ridden by James Stout, wins the Belmont Stakes by a neck over Mr. Bones. Bold Venture, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, does not run in the race.
1946 — The National Basketball Association is founded at the Commodore Hotel in New York.
1966 — NFL & AFL announce their merger.
1969 — Joe Namath resigns from NFL after Pete Rozelle, football commissioner, said he must sell his stake in a bar.
1976 — 30th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Phoenix Suns, 4 games to 2.
1981 — Summing, ridden by George Martins, wins the Belmont Stakes, spoiling Pleasant Colony’s Triple Crown bid.
1987 — Bet Twice, ridden by Craig Perret, breezes to a 14-length victory in the Belmont Stakes to deny Alysheba the Triple Crown. Alysheba is a distant fourth.
1987 — West Germany’s Steffi Graf, eight days shy of her 18th birthday, becomes the youngest women’s champion of the French Open when she beats Martina Navratilova 6-4, 4-6, 8-6.
1992 — NY Mets first baseman Eddie Murray records his 1,510th run batted in during 15-1 thrashing of Pittsburgh Pirates to pass Mickey Mantle as all-time RBI leader among MLB switch-hitters.
1998 — Real Quiet is denied the Triple Crown when Victory Gallop edges him at the wire in the Belmont Stakes.
1999 — Andre Agassi rallies to win the French Open and become the fifth man to complete a career Grand Slam. After losing the first two sets, Agassi surges back to beat Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Agassi won the 1992 Wimbledon, 1994 U.S. Open and 1995 Australian Open.
1999 — Juli Inkster wins the U.S. Women’s Open with a 16-under 272, the lowest 72-hole score in the championship’s 54-year history.
2007 — The Anaheim Ducks capture the Stanley Cup with a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, ending the series in five games.
2007 — Trevor Hoffman becomes the first major leaguer with 500 career saves when he closes out the San Diego Padres’ 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2010 — Rafael Nadal wins his fifth French Open title and avenges his lone Roland Garros defeat, beating Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Nadal improves to 38-1 at Roland Garros, with the only loss to Soderling in the fourth round a year ago.
2011 — The Bowl Championship Series strips the Southern California Trojans of their 2004 title, leaving that season without a BCS champion. BCS officials vacated the championship after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year for rules violations committed during the 2004 and ’05 seasons.
2015 — American Pharoah leads all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 5½ lengths, becoming the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The bay colt, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza, is the 12th horse and first since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown.
2015 — Serena Williams overcomes a mid-match lull and a third-set deficit to win her third French Open title and 20th major singles trophy by beating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2.
2015 — Tiger Woods hits a new low with the highest score of his career — an 85 in the Memorial at Muirfield Village, the course where he has won eight times. Woods ends his front nine of the third round with back-to-back double bogeys and finishes with a quadruple-bogey 8.
2015 — UEFA Champions League Final, Berlin: FC Barcelona beats Juventus, 3-1 for 5th title and second treble (Spanish La Liga & Cup champions).
2018 — LeBron James passes Michael Jordan’s record of 109 for the most 30-point games in NBA playoff history in a 110-102 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
2023 — In a stunning development, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf League agree to unify to create its own for-profit entity to be run by the PGA Tour and funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| BALTIMORE AT TORONTO | 1:07PM | MASN SPORTSNET MLB.TV FUBO |
| KANSAS CITY AT CLEVELAND | 1:10PM | BALLY SPORTS KANSAS CITY BALLY SPORTS GREAT LAKES MLB.TV FUBO |
| SEATTLE AT OAKLAND | 3:37PM | ROOT SPORTS NBC SPORTS CALIFORNIA MLB.TV FUBO |
| LA DODGERS AT PITTSBURGH | 6:40PM | SNLA ATTSN-PITTSBURGH MLB.TV FUBO |
| ATLANTA AT WASHINGTON | 6:45PM | BALLY SPORTS SOUTHEAST MASN MLB.TV FUBO |
| MINNESOTA AT NY YANKEES | 7:05PM | BALLY SPORTS NORTH YES MLB.TV FUBO |
| CHI. CUBS AT CINCINNATI | 7:10PM | MARQ BALLY SPORTS OHIO MLB.TV FUBO |
| COLORADO AT ST. LOUIS | 7:45PM | ROCKIES.TV BALLY SPORTS MIDWEST MLB.TV FUBO |
| BOSTON AT CHI. WHITE SOX | 8:10PM | NESN NBC SPORTS CHICAGO MLB.TV FUBO |
| ARIZONA AT SAN DIEGO | 9:40PM | YURVIEW PADRES.TV MLB.TV FUBO |
| NBA PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| NBA FINALS GAME 5: TBA AT BOSTON | 8:30PM | ABC FUBO |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP WORLD TOUR GOLF: VOLVO CAR SCANDINAVIAN MIXED | 7:00AM | GOLF |
| PGA TOUR: THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT | 2:00PM | GOLF |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: GIBRALTAR VS WALES | 12:00PM | FOX SOCCER PLUS FUBO |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: NETHERLANDS VS CANADA | 12:00PM | FOX SOCCER PLUS FUBO |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| CHICAGO VS WASHINGTON | 7:00PM | PRIME MNMT THE U |
| NEW YORK VS ATLANTA | 7:30PM | PEACHTREE MY9 |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| FRENCH OPEN | 6:00AM | TENNIS |
| FRENCH OPEN | 11:00AM | NBC PEACOCK |