INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL
STATE FINALS
SESSION 1
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 9:30 AM ET
10:30 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (23-7) VS. FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY (18-9)
APPROX. 12:45 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (27-4) VS. WAPAHANI (26-2)
FIELDHOUSE CLEARED
SESSION 2
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 5 PM ET
6 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
SCOTTSBURG (24-5) VS. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (20-9)
APPROX. 8:15 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BEN DAVIS (23-5) VS. FISHERS (28-1)
MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
#12 AUBURN 86 FLORIDA 67
#13 ILLINOIS 93 WISCONSIN 87
ELSEWHERE:
YALE 62 BROWN 61
DUQUESNE 57 VCU 51
UAB 85 TEMPLE 69
NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND
IN BROOKLYN (FRIDAY)
1-SEED UCONN (31-3) VS. 16-SEED STETSON (22-12)
8-SEED FAU (25-8) VS. 9-SEED NORTHWESTERN (21-11)
IN SPOKANE (FRIDAY)
5-SEED SAN DIEGO STATE (24-10) VS. 12-SEED UAB (23-11)
4-SEED AUBURN (27-7) VS. 13-SEED YALE (22-9)
IN OMAHA (THURSDAY)
6-SEED BYU (23-10) VS. 11-SEED DUQUESNE (24-11)
3-SEED ILLINOIS (26-8) VS. 14-SEED MOREHEAD STATE (26-8)
IN OMAHA (THURSDAY)
7-SEED WASHINGTON STATE (24-9) VS. 10-SEED DRAKE (28-6)
2-SEED IOWA STATE (27-7) VS. 15-SEED SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (22-12)
SOUTH REGION (DALLAS)
FIRST ROUND
IN MEMPHIS (FRIDAY)
1-SEED HOUSTON (30-4) VS. 16-SEED LONGWOOD (21-13)
8-SEED NEBRASKA (23-10) VS. 9-SEED TEXAS A&M (20-14)
IN BROOKLYN (FRIDAY)
5-SEED WISCONSIN (22-13) VS. 12-SEED JAMES MADISON (31-3)
4-SEED DUKE (24-8) VS. 13-SEED VERMONT (28-6)
IN PITTSBURGH (THURSDAY)
6-SEED TEXAS TECH (23-10) VS. 11-SEED NC STATE (22-14)
3-SEED KENTUCKY (23-9) VS. 14-SEED OAKLAND (23-11)
IN INDIANAPOLIS (FRIDAY)
7-SEED FLORIDA (24-11) VS. 10-SEED BOISE STATE/COLORADO FIRST FOUR WINNER
2-SEED MARQUETTE (25-9) VS. 15-SEED WESTERN KENTUCKY (22-11)
MIDWEST REGION (DETROIT)
FIRST ROUND
IN INDIANAPOLIS (FRIDAY)
1-SEED PURDUE (29-4) VS. 16-SEED GRAMBLING STATE/MONTANA STATE FIRST FOUR WINNER
8-SEED UTAH STATE (27-6) VS. 9-SEED TCU (21-12)
IN SALT LAKE CITY (THURSDAY)
5-SEED GONZAGA (25-7) VS. 12-SEED MCNEESE (30-3)
4-SEED KANSAS (22-10) VS. 13-SEED SAMFORD (29-5)
IN PITTSBURGH (THURSDAY)
6-SEED SOUTH CAROLINA (26-7) VS. 11-SEED OREGON (23-11)
3-SEED CREIGHTON (23-9) VS. 14-SEED AKRON (24-10)
IN CHARLOTTE (THURSDAY)
7-SEED TEXAS (20-12) VS. 10-SEED VIRGINIA/COLORADO STATE FIRST FOUR WINNER
2-SEED TENNESSEE (24-8) VS. 15-SEED SAINT PETER’S (19-13)
WEST REGION (LOS ANGELES)
FIRST ROUND
IN CHARLOTTE (THURSDAY)
1-SEED UNC (27-7) VS. 16-SEED HOWARD/WAGNER WINNER
8-SEED MISSISSIPPI STATE (21-13) VS. 9-SEED MICHIGAN STATE (19-14)
IN SPOKANE (FRIDAY)
5-SEED SAINT MARY’S (26-7) VS. 12-SEED GRAND CANYON (29-4)
4-SEED ALABAMA (21-11) VS. 13-SEED CHARLESTON (27-7)
IN MEMPHIS (FRIDAY)
6-SEED CLEMSON (21-11) VS. 11-SEED NEW MEXICO (26-9)
3-SEED BAYLOR (23-10) VS. 14-SEED COLGATE (25-9)
IN SALT LAKE CITY (THURSDAY)
7-SEED DAYTON (24-7) VS. 10-SEED NEVADA (26-7)
2-SEED ARIZONA (25-8) VS. 15-SEED LONG BEACH STATE (21-14)
FIRST FOUR
TUESDAY IN DAYTON, OHIO
16-SEED HOWARD VS. 16-SEED WAGNER, TIME TBD
10-SEED VIRGINIA VS. 10-SEED COLORADO STATE, TIME TBD
WEDNESDAY IN DAYTON, OHIO
16-SEED GRAMBLING STATE VS. 16-SEED MONTANA STATE, TIME TBD
10-SEED BOISE STATE VS. 10-SEED COLORADO, TIME TBD
TV SCHEDULE THURSDAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024
9 MICHIGAN STATE VS. 8 MISSISSIPPI STATE, 12:15 PM, CBS, SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, NC
11 DUQUESNE VS. 6 BYU, 12:40 PM, TRUTV, CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA, OMAHA, NE
14 AKRON VS. 3 CREIGHTON, 1:30 PM, TNT, PPG PAINTS ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA
15 LONG BEACH STATE VS. 2 ARIZONA, 2:00 PM, TBS, DELTA CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
WINNER OF 16 WAGNER-16 HOWARD VS. 1 NORTH CAROLINA, 2:45 PM, CBS, SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, NC
14 MOREHEAD STATE VS. 3 ILLINOIS, 3:10 PM, TRUTV, CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA, OMAHA, NE
11 OREGON VS. 6 SOUTH CAROLINA, 4:00 PM, TNT, PPG PAINTS ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA
10 NEVADA VS. 7 DAYTON, 4:30 PM, TBS, DELTA CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
WINNER OF 10 VIRGINIA-10 COLORADO STATE VS. 7 TEXAS, 6:50 PM, TNT, SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, NC
14 OAKLAND VS. 3 KENTUCKY 7:10 PM, CBS, PPG PAINTS ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA
12 MCNEESE VS. 5 GONZAGA, 7:25 PM, TBS, DELTA CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
15 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE VS. 2 IOWA STATE, 7:35 PM, CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA, OMAHA, NE
15 SAINT PETER’S VS. 2 TENNESSEE, 9:20 PM, TNT, SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, NC
11 NC STATE VS. 6 TEXAS TECH, 9:40 PM, CBS, PPG PAINTS ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA
13 SAMFORD VS. 4 KANSAS, 9:55 PM, TBS, DELTA CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
10 DRAKE VS. 7 WASHINGTON STATE, TRUTV, 10:05 PM, CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA, OMAHA, NE
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCORES
NO GAME SCHEDULED
NBA SCOREBOARD
MILWAUKEE 140 PHOENIX 129
MIAMI 104 DETROIT 101
DALLAS 107 DENVER 105
ORLANDO 111 TORONTO 96
BOSTON 130 WASHINGTON 104
SAN ANTONIO 122 BROOKLYN 115 OT
ATLANTA 110 LA CLIPPERS 93
NHL SCOREBOARD
NY RANGERS 5 NY ISLANDERS 2
VEGAS 3 NEW JERSEY 1
PITTSBURGH 6 DETROIT 3
CAROLINA 7 OTTAWA 2
WINNIPEG 6 COLUMBUS 1
CHICAGO 5 SAN JOSE 2
ST. LOUIS 4 ANAHEIM 2
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
SAN DIEGO 1 KOREA 0
WASHINGTON 9 NY METS 8
BOSTON 12 NY YANKEES 6
ST. LOUIS 10 HOUSTON 6
TORONTO 5 PHILADELPHIA 5
BALTIMORE 4 DETROIT 4
PITTSBURGH 8 TAMPA BAY 4
BOSTON 3 ATLANTA 3
BALTIMORE 8 ATLANTA 2
TORONTO 9 MINNESOTA 4
NY METS 7 MIAMI 6
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3 OAKLAND 3
CHICAGO CUBS 8 TEXAS 6
COLORADO 5 SAN FRANCISCO 3
ARIZONA 5 SEATTLE 4
ARIZONA 2 LA ANGELS 0
MILWAUKEE 6 KANSAS CITY 4
CLEVELAND 4 CINCINNATI 2
SAN DIEGO 5 LG TWINS 4
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
CINCINNATI 2 NEW ENGLAND 1
ATLANTA 2 ORLANDO CITY 0
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
CAMPBELL 18 VALPARAISO 7
FLORIDA STATE 4 NOTRE DAME 3
OHIO STATE 26 WEST VIRGINIA 11
XAVIER 4 INDIANA STATE 2
MINNESOTA 9 ELON 7 (10)
RUTGERS 14 DELAWARE 3
INDIANA 15 BELMONT 7
MICHIGAN 3 SAN DIEGO 2
SAMFORD 11 PURDUE 10
NEBRASKA 11 NICHOLLS 4
MICHIGAN STATE 6 EVANSVILLE 5
SOUTHERN INDIANA 8 ILLINOIS 3
MARYLAND 7 PORTLAND 6
TEXAS SAN ANTONIO 2 NORTHWESTERN 0
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 18 YOUNGSTOWN STATE 5
EASTERN MICHIGAN 9 MOREHEAD STATE 8
BOWLING GREEN 15 BALL STATE 8
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 5 MIAMI OHIO 2
KENT STATE 22 OHIO 4
AKRON 2 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 1
COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES
FLORIDA 10 INDIANA 0
NORTHWESTERN 4 SOUTH CAROLINA 3
OHIO STATE 12 KENTUCKY 6
MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY 7 WISCONSIN 5
BOSTON 3 MICHIGAN STATE 2
MICHIGAN 4 DARTMOUTH 2
MICHIGAN 4 ILLINOIS 1
MARYLAND 10 FAIRFIELD 2
NORTHWESTERN 5 MINNESOTA 2
NEBRASKA 12 NORTHERN COLORADO 4
PENN STATE 15 BINGHAMTON 5
NOTRE DAME 6 GEORGIA TECH 5
MARYLAND 8 LAFAYETTE 0
LOUISVILLE 5 ILLINOIS 4
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MARCH MADNESS IS HERE. UCONN, PURDUE, HOUSTON AND NORTH CAROLINA GET TOP SEEDING IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
Defending champion Connecticut, along with Houston, Purdue and North Carolina, are the top seeds in a March Madness bracket that started going haywire even before the pairings came out Sunday.
Of the four top seeds, only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. That played into the Huskies receiving the No. 1 overall seed. The other three top seeds lost in their conference tournaments.
Those were hardly the only surprises over the final weekend of hoops before the sport’s main event hits center stage.
Unexpected titles placed teams like Oregon, North Carolina State and even Duquense, none of whom were projected to make the field, into the field of 68 via the automatic bid that goes to conference champions. The teams they beat gobbled up a handful of the 34 at-large bids, thus shrinking the number of spots available to teams on the so-called bubble.
The last teams in included Colorado, Virginia and, surprisingly, Boise State, which wasn’t widely considered a bubble team. Those missing out included Oklahoma, St. John’s and Pittsburgh, all of whom were projected by many to make it as recently as Friday.
The tournament starts Tuesday with two First Four games, including a matchup between Virginia and a Colorado State team that few thought was on the bubble. The 32 first-round games take place Thursday and Friday. The Final Four is set for April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona.
UConn, which opens Friday against Stetson, is the favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook and is trying to become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006-07. The Huskies (31-3) are on a seven-game win streak and are tied with James Madison for most wins in the nation.
“We’ve been the best team in college basketball,” coach Dan Hurley said. “Obviously, March Madness next week, who knows what goes on there, but we’ve clearly been the best program in the country this year.”
The best conference? The SEC and Big 12 placed eight teams each in the bracket, followed by the Big Ten and Mountain West with six apiece.
The shrinking bubble took its toll on the selection committee.
“This year is harder than all my previous years combined. Just gut wrenching knowing some very good teams will unfortunately not be dancing,” Jamie Pollard, the athletic director at Iowa State in his fifth year on the committee, said Saturday night on social media.
NCAA TOURNAMENT: BREAKING DOWN THE WEST REGION
If we recall last year’s NCAA Tournament, then we know being a high seed doesn’t guarantee success.
So while No. 1 seed North Carolina and No. 2 Arizona look like the best squads in the West Region, either team could just as easily go home in the second round or Sweet 16 as it could emerge as a Final Four participant.
The Tar Heels have a star guard in RJ Davis and a veteran big man in Armando Bacot, both of whom were part of the run to the 2022 national championship game when North Carolina lost to Kansas. Interestingly, Arizona’s top player, Caleb Love, was also on that squad.
Arizona lost two of its last three games, so perhaps it doesn’t seem primed for a deep run. But who can really tell? No. 3 Baylor and No. 4 Alabama are craving their own deep runs.
In the spirit of last year’s craziness, No. 7 Dayton, No. 10 Nevada or No. 11 New Mexico would appear to have the best chances of making that surprise run through the region similar to schools such as San Diego State and Florida Atlantic did last season.
TOP SHOT: North Carolina landed the last of the No. 1 seeds, and there were some nervous moments after the Tar Heels were upset by North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title game. But North Carolina’s resume was slightly better than Tennessee’s and superior to Iowa State and its soft nonconference schedule. The Tar Heels are a No. 1 seed for the 18th time, most in NCAA Tournament history. Love and Bacot will be expected to lead North Carolina through a bracket that might include a Sweet 16 clash with the Crimson Tide.
Arizona is a top-two seed for the sixth time in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments, so the role is familiar for the Wildcats. Love has the scoring ability and maturity to help the Wildcats get back on track. The most interesting thing about first-round opponent Long Beach State is that the school and 17-year coach Dan Monson reached a mutual separation after the Beach dropped their final five regular-season games. Then Long Beach State stunned everyone by winning the Big West tournament, and here they are as a No. 15 seed.
GAMES TO WATCH:
5 Saint Mary’s vs. 12 Grand Canyon
This rates as a major contrast in styles, as Saint Mary’s ranks second nationally in scoring defense (58.7 points allowed per game), while the Lopes thrive on a high-octane approach that saw them reach at least 80 points on 12 occasions.
6 Clemson vs. 11 New Mexico
The Lobos are suddenly hot after winning four games in four days to win the Mountain West Conference tourney and ensure their spot in the field. Clemson is in a drought with three losses in four games, including losing its first contest in the ACC tourney.
7 Dayton vs. 10 Nevada
The Flyers were just 5-4 down the stretch, but they have a star to ride in DaRon Holmes II. Nevada won 10 of 11 before losing to Colorado State in its first Mountain West tourney game, but coach Steve Alford’s squad is loaded with toughness.
GET TO KNOW …
RJ Davis, North Carolina
Davis will let it fly at any time and has scored at least 30 points on four occasions this season, including a career-best 42 points against Miami. Davis ranks sixth in Tar Heels history with 2,030 career points with Bacot (second at 2,291) as one of the players ahead of him.
Mark Sears, Alabama
The main reason the Crimson Tide lead the nation in scoring offense at 90.8 points per game, Sears has 22 20-point outings, one shy of the school record held by Reggie King (1978-79). He’s shooting 50.4 percent from the floor this season and has knocked down 75 3-pointers.
Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
The Big 12 Freshman of the Year energizes a deep attack in which six players have a scoring average in double digits. His shooting dropped off late in the season, and there is no chance of Baylor making a deep run unless he rediscovers his stroke.
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Grand Canyon (-5) is a good underdog to take a chance on with the only drawback being the possibility that Saint Mary’s takes the air out of the basketball and gets the slow pace it prefers.
No. 8 Mississippi State (-1.5) over No. 9 Michigan State is that showdown none of us have been waiting for — both teams have dropped five of their past seven games. Spartans coach Tom Izzo might have that March Madness reputation, but his team is destined for a short stay.
New Mexico (-2.5) over Clemson is simply riding a hot team over one that’s not. The Tigers will be more rested, though, due to their early ACC tourney exit.
OUT OF THE WEST:
Last March, Alabama was the No. 1 overall seed and got sent packing by a tougher San Diego State squad that ended up playing in the national championship game. The Crimson Tide will be trying to outscore everyone, and the biggest challenge will be outgunning North Carolina. But beat the Tar Heels in that Sweet 16 matchup, and Alabama should be set, with Arizona being the toughest foe it might face from the other side of the West bracket.
NCAA TOURNAMENT: BREAKING DOWN THE EAST REGION
One-year reunions typically aren’t a thing, but the NCAA Tournament East Region offers one worth hyperbole.
Led by defending national champion UConn, the region boasts a trio of Final Four teams from a season ago. National title runner-up San Diego State and Florida Atlantic are the others.
Huskies head coach Dan Hurley isn’t counting on trophies already on the shelf to help UConn claim another.
As for more recent developments, four conference tournament champions highlight the East fold, with Iowa State (Big 12), Illinois (Big Ten), and Auburn (SEC) joining UConn (Big East).
The Huskies, who enter the tournament at 31-3, are the No. 1 overall seed in the 68-team field.
“That’s not gonna do anything for us starting on Friday. We can’t cash that in for a trip to the Elite 8,” Hurley said.
TOP SHOT
UConn regrouped from a lopsided loss at Big East rival Creighton on Feb. 20 by winning its next seven games, including five by double figures. Five different players finished as the Huskies’ leading scorer over that span, reinforcing the program’s depth.
Five players average double figures: Tristen Newton (15.2 points a game), Cam Spencer (14.5), Alex Karaban (13.9), Donovan Clingan (12.5), and Stephon Castle (10.8)
Iowa State, defensive-minded as usual under third-year coach T.J. Otzelberger, is the region’s No. 2 seed, and enters the tournament on a high note after throttling South Region No. 1 seed 69-41 for the Big 12 tourney title.
GAMES TO WATCH
6 BYU vs. 11 Duquesne
Duquesne is back in the Big Dance for the first time since 1977 after winning four games in five days to take the Atlantic 10 tournament title. Winning their first NCAA tournament game since 1969 will hinge on the Dukes slowing the multi-pronged Cougars, who have seven players averaging at least 9.0 points.
7 Washington State vs. 10 Drake
The matchup between 6-foot-8 Jaylen Wells of Washington State and 6-7 Drake standout (and coach’s son) Tucker DeVries looms large in this one. The “yeah, and” attributes of both players could make a difference in a close game. Wells hits 42.5 percent of his long-range attempts, while DeVries passes well, averaging 3.6 assists.
8 Florida Atlantic vs. 9 Northwestern
Florida Atlantic made a successful transition to the American Athletic Conference, winning 25 games while averaging 83 points. The Wildcats have struggled with their scoring depth but know how to slow the tempo when needed.
GET TO KNOW
Boo Buie, guard, Northwestern. The fifth-year point guard has the Wildcats in consecutive NCAA tournaments for the first time in school history. His averages in scoring (18.9 points a game), assists (5.2) and steals (1.3) all are career bests.
Terrence Shannon Jr., guard, Illinois. Shannon Jr. helps make the No. 3 Illini attack go, averaging 21.6 points. But his narrative also includes off-court controversy — Shannon faces felony rape charges related to an incident in September.
Danny Wolf, forward, Yale. He’s one of multiple big men in the region who also can connect from long range. The 7-footer averages 14.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and shoots 37 percent from deep.
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Top seed UConn (-26.5) is a heavy favorite against Stetson, and deservedly so. But the first-time NCAA tourney participant Hatters have sharpshooting Jalen Blackmon, who could make things slightly less lopsided.
San Diego State (-8.5), which advanced to the Final Four as a No. 5 seed last season, is on the same seed line this time around. But a potentially tricky matchup with upstart UAB awaits.
The lines in this region’s seven-10 and eight-nine games perpetuate the longstanding view of these contests as toss-ups, with No. 7 Washington State (-1.5) and No. 8 FAU (-1.5) both slight favorites.
OUT OF THE EAST
Men’s college basketball has not crowned a repeat national champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007. UConn remains a real threat to repeat thanks to its balance and big-game experience.
The Huskies built on last season’s success and are adept at winning games in multiple ways. While the defensive intensity has been a constant and Spencer (44.4 percent) and Karaban (39.5) typically shine from beyond the arc, Clingan’s presence around the basket sets the team apart. The 7-foor-2 sophomore also leads
UConn with 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game.
A potential regional final matchup with Iowa State could get gritty, but the Cyclones’ free-throw woes can’t be ignored. Iowa State has hit just 69.5 percent of its attempts from the line, which ranks 278th in the nation.
NCAA TOURNAMENT: BREAKING DOWN THE MIDWEST REGION
Purdue gets a home-state start in Indianapolis, but the No. 1 seed in the Midwest has anything but an easy road to the Final Four.
A fight for Phoenix includes No. 2 seed Tennessee, third-seeded Creighton and a possible dream of a 4-5 matchup in the second round between Kansas and Gonzaga.
The Zags are in their 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament. But to set up a date with the Jayhawks in Salt Lake City, Gonzaga must get through No. 12 McNeese State, coached by former LSU coach Will Wade.
Kansas limps into the tournament with injury concerns for two starters: Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. missed the Big 12 tournament loss to Cincinnati last week.
There’s ample star power in the region, starting with Purdue’s Zach Edey. The 7-foot-4 center led the nation in scoring at 24.4 points per game and averages a double-double.
Yet, should history get a say, the door is open for chaos in the Midwest.
History is uneasy for the Boilermakers, including a first-round loss last year after a 29-5 season. Coach Matt Painter has never been to a Final Four with just one Elite Eight (2019) on his resume.
Purdue lost to a No. 16 seed (Fairleigh Dickinson) as a No. 1 seed last year, and two years ago the Boilermakers were shown the exit by Saint Peter’s, a No. 15 seed.
Tennessee has two Sweet 16 appearances since Rick Barnes was hired in 2015, but the Vols are 0-2 in those regional semifinals.
TOP SHOT: Purdue (29-4) is one of six Big Ten teams ticketed for the tournament and claimed the regular-season title, anchored by the reigning National Player of the Year in Edey. Purdue has wins over Tennessee, Marquette (Maui) and Arizona and a pair of victories over Illinois on an impressive resume.
Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship and climbed to No. 4 in the Top 25, knocking on the door of a No. 1 seed in the tournament. Then the Vols stumbled in the SEC tournament and had to hope for a gentle landing on the bracket. Though well-loved underdog and No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s, darling of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, is no easy opener, starting the Dance nearby in Charlotte, N.C., won’t hurt.
A win in the first round could push the Vols into a matchup with Barnes’ former team, Texas, on Saturday. The seventh-seeded Longhorns meet the winner of First Four foes Virginia and Colorado State.
GAMES TO WATCH:
4 Kansas vs. 13 Samford
Not the usual Jayhawks squad in more ways than one, Kansas isn’t a great shooting team and the health of two of the team’s top interior scorers and rebounders, Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., isn’t ideal. Samford lives and dies by the 3, which is exactly the archetype the Jayhawks have struggled to handle this season. Samford averages 25.1 3-point attempts per game.
“With Samford, what have we labored with most this year? Teams that shoot a tone of threes and struggling to make up the difference,” KU coach Bill Self said Sunday night.
5 Gonzaga vs. 12 McNeese State
McNeese State will get a lot of love as one of four 30-win teams in college basketball this season. But the Southland Conference champion is in the tournament for the first time since 2002 and can’t love the location of this one: a location in the Rockies that Gonzaga has played at before. The Cowboys have won 11 in a row and ride Shahada Wells in a fast-paced offense that could pull off the upset.
GET TO KNOW …
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
One of three Bluejays averaging more than 17 points per game, Scheierman is a fifth-year senior who never leaves the floor and put up averages of 18.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steal in 32 games. Need one in crunch time? Scheierman hasn’t missed a free throw since Feb. 13.
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
The SEC’s co-leading scorer at 21.1 points per game and a projected NBA lottery pick, Knecht had huge games in spotlight matchups: 40 points against Kentucky, 39 vs. Auburn, 37 at North Carolina.
Zach Edey, Purdue
Of course you know the 7-foot-4 All-American, who enters the tournament with seven consecutive games with 25-plus points. He’s only moved if he wants to budge and rebounds everything within a 6-foot radius of the rim.
Shahada Wells, McNeese State
Wells made sure the Cowboys were in this rodeo with back-to-back 27-point games in the Southland Conference tournament. He leads McNeese in scoring (17.8 points per game) and passing (4.8 assists per game) and is the engine of an offense with no brakes.
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5 Gonzaga (-5.5) vs. 12 McNeese State
If you are moneyline shopping before the tournament and believe Gonzaga is vulnerable against a team with some of the same strengths Saint Mary’s flexed in the West Coast Conference tournament, McNeese opened as a +225 outright winner Sunday night.
6 South Carolina (-1.5) vs. 11 Oregon
The Oregon moneyline is +105 and you might like to know coach Dana Altman has never lost a first-round NCAA Tournament game during his time with the Ducks.
8 Utah State (+3.5) vs. 9 TCU
The Horned Frogs are favored for a reason — TCU can fly and the total of 146.5 reflects expectations for a high-scoring showdown, with the winner likely drawing No. 1 Purdue.
OUT OF THE MIDWEST:
If ever the paved path was there for Purdue to advance to the Final Four, 2024 is that bracket. Purdue has more shotmakers and has executed in tight games — forgiving the turnovers and free throws that were the undoing against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament. Still, there is vulnerability to a well-rounded team that succeeds speeding up a team best suited for a halfcourt game.
For a program getting a reputation for laying an egg in this event, Tennessee could be a scary matchup for the Boilermakers in a Detroit regional final scheduled for Easter Sunday.
NCAA TOURNAMENT: BREAKING DOWN THE SOUTH REGION
If you’re looking for bluebloods, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re looking for interesting stories beyond the top seed, you’ve also arrived at the optimum destination.
The top four seeds – Houston, Marquette, Kentucky and Duke – are worthy of a Final Four. There’s also surging Florida, which seems underseeded after a late-season surge to the Southeastern Conference tournament title game, and 31-win James Madison as a 12 seed that could wind up in the Sweet 16.
Want more intrigue? Try the 8-9 matchup with Nebraska and Texas A&M in Memphis. This one could be called the Trev Alberts Bowl as the Cornhuskers’ former athletic director is now heading up the Aggies’ athletic department.
If the chalk holds up in the lower part of the bracket, the regional semifinal between Kentucky and Marquette would be a fascinating contrast in styles. John Calipari’s high-paced, high-scoring attack against Shaka Smart’s suffocating full-court defense. One of them has to crack, right?
TOP SHOT
Houston is a defensive powerhouse that, aside from getting blown out by Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament final Saturday, has actually created a top 20 offense in terms of efficiency rating via kenpom.com. Perhaps no point guard and coach are joined as closely at the hip as are Jamal Shead and Kelvin Sampson.
Marquette earned its second seed with consistent performances in the regular season but will need point guard Tyler Kolek to play in the tournament instead of wearing civilian clothes.
Kolek has been out the past six games with an oblique injury but is expected to be ready for the Golden Eagles’ first-round matchup with Western Kentucky.
GAMES TO WATCH
No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M. Excellent contrast in styles with the Cornhuskers’ free-flowing, high-scoring offense facing Buzz Williams’ Aggies who love to grind opponents into the floorboards. If Wade Taylor is making shots, look out for A&M.
No. 10 Boise State vs. No. 10 Colorado. This is a First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio, matching teams that probably should have been seeded a bit higher. The Buffs’ K.J. Simpson can stuff a stat sheet on a nightly basis but will face a challenge from a Broncos defense that is top 30 in kenpom.com.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison. This is the 5-12 matchup that most experts believe will produce an upset. The Dukes won 31 games, including a season-opening road decision at Michigan State, and the Badgers are one of the more efficient offenses in Division I.
GET TO KNOW
Antonio Reeves, guard, Kentucky. The guy who led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring two years ago at Illinois State nearly led the SEC, pumping in 20.2 ppg on 50.7 percent shooting. Reeves is a true three-level scorer.
Kyle Filipkowski, forward, Duke. The latest Blue Devils star to become a polarizing figure after being clipped in a Wake Forest court-storming and then tripping a North Carolina player, Filipkowski is a five-tool player who could carry this team a long way in the tournament.
Terrance Edwards, guard, James Madison. If the Dukes do damage, there’s a great chance Edwards is holding the hammer. Edwards led his team with 17.4 ppg while adding 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
SPREAD THE NEWS
No. 8 Nebraska is a 2.5-point favorite over Texas A&M in a game that bettors should approach warily. The Cornhuskers can score in a hurry, but the Aggies have a way of mucking up those kinds of teams.
No. 6 Texas Tech is a 5.5-point overdog against an NC State team that won five games in as many days to earn the ACC title and an automatic bid. The Red Raiders might be your play because history shows teams such as the Wolfpack who are coming off that type of run sometimes have nothing left in the tank for the next assignment.
No. 1 Houston is favored by 23.5 points against Longwood. Poor Lancers. All they have to do is play a team that’s probably chapped by the beatdown Iowa State laid on them Saturday night. This could get ugly in a hurry.
OUT OF THE SOUTH
There are flaws for every team in this region but Houston seems to have few of them.
Or to put it another way, its defense is so good that it can hide whatever weak spots the Cougars have. They are good enough to win a region final over a Florida team that saved its best basketball for the home stretch and will continue that form until Houston’s defense slows it down in Dallas.
NIT BRACKET: INDIANA STATE, SETON HALL AMONG TOP SEEDS
Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Indiana State and Villanova received the four No. 1 seeds in the National Invitation Tournament after missing out on the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.
The “first four out” of the NCAA Tournament included Oklahoma and Pitt along with Seton Hall and Indiana State, but the Sooners and Panthers declined their invitation to college basketball’s second-tier postseason tournament.
“We ultimately fell short of our goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said in a statement, “despite ranking favorably in the computers, performing well in conference play with a fourth-place finish and an ACC tournament semifinal appearance and playing our best basketball over the last eight weeks of the season. We made the decision to decline an NIT invitation as a team and with the support of our Athletic Department leadership. It was a difficult choice, but ultimately what is best for our student-athletes.”
Other major programs to decline the NIT included St. John’s, Ole Miss and Memphis.
The NIT selection criteria changed this season to include two automatic bids to non-NCAA Tournament teams from each of the six major conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC).
Seton Hall was left out of the NCAA Tournament despite having wins over UConn — the No. 1 overall seed — and Marquette. The Pirates will host Saint Joseph’s in the first round.
The other top-four seeds in the top-left quadrant of the NIT bracket are No. 2 Princeton, which will host UNLV; No. 3 Providence, which will face Boston College; and No. 4 LSU, which will play North Texas.
In the bottom-left quadrant, Wake Forest will face Appalachian State; No. 2 Ohio State will host Cornell; No. 3 Virginia Tech will see in-state rival Richmond; and No. 4 Georgia will get Xavier.
Ohio State reached the NIT on the same day it removed the interim tag for coach Jake Diebler, signing him to a five-year contract after the Buckeyes went 6-2 under him to finish the season.
Indiana State was hoping for an NCAA Tournament trip despite falling to Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. The Sycamores will host SMU in the first round in the top-right quadrant of the bracket. No. 2 Cincinnati will welcome San Francisco, No. 3 Bradley will take on Loyola Chicago and No. 4 Butler will clash with Minnesota.
In the bottom-right quadrant, Villanova will host VCU in the first round. No. 2 Utah will play UC Irvine, No. 3 Iowa will host Kansas State and No. 4 UCF will host South Florida.
Game dates and times for the first round were not yet finalized. The semifinals and title game will be played April 2 and 4 in Indianapolis.
OHIO STATE HIRES JAKE DIEBLER AS HEAD COACH AFTER HE GOES 6-2 IN INTERIM ROLE
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State removed the interim tag from men’s basketball coach Jake Diebler’s title on Sunday and announced he will receive a five-year contract.
Diebler, 37, was in his third year as associate head coach when he took over the team following Chris Holtmann’s firing on Feb. 14.
“Jake Diebler possesses all of the characteristics we were seeking as we conducted a very comprehensive and thorough search for a new head coach,” athletic director Ross Bjork said. “Those include coaching ability, passion, energy, program knowledge, character, integrity and ties to Ohio. As an Ohio native, the son of a longtime Ohio high school coach and with deep connections to Ohio State, Jake knows what it takes to lead this program on a championship course.”
The Buckeyes (21-13) went 6-2 under Diebler, including a win over No. 2 Purdue in his first game as interim coach. They won five straight before losing to Illinois on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
“Throughout the search, every time we analyzed what was best for the program, our decision kept leading right back to Jake,” Bjork said. “The way he has led the program since Feb. 14 has been exemplary and is only the beginning of what lies ahead for Buckeye basketball. The future is exciting, and I cannot wait to watch him lead this program.”
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S NCAA BRACKET: SOUTH CAROLINA, IOWA AMONG NO. 1 SEEDS
Undefeated South Carolina, Caitlin Clark’s Iowa, Southern California and Texas earned the four No. 1 seeds in the women’s NCAA Tournament when the bracket was revealed Sunday night.
The Gamecocks (32-0) and coach Dawn Staley received the No. 1 overall seed for the third tournament in a row. They survived a test from Tennessee in the semifinal thanks to a buzzer-beater and beat rival LSU in the final to win the SEC tournament last week.
After falling to Iowa in the Final Four last year, South Carolina will begin its quest for another national title against the winner of a play-in game between Sacred Heart and Presbyterian.
South Carolina and Iowa (29-4) will play in Regionals 1 and 2 in Albany, N.Y. USC (26-5) and Texas (30-4) are the No. 1 seeds in Regionals 3 and 4, centered in Portland, Ore.
The first and second rounds will be played on campus sites of the top four seeds in each region, while Albany and Portland will serve as the two regional sites. The Final Four will be played in Cleveland, Ohio on April 5 and 7.
The No. 2 seeds are Notre Dame (26-6) in Regional 1, UCLA (25-6) in Regional 2, Ohio State (25-5) in Regional 3 and Stanford (28-5) in Regional 4.
Entering the day, it was uncertain whether Big 12 champion Texas or Pac-12 runner-up Stanford would earn the fourth and final No. 1 seed.
The No. 3 seed in Regional 2 is defending national champion LSU (28-5), meaning a rematch of last year’s record-setting title game aganst Iowa could occur in the Elite Eight.
The Pac-12, in its last league as a bona fide conference, got seven teams into the tournament: USC, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State, Colorado, Utah and Arizona.
Of note, the Ivy League got two teams into the field: Conference champion Princeton (25-4) is the No. 9 seed and could be an obstacle for the Hawkeyes in the second round in Iowa City. Columbia (23-6), which lost to Princeton in the Ivy title game, was given its first March Madness bid in program history as an at-large into the First Four. The Lions will face Vanderbilt on the 12-seed line in Regional 3.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: KYRIE IRVING, MAVS TOP NUGGETS AT BUZZER
Luka Doncic scored 37 points and Kyrie Irving hit a left-handed floater at the buzzer as the host Dallas Mavericks withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat Denver 107-105 on Sunday, snapping the Nuggets’ five-game winning streak.
Denver (47-21) rallied from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit and led 105-102 before Doncic’s 3-pointer tied the game with 25.1 seconds left. After Jamal Murray’s shot on Denver’s final possession came up short, Dallas (39-29) called timeout to set up Irving’s game-winner.
Irving finished with 24 points and nine assists for Dallas, which recorded a season-high 22 offensive rebounds. Dereck Lively II had 14 points and eight rebounds, and P.J. Washington grabbed 11 rebounds.
Murray scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points, Nikola Jokic had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Aaron Gordon scored 11 points.
Spurs 122, Nets 115 (OT)
Victor Wembanyama filled up the stat sheet again, racking up 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocked shots to lead San Antonio past Brooklyn in Austin, Texas.
Devin Vassell added 25 points and eight assists while Keldon Johnson had 24 points as the Spurs (15-53) snapped a three-game losing streak.
Cam Thomas led the Nets (26-42) with 31 points. Dennis Schroder added 19, Day’Ron Sharpe had 15 and Nic Claxton amassed 11 points and 14 rebounds for Brooklyn, which dropped its third straight game.
Heat 104, Pistons 101
Bam Adebayo made a 30-foot shot just before the final buzzer, giving visiting Miami a win over Detroit.
Duncan Robinson led Miami with 30 points and five assists. Adebayo finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, while Terry Rozier had 17 points and nine assists for the Heat (37-30). Leading scorer Jimmy Butler missed the contest due to a right foot injury.
Evan Fournier led the Pistons (12-55) with 18 points. Cade Cunningham had 17 points and nine assists, Simone Fontecchio added 13 points and eight rebounds and Jalen Duren paired 11 points with 10 rebounds.
Bucks 140, Suns 129
Bobby Portis matched his season high with 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting off the bench and his electric second-quarter performance helped fuel a stretch that gave Milwaukee a lead en route to its victory over visiting Phoenix.
Damian Lillard also scored 31 points as the Bucks (44-24) won without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was a late scratch due to hamstring soreness.
Bradley Beal led the Suns (39-29) with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the floor. Former Bucks guard Grayson Allen scored 25 points and shot 6 of 11 from 3-point range to go along with eight assists.
Magic 111, Raptors 96
Paolo Banchero scored a game-high 29 points to lead Orlando over visiting Toronto.
Franz Wagner added 22 points for the Magic (40-28), while Moritz Wagner scored 14. Jalen Suggs collected 10 points for Orlando, which won its third straight game and second in a row over the Raptors after a 113-103 victory in Toronto on Friday.
Jordan Nwora led the Raptors (23-45) with 18 points off the bench, while Gary Trent Jr. scored 15. Bruce Brown and Immanuel Quickley each had 12 for Toronto, which lost its seventh game in a row and its ninth in 10 tries.
Celtics 130, Wizards 104
Sam Hauser established career highs of 30 points and 10 3-pointers to lead short-handed Boston over host Washington.
Hauser connected on 10 of his first 12 3-point attempts. He rolled his left ankle after his 13th 3-point attempt, went to the locker room with 7:43 remaining in the third quarter and did not return to the game. The Celtics (53-14) were 24-for-50 from deep in the win.
Jordan Poole tossed in a game-high 31 points for Washington (11-57). Justin Champagnie had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost four games in a row and 20 of their past 22.
Hawks 110, Clippers 93
Dejounte Murray scored 21 points to go along with 10 assists and De’Andre Hunter added 20 points as visiting Atlanta ended a three-game losing streak with a victory over Los Angeles.
Jalen Johnson scored 18 points and hauled in 12 rebounds and Clint Capela added 15 points and 13 rebounds as the Hawks (30-37) improved to 6-5 since leading scorer Trae Young went down with a finger injury that required surgery.
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and Paul George added 26 for the Clippers (42-25), but James Harden had just nine points after missing the previous two games with a left shoulder strain. Harden still managed to move into 20th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, passing Vince Carter, with 25,730 career points.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: RANGERS PULL AWAY FROM RIVAL ISLANDERS
Jonny Brodzinski scored the tiebreaking goal with 4:59 remaining in the second period as the host New York Rangers pulled away for a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon.
Nearly a month after rallying for a 6-5 overtime win at the Stadium Series in East Rutherford, the Rangers trailed 1-0 in the first period and scored the final three goals of the game in the first of three meetings between the teams in the final month of the regular season.
Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle scored in New York’s three-goal second period. Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere tallied in the third as the Rangers won for the fifth time in six games and improved to 16-3-1 in their past 20 contests.
Bo Horvat scored twice for the Islanders, who saw their losing streak reach four games following a six-game winning streak.
New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves against his close friend Ilya Sorokin, who allowed five goals on 31 shots.
Golden Knights 3, Devils 1
Jack Eichel scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and Logan Thompson made 20 saves to lead Vegas to a victory over slumping New Jersey in Las Vegas.
William Carrier and William Karlsson also scored goals and Noah Hanifin added two assists for the Golden Knights, who moved into a tie for third place in the Pacific Division with the Los Angeles Kings at 79 points. Thompson, making his first start since he allowed seven goals in a loss at Buffalo March 2, won his first game since blanking San Jose 4-0 on Feb. 19.
Nico Hischier scored for New Jersey, which lost for the fourth time in its last five games. Jake Allen, acquired at the trade deadline from Montreal, stopped 34 of 36 shots.
Jets 6, Blue Jackets 1
Tyler Toffoli had two goals and an assist as visiting Winnipeg beat Columbus.
Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist and Sean Monahan had two assists for the Jets, who are tied with the Colorado Avalanche (91 points) atop the Central Division. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves.
Brendan Gaunce scored, and Elvis Merzlikins made 21 saves for the Blue Jackets.
Hurricanes 7, Senators 2
Dmitry Orlov scored two goals to go with two assists and Carolina won its third game in a row by blasting host Ottawa.
Jake Guentzel notched his first goal with the Hurricanes and Evgeny Kuznetsov, Seth Jarvis, Jalen Chatfield and Brendan Lemieux also scored for Carolina, which reached the seven-goal mark for the second time in eight days. Sebastian Aho supplied three assists. Guentzel, who was in his fourth game with the Hurricanes since a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, made the score 6-2 in the third period with his goal. It was Carolina’s third goal in a four-goal final period.
Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle scored for the Senators, whose three-game winning streak was wiped away. Chabot also had an assist. Goalie Anton Forsberg yielded seven goals on 38 Carolina shots.
Penguins 6, Red Wings 3
Sidney Crosby ended a goal drought and added an assist to help lift Pittsburgh over visiting Detroit.
Reilly Smith, Valtteri Puustinen and Lars Eller also had a goal and an assist each, and Michael Bunting and Drew O’Connor also scored for the Penguins, who have won two of three. Pittsburgh goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves against his former team.
Lucas Raymond scored twice and Christian Fischer also scored for the Red Wings, who have lost eight of nine. Detroit goaltender Alex Lyon made 32 saves.
Blues 4, Ducks 2
Robert Thomas scored twice and Pavel Buchnevich picked up three assists as St. Louis dispatched visiting Anaheim.
Jake Neighbours and Kevin Hayes also scored for the Blues, who extended their winning streak to four games. Justin Faulk finished with two assists for St. Louis and Joel Hofer made 26 saves.
Troy Terry scored twice and Lukas Dostal made 23 saves for the Ducks, who lost their sixth straight game.
Blackhawks 5, Sharks 2
Ryan Donato, Kevin Korchinski and Joey Anderson scored in an 83-second span midway through the third period to lift host Chicago over San Jose.
Connor Bedard accounted for the final margin with an empty-net goal with 0.3 seconds left. Bedard and Philipp Kurashev both had a goal and an assist, and Tyler Johnson had two assists for the Blackhawks.
Ryan Carpenter and Klim Kostin scored for the Sharks, who lost their fourth straight and remained at 39 points, four behind Chicago and fewest in the NHL.
BASEBALL NEWS
SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: RED SOX USE 9-RUN FIRST TO BULLY YANKEES
Trevor Story, Connor Wong and Rafael Devers hit home runs during a nine-run first inning as the host Boston Red Sox stormed past the New York Yankees 12-6 during spring training action Sunday in Fort Myers, Fla.
Two fielding errors during the bottom of the first helped the Red Sox get baserunners on for their big swings. Story went deep to left and Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run single to briefly chase Yankees starter Will Warren (2-1). Wong greeted Luis Arejula with a two-run shot and Devers also homered off him before the Yankees returned to Warren for the next two innings.
Red Sox starter Tanner Houck (2-0) pitched 3 2/3 innings and yielded two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Boston’s bullpen added seven strikeouts.
Kevin Smith hit a three-run triple to get the Yankees on the board in the fourth. After Boston grew its lead to 12-3 thanks in part to Eduardo Lopez’s solo shot, Oscar Gonzalez had an RBI double and T.J. Rumfield added a two-run single for New York.
Mets 7, Marlins 6
Jose Iglesias hit a walk-off home run to right center with one out to deliver host New York past Miami in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Iglesias’ homer off Eli Villalobos (0-1) capped a six-run rally for the Mets from down 6-1. Mark Vientos blasted a three-run home run 439 feet in the sixth and Harrison Bader hit a game-tying solo shot an inning later. Tyler Jay (1-0) pitched ninth for the win.
Dane Myers went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and Christian Bethancourt went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for the Marlins.
Nationals 9, Mets 8
Washington scored five unanswered runs across the fifth and sixth innings, outhitting New York’s split squad 14-12 to prevail in Palm Beach, Fla.
James Wood and Nasim Nunez had RBI singles and Alex Call and Lewin Diaz added RBI doubles in the sixth. Richard Bleier (1-1) earned the win in relief after Nationals starter Mackenzie Gore gave up eight runs on nine hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings but struck out 10 batters.
Luke Voit homered for the Mets while Jesse Winker went deep for the Nationals. A five-run fifth inning highlighted by Omar Narvaez’s RBI double vaulted the Mets ahead 8-4 before Austin Adams (0-1) blew the save.
Orioles 4, Tigers 4
Kyle Stowers hit three home runs to drive in all four of Baltimore’s runs in a tie with host Detroit in Lakeland, Fla.
Stowers homered twice off Tigers starter Kenta Maeda and again off long reliever Reese Olson to get his spring training total to seven, but it wasn’t enough for an Orioles victory.
Bligh Madris hit a solo shot and Ryan Kreidler bashed a two-run homer in the eighth inning to erase a 4-1 deficit and tie the game for the Tigers. Maeda, Jason Foley and Reese Olson combined to strike out 12 batters while yielding five hits — including Stowers’ trio of homers.
Orioles 8, Braves 2
John Rhodes hit a pair of two-run home runs as Baltimore rallied past visiting Atlanta in a split-squad game in Sarasota, Fla.
Rhodes got the Orioles on the board in the bottom of the seventh by tying the game at 2 with his shot off Dylan Lee. Baltimore then poured on six runs in the eighth, with Rhodes’ second homer coming amid doubles by Gunnar Henderson, Michael Perez and Coby Mayo.
O’s reliever Mike Baumann (1-0) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless eighth, while Braves reliever Hayden Harris (0-1) yielded four runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Austin Riley homered in the first inning for Atlanta.
Red Sox 3, Braves 3
Ozzie Albies went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI as host Atlanta drew with Boston in a split-squad game in North Port, Fla.
Albies’ run-scoring hit in the sixth inning was followed by Leury Garcia scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game 3-3. Albies also scored the Braves’ run earlier in the game on Matt Olson’s double-play grounder.
Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes had solo homers for the Red Sox.
Cardinals 10, Astros 6
Luken Baker hit a game-tying two-run shot and Brody Moore followed with a go-ahead grand slam to push St. Louis over visiting Houston in Jupiter, Fla.
Dylan Carlson had an RBI double and a solo shot earlier in the game for the Cardinals. Reliever Andre Pallante (1-0) struck out four over two innings with two runs (one earned) on two hits.
Jose Abreu hit a two-run homer, Mauricio Dubon had a solo shot and Quincy Hamilton hit an RBI triple to help the Astros build a 6-4 lead. Luis Contreras (0-1) was dinged for five runs on two hits and three walks in two-thirds of the eighth inning.
Pirates 8, Rays 4
Matthew Gorski hit the tiebreaking home run in the seventh and Shawn Ross added a two-run shot an inning later as host Pittsburgh defeated Tampa Bay in Bradenton, Fla.
Nick Gonzales had a two-run home run earlier in the game for the Pirates. Chase Anderson (2-0) threw four innings of relief, gave up three runs on five hits and struck out six with one walk.
Brandon Lowe went deep for the Rays before Gonzales’ shot put them down 4-3. Osleivis Basabe tied the game in the top of the seventh with a single, but Erasmo Ramirez (0-3) was hit for four runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings.
Blue Jays 5, Phillies 5
Garrett Spain drove in the tying run in the top of the ninth for Toronto to draw with host Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.
New Blue Jays addition Joey Votto, playing for his hometown team, homered on the first pitch he saw in his club debut but later reportedly rolled his ankle on a bat in the dugout. Alejandro Kirk hit an RBI double and scored on an error.
Jordan Luplow went 2-for-2 and homered to put the Phillies ahead 5-3 before the Blue Jays rallied.
Blue Jays 9, Twins 4
Kevin Kiermaier hit two solo home runs as Toronto’s split squad beat visiting Minnesota in Dunedin, Fla.
George Springer hit a three-run homer in the fifth to put the Jays ahead for good, as Toronto scored the game’s final seven runs. Mitch White (2-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief and allowed three runs on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Brooks Lee had a solo homer and an RBI triple for the Twins and Alex Kirilloff added a run-scoring triple one batter after Lee in the third inning. Hobie Harris (0-1) blew the save by allowing Springer’s homer.
REDS LOSE CENTER FIELDER TJ FRIEDL (WRIST) INDEFINITELY
The Cincinnati Reds have no timeline for the return of center fielder TJ Friedl, who fractured his right wrist while trying to make a diving catch in a game on Saturday in Goodyear, Ariz.
Friedl, who established himself as the Reds’ everyday center fielder last season, broke the distal radius in the wrist and said Sunday he will be reevaluated in three to four weeks.
“Right now, the only thing I can really do is let the bone heal. I’ll do what I can on my end to keep the hand stable and in place and not move it around. Just let the bone heal on its own,” Friedl told the Cincinnati Enquirer.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a return to vigorous activities with the wrist could take three to six months, with a full recovery requiring up to one year.
Friedl, 28, mostly batted first or second in the lineup last season, his third in the majors. He hit .279 with 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, 47 walks, and stole 27 bases in 33 attempts.
His absence could mean playing time in center field for the right-hand-hitting Stuart Fairchild and lefty-hitting Will Benson, according to Nick Krall, Cincinnati’s president of baseball operations.
Led by a corps of young players, the Reds improved from 62 wins and tied for last place in the NL Central in 2022 to 82 wins in 2023. They were in the wild-card chase until the final days of the season, finishing two games behind the final playoff spot. They have been expected to contend for the division crown this season.
MEN’S GOLF
SCHEFFLER GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN SUNDAY THRILLER AT SAWGRASS
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Already the best in the world, Scottie Scheffler added another layer to his legend Sunday. He became the first player to win back-to-back in 50 years of The Players Championship by matching the biggest comeback and the lowest closing round by a winner.
Scheffler holed out for eagle from the fourth fairway and had four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn, sending him to an 8-under 64 and a one-shot victory that wasn’t decided until the final putt.
Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark all had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie on the daunting 18th hole at the TPC Sawgrass.
Clark had the last shot, a putt just inside 18 feet that dipped into the cup on the left side and came out on the right side, leaving him stunned as he placed his hand over his mouth.
“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” Clark said. “Even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”
Scheffler, who started the final round five shots behind, was on the practice range preparing for a three-hole playoff when he got the word and showed more emotion than usual for someone who is getting used to winning.
“It’s tough enough to win one Players,” Scheffler said. “So to have it back-to-back is extremely special. Yeah, really thankful.”
This was no ordinary week. He struggled to take the club back early in his second round because of a neck issue and battled to a 69. He looked to be out of it Saturday afternoon until finishing with three straight birdies.
And then he delivered a masterpiece on the Players Stadium Course. His 64 matched the lowest final round by a Players champion, last done by Davis Love III in 2003, and he tied Justin Leonard (1998) with his five-shot comeback.
“I’m a pretty competitive guy, and I didn’t want to give up in the tournament,” Scheffler said. “I did what I could to hang around until my neck got better. Today it felt really good.”
Scheffler finished the PGA Tour’s premier championship without a bogey over the final 31 holes during a tense final hour involving four of the top 10 players in the world.
All of them had their chances.
Schauffele, who started the final round with a one-shot lead, was still in control until he missed tee shots to the right on the 14th and 15th holes and couldn’t salvage par. He had a 6-foot birdie chance on island-green 17th — the toughest hole at Sawgrass on Sunday — and didn’t come close to a reasonable birdie chance hitting out of the pine straw on the 18th.
He finished with a 70.
“My dad told me a long time ago to commit, execute, and accept. I’m swallowing a heavy dose of acceptance right now,” Schauffele said. “I tried to commit, I executed poorly on some shots, and here I am accepting it.”
Harman hung around long enough to have a chance, but he missed out on a birdie chance at the par-5 16th and couldn’t convert birdie chances over the last two holes in his round of 68.
Clark also made late push. He narrowly missed a 12-foot eagle putt on the 16th. He rode the slope to 4 feet for birdie on the 17th. And his birdie to force a playoff looked good all the way until it wasn’t. Clark shot a 69.
Scheffler finished at 20-under 268 and won $4.5 million from the $25 million purses, pushing the 27-year-old from Dallas over the $50 million mark in his career.
AUTO RACING
DENNY HAMLIN OVERCOMES TIRE ISSUES, WINS AT BRISTOL
Denny Hamlin became the season’s fifth different winner in five races by surviving a strange tire-wear battle at Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday, taking the victory in the Food City 500 in Bristol, Tenn.
In a 500-lap race marred by heavy rubber wear – there was fear of teams needing more than their nine sets of tires – Hamlin made a green-flag pit stop during the race’s longest run and topped Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. by 1.083 seconds for his 52nd career win.
Hamlin also won last September’s race at BMS.
With only five cars on the lead lap, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson finished the top five.
Ty Gibbs appeared to have the car to beat, led 137 laps and won the first two stages, but his JGR Toyota hit the wall with about 70 laps left.
It was the 210th win for the JGR organization and second this season.
In BMS’ return to its concrete surface in the spring for the first time since 2020, pole winner Ryan Blaney and fellow front-row starter Josh Berry swapped the lead in the first 20 laps before Blaney’s No. 12 Ford slipped a few spots and Hamlin moved to the top spot.
Blaney regained the point, but Gibbs, last year’s Rookie of the Year, powered past the Team Penske driver with six laps to go and eventually claimed the first stage win of his career.
But before that happened, Hamlin and eight-time Bristol winner Kyle Busch had flat tires with a few laps left in the segment, forcing the race’s fourth caution on Lap 123.
Teams soon discovered that rubber was a problematic issue, as multiple tires showed excessive damage and sheer shredding when removed from their cars.
When the second stage’s 125-lap dash started, the segment took an experimental tone as drivers tried to find the right balance between high speed and tire preservation, with the average lap time falling off by a second.
In an 11-lap sprint, Christopher Bell went door-to-door with Joey Logano, and the No. 54 roared by Logano’s Ford on the high side with two laps to go en route to his second stage victory.
INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS CAVALIERS
The Indiana Pacers will wrap up their final three-game homestand of the season against a team they could see again in late April.
In a matchup between the sixth- and third-place teams in the Eastern Conference, Indiana (38-30) will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (42-25) on Monday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. If the playoffs started today, the Pacers and Cavs would meet in the first round of the postseason.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Latest Standings, Potential Matchups, and More >>
The Pacers have a 2-0 regular-season series lead over the Cavs after playing them twice in the first two weeks of the season. With a win on Monday, the Pacers can secure their first regular-season series over the Cavs since the 2020-2021 season.
Indiana enters the game winners of three of their last four games, including a 121-100 Saturday night victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Pacers have relied on a much-improved defense in recent games to get wins. The Blue & Gold have given up 117 points or fewer in regulation in their last four games and 100 points or fewer in two of those contests.
Indiana’s stars have shined during the recent stretch. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton has scored 17.3 points, 9.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds over the last four games, forward Pascal Siakam has recorded 20.8 points and 9.5 rebounds nightly, and center Myles Turner is averaging 18.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. Siakam is coming off an outstanding game over the weekend, finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds against the Nets.
Cleveland has found another gear since the turn of the calendar year but has struggled in recent weeks.
Since Jan. 1, the Cavs have a record of 24-11, which included a 17-2 streak from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12. Despite their successes in 2024, the Cavs have lost three of their last four games, including a 117-103 defeat at the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
The Cavs have again established themselves as one of the top defensive teams in the league. As of Sunday, the Cavs ranked third overall in defensive rating (110.8), trailing just the Boston Celtics (110.4) and Minnesota Timberwolves (108.3).
Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell remains the top offensive threat for his squad, averaging 27.7 points per game on 47 percent shooting, but he may not play on Monday. Mitchell told reporters on Saturday he “probably” would not play in Indiana, but his status is questionable as he recovers from a knee injury.
Mitchell has torched the Pacers this season, scoring 40 points in the first game and 38 in the second despite losing both contests.
If Mitchell doesn’t go, former Pacer Caris Lavert, who is averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game, would likely take his spot in the first five.
After Mitchell, speedy point guard Darius Garland is scoring 19.0 points per game, along with 6.3 assists, and center Jarrett Allen is scoring 16.2 while grabbing 10.7 per game.
The Cavs could also be without 6-foot-11 defensive stalwart Evan Mobley on Monday. In his third season, Mobley is averaging 15.6 points and 10.2 rebounds. Isaac Okoro has started in Mobley’s stead in recent games.
In his last four games against the Pacers, Mobley has recorded a double-double.
After hosting the Cavs, the Pacers will kick off a five-game road trip on Wednesday in the Motor City against the Detroit Pistons.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner
Cavaliers: G – Darius Garland, G – Donovan Mitchell, F – Georges Niang, F – Isaac Okoro, C – Jarrett Allen
Injury Report
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin – out (right shoulder labral tear), Doug McDermott – out (right calf strain)
Cavaliers: TBA
Last Meeting
Nov. 3, 2023: Indiana held off a late Cleveland rally to post a 121-116 In-Season Tournament win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The win was the Pacers’ second over the Cavs in six days.
After the Pacers led 70-49 at half, the Cavs battled back to take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, the Pacers ultimately held on down the final stretch by dropping 33 points in the final 12 minutes.
Pacers center Myles Turner scored 27 points, point guard Tyrese Haliburton logged 18 points and 13 assists, and Bruce Brown (now on the Toronto Raptors) chipped in 19 points and seven rebounds. Donovan Mitchell topped the Cavs with 38 points, and Evan Mobley recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Both teams shot 52 percent from the field, but deep shooting made a difference, as the Pacers hit 15 3-pointers to the Cavs’ eight threes. The Pacers won the rebounding margin 40-35 but had 19 turnovers to the Cavs’ 13 giveaways.
Noteworthy
Myles Turner needs six blocks to break Jermaine O’Neal’s Paceras franchise record for career blocks (1,245).
Rick Carlisle has 934 career wins as an NBA head coach. He is one win away from tying Dick Motta for 13th all-time.
The Pacers and Cavs will conclude their regular season series on April 12 in Cleveland.
Pacers forward Doug McDermott has missed nine straight games with a calf injury.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers wrap up their homestand by welcoming Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday, March 18 at 7:00 PM
FUEL HOCKEY
CYCLONES SHUTOUT FUEL IN CINCINNATI
CINCINNATI – The Fuel looked to wrap up the weekend with a win on the road in Cincinnati. The penalty kill units reigned supreme for both sides in this game but Cincinnati held strong and took the victory 4-0 at home.
1ST PERIOD
A lot of exciting chances but neither team came away with a goal in the first frame. A power play chance for both teams and a 4-on-4 gave way to some exciting hockey.
Two penalties from both sides and the shots went in favor of the Cyclones 10-8 in the first period. The most memorable moments from the first period came with the goalies making some impressive saves.
2ND PERIOD
The first goal of the afternoon came at 1:58 of the second period off the stick of Keanan Stewart. That shot gave Stewart his first-ever pro goal and gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead early in the period.
The Fuel found themselves on a power play at 14:42 from a slashing minor but they could not capitalize. A short-handed goal was scored by Sahil Panwar in what was arguably the goal of the year in the ECHL.
He broke out on the short-handed attack, hit the brakes for a spin move on Bryan Lemos then rifled a back-handed shot past Mitchell Weeks to give the Cyclones a 2-0 lead at 15:58 of the second period.
Despite no major penalties, the game started to get chippy through big hits and extracurricular activities after play had paused. The most penalties came at 18:45 when four roughing minors were assessed, two for both teams and a diving/embellishment minor was given to Sanhil Panwar.
The period ended with the Fuel outshooting the Cyclones 9-8 but Cincinnati still led after two periods 2-0.
3RD PERIOD
The Fuel had an early chance in the period with a tripping minor against Cincinnati but, as with every single power play opportunity for both sides in this matchup, no goal would come from it. Both sides combined were 0-12 on power play opportunities in this game.
Cincinnati would put the nail in the coffin on a breakaway goal at 15:25 when Remy Parker zipped one by Mitchell Weeks to make the score 3-0 with less than five minutes left to play. An empty netter would be added at 18:06 by Patrick Polino to make the final score 4-0.
The game would end with the Fuel outshooting the Cyclones 28-25 and Pavel Cajun getting his first win in a Cyclones uniform.
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANA EARNS AT-LARGE BID TO 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana women’s basketball will play in its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament as it was selected for an at-large bid to the 2024 field on Sunday night.
IU will appear in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in school history and for the fifth-straight season. All-time tournament appearances include 1983, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023. Overall, they are 9-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament while 10th year head coach Teri Moren holds a record of 8-5 in her six appearances.
The Hoosiers will face 13-seed Fairfield on Saturday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2. In the second game, 5-seed Oklahoma will matchup with 12-seed Florida Gulf Coast at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNNews.
The No. 15 ranked Hoosiers finished the regular season with a 24-5 overall record and finished third in the Big Ten (15-3). Four players earned All-Big Ten honors this season led by graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes and senior guard Sara Scalia on the first team. Nationally, Indiana leads the country in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage while its 10K-plus average attendance is fifth in Division I this season while going 15-0 on its home court.
All-session and single game tickets for the first and second rounds in Bloomington are now on sale through the IU Ticket Office.
INDIANA BASEBALL
MIDDLE OF ORDER SECURES SERIES VICTORY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Baseball team (11-9) got a combined seven hits, three runs, four walks and 11 RBIs from sophomores Devin Taylor and Tyler Cerny and junior Brock Tibbitts as it raced to a 15-7, series-clinching victory over Belmont on Sunday (March 17) afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field.
Cerny hit the cover off the ball all weekend, finishing 6-13 at the plate with seven RBIs and a pair of home runs while scoring four different times. Tibbitts finished the week with five multi-hit games in as many contests and is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak.
The Hoosiers settled down on the mound, receiving an outstanding opening three innings from sophomore Ethan Phillips (W, 3-0). He earned the win for the second-straight day, becoming the first Hoosier pitcher to win two-straight games since Cal Kreuger in 2018.
IU allowed just one earned run the entire game, a solo home run off redshirt sophomore Grant Holderfield in the fifth inning. Sophomore arm Aydan Decker-Petty was outstanding once again, throwing two innings with no hits allowed. Redshirt freshman right-hander Jacob Vogel struck out three batters in the ninth.
Leadoff hitter, and junior outfielder Nick Mitchell, reached base five times and scored four runs. He walked four times, the first Hoosier to receive four free passes since Jeremy Houston in 2021. In total, IU reached base on 26 occasions with 14 walks and 12 hits. Combined between Saturday and Sunday, the Hoosiers’ offense was on base a total of 54 times.
A quick turnaround awaits IU before beginning conference play against Illinois next weekend. The Hoosiers will head to Terre Haute for the first of two matchups in three weeks against Indiana State on Tuesday (March 19). With the pitching back on schedule, IU is expected to have a host of midweek arms available.
Scoring Recap
Top First
After a fielding error in the top of the first inning, Landon Godsey doubled to score Mason Landers and take an early lead.
Belmont 1, Indiana 0
Bottom First
Brock Tibbitts responded with an RBI single into left field, allowing Nick Mitchell to tie the game for IU.
Indiana 1, Belmont 1
Bottom Second
Tibbitts put the Hoosiers ahead for good in the second-straight game, walking with the bases loaded to score Joey Brenczewski. Cerny added a pair of runs later in the inning, doubling off the wall to bring in Devin Taylor and Mitchell
Indiana 4, Belmont 1
Top Fourth
Sam Slaughter was hit with the bases loaded to give Belmont its second run.
Indiana 4, Belmont 2
Top Fifth
Landers continued his hot weekend, hitting a solo run over the wall in left-center field.
Indiana 4, Belmont 3.
Bottom Fifth
Jasen Olivier took a two-strike pitch up the middle, bringing Carter Mathison around to score. Josh Pyne walked with the bases loaded to add a sixth run before Taylor doubled down the right-field wall to clear the bases. Taylor came around to score on a wild pitch as the Hoosiers reached double-digits for the second-straight game.
Indiana 10, Belmont 3
Top Sixth
A handful of fielding errors put Julian Tonghini in a tough position in the sixth. Slaughter singled to add a run before Rando walked with the bases loaded. Landers hit into a double play but Michael Lareau was allowed to score from third. Brodey Heaton singled up the middle to add a fourth run of the inning. All four runs were unearned to Tonghini.
Indiana 10, Belmont 7
Bottom Seventh
Cerny hit his second home run of the weekend, clearing the wall in left field for a two-run blast.
Indiana 12, Belmont 7
Bottom Eighth
The Hoosiers added insurance runs in the eighth. Colopy came around to score on a wild pitch before Tibbitts hit a two-run single to left field to score Mitchell and Oliver.
Indiana 15, Belmont 7
Notes to Know
• Junior infielder Brock Tibbitts extended his hitting streak to nine games. He had multi-hit games in all five contests this week and totaled 10 hits, eight RBIs and five runs on the week.
• Sophomore infielder Tyler Cerny finished a triple short of the cycle on Sunday afternoon. He struck a ball late in the game that was caught by a diving center fielder to rob Cerny of a potential three-bagger.
• Sophomore pitcher Ethan Phillips recorded wins on both Saturday and Sunday. He’s the first IU pitcher since 2018 (Cal Krueger) to win consecutive games for the Hoosiers.
• Nick Mitchell walked four times, the first IU player to walk four times in one game since Jeremy Houston in 2021.
• IU scored 15 runs in consecutive games for the first time since beating Purdue with 26 and 15 runs last May.
Top Hoosier Performers
#8 Cerny, Tyler
3-5, 4 RBI, 1 R
#5 Taylor, Devin
2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Up Next
IU heads to Terre Haute on Tuesday night to take on Indiana State. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ or can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
INDIANA SOFTBALL
INDIANA DROPS GAME TO NO. 10 FLORIDA ON SUNDAY
GAINESVILLE, Fla. –––– Indiana closed out play in the Florida Tournament on Sunday afternoon, falling to No. 10 Florida, 10-0.
With the loss, the Hoosiers finished their week in the Sunshine State going 3-2 and it puts their overall record at 22-6.
No. 10 FLORIDA 10, INDIANA 0 (F/5)
KEY MOMENTS
• In the top of the first inning junior Taylor Minnick hit a stand-up double to right center field to keep her hot streak going.
• Florida used an RBI single and a home run to right center field in the first and second inning, respectively, to go up 2-0.
• Florida put together two four-run innings in the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to 10-0.
• Indiana had the bases loaded in the top of the fourth with two outs but could not score.
NOTABLES
• Minnick’s double was her third extra base hit in as many games.
• Junior Brianna Copeland has accounted for at least one hit in her last eight games.
• Copeland, sophomore Sophie Kleiman and junior Heather Johnson all got time in the circle today against the Gators.
UP NEXT
Indiana will next play at Penn State for its opening weekend in Big Ten play from Friday, March 22 through Sunday, March 24.
INDIANA SWIMMING
INDIANA ROSTERS SET FOR NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Twenty-eight Indiana swimming and diving student-athletes have qualified for the 2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
The program will send 13 athletes to the 2024 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, March 20-23 in Athens, Georgia. Fifteen Hoosier men will compete at the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships one week later inside the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. Tickets are available here. Fans can also watch both meets on the ESPN+ digital platform.
Both teams come into the national meet as Big Ten Champions, securing the program’s second-ever conference double. IU is one of only two Big Ten programs to win both the men’s and women’s title in the same season. For the men, it was their third consecutive title and sixth in eight years. The women won their championship an exciting finish, outscoring Ohio State by one half of a point via the final relay.
Last season, the Indiana men finished fourth nationally – their fourth top-five finish in five seasons. In the last five years, only four men’s team have consistently finished top six nationally: Cal, Texas, Florida and Indiana. The women blew away expectations and tied their program-record finish, placing seventh in the team standings.
Two of Indiana’s three 2023 NCAA Champions will return for this year’s meet. Fifth-year senior Brendan Burns won the 200-yard butterfly in 2022 and the 100-yard backstroke one year ago and will race both again – as well as the 200-yard backstroke. Junior diver Carson Tyler is the defending platform diving champion and repeated as Big Ten Champion at the conference meet. The women had a pair of national runners-up a year ago, as Anne Fowler took second on the 1-meter springboard, joined by Ching Hwee Gan in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
Indiana’s NCAA rosters feature two Hoosiers that have already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Junior Mariah Denigan will represent Team USA in open water events after her sixth-place finish in the 10K event at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Dutchman Kai van Westering posted Olympic Qualifying Times in the 200-meter backstroke at the same World Championships.
Indiana’s complete rosters are listed below.
INDIANA SWIMMING AND DIVING QUALIFIERS
2024 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships
Brearna Crawford – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Mariah Denigan – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle
Anne Fowler – 1-meter, 3-meter
Anna Freed – 200 butterfly, 200 IM, 400 IM
Ching Hwee Gan – 500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle
Elyse Heiser – 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle
Skyler Liu – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Kacey McKenna – 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
Kristina Paegle – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle
Anna Peplowski – 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle
Ella Roselli – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Ashley Turak – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke
Lily Witte – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
200-yard freestyle relay
400-yard freestyle relay
800-yard freestyle relay
200-yard medley relay
400-yard medley relay
2024 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships
Toby Barnett – 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Luke Barr – 200 IM, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke
Finn Brooks – 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly
Brendan Burns – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 200 butterfly
Tristan DeWitt – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle
Tomer Frankel – 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Quinn Henninger – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Rafael Miroslaw – 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle
Josh Matheny – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Maxwell Reich – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Carson Tyler – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Armando Vegas – 200 butterfly
Maxwell Weinrich – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Kai van Westering – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
Jassen Yep – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
200-yard freestyle relay
400-yard freestyle relay
800-yard freestyle relay
200-yard medley relay
400-yard medley relay
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
BOILERMAKERS NAB MIDWEST REGION’S TOP SEED; WILL PLAY IN INDIANAPOLIS ON FRIDAY
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After winning its second straight outright Big Ten regular-season championship and posting a 29-4 overall record, the Purdue men’s basketball team earned the Midwest Region’s No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Purdue will face the winner of Wednesday’s First Four matchup between 16 seeds Grambling and Montana State, in Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 7:25 p.m. ET, on Friday night, on TBS.
The Boilermakers are making their ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the fourth-longest streak in the country, and are one of two teams to be a top-five seed in each of the last eight NCAA Tournaments (Kansas). Since Matt Painter’s second year at Purdue (2006-07), Purdue is one of seven schools to make at least 15 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Purdue earned its second straight No. 1 seed and its fifth in school history (1988, 1994, 1996, 2023, 2024).
Grambling earned the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s (SWAC) automatic bid after beating a regular-season opponent for the Boilermakers, Texas Southern, 75-66, in the title game. The Tigers are 20-14 overall and also won the league’s regular-season title.
Montana State won the Big Sky Tournament after defeating the league’s top-two teams (Eastern Washington and Montana) in the conference tournament. The Bobcats are 17-17 overall and rank 45th nationally in effective field goal percentage and 43rd in 3-point percentage.
Purdue owns a 1-0 series advantage against Grambling (Nov. 2014) and are 2-1 all-time against Montana State, last facing the Bobcats in December 1959.
The other side of the bracket features No. 8 seed Utah State and No. 9 seed TCU.
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
PURDUE ACCEPTS BID TO THE 2024 WNIT
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the 32nd time in program history, the Purdue women’s basketball team is heading to the postseason. The Boilermakers accepted a bid to play in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
First round details of opponent, date, time and location will be announced Monday.
The Boilermakers are making their fifth entry into the WNIT and second under head coach Katie Gearlds. Purdue reached the second round of the 2022 edition Gearlds’ first season back at her alma mater.
Purdue’s previous WNIT appearances came in 1988 (as the National Women’s Invitational Tournament), 2010 and 2018, in addition to 2022. The 1988 appearance was the first postseason run in program history, falling in the championship game to DePaul. The Boilermakers made it to the third round of the 2018 tournament, before falling to the eventual champion Indiana.
After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, the Boilermakers are back in the postseason for the third consecutive year, a first for the program since the 2015-16 to 2017-18 campaigns.
Purdue went 13-18 on the year against the 22nd ranked strength of schedule in the country. The Boilermakers reached the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Purdue’s youth movement of five freshmen combined to lead all Big Ten rookie classes with 23.5 points per game through conference tournament action. The Boilermakers were one of two teams in the nation to have three different freshmen drop 20 points in a game this season.
Mary Ashley Stevenson became the first Boilermaker in 20 years since Katie Gearlds to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, receiving the laurel from the conference media. She alongside Rashunda Jones earned spots on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Sophie Swanson set the single-game freshman 3-point record with seven in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament against Nebraska, also tying the league’s tournament record for makes by a freshman.
Jeanae Terry earned All-Big Ten laurels for her third straight season, receiving an honorable mention nod by the coaches and media. Terry is third in Purdue career assists with 561 in just three years in West Lafayette. She has 188 dimes this year, 13 away from the single-season record. The Detroit native is two rebounds shy of 1,000 for her career, which would make her the first 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound, 700-assist player in Big Ten men’s or women’s basketball history.
After becoming the 12th fastest player to reach 1,000 points at Purdue, Abbey Ellis is just 41 points away from hitting the 2,000-point mark in her five-year career.
The 2023-24 Purdue women’s basketball season is presented by Purdue Global, Purdue University’s online educational solution for working adults.
PURDUE BASEBALL
BOILERS HIT 3 HR BUT 5-RUN INNING, 15 LOB LEAD TO 1ST SUNDAY LOSS
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Down by five runs entering the ninth inning, Purdue Baseball sent 10 men to the plate and put the winning run in scoring position while loading the bases with two outs before Samford could end the game on a deep fly ball to right field, taking the series finale 11-10 Sunday at Alexander Field.
The teams split the tightly contested four-game series, which featured a pair of one-run affairs and the Boilermakers (15-6) finishing with a 30-29 scoring edge. They lost on a Sunday for the first time this season but did mange to score 10 runs in a game for the fifth straight weekend to open the season, matching the 2012 Big Ten championship team’s feat.
A five-run frame helped the Bulldogs (12-7) score six consecutive runs, blowing open a game that was tied through six innings. Purdue rallied back from deficits of 3-0, 5-3 and 11-6 but ultimately could not overcome stranding a season-high 15 runners on base – the team’s most since an April 2022 home loss to Belmont, also on a Sunday. The Boilermakers stranded multiple runners in five different frames, including the bases loaded in the third, eighth and ninth innings.
Jo Stevens, Ty Gill and Camden Gasser all homered to right field as Purdue hit multiple home runs for the third game in a row and for fourth time in the five games this week. Gasser’s three-run shot in the ninth inning, his first as a Boilermaker, powered the ninth-inning rally. Gill went deep for the second day in a row and Stevens hit his first home run at Alexander Field, an opposite-field, two-run blast into the bullpen.
Gasser was on base in five of his plate appearances, finishing the day 3-for-5 with a double, home run and walk. The shortstop posted a .556 on-base percentage in the series, extending his hit and on-base streaks. He continues to lead the Big Ten in OBP (.526). Gasser, Stevens and Connor Caskenette hit safely in all four games of the series.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Connor Caskenette – 25-game on-base streak at Home (since 3/31/23); 9-game on-base streak in all games
• Camden Gasser – 19-game on-base streak (every game he’s played in 2024); 12-game hit streak
• Jo Stevens – 7-game hit streak
Caskenette’s RBI double plated Luke Gaffney from first base as the key hit of the second half of the ninth-inning rally. It put the tying run on base with two outs. Consecutive walks followed to load the bases before Jake Holifield retired Camden Melvin on the deep fly ball to right field to finally end the game.
Stevens and Gill homered in the fifth inning to give Purdue its first lead at 6-5. The Boilermakers also scored three times in the bottom of the third but did so without hitting the ball out the infield, capitalizing on five consecutive free passes to the 2-6 portion of the lineup.
Samford scored six of its runs via a trio of timely two-out hits. Hayden Perry beat the shift with a two-run single through the vacated right side in the second inning. Josh Rodriguez connected for two-run triple off the glove of left fielder Mike Bolton Jr. in the fifth inning. Garrett Howe flipped an end of the bat special down the right field line for a two-run double to cap the scoring in the five-run seventh inning.
Couper Cornblum was kept off base at Alexander Field for the first time since April 15, 2023, ending a 21-game on-base streak at home. His 10-game on-base streak in all games was also snapped Sunday.
Purdue continues its 13-game homestand Wednesday when it hosts UIC for a $3 midweek matchup at 4 p.m. ET.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NO. 2 NOTRE DAME SET TO HOST NCAA TOURNAMENT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — For the second consecutive season, the road to the NCAA Championship runs through South Bend.
On Sunday, No. 2 Notre Dame learned it will host the first and second rounds of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and face Kent State to kick it off. It is Notre Dame’s 29 overall appearance in the Big Dance.
Notre Dame’s top-ranked ACC offense is led by the three-headed monster that is Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo and Maddy Westbeld. During the ACC Tournament, the three combined for an average of 53.7 points, 18 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game. Their names pepper the ACC statistical rankings as well. Hidalgo leads the conference with 23.3 points per game and the nation with 4.6 steals per game. Citron has the best free throw percentage in the ACC (90.2 percent), and Westbeld is one of just four ACC players posting at least 14 points and 9 boards per contest.
Notre Dame is 71-26 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 24-4 in the First Round.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S GOLF
IRISH FINISH SECOND AT SCHENKEL INVITATIONAL
Statesboro, Ga. – The Notre Fighting Irish took home a second place finish in the Schenkel Invitational hosted at the Forest Heights Country Club March 15-17.
As the event runner-up, Notre Dame shot 23 under with a collective team score of 841 on the tournament and finished just four strokes behind the No. 17 Florida Gators.
Palmer Jackson finished in the top five as he shot a 208 (-8) in the invitational. Despite shooting a 73 in round one, Jackson secured his fifth place finish with an impressive second and third round. After shooting a 69 (-3) in round two, the graduate student capped off the tournament a 66 (-6) in round three. Jackson finished with seven birdies in the third round alone and 12 total birdies.
He was followed by freshman Jacob Modleski, who shot a 210 (-6) after recording even 72s in rounds one and three and a 66 (-6) in the second. Modleski finished with 14 birdies in the tournament.
The Irish have a small break before they head to PFAU Course at Indiana University to compete in the Hoosier Collegiate April 6-7.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S TENNIS
FRESHMAN THOMPSON WINS AT THIRD RANKED VIRGINIA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the second time this season, the University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team played their match outside as they took on the #3 ranked Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. The two-time reigning national champions proved too much on their home courts in windy conditions as they won the match 6-1.
All three doubles matches would be played to completion today. Sebastian Dominko and Jean-Marc Malkowski suffered only their third loss on the year as they fell to a fellow top-20 ranked doubles team. In at #3 doubles for the first time this season, Brian Bilsey and Jayanth Devaiah battled hard and had five deuce games but ultimately couldn’t overcome their opponents in a 6-3 loss. Nil Giraldez and Chase Thompson played a very tough doubles match, garnering an early lead but the back and forth set went the way of the Cavaliers 7-5.
In singles, Thompson scored a straight-set victory at the #4 position in the lone win for the Irish on the day. The top 3 players for Notre Dame all fell to nationally ranked singles players and Malkowski pushed his opponent to a first set tiebreak but could not get the win.
Up Next:
The Irish return home to take on a pair of top-20 ranked ACC opponents. On Friday March 22nd at 4 p.m., the Wolfpack of NC State will be in town. Then on Sunday, a doubleheader will see the Irish host #4 ranked Wake Forest at noon followed by a match against Xavier at 5 p.m.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
IRISH TAKE THE SERIES OVER #25 GEORGIA TECH
ATLANTA, Ga. – The University of Notre Dame softball team battled back to take the series finale with the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets Sunday afternoon in Atlanta. The Fighting Irish saw a two-run lead erased in the fifth, but rallied to score a pair to take the lead in the sixth. Micaela Kastor held off one of the nation’s most powerful lineups as the Irish earned the 6-5 victory to improve to 16-10 overall, and 2-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Alexis Laudenslager got the start in the circle for the second-consecutive game. The graduate transfer threw 4.2 innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs and struck out four before giving way to Kastor. Kastor earned the win, throwing the final 2.1 innings, scattering a pair of hits and allowing two earned runs.
Cassidy Grimm paced the Irish offense, finishing 3-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored, two doubles and a sacrifice bunt. Emily Tran, Addison Amaral, Rachel Allen, Mac Vasquez and Mickey Winchell each added hits in the contest. Allen and Vasquez finished with an RBI and two RBI, respectively.
How It Happened
Georgia Tech got the long ball going in the first inning, getting a one-out single following with a homer to put the Yellowjackets up 2-0.
Both teams went scoreless in the second and third innings before the Irish offense got rolling in the fourth. Karina Gaskins led off with a walk, as a single and a fielder’s choice put two on. Grimm drove a double down the right field line to score two and tie the game. Allen followed with a double to give the Irish the 3-2 advantage before Winchell singled and it kicked away from the Georgia Tech center fielder, allowing Allen to score and the Irish to take the 4-2 lead.
The Yellowjackets battled back with two outs in the fifth inning. A single through the left side and a walk put two on. Mallorie Black hit the three-run homer to regain the lead at 5-4.
Notre Dame battled back in the sixth to score a pair. Grimm led off with a double and went to third when Allen reached on a throwing error before being lifted for a pinch runner. Mikayla LaPlaca came on to run and stole second base with Vasquez pinch hitting. Vasquez battled, turning around the full count offering for a single up the middle to plate pair and put the Irish back in front, 6-5.
Kastor held Georgia Tech off the board in the sixth, sitting the Yellowjackets down in order. The seventh inning wouldn’t go as smoothly for the Irish. An infield single to lead off the inning got the drama started. A sacrifice bunt moved the tying run 120 feet from home. Kastor took care of a ground ball for the second out before back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Kastor came right at the Georgia Tech cleanup hitter who bounced a grounder to Grimm at third who stepped on the base for the final out to give the Irish the series.
Up Next
The Irish return home for a match up with the Michigan State Spartans at Melissa Cook Stadium on Tuesday, March 19th at 5 p.m.
NOTRE DAME SWIMMING
BRADY, COURTNEY, KNAPP, NGUYEN QUALIFY FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
After three days of competition at the Zone C Diving Championships in Louisville, four Notre Dame divers punched tickets to the 2024 NCAA Championships over the next few weeks: Calie Brady, Grace Courtney, Daniel Knapp and Ben Nguyen.
Brady has now made NCAAs three times in as many years, this time qualifying in the 1-meter and 3-meter. The junior finished fifth in the 1-meter (602.85) and fourth in the 3-meter (645.95) this weekend. She will be joined by Grace Courtney, who is making her first appearance at NCAAs after the sophomore finished ninth in the 1-meter (564.45). She will also compete in the 3-meter after finishing 11th (603.40).
On the men’s side, Knapp is headed to his second NCAA meet, while Nguyen is making his debut. Knapp qualified in both the 1-meter and 3-meter. He placed second in the 1-meter (733.10), and as a result of qualifying that event, will also be able to compete in the 3-meter at NCAAs. He finished 11th with a score of 716.55.
Nguyen, who demolished the Notre Dame platform record at ACC Championships (406.70) and won a bronze medal, will compete in the same event in Indy. His combined scores from Saturday totaled 694.00, good enough to finish fifth in Zone C.
Brady and Courtney will head to the University of Georgia this week for the Women’s NCAA Championships from March 20-23. They will join swimmers Madelyn Christman and Maggie Graves. Complete meet information can be found here.
Knapp and Nguyen will wait one more week before joining 10 Irish swimmers in Indianapolis at IUPUI. The men’s meet runs from March 27-30.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
BUTLER SELECTED TO 2024 NIT, HOSTS MINNESOTA TUESDAY
Butler’s 2023-24 season will continue into the postseason as the Bulldogs have been selected to the NIT. The bracket for the 32-team tournament was announced Sunday night.
Butler will host Minnesota Tuesday night in a first-round match-up at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The 9 p.m. tip will air on ESPNU.
Ticket and parking information will be available soon.
The winner of the Butler-Minnesota game will meet the winner of Indiana State-SMU. Indiana State is one of four No. 1 seeds in the bracket, joining Seton Hall, Villanova and Wake Forest. Butler, Seton Hall and Villanova are three of five BIG EAST teams in the field, joining Providence and Xavier.
The ESPN Family of Networks will broadcast the entire tournament.
This marks Butler’s tenth appearance in the NIT and was most recently part of the NIT field in 2019. The Bulldogs have also been part of events in 1958, 1959, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, and 2006.
Butler coach Thad Matta won the 2008 NIT title while leading the Ohio State Buckeyes; his Buckeyes were also part of the field in 2016.
Butler won the last meeting against Minnesota, Nov. 12, 2019, which was part of the Gavitt Tip-Off Games. Minnesota leads the all-time series between the two programs, 3-1.
Butler enters the NIT with an 18-14 mark on the season.
Hinkle Fieldhouse will host the NIT semifinals and championship game April 2 and 4, respectively.
NIT BRACKET: https://butlersports.com/documents/2024/3/17/2024_NIT_Bracket.pdf
BUTLER MEN’S TENNIS
BUTLER MTENNIS TOPS EASTERN ILLINOIS 6-1
The Butler men’s tennis team defeated Eastern Illinois 6-1 today in Indianapolis, Ind. The Bulldogs now improve to 6-12 for the spring season.
In doubles play, Alvaro Huete Vadillo and Rahulniket Konakanchi defeated Tyler Carlin and Thomas Wallace in a 6-1 fight at No. 1 doubles. Arnesh Singh and Borja Miralles beat Cameron Slabbert and Zach White, 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles spot.
The Bulldogs clinched five of their six singles matches of the day. At No. 1 singles Huete Vadillo defeated Pau Riera in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 contest. Patrick Joss also claimed a victory at No. 2 singles over Carlin, 6-2, 6-2. Sophomore Aidan William played in a tough fought match for the Bulldogs. William clinched a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Wallace in the No. 5 singles spot.
The Butler men’s tennis program will take on Villanova on Saturday, March 23 at Butler’s Outdoor Tennis Courts.
Results
SINGLES
Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BUT) def. Pau Riera (EIU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
Patrick Joss (BUT) def. Tyler Carlin (EIU), 6-2, 6-2
Cameron Slabbert (EIU) def. Borja Miralles (BUT), 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
Rahulniket Konakanchi (BUT) def. Zach White (EIU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
Aidan William (BUT) def. Thomas Wallace (EIU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Nicholas Balthazor (BUT) def. William Hays (EIU), 6-3, 6-0
DOUBLES
Alvaro Huete Vadillo/Rahulniket Konakanchi (BUT) def. Tyler Carlin/Thomas Wallace (EIU), 6-1
Arnesh Singh/Borja Miralles (BUT) def. Cameron Slabbert/Zach White (EIU), 6-2
Nicholas Shirley/Patrick Joss (BUT) def. Pau Riera/William Hays (EIU), 3-5 unfinished
BUTLER WOMEN’S TENNIS
BUTLER WTENNIS FALLS TO BIG EAST MEMBER XAVIER
The Butler women’s tennis team fell 7-0 to BIG EAST member Xavier on Sunday evening in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bulldogs now sit at 10-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play for the spring season. The Musketeers improve to 11-4 overall and 3-0 in conference play.
The Bulldogs will be back home on Saturday, March 30 to take on Marian (Ind.) at Butler’s Outdoor Tennis Courts.
Results
SINGLES
Imani Graham (XAV) def. Natalie Boesing (BUT), 6-2, 6-1
Anna Roggenburk (XAV) def. Delaney Schurhamer (BUT), 7-5, 6-2
Abby Nugent (XAV) def. Chase Metcalf (BUT), 6-3, 6-4
Abigail Siminski (XAV) def. Norah Balthazor (BUT), 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (7)
Sofia Mazzucato (XAV) def. Elle Martin (BUT), 6-0, 7-5
Emily Flowers (XAV) def. Katie Beavin, 6-3, 6-0
DOUBLES
Anna Roggenburk/Imani Graham (XAV) vs. Natalie Boesing/Chase Metcalf (BUT)
Abby Nugent/Ellie Brotherton (XAV) def. Delaney Schurhamer/Jordan Schildcrout (BUT), 6-3
Emily Flowers/Sofia Mazzucato (XAV) def. Norah Balthazor/Lauren Cook (BUT)
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BUTLER SOFTBALL DROPS THIRD GAME TO ST. JOHN’S
QUEENS, N.Y. – The Butler softball team was unable to come away with a win in the third and final game of its BIG EAST series with St. John’s. The Bulldogs (13-15, 2-4 BIG EAST) used a pair of home runs to build a lead in the early innings, but the Red Storm (13-13, 4-2 BIG EAST) regained the lead in the fourth. After tying the game in the top of the seventh, Butler fell on a walk-off double.
Game 3: St. John’s 5, Butler 4 (7 innings)
St. John’s scored one run in the first inning to take an early, 1-0, lead.
In the top of the second, a pair of home runs from Teagan O’Rilley and Monique Hoosen scored three total runs and put Butler up, 3-1. In the bottom half, the Red Storm got one back, but the Bulldogs held a 3-2 lead.
Two-out RBI singles in both the third and fourth innings gave the Red Storm a 4-3 lead that held through six complete.
In the top of the seventh, Hailey Conger drew a walk and was knocked in by White’s second double of the game, tying the game at 4-4.
St. John’s put two on in the bottom half, with a single and a walk, and a walk-off double ended the game.
Rylyn Dyer (1.0IP, 2R, H, BB, K) started in the circle for Butler and lasted into the bottom of the second. Katie Petran (8-3) entered in the bottom of the second, finished the game, and took the loss. In 5.1 innings, she allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out three.
Bulldog Bits
Teagan O’Rilley’s home run was her fourth of the season and 12th of her career.
Monique Hoosen’s home run was her seventh of the season and 34th of her career.
Ella White’s two doubles give her ten for the season and 30 for her career.
Up Next
Butler returns to Indianapolis to host UConn for a BIG EAST series from Friday, Mar. 22 through Sunday Mar. 24.
IUPUI MEN’S GOLF
JAGUARS HEAD TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR ECU INTERCOLLEGIATE
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The IUPUI men’s golf team will return to action this week as the Jaguars will participate in the ECU Intercollegiate at Brook Valley Country Club. The Jaguars started the spring with an eighth-place finish at the World Golf Village Collegiate with a 54-hole 875 (290-292-293) just less than a month ago to open the spring.
Senior Taylor Gardner opened the spring with a 10-under 206 (66-71-69) for his eighth career top-10 finish. His 206 tied for the fourth-best tournament score in program history, just three shots off the school record.
This week, he’ll be joined in the lineup by Kevin Tillery, Titus Boswell, Morgan Tournemire and Brady Schier. In addition, Noah Kirsch will participate as an individual.
FORMAT: Teams will play two rounds on Monday (Mar. 18) and a final round on Tuesday (Mar. 19). Scoring will be 5-count-4 format.
THE COURSE: Brook Valley Country Club is set to play par 72 and 6,803 yards this week. The course in an Ellis Maples design and is ranked among the state’s Top 100 courses. It was founded in 1966 and the club’s history includes an exhibition match played by Sam Snead and Ben Hogan.
THE FIELD: The 15-team field will consist of Barton College, Dartmouth, East Carolina, Fairleigh Dickinson, Francis Marion, Gardner-Webb, IUPUI, Marshall, Oakland, Queens Univ. of Charlotte, Samford, Temple, UCF, USC Upstate and Youngstown State.
RANKINGS: IUPUI is ranked No. 230 with a 39-25-3 record entering this event.
LINEUP:
No. 1 – Taylor Gardner (71.11 average / 18 rounds / 2 top-10 finish)
No. 2 – Kevin Tillery (72.72 average / 18 rounds / 2 top-10 finishes)
No. 3 – Titus Boswell (73.67 average / 15 rounds)
No. 4 – Morgan Tournemire (73.13 average / 15 rounds / 1 top-10 finish)
No. 5 – Brady Schier (73.17 average / 12 rounds / 1 top-10 finish)
Ind. – Noah Kirsch (73.67 average / 3 rounds)
LAST TIME OUT: IUPUI placed eighth of 18 teams at the World Golf Village Collegiate at the King & Bear Course in St. Augustine, Fla., on Feb. 19-20 with a 54-hole 875 (290-292-293). Gardner shot 10-under 206 (66-71-69), placing fourth among the 108-player field. Tillery was next in line at 7-over 223, tying for 45th overall.
UP NEXT: IUPUI will participate in the Don Benbow Butler Spring Invitational at Highland Country Club on Apr. 1-2.
IUPUI SWIMMING
OTERO QUALIFIES FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
LOUISVILLE – The IUPUI dive team competed at the NCAA Zone C Championships this weekend. The meet was highlighted by Sebastian Otero qualifying for the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis.
Otero, a sophomore from Fishers, Indiana finished in fifth with a total score of 774.25 in the 3-meter dive, securing his spot in the NCAA Championships. With an 11th place finish with a total score of 638.15, Otero also qualified for the men’s 1-meter dive.
Otero will dive in the NCAA Championships right here in Indianapolis at the IU Natatorium. He is one of only eight athletes to make the meet from non-power five conferences. Of those other seven athletes, five of them are from the Ivy League.
Alaina Heyde, Adam Schmehl and Blake Vanderjeugdt also competed at the NCAA Zone C meet. Heyde made the final in the women’s 3-meter final where she finished in 18th with a total score of 508.55.
Otero will now prepare for the NCAA Championships which starts on March 27 in Indianapolis.
IUPUI MEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S TENNIS EARNS CONFERENCE VICTORY, 4-3
CHICAGO – The IUPUI men’s tennis team earned their first conference victory of the season after defeating Chicago State, 4-3. Luka Rodic clinched the match victory with a number five singles point.
The Jags earned the doubles point to kick off the match. Emil Jankowski and Kamil Kozerski earned the number one doubles win, 6-3 while Rodic and Steven Paz secured the doubles point in the number two spot, 6-4.
After earning the doubles point, the Jags took three of the six singles points to secure the match win. Eli Mercer kicked the Jags off with a number six singles win in two sets, 6-2, 6-1.
Chicago State then took three straight points. Noah Viste fell in the number two spot, 6-2, 6-2, Nate Day dropped the number four match, 6-2, 6-4 and Kozerski lost in the number one match, 6-3, 6-4.
Paz tied the match at 3-3 with a victory in the number three singles spot, 6-3, 7-6. Rodic then secured the team win with the number five singles point in three sets, 7-6, 4-6, 6-2.
IUPUI will now return home to host three straight Horizon League matches. The Jags welcome Northern Kentucky on Saturday, March 23.
BALL STATE GYMNASTICS
MAC CHAMPS: GYMNASTICS EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT MAC REGULAR SEASON TITLE
MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State gymnastics team celebrated senior day in style Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena, claiming its second consecutive Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship with a 196.400 to 195.150 victory over Eastern Michigan.
To do it, the Cardinals (14-4; 5-1 MAC) relied heavily on the four gymnasts it celebrated immediately after the meet.
“You always love to see your seniors perform well,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “Victoria sticking her vault was amazing, and the way all four of them, Suki, Hannah, Megan and Vic, competed on floor was very fun to watch. For them to turn in such solid performances when we are closing out a day recognizing them for their accomplishments and leadership speaks volumes. They have brought a lot to our program, and it was great to honor them today with another championship. But they know, this is not the end, there is still work to do.”
It started on vault, with all four seniors throwing in countable scores as Ball State tied the seventh-best team vault score in program history at 49.175. Leading the way was senior Victoria Henry who closed the rotation with a winning mark of 9.925.
Senior Suki Pfister was not far behind, tying for second by registering a 9.900 for her seventh vault of 9.900-or-higher this season. Pfister entered the meet ranked fourth in the nation with a vault NQS of 9.935.
Rounding out the senior day highlights on vault were a 9.800 from Hannah Ruthberg and a 9.750 from Megan Teter.
The second rotation saw BSU’s young guns honor the team’s upperclassmen in a big way, starting with freshman Ava Molina. In just her second appearance in the bars competition lineup this season, Molina wowed the enthusiastic Worthen Arena crowd with a winning score of 9.900.
Not far behind was sophomore Zoe Middleton who tied Teter for second at 9.850. Overall, all six Ball State gymnasts scored at least a 9.800 on bars as the Cardinals tied the sixth-best team score in program history in the event at 49.250.
While the third rotation was the toughest for the Cardinals, it still managed to top the Eagles (7-9; 2-4 MAC) on beam led by a second-place score of 9.775 from junior Grace Sumner. Henry turned in BSU’s second best beam score of the afternoon at 9.725.
Ball State saved its best for last, however, turning in a dominating effort on floor, counting five scores of 9.875-or-higher to tie the third-best team floor score in program history at 49.500.
Pfister and Middleton led the way, tying for the event victory at 9.925. The remainder of the senior class followed with Henry earning a 9.900, while Ruthberg and Teter scored 9.875s.
Powered by her 9.925 on floor and 9.850 on bars, Middleton would earn her fourth all-around title of the season with a 39.225.
Throw it all together and Ball State’s team score of 196.400 is the seventh best in program history and the seventh time this season the Cardinals have scored 196.000-or-higher. The effort helped BSU earn a share of the 2024 MAC regular season title with Kent State who also finished the regular season with a 5-1 league mark.
“We had some really great performances, but we could be better on beam,” Saleem added. “As a team we know that, but we did not let that get in our way and we left beam behind us and went over to floor and finished strong. That is a skill set this team has really learned how to do. To stay present and not get distracted until the very end.”
In addition to the four seniors in the competition, the Cardinals also honored student manager Kelly Sulek who was a two-year letterwinner for the program before being medically disqualified. Sulek has working tirelessly over the last two seasons helping us become better as a team and doing everything in her power to help us put points and program records on the board.
The Ball State gymnastics team returns to action Saturday when it welcomes the other six league teams to Worthen Arena for the 2024 Mid-American Conference Gymnastics Championships. Action begins at 2 p.m. and tickets are available at https://ballstatesports.com/gymnasticstickets
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WBB SET TO HOST INAUGURAL NCAA WBIT FIRST ROUND TOURNEY GAME AGAINST BELMONT THURSDAY
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Ball State women’s basketball team has been chosen as a host for the inaugural NCAA Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. The Cardinals are a No. 4 seed in the 32-team field and will host Belmont Thursday in Worthen Arena. The time for the contest is yet to be determined.
Ball State will be making its ninth postseason tournament appearance under Ball State 12th-year head coach Brady Sallee. The Cardinals enter the WBIT with a 28-5 overall record. Ball State went 16-2 in Mid-American Conference play and made it to the semifinal game of the 2024 MAC Tournament for the third-straight season which was also under Sallee. The 20-win season marks the seventh time within the last nine campaigns he has reach the 20-win plateau. The 28 overall wins and 16 MAC victories are both program records.
Sallee, is the only head coach in program history to take the Cardinals to nine postseason tournaments. He is also the program’s winningest coach with 237 victories.
Belmont comes to Ball State for the second-straight season as the Bruins competed in Muncie in the 2023 WNIT with the Cardinals winning that contest, 101-86 on March 16. Belmont enters Thursday’s contest with an overall record of 25-8.
The NCAA announced last July the creation of the WBIT. The 32-team postseason event will be played March 21 (first-round), March 24 (second-round) and March 28 (quarterfinals), with the highest-seeded teams hosting games at campus sites. WBIT semifinal and final games will be conducted at Butler University’s historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 1 and 3. All games of the WBIT are broadcast on the ESPN platforms.
WNIT BRACKET: https://ballstatesports.com/documents/2024/3/17/Inaugural_2024_WBIT_Bracket.pdf
BALL STATE BASEBALL
BASEBALL SUFFERS LOSS TO BOWLING GREEN IN SERIES FINALE
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team’s offense again put up eight runs, but the Cardinals fell 15-8 to Bowling Green on Sunday afternoon at the First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
The hosts (11-9, 1-5 Mid-American Conference) were tied with the Falcons (8-8, 6-0 MAC) after three innings with both teams scoring a single tally in the second inning and crossing the plate twice each in the third for a 3-3 score. Bowling Green scored two runs in the top of the fourth and would lead from there on out.
Blake Bevis hit an RBI double before Matthew Kamins rapped out a run-scoring single in the fifth to bring the Cardinals within one run (6-5).
Senior third baseman Michael Hallquist went 3-for-6 with his eighth home run of the year, three RBI and two runs scored. Bevis and Clay Jacobs added two hits each for the Ball State offense.
Bowling Green’s Connar Penrod threw 2.0 innings of two-run ball in relief to improve his record to 1-1, while Cardinals starter Jacob Hartlaub (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) in 3.1 innings pitched.
Ball State is scheduled to play at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT) at Valparaiso on Tuesday in the first of two midweek games (Wednesday at Butler).
BALL STATE WOMEN’S TENNIS
WOMEN’S TENNIS OPENS MAC PLAY WITH WIN OVER NIU
MUNCIE, Ind. – The 2023 reigning Mid-American Conference Tournament champions the Ball State women’s tennis team opened league action with a 4-3 win over Northern Illinois Sunday afternoon at the Northwest YMCA.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in conference play while the Huskies drop to 11-6 on the year and 0-1 in the MAC.
Ball State was able to take the doubles point from Northern Illinois after winning on courts one and three. At the No. 3 position, Elena Malykh and Sydney Hrehor defeated Anastasia Rakita and Reagan Welch, 6-2. Shortly after, Isabelle Tanjuatco and Sarah Shahbaz earned a 6-3 decision at the top spot to clinch the doubles point for the Cardinals.
In singles, NIU knotted the match 1-1 after taking court No. 2 from BSU but Ella Hazelbaker gave the Cardinals back a 2-1 edge with her straight set take down over the Huskies’ No. 6 player Jenna Horne, 6-1, 6-3. Hrerhor pushed Ball State’s lead even further to 3-1 after tallying a 6-3, 6-2 defeat at No. 4 singles.
After that, NIU kept the match tight by winning on court No. 5. With only two courts remaining, Annika Planinsek came through in another three-set thriller on the top court which sealed today’s victory for the Cardinals.
The Ball State women’s tennis team will play at Eastern Michigan Friday at 1 pm ET.
BALL STATE MEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S TENNIS BRINGS HOME 5-2 MAC ROAD WIN AGAINST BUFFALO
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Ball State men’s tennis team started off strong by earning the doubles point and never looked back as the Cardinals were able to close out their two-match Mid-American Conference road trip with a 5-2 victory at Buffalo Sunday afternoon.
With the win, Ball State improves to 8-7 overall and 2-2 in league action while Buffalo drops to 4-8 on the year and 0-3 in conference play.
The doubles point came about as Eli Herran paired up with teammate Sajin Smith for a 6-3 take down over Finn McNamara and Daniels Sanders at the No. 3 slot before Mason Tran alongside Jacks Lancaster would clinch doubles play after posting a 6-4 win at the osition No. 2.
In singles, Smith exited the court first as he breezed through his match at the No. 6 slot, 6-1, 6-4. With the score now 2-0, Herran prevailed at No. 2 singles beating Cheng Tang, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
The Cardinals needed just one more point to secure the victory which came from Tran’s straight set win on court No. 4 over Theodoris Mitsakos, 7-6 (7-0), 6-3. Nathaniel Webster rounded out the victories for the Cardinals today at the top slot in a three-set thriller versus Sanders.
The Ball State men’s tennis team returns home Friday for a 1 pm first serve against rival Western Michigan at the Foster Adams Family Tennis Complex and Bill Richards Tennis Courts, weather permitting.
BALL STASTE SOFTBALL
OHIO GETS PAST SOFTBALL CARDINALS WITH LATE RUNS ON A BLUSTERY SUNDAY
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ohio and Ball State battled through high winds Sunday afternoon and the Bobcats broke open a 2-0 game with five runs over the last two innings to beat Ball State 7-0 in Mid-American Conference play at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
Ohio plated two runs with two outs in the top of the first inning and a pitchers dual ensued over the next four-and-a-half innings, with Cardinals starter Bridie Murphy scattering just five hits through five frames. Ohio starter Skipp Miller pitched a seven-inning shutout while allowing the Cardinals five hits total.
But while clinging to the two-run lead in the sixth, the Bobcats got a leadoff double from Yasmine Loga and a two-run homer from Shelby Westler to chase Murphy and make the score 4-0 through six innings. Ohio tacked on three more insurance in the top of seventh off reliever Emma Eubank.
Ball State put runners on base in every inning but the fourth, but couldn’t push runs across the plate while leaving seven runners on base. The Cardinals’ best opportunity came while down just two runs in the fifth, getting pinch-hit, leadoff singles by Maddie Weaver and Sophie Schoch. But Kaitlyn Mathews, running for Weaver, was called for leaving first base too early on a pitch, and the Cardinals were retired after a fielder’s choice and a fly out to end the inning.
Ball State (15-14, 2-1 MAC) resume play next weekend when Kent State visits Muncie for a three-game MAC series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
POSTSEASON BASKETBALL HEADS TO TERRE HAUTE; INDIANA STATE HOSTS OPENING ROUND OF NIT
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball earned a No. 1 seed in this year’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT) as the tournament field was announced on Sunday night.
The Sycamores accepted the invitation and will host Southern Methodist (20-12) inside Hulman Center. Tipoff for the first-round game between Indiana State and SMU is set for Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be carried live on ESPN+.
The Sycamores and SMU are joined on the top right side of the bracket by the following teams:
No. 4 Butler vs Minnesota
No. 3 Bradley vs Loyola Chicago
No. 2 Cincinnati vs San Francisco
Indiana State men’s basketball season ticket holders will have first option to purchase their seats for the NIT game. The number of tickets and the seat locations will be the same as they were for the regular season. All tickets have been automatically added to ticket holder’s ISU Ticketmaster account, in the “Invoices” tab to view total payment required to purchase.
Season ticket holders will have until Monday, March 18th at 5 p.m. ET to access their account and process payment for the tickets they wish to purchase. After that time, any unsold tickets will be released and available for purchase by the public.
General public sale of tickets will begin Monday, March 18th at Noon ET. Tickets can be purchased on the ISU Ticketmaster site, ticketmaster.com or at the Hulman Center ticket office during normal business hours.
The NIT is a 32-team tournament, with this year’s semifinals and championship being held at the famous Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The championship is set for April 4 at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Visit the official NIT website here.
Indiana State will be in postseason basketball in back-to-back seasons, after accepting an invite to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one year ago.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S GOLF
INDIANA STATE HEADS TO KENTUCKY FOR NEVEL MEADE INVITE
Prospect, Ky. – Indiana State heads to its second tournament of the spring, the Nevel Meade Invite. The two-day event will be held at Nevel Meade Golf Club in Prospect, Ky.
There are 10 teams in the field, including Indiana State. The other nine teams consist of Bellarmine, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Evansville, Illinois-Chicago, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne, Western Michigan, and Youngstown State.
Two teams will be competing for the Sycamores. Team A is comprised of Kristen Hobbs, Briana LeMaire, Iyoun Chew, Yang Tai, and Molly Lee. Team B will be Chelsea Morrow, Sophia Florek, Eliza Baker, Rosalie DiNunzio, and Grace Welty.
“It’s an outdoor sport, so 20 degree wind chills Monday and Tuesday are an opportunity for the girls to show some grit and be ready for what usually is poor weather at conference,” said head coach Greg Towne. “The course is a good challenge with the smallest greens we play all year and some good length to it.”
The Sycamores opened the spring schedule last weekend in Tampa, where Briana LeMaire was the top finisher, tying for 14th, shooting 156 through two rounds (80, 76). ISU finished tied for ninth place in the Butler Don Benbow Spring Invitational, where Kristen Hobbs joined LeMaire with a top-20 finish. Hobbs shot 76 in the first round and 81 in the second for a two-day total of 157 to tie for 17th place
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
XAVIER RALLIES TO TAKE SERIES FINALE OVER SYCAMORES
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Connor Misch and Hayden Christiansen both homered to propel a late-inning comeback from Xavier as Indiana State fell in Sunday’s series finale at Hayden Field, 4-2.
Indiana State (14-4) took the lead in the top of the third inning on Randal Diaz’s RBI single giving the Sycamores the early advantage over Xavier (9-11) starter Nick Boyle (3-0). ISU starter Luke Hayden kept the Musketeers’ bats in check through the first five innings pitching out of several jams to keep the Sycamore lead intact midway through the game.
The Musketeers jumped on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as Misch’s solo home run broke up Hayden’s shutout attempt and led to the Sycamores turning to the bullpen. Reliever Brayden Lybarger (0-1) retired the first two batters he faced before surrendering a Jared Cushing double and Aedan Anderson’s go-ahead pinch-hit single to push Xavier ahead 2-1.
The Musketeers added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to stretch the lead as Christiansen greeted ISU reliever Jared Spencer with a two-run home run over the left field wall scoring Luke Hammond to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
The Sycamores threatened to bring the game back in the top of the eighth as Indiana State loaded the bases with none out. Josue Urdaneta and Diaz connected on back-to-back singles, while Dominic Listi reached on a fielding error bringing the potential go-ahead run to the plate. However XU reliever Jake Hooker (S, 2) was able to get Luis Hernandez to ground into a double play allowing Urdaneta to score, before getting a fly out to left field to shut down ISU’s final scoring opportunity in the contest.
Urdaneta and Diaz had two hits apiece for Indiana State and Hernandez added a single as the Sycamores were limited to just five hits in Sunday’s contest. Urdaneta scored both of ISU’s runs as well as adding his second stolen base of the season.
Hayden went 5.0 innings in the start allowing five hits and one run while walking four. He added a season-high seven strikeouts in taking the no-decision.
Hammond paced Xavier’s offense going 4-for-4 from the plate with a pair of doubles as the Musketeers connected on nine hits in the win.
Boyle went 7.0 innings allowing three hits and a run while striking out 11. Hooker worked the final two frames allowing two hits and a run while striking out two in the save opportunity.
How They Scored
Randal Diaz drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single scoring Josue Urdaneta in the top of the third inning to give Indiana State the early 1-0 lead. Urdaneta reached on a single and stole second before coming around on Diaz’s base hit.
Connor Misch tied the game up for Xavier with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the sixth and Aedan Anderson added a pinch-hit RBI single scoring Jared Cushing to give the Musketeers the 2-1 lead.
Hayden Christiansen put Xavier ahead 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run over the left field wall to extend the lead.
The Sycamores tallied their final run in the top of the eighth as Urdaneta scored on a double play ball in the infield to provide the final 4-2 margin.
News & Notes
Indiana State claimed the weekend series over Xavier following Friday and Saturday’s wins.
The Sycamores move to 22-7 all-time against the Musketeers following the conclusion of Sunday’s game.
Indiana State has posted a pair of seven-game winning streaks so far in the 2024 season.
ISU wraps up their season-opening stretch with 17 of their first 18 games on the road with a 14-4 overall record on the season. This includes an 8-4 mark in true road games to date with series wins over Florida A&M and Xavier.
Luis Hernandez extended his hitting streak to 17 consecutive games following his two-out single in the first inning.
Dominic Listi continued his on-base streak on Sunday after drawing a walk in the third inning.
Luke Hayden posted a season-high seven strikeouts in the game. Over his five starts in 2024, the junior right-hander has struck out at least five batters in all five contests.
Up Next
Indiana State opens up an eight-game home stand on Tuesday afternoon as the Sycamores welcome Indiana to Bob Warn Field. First pitch between the Sycamores and the Hoosiers is set for 4 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend. Game day promotions for Tuesday’s game include an MVC Championship T-Shirt Giveaway to first 50 students (Courtesy of University Village) and Two for Tuesdays (2/$5 Hot Dogs) at the concession stand.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
SYCAMORES DROP SERIES FINALE TO BRADLEY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.- Indiana State Softball was defeated by Bradley in a six inning run-rule with a score of 11-0. The Braves claimed the series 2-1 over the Sycamores.
Indiana State now holds a 13-15 record on the 2024 season where they are 2-3 in conference play.
The Sycamores struggled to get their bats going in game three against Bradley, where they recorded two hits which came in the third inning from Abi Chipps and Morgan Goodrich against Bradley’s Sydney Kennedy (8-4).
The Braves started their lead in the second inning where they scored one run with a solo home run by Kiersten McCoy. The Sycamores trailed 1-0 until the fifth inning where the Braves connected on six hits and drove in five runs highlighted by a 3-run home run by Abbott Badgley.
Bradley scored their final five runs in the sixth inning where they recorded five hits to further their lead to 11-0 over Indiana State.
Lauren Sackett (6-7) took the loss in the circle for Indiana State where she struck out four batters, while allowing six hits and five runs scored in 4.1 innings of work. Cassi Newbanks took over the ball in the middle of the fifth inning where she allowed five hits and four runs scored. Megan Asher closed out in the circle for Indiana State striking out one, while allowing two hits and two runs scored in the loss against Bradley.
Up Next:
Indiana State will travel to Cedar Falls, IA for a three game MVC series against UNI on March 22-24. Game times are listed below.
Friday, March 22- 6 p.m ET
Saturday, March 23- 3 p.m ET
Sunday, March 24- 1 p.m ET
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MASTODON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS BERTH TO WNIT
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2024 Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
The Mastodons will find out their opponent and location in the opening round tomorrow (March 18), when the WNIT announces the full bracket.
The 2024 field features 11 automatic qualifiers and 37 at-large selections, chosen after consideration of a mix of criteria by WNIT officials. There are 24 teams with 20 or more victories in the bracket. All rounds will played at on-campus sites.
The tournament’s opening round takes place on March 20-22 and runs through the championship game on April 6, which will be streamed on CBS Sports Network.
Purdue Fort Wayne is the only school from the Horizon League to play in the WNIT. The full field can be found here.
This is the Mastodons’ first-ever trip to the Postseason WNIT and first postseason tournament since 2014. They played in the Preseason WNIT in 2013 and WBI in 2014.
The 2023-24 Mastodons have a 21-12 record, their fifth 20-win season in program history and second as a member of Division I. The ‘Dons’ 21 wins is the most in their 23 years of DI.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL TO PLAY IN THE CIT ON WEDNESDAY AT BGSU
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball program has accepted an invitation to play in The 2024 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, presented by BSN SPORTS.
The ‘Dons will play at Bowling Green on Wednesday, March 20 in a 7 p.m. tip.
The CIT is a single-elimination tournament. All games will be played at on-campus sites. All games will air on ESPN+.
This will be the seventh postseason appearance in Mastodon program history. The ‘Dons have four previous berths in The CIT, one in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and one in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
Each game in the first round of The CIT are trophy games. Wednesday’s contest will be the Jim Phelan Classic. Known for his signature bow tie, Jim Phelan had an impressive career at the Mount. He led the Mountaineers to the 1962 NCAA Men’s Division II Basketball Championship. When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he had amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season. Upon his retirement, College Insider established the Jim Phelan award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top Division I coach.
The 2023-24 Mastodons own a 21-12 record, the fifth 20-win season in program history.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
MASTODONS WIN SERIES AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A second offensive barrage in as many days helped the Purdue Fort Wayne baseball team defeat Youngstown State 18-5 on Sunday (March 17) afternoon. The win clinched the Horizon League series for the visiting Mastodons.
The Mastodons scored three runs in the second, third and sixth innings while scoring four in the fifth and ninth and one in the seventh.
Justin Osterhouse hit his eighth home run of the season in the third inning. His homer scored Nick Sutherlin and Grant Thoroman. Ben Higgins knocked in two of the four runs in the fifth with a two-RBI double.
The ‘Dons nearly had a second consecutive run-rule victory before Youngstown State scored once with one out in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 14-5.
Josh Kuhns tossed 2.1 innings to get the win in relief. He gave up just one run on three hits. Colin Casteel suffered the loss for the Penguins.
Caileb Johnson had four hits, four RBIs, two runs and two walks. Grant Sawa also had four hits. Jacob Walker and Osterhouse each had three hits.
YSU falls to 2-16 (1-2 Horizon League), Purdue Fort Wayne is now 8-13 (2-1 Horizon League).
The ‘Dons are at Michigan State on Wednesday (March 20) in a 4 p.m. start with the Spartans. Purdue Fort Wayne won at Michigan State last season.
EVANSVILLE MEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF COMPLETES OPENING ROUND IN TENNESSEE
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Opening day of the spring season saw the University of Evansville men’s golf team compete at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at the River Course of the Sevierville Golf Club.
Leading the way for the Purple Aces was Caleb Wassmer. He opened the tournament with a 4-over 76 and stands in a tie for 35th place with two rounds remaining. Carson Parker and Andres Rodriguez were just behind him with rounds of 77. Both are in a tie for 47th with their 5-over-par rounds.
Isaac Rohleder was fourth for the Aces with a 79 while Daniil Romashkin carded an 81. Rohleder and Romashkin are tied for 68th and 80th, respectively.
Evansville wrapped up Sunday with a team score of 309 to stand in the 12th position. They are four behind Tennessee State and trail 10th place Northern Kentucky by seven strokes.
Belmont holds the team and individual lead following day one. The Bruins’ 282 has them 10 shots in front of their nearest competition with Morehead state in second. Michael Senn of Belmont leads the individuals with a 68. His 4-under opening round is one in front of Nolan Piazza from MSU.
Round two begins on Monday morning.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
MICHIGAN STATE RALLIES LATE FOR 6-5 WIN
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday to knock off the visiting University of Evansville Purple Aces, 6-5, at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field in East Lansing, Michigan.
After Evansville rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to take a 5-4 lead on home runs by senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse and graduate catcher Brendan Hord, the Spartans mounted a rally of its own in the eighth inning to win the game and the series. Outfielder Nick Williams and second baseman Ryan McKay knocked back-to-back one-out doubles to tie the game at 5-5. Then, the Spartans worked back-to-back walks to load the bases, and after a strikeout, catcher Noah Bright worked another walk to give Michigan State a 6-5 lead.
After a brief delay for snow going into the ninth inning, Michigan State closer Tommy Szczepanski worked a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to earn his second save of the year.
Michigan State took an early 3-0 lead in the contest with two runs in the first inning, and one more in the third inning, before Evansville would begin to chip away. A lead-off double by senior shortstop Simon Scherry and an RBI single by junior second baseman Cal McGinnis in the fourth inning plated UE’s first run of the contest.
The two teams traded runs in the fifth inning, before Fougerousse and Hord powered Evansville to a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning. With one out, Fougerousse wrapped a solo home run around the right-field foul pole for his team-leading fifth home run of the year. Then, after a single by junior outfielder Harrison Taubert, Hord launched his second home run of the series over the wall in right field to give UE a 5-4 lead with a two-run blast.
Evansville out-hit Michigan State, 11-7, in the contest, as graduate third baseman Brent Widder went 3-for-4, while graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger went 2-for-3 with a run scored to extend his on-base streak to 35-straight games dating back to last year. Third baseman Dillon Kark led Michigan State by going 3-for-4, while McKay went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI.
With the victory, Michigan State improves to 7-10 overall. Evansville, meanwhile, falls to 9-10 on the 2024 season. Evansville will be back in action on Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. central time with a contest at the University of Kentucky. Tuesday’s game can be heard live on 107.1 FM-WJPS and seen on the SEC Network+ streaming service.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
LATE RALLY BY THE ACES SECURE SERIES SWEEP OVER VALPARAISO
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Trailing by a 1-0 score in the bottom of the sixth, Jess Willsey hit a game-tying home run before Lacy Smith walked it off in a 2-1 win by the University of Evansville softball team over Valparaiso at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field and James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
The win gave UE the series sweep over the Beacons. Starting pitcher Sydney Weatherford scattered five hits and an unearned run over the 7-inning contest. Evansville recorded six hits on the day with Lacy Smith picking up three.
It was the Beacons taking the early 1-0 lead with the run crossing the plate on an error. Jess Willsey had a big defensive play at second to end the inning. Brooke Voss picked up Evansville’s first hit of the contest in the bottom of the second while the defense limited further damage in the top of the third.
Alexa Davis made diving catch with a runner on second to end the inning and keep it a 1-0 game. The Purple Aces had two baserunners on in the bottom of the third as a Lacy Smith single was followed later by a walk from Marah Wood. Valpo starter Anna Wilming pitched out of the jam to preserve the 1-0 lead.
Lacy Smith hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth and with two outs, Marah Wood drove a ball deep into center field, however, a nice catch against the wall secured the third out.
Evansville’s tenacity paid off when Jess Willsey put the Aces on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Her 2-out solo home run knotted the game at 1-1. After Weatherford sat down the side in the top of the 7th, UE walked it off in the bottom of the frame. Taylor Howe hit a leadoff double to right with Dori Brown coming in to pinch run. That brough Smith to the plate, who recorded an infield single that scored Brown to give the Aces the win.
Next up for UE is a home non-conference game on Tuesday against SIUE. First pitch is at 5 p.m.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
USI GETS SERIES FINALE WITH ILLINOIS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball built a 6-0 lead early before getting an 8-3 win over the University of Illinois Sunday afternoon in Champaign, Illinois. USI is 9-10 in the non-conference season, while Illinois goes to 7-11.
The Screaming Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, scoring on a ground out by senior designated hitter Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana). The 1-0 lead would stand until the sixth when USI increased the lead to 4-0 with a trio of runs.
USI’s first two runs of the three-run sixth were the result of Illinois miscues. USI sophomore shortstop Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) crossed the plate with run number two when junior second baseman/first baseman Thomas Emerich (Ava, Missouri) reached on an error, while Ellis scored to put USI up 3-0 when junior catcher Logan Mock (Livingston, California) reached on second Illini error of the frame.
The Eagles pushed the fourth run of the game and third of the inning when sophomore first baseman Jacob Winzenread (McCordsville, Indiana) used a bunt single to drive in Emerich for a 4-0 lead.
Ellis would strike again for USI to increase the lead to 6-0 when he blasted his third-round tripper of the series and the season. The junior designated hitter’s two-run shot would give him three RBI in the game.
The Illini got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth, driving three runs to cut the USI advantage in half. The Eagle re-extended the lead to four runs when senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) gave USI a 7-3 advantage with an RBI single.
USI sealed the 8-3 victory with another tally in the ninth when Niehaus scored after Emerich reached on a ground out.
USI junior right-hander Gavin Morris (Brazil, Indiana) started and picked up the win. Morris (2-1) allowed three runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out five in 6.2 innings of work.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles finish their nine-game road swing with a visit to Western Kentucky University Tuesday in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are 14-7 overall after taking two of three at the Ohio Valley Conference’s Southeast Missouri State University this weekend.
WKU leads the all-time series with USI, 8-2, and have won the last four meetings, including both games in 1988 (9-6, 4-2). The last time USI defeated WKU in baseball was in 1981, 8-7.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS
USI FINISHES WEEKEND, FALLING TO BRADLEY 5-2
PEORIA, Ill.- University of Southern Indiana Women’s Tennis (4-8) fell 5-2 on Sunday against Bradley University (5-9) despite a late push in singles at the Markin Tennis Courts.
Doubles: The Screaming Eagles dropped the doubles point after suffering losses at number one and three to the Braves.
Singles: USI made a late push with two single wins by junior Madison Windham (Clarksville, Tennessee) (6-3, 6-0) at number six and freshman Sofia Davidoff (Lagny-sur-Marne, France) with a two-set sweep at number five (6-2, 6-2). The Eagles finished the day after a hard-fought, three-set loss from freshman Anais Negrail (Maisons-Alfort, France).
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
USI hits the road next weekend for an Ohio Valley Conference matchup in St. Charles, Missouri, against Lindenwood University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL
USI SOFTBALL SHUTS OUT MOREHEAD STATE FOR THREE-GAME SWEEP
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball finished off a three-game sweep to kick off its 2024 home schedule with an 8-0, five-inning victory over Morehead State University at USI Softball Field on Sunday.
Just as they did in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Screaming Eagles scored first in Sunday’s contest. Following two successful bunts for base hits and two stolen bases by the top of the order, senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenfield, Indiana) ripped a pitch into the left-centerfield gap to drive in two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
USI widened its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with a three-spot in the runs column. Junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) brought in one run on a sac fly before Fair collected another pair of RBIs on a deep double to centerfield, increasing the Screaming Eagles’ advantage to 5-0.
The Screaming Eagles put the finishing touches to the run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman pinch-hitter Kate Satkoski (Lanesville, Indiana) and sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) had back-to-back RBI singles to put USI’s lead at 7-0. Two batters later, USI walked off with the five-inning win after Fair was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Southern Indiana posted eight runs on 10 hits Sunday. Fair led USI with five RBIs, matching a career high, while going 2-2 at the plate. Stapleton went 3-4 with two runs and an RBI, and senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) had two hits and scored twice.
In the pitching circle, junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) picked up her second win of the weekend to move to 8-5 this season. Newman struck out nine, allowed only three hits, and tossed her third shutout this season.
Morehead State freshman pitcher Addie Stem took the loss, dropping to 3-9 on the season. Stem lasted three innings and surrendered two runs on four hits and two walks.
After going 3-0 on the weekend, Southern Indiana sits at 10-11 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Morehead State moved to 7-11 this season with a 1-5 conference record.
The Screaming Eagles carry a four-game winning streak on the road next weekend to St. Charles, Missouri, to take on Lindenwood University in a three-game set. The series opens with a single game Saturday at 3 p.m. before a Sunday doubleheader starting at Noon. All three games can be heard on 95.7 The Spin. Live stats and coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
VALPO SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKER IN EVANSVILLE SERIES FINALE
The Valpo softball team carried a shutout into the sixth inning of its series finale Sunday at Evansville, but the Purple Aces tied the game with a solo homer in the sixth and walked off with a 2-1 win in the seventh.
How It Happened
Valpo jumped on top in the top of the first for the second straight day. Sophomore Kam Utendorf (Columbus Grove, Ohio/Columbus Grove [Black Hawk College]) singled with one out, moved up to second on a walk and then came all the way around to score on an Evansville error.
With two on and two out later in the frame, the Beacons had a chance to add to their lead, but the Purple Aces’ second baseman backhanded a grounder up the middle and successfully made the only play she could, a glove flip to second for a force.
Freshman Anna Wilming (Columbus, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) dealt with some traffic in the bottom of the first, as a pair of Evansville batters reached base, but the rookie handled it well and delivered a pair of strikeouts in keeping the Purple Aces off the board.
That was a harbinger of how the game would go in the circle for Wilming, as she never retired Evansville in order, but was able to put zeros on the board for the first five innings. Most notably, the Purple Aces had runners on second and third with two outs in the third before Wilming got a fly ball to center.
In the fourth, Evansville had a runner on second with one out. Wilming won a 10-pitch battle for a strikeout for the second out and then got a fly to right to keep the Purple Aces from scoring.
Meanwhile, the Valpo offense had a couple more innings where it would have added to the lead had it not been for standout defensive plays by the Purple Aces. Senior Alexis Johnson (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) led off the third with a ground-rule double and was making her way home on a two-out fly ball to shallow center from freshman Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) until the Evansville center fielder laid out for a diving catch.
Utendorf led off the top of the sixth with a liner to the left-center gap which looked destined to fall until UE’s center fielder made her second diving catch of the game. That proved crucial when Krug doubled to the wall later in the frame.
Still hanging on to the one-run advantage, Wilming retired the first two batters in order in the sixth, but Jess Willsey connected on a two-out solo homer to even the score at 1-1.
Valpo was retired in order in the top of the seventh, and Evansville got a walk-off single from Lacy Smith in the bottom of the frame.
Inside the Game
Wilming posted the first complete game of her collegiate career, surrendering just two runs in six innings of work and striking out a season-best six batters.
Johnson recorded her second consecutive multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a double to boost her batting average above the .300 mark.
Utendorf closed out a four-hit weekend of Valley play by going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Next Up
Valpo (6-18, 0-3 MVC) is right back on the road next weekend as the Beacons head to Drake for a three-game series, beginning Friday evening at 5 p.m.
VALPO BASEBALL
VALPO CLOSES SPRING TRIP WITH HIGH-SCORING AFFAIR AT NO. 21 CAMPBELL
The Valparaiso University baseball team continued to show an ability to pile up runs against a nationally-ranked opponent, but No. 21 Campbell rode a 10-run fifth inning to an 18-7, seven-inning victory in Sunday’s series finale in Buies Creek, N.C. Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) homered in his father Brian’s 500th game as Valpo head coach, while Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) collected a team-high two hits.
How It Happened
Valpo got off to a fast start as Kyle ripped a home run to right in the opening frame.
The Fighting Camels fought back with six runs in the bottom of the first, sending 11 men to the plate. The Valpo starting pitcher exited after just 1/3 of an inning. Griffin McCluskey (Normal, Ill. / Normal Community) came in and minimized the damage, getting the final two outs of the inning in short order.
Campbell picked up a run without the benefit of a hit in the second, extending the lead to 7-1.
Valpo exploded for five runs in the third, chasing not only the starter, but also the first man out of the bullpen from the game. The first four batters of the inning walked, including Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo), whose free pass came with the bags full and forced in a run. Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd [Wisconsin Oshkosh]) lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3. Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic), Carson Husmann (Hanna, Ind. / South Central [Bradley]) and Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran) put together a string of singles, each of them driving in a run. Ryan’s RBI shrunk the Campbell lead to one at 7-6.
Grant Knipp hit his nation-leading 14th home run of the season in the third to make it 8-6.
The Beacons inserted another new pitcher for the fourth as Trent Turzenski (Burlington, Wis. / Burlington) took over on the bump. He walked three (one intentionally) but escaped without any damage done as Campbell left them loaded.
Valpo slimmed the lead back down to one in the top of the fifth as Liam Patton (Barrington, Ill. / Warsaw [Wabash]) lifted a sacrifice fly.
Andrew Schuldt of Campbell hit two different three-run homers in the fifth inning, accounting for six of the 10 runs scored by the Camels in that frame to open the lead to 11 at 18-7.
Valpo’s Josh Spencer (Woodinville, Wash. / Woodinville [Tacoma]) pitched a scoreless sixth, but Valpo did not score in the top of the seventh and the 10-run rule came into play.
Inside the Game
Kyle’s home run was the 24th of his collegiate career and his sixth this season. He moved into sole possession of fourth in program history. He broke a tie with Joe Gersna (1982-1985).
Brian became just the third skipper in program history to manage 500 career games, joining Paul Twenge (1,011, 1988-2006) and the legendary Emory G. Bauer (606, 1954-1981).
Valpo pitching issued 14 walks, the team’s third straight game with seven or more after entering the weekend among the national leaders in walks per nine innings.
Denty’s multi-hit game was his fourth of the season, tied for the second most on the team.
The Beacon bats produced seven runs or more in two of the three games against the Camels.
Senior Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo) walked to extend his season-long on-base streak to 18.
Up Next
Valpo (7-11) will open the home portion of the season on Tuesday at Emory G. Bauer Field as instate foe Ball State comes to town for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL
ANOTHER INCREDIBLE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE IN MIDWEST SEMIS
INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 21-ranked UIndy men’s basketball team saw its season come to a close on Sunday evening in the NCAA DII Midwest Region semifinals, falling in overtime to fifth-seeded Ferris State by a score of 94-87.
The Greyhounds finish with a record of 23-9.
The seniors of Jesse Bingham, David Ejah, Kendrick Tchoua, and Josiah Tynes end an amazing two-year run for the UIndy men’s basketball program, going 49-14 with two GLVC regular-season titles and No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. The Greyhounds completed back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2010-16.
Bingham converted an and-1 early in the extra session before Ferris State rattled off a 20-10 run the rest of the way to knock off the top-seeded Greyhounds. The Bulldogs sealed the upset with a 10-of-11 effort from the charity stripe, finishing the contest with 49 free-throw attempts.
Jarvis Walker led all players with 28 points, finishing the season scoring at least 20 in seven of the last nine contests. The redshirt-junior went 19-for-40 from the field in two regional contests this weekend, averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 68 combined minutes.
Early in the first half, Tchoua became the fifth-ever Greyhound to record 900 career rebounds and ends his five-year career with 906.
Bingham finds his name in the program record book ranked 11th in scoring (1,720 points) and second in blocks (136). In addition, Tynes is 19th in all-time assists (243).
Ferris State evens the all-time series at five wins apiece; the Bulldogs have now ended the Greyhounds’ season in the teams’ past two meetings, including an 89-87 victory in the NCAA tournament in March 2016.
Sophomore Sean Craig pulled down eight rebounds, his second-highest mark of the winter.
UINDY BASEBALL
BASEBALL SWEEPS MCKENDREE, CONTINUES TO ROLL IN GLVC PLAY
SAUGET, Ill.—The UIndy baseball team extended its GLVC win streak to eight with a doubleheader sweep at McKendree Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds orchestrated an 18-1 rout in game one before earning an 8-6 comeback win in the capper.
The Hounds have now played two four-series against conference opponents, sweeping both to start GLVC play a perfect 8-0.
GAME 1 | UIndy 18, McK 1
The Hounds sprinted out of the gate with seven runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. The margin ballooned to 14 after three-and-a-half innings before the Bearcats finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth.
Easton Good racked up seven RBIs in the contest, matching the highest total by a Greyhound since 2009. The Kokomo, Ind., native came up big twice with the bases loaded, stroking a two-out, three-run triple in the first before launching a grand slam to right in the fourth.
Cole Hampton also went yard, hitting a three-run shot in the sixth inning. All-American Drew Donaldson finished 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs, while Dakota Sill and Will Spear added two hits apiece.
Starting pitcher Logan Peterson scattered three hits and two walks in five innings of work. He struck out four on the way to the win, moving his record to 1-1 on the season. Relievers Bennett Rogers and Brady Mundell each tossed a scoreless inning.
GAME 2 | UIndy 8, McK 6
After another homer from Good put the Hounds up 4-0 in the second, the host Bearcats responded with six unanswered runs to take the lead.
Facing a two-run deficit heading into the seventh and final frame, Hampton delivered a clutch one-out double, scoring Good and Caleb Vaughn to tie the score. Dakota Sill successfully laid down a squeeze bunt to plate Zack Williams with the go-ahead score, while Nick Lukac’s RBI groundout provided an insurance run.
E.J. White (1-1) earned the pitching win with three solid innings of relief. The veteran sidearmer entered to face a bases-loaded, no-out jam before retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced to help facilitate the comeback.
UP NEXT
UIndy returns to Greyhound Park for a nine-game home stand, starting with a midweek non-conference battle versus in-region Findlay on Tuesday, March 19. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
UINDY SOFTBALL
#7 HOUNDS SWEEP PANTHERS IN SUNDAY ACTION
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The No. 7 UIndy softball team earned two GLVC wins at Drury University Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds topped the host Panthers by scores of 10-1 and 4-2, extending their win streak to 16 and upping their season record to 25-2.
GAME 1 | UIndy 10, Drury 1
The Greyhounds went on a five-run rally during the third frame to break a scoreless tie. The inning included a trio of singles RBI from Braxton Downs, Lexy Rees, and Sydnee Perry. With the bases loaded Dominique Proctor earned a ribbie of her own with a sacrifice fly into right field.
The momentum continued through the final four innings, with UIndy cruising to the win. A two-run bomb by Megan Nichols highlighted the final innings, helping the Hounds defeat the Panthers 10-1.
In another impressive performance, ace Kenzee Smith earned her 12th win of the season. The senior struck out six batters and only allowed one walk. To cap the game, Kaitlyn Brown entered the circle and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Leadoff hitter Jocelyn Calvin finished 3-for-5 with two runs, while Emily O’Connor and Nichols scored three times apiece.
GAME 2 | UIndy 4, Drury 2
The capper turned into a much tighter affair, with UIndy facing a deficit late in the game. Entering the top of the sixth, the Greyhounds were down 2-0 until Downs drove in Nichols to get the Hounds on the board. Later in the inning, UIndy tied it when O’Connor scored on a wild pitch.
With the score tied at two, Shelby Cook stepped into the batter’s box. Cook hit the ball into left field for her ninth double of the season. The sophomore brought two runners home, giving UIndy its first lead of the game.
Smith earned her second victory of the day, this time in relief. She pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, holding the Panthers to only two hits and no walks.
Jayden Casebolt got the start, battling through 4 1/3 innings.
UP NEXT
The Hounds return to Indianapolis for the first game at Baumgartner Field this season. UIndy will host doubleheaders against Rockhurst and William Jewell on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Both matchups are slated to start at noon.
UINDY MEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF TAKES INDIVIDUAL, TEAM TITLES AT SPRING BREAK INVITE
LEXINGTON, Ky.—The UIndy men’s golf team spent its Spring Break wisely, topping the large, mostly-Midwest-Region field at the SVSU Spring Break Invite this weekend. The convincing 11-stroke win marked the first time in program history that an all-freshman lineup captured a team title. Two Greyhounds earned all-tournament honors, including first-time medalist Ben Keil.
The 36-hole event has held at Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky., Saturday and Sunday.
INS & OUTS
The Hounds led throughout, combining for a 12-under 276 in the first round. Keil (66), Simon Engman (68) and Alexander Nestun (69) all went low in the opening round.
Keil and Engman remained hot on Sunday. The former carded a second-round 68 to finish at -10 for the tournament and earn a one-stroke win, while the latter was four-under on the final back 9 before finishing at -7 for the tournament, good for third place.
Nestun (69-76) crashed the top 20, finishing at +1 and T-18. Maverick Conaway (+6, T-49) and Cameron Young (+9, T-75) rounded out the lineup players.
Freshman Caleb Michaels and fifth-year senior Ethan Stanley both competed as individuals. Stanley (+3) carded scores of 72-75 to share 35th.
HOUND BYTES
Head Coach Brent Nicoson on the team win…
“This is a very important win for this young team with a lot of postseason implications, so I’m extremely proud of this group.”
Nicoson on Keil’s individual win…
“I am so happy for Ben getting his first collegiate win. He has taken great steps from the fall semester to mature as a golfer, and it showed this week.”
Nicoson on Engman’s contribution…
“Simon continues to be consistent and played another very solid tournament for us. He’s been really impressive this entire freshman year.”
UP NEXT
UIndy returns to the Bluegrass State for the Findlay Spring Invite, set for March 25-26 at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club in Richmond, Ky.
UINDY MEN’S TENNIS
#1 MEN’S TENNIS DROPS NAIA POWERHOUSE KEISER 6-1
COCOA, Fla. – Looking to finish their spring break trip on a high note, the University of Indianapolis men’s tennis team faced off with perineal-NAIA-power Keiser on Sunday afternoon, besting the Seahawks 6-1.
INS & OUTS
Doubles set the pace for evening as with the return of Tom Zeuch to the lineup, the Hounds were cooking. Zeuch and Matthieu Derache, the No. 2-ranked pair, worked a 6-4 win. With an opportunity to clinch the early lead, No. 11 Louis Picaud and Erwan Momo Andre faced a bit of a fight at the second court, but still came out on top 7-5.
Zeuch, the No. 1 player in the country, faced a skilled foe at the top spot in the No. 5 ranked player in NAIA. But for Zeuch it was light work as he went 6-2, 6-4 to put the Hounds up by a pair. EMA kept the straight-sets coming, as he mirrored Zeuch’s match with a 6-4, 6-2 win.
Momo Andre’s partner in Picaud was up next as the after a tough fought first set, he rattled off two identical 6-4 sets to secure the victory for the Hounds.
The Seahawks pried a grueling match off David Simeonov at court four to prevent the sweep. Simeonov captured the first set but a 11-9 and 7-4 tiebreak in back-to-back sets secured it for Keiser. Manuel Lanteri and Derache both faced tough-three setters at five and six, with both Greyhounds coming out on top to send the Hounds back to Indy with a convincing victory in tow.
UP NEXT
GLVC action is here for the Greyhounds as they kick off their conference schedule on April 12 in the UIndy Tennis Center. They will welcome in the Lewis Flyers at 2 p.m.
MARIAN MEN’S TENNIS
KNIGHTS BOUNCE BACK WITH A 7-0 WIN OVER INDIANA TECH
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian men’s tennis bounces back from spring break loss with a 7-0 win over Indiana Tech Sunday afternoon. Marian is now 11-7 overall.
Marian gained two victories in the doubles category and one unfinished match. James Ashworth and Luis Sobanski won at No. 1 with a score of 6-1. Jona Henze and Marc Soriano took the second win for the Knights at No. 2 with a score of 6-3. Jan Bartolome and Jones McNamar went unfinished at No. 3.
The Knights took the full sweep in doubles scoring all six points to secure the win at home. Asworth won at No.1 in two sets with scores of 6-3 and 6-2, and Sobanski won at No.2 in two sets aswell with scores 7-5 and 6-4.
Henze and Soriano won at No. 3 and No. 4 with consective scores of 6-2 in both sets. Bartolome won in two sets at No. 5 with scores of 6-3 and 6-1. McNamar won at No. 6 in three sets with scores of 7-5, 5-7, and 1-0 (7) in the tie breaker.
Marian will play their next match on the road Friday, March 22nd at Georgetown starting at 10:00 a.m.
MARIAN WOMEN’S TENNIS
MARIAN POSTS SHUTOUT WIN OVER INDIANA TECH
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian women’s tennis notched their fourth win of the spring season on Sunday afternoon, as Marian defeated Indiana Tech in a windy battle on the MU Tennis Courts. The Knights’ 7-0 victory over the Warriors gives them a record of 12-5 overall this season.
Marian breezed through doubles, winning two of the three matches to score an early 1-0 lead in the match. Isadora Muller and Paloma Caceres won 6-0 at No. 3 doubles against Valentina Rodriguez and Rebecca Van Der Lee, and the pair of Ana Barbosa and Yasmin Imamniazova won 6-1 against Roshne Arunkumar and Ana Gomez at No. 2 doubles. Katharina Bopst and Michelle Irigoyen went unfinished in their match against Thaina Carvalho and Paula San Jose, as Marian had clinched the point for doubles.
In singles, the Knights again made quick work, sweeping the competition with six wins to take the 7-0 win. Imamniyazova won 6-2, 6-3 against Carvalho at No. 1 and Irigoyen won in consecutive 6-0 sets against Gomez at No. 3 to take two points to the team score, while Barbosa would clinch the win at No. 2 with her three-set win. Barbosa dropped the first set against Arunkumar at No. 2 singles 6-3, but rebounded with a 6-0 and 10-4 third-set tiebreaker to clinch the match and Marian’s 12th win.
Bopst won in three sets as well, rebounding from a 5-7 loss in set one against San Jose at No. 4 singles, with a 6-2 and 10-3 third-set tiebreak score giving her the win. Caceres would win 6-2, 6-2 against Rodriguez at No. 5 singles and Muller won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6 singles over Van Der Lee to seal the win for Marian.
Marian will next play on Friday, March 22, taking on Georgetown College and the University of the Cumberlands in Georgetown, Kentucky, as their spring season begins to ramp up.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
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/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
FOOTBALL HISTORY
March 18, 1970 – NFL selects Wilson as official football and the scoreboard as its official game clock.
Picture yourself at a 1920’s era famous Columbus, Ohio Horseshoe Football Stadium with 90,000 other onlookers. The game you are witnessing is the heated rivalry, even then of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the University of Michigan Wolverines in an important game in the Big 10 Conference as the winner would be contending for the title of the conference championship. It’s early in the game, a mere 12 minutes have gone by, but the Michigan eleven are trailing Ohio State 10-0. With that in mind Michigan’s Head Coach Fielding Yost unsheathed his secret weapon, the forward pass using Friedman, left end Bennie Oosterbaan and left halfback Louis Gilbert! It was an aerial assault that had not been seen before as Quarterback Friedman shocked the Buckeye defenders with perfect strikes to his teammate Bennie Oosterbaan while catching other tosses himself from Gilbert. It was Friedman scrambling till he got in trouble and then launching the ball in Oosterbaan’s direction who would sometimes make circus-like grabs. It looked though that the drive had stalled therefore Gilbert as a holder and Friedman with kicking in mind dropped back for a field goal attempt., Louis Gilbert dropped on to one knee as though to hold the ball for a place-kick. Instead he moved out of the way when the ball was snapped back, Friedman caught it, stepped back and promptly fired a swift, flat pass to Oosterbaan who was free behind the Ohio goal-posts. With Friedman’s extra point kick the lead was cut to 3. The Buckeyes next drive stalled and they were forced to punt with only a minute left before the half was over. A split-second decision would be pivotal as the first half was closing. Gilbert again took his position on one knee, ready to field the snap but Friedman called it off and took the snap directly so as to drop kick the ball 43 yards through the uprights. Michigan had tied the score! The teams came out in the second half but neither defense would give ground. As a matter of fact the Blue defense did one better as they recovered a muffed punt deep inside OSU territory. The Buckeyes put up a fight but on fourth down after shedding a couple of red jersey tackles, Benny Friedman lunged over the goal line. Michigan 17, Ohio State 10. What happened next would feel like a gut punch. Ohio State moved the ball down the field with short passes finally punctuated by a Buckeye rush for a score. With the game clock all but expired there came the all important point after try, only one point separating the teams. The snap went down, foot hit the ball with the thud of leather on leather. The pigskin sailed over the line straight down the middle and sailed between the pipes but it was two feet under the crossbar. The Wolverines prevailed in a 17-16 thriller in Ohio then knocked off Minnesota a week later 7-6 to capture the Big Ten crown. We credit the Bentley.Umich site for posting a next day report on the 1926 game that we could take facts from for the story. Benny Friedman was born March 18, 1905 in Cleveland, Ohio and he played as the standout quarterback from 1924 to 1927 of Michigan per the National Football Foundation. Benny was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. In 1927 as a rookie on the Cleveland Bulldogs, Benny was selected as an All-NFL player as he threw for an almost unheard of 11 touchdown passes! The Pro Football Hall of Fame says that the next season with the Detroit Wolverines he made it to All-NFL status as well as the the two proceeding seasons after that in a New York Giants uniform. What a start to a professional career to be on three different teams and be considered the top of your position each year! He ran, kicked and passed as well as anyone in the League therefore the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the great Quarterback Benny Friedman in 2005.
March 18 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
March 18, 1905 – Aurora, Illinois – The Navy two-way tackle from the mid 1920’s, Frank Wickhorst credited his birth date. You know we have more on this player, just click on his name.
March 18, 1910 – Pocahontas, Arkansas – Wear Schoonover the two-way end at Arkansas was the first official All-America football player in the Southwest Conference as well as the first Arkansas athlete to be elected to the National Football Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 1967. In 1929, Schoonover did not miss a second of play during a nine-game schedule and earned All-America selection per his bio on the NFF website. In those contests he hauled in seven TD passes and scored 42 points as his Razorbacks posted a 7-2 mark. Wear was a play maker as evidenced against Texas A&M where Schoonover snatched a couple of receptions to set up two Razorback TDs, then blocked the extra point to preserve Arkansas’ 14-13 triumph. Later in the year versus Centenary, Wear picked off five passes, returning one of those 92 yards for a touchdown!
March 18, 1919 – Frank “Gunner” Gatski the center from Auburn who anchored the Cleveland Browns offensive line during the championship years of the late forties in the AAFC and early 1950’s in the NFL was born. According to the ProFootballHOF.com , Frank Gatski played in 11 Championship games in the 12 seasons he participated at the pro level, winning eight of them. Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Gunner Gatski in 1985.
March 18, 1928 – Waco, Texas – Rice University End James “Froggy” Williams earned his nickname by being so slippery for opposing tacklers. James set a school record as its All-time leading scorer by crossing the goal line stripe 13 times, kicking 75 extra points and even a field goal for a total of 156 career points per the NFF. In 1949 Froggy was chosen as a consensus All-America selection. Williams had a knack of having his best games against rival Texas he had two TDs and scored seven extra points in his career against the Longhorns, but the stunner was the only successful field goal in his career which lifted the Owls to a 17-15 victory over Texas. James Williams was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1965.
March 18, 1952 – Mike Webster was the anchor of the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons winning four Super Bowl Rings per the Pro Football Hall of Fam’s website. The fifth round pick in the 1974 NFL Draft was durable as he played tem straight seasons without missing a snap on offense. Webster was an All-Pro in seven seasons therefore earning a pro Bowl slot in nine different years. Mike completed his career by playing two additional years in the NFL with the KC Chiefs. Mike Webster was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
March 18, 1961 – Wyoming County, West Virginia – The 1981 All-American running back of the Penn State Nittany Lions, Curt Warner claimed his birth date. When Curt’s college career was complete the NFF says he had records galore including 11 season, 14 bowl and 42 school records. Warner was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player in two different Fiesta Bowls played in. Curt also led the Nittany Lions to the 1982 National Championship with their Sugar Bowl victory. He set records for career rushing yardage (3,398), career all-purpose yardage (4,982) and 100-yard rushing games (18). Warner is also second all-time in career kick-off return average (28.8 yards), tallying 922 yards and three touchdowns on 32 returns. Curt Warner became a College FOotball hall of Fame inductee in 2009. He had a nice career in the NFL when he earned the All-Pro distinction 4 different times with the Seattle Seahawks for seven seasons. Warner also played one final year with the Rams.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
42 – 9 – 23
March 18, 1942 – Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland, both black men requested to try out with the Chicago White Sox but were denied. Remember it wasn’t until April 10, 1947 that Mr. Robinson famously signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers thus breaking the color barrier in the MLB some 5 days later. Robinson would then wear his famous Number 42 uniform with the Dodgers.
March 18, 1945 – The Rocket hits the 50 mark! Montreal Canadien skater Maurice Richard became the fist player in NHL history to post 50 goals in one season. At that point in his Mantreal career Richard was still wearing the Number 9. The Canadiens triuphed 4-2 over the Boston Bruins in the game.
March 18, 1953 – At the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tornament Championship game, the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 69-68 in a thriller. Jayhawks’ center B. H. Born, Number 23 is named as the tournament Most Outstanding Player
March 18, 1989 – Washington Capitals stanndout Dino Ciccarelli gets his name in the record books once again. Ole Number 22 registered 7 points in a single game as the Caps dropped the Whalers 8-2.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1937 Ending his holdout, Lou Gehrig, who had initially asked for $50,000, agrees to sign with the Yankees for $36,000 and a $750 signing bonus. The new deal for the Bronx Bombers’ first baseman, last season’s American League MVP, makes him baseball’s highest-paid player.
1942 During spring training, Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland work out with the White Sox in Pasadena, California. Manager Jimmie Dykes, who reluctantly granted their request for a walk-on tryout, dismisses the black players without making an offer for their services.
1943 Spring training camps began opening in northern locations due to wartime travel restrictions. Some of the locales include Bear Mountain, NY (Dodgers), French Lick Springs, IN (Cubs and White Sox), Asbury Park, NJ (Yankees), Medford, MA (Red Sox), and Wallingford, CT (Braves).
1953 “Braves Win Last Game for Boston, Milwaukee Loses It.” – BOSTON GLOBE, headline lamenting the city’s National League franchise move to Milwaukee. When the National League owners officially approve the Braves’ move from Boston, the team is on the field, beating the Yankees in the fifth inning, 3–0. The club now representing Milwaukee, as of 2:33 PM, blows the lead, dropping a 5-3 decision to the Yankees in the Bradenton (FL) exhibition game.
1953 The Braves end their 77-year-old association with Boston, becoming the first major league club to move since Baltimore shifted to New York in 1903. After listening to Lou Perini’s hour-long impassioned plea, the National League owners unanimously approved the franchise’s change of venue to Milwaukee, where the club will stay for dozen seasons, setting attendance records before moving again in 1966 to Atlanta.
1957 Indian general manager Hank Greenberg turns down the Red Sox’s million-dollar offer for pitcher Herb Score. The former slugger says the Tribe is building for the future and not into selling its premier players.
1958 The Dodgers, playing their first season in LA, do not renew the contract of Emmett Kelly, the team’s resident ‘tramp’ in Brooklyn. The veteran circus performer believes the size of the Coliseum, the club’s new venue on the West Coast, is just “too big for one clown.”
1974 Country singer Charley Pride, best known for the songs I’m Just Me and Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’, plays for the Texas Rangers in an exhibition game at the team’s Pompano Beach training camp. The former Negro League right-hander grounds out and singles in two at-bats in the team’s 14-2 loss to Jim Palmer and the Orioles.
1981 After being declared a free agent because the Red Sox mailed his contract one day past the contractual deadline, Carlton Fisk signs a $3.5 million deal with the White Sox. On Opening Day, the 33-year-old catcher will hit an eighth-inning three-run home run to tie the score, 3-3, which proves to be the difference in Chicago’s eventual 5-3 victory over his old team at Fenway Park.
1985 Commissioner Peter Ueberroth reinstates Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Major League Baseball banned the two Hall of Famers from associating due to their employment with Atlantic City casinos.
1990 The players and owners agree on a four-year contract after a 32-day lockout, the sport’s seventh work stoppage and its second-longest since 1972. Although the season will start a week later, teams plan to play a complete schedule, including the 78 games canceled by the work stoppage.
(Ed. Note: The settlement includes raising the minimum major league salary from $68,000 to $100,000 and establishing a committee to study revenue sharing. -LP)
2000 Construction workers install a 15-foot-high and 56-foot-long replica of an 1862 steam locomotive ninety feet above the field onto the rails that run alongside the moveable roof at Enron Field, Houston’s new downtown ballpark, partially located on the former home of the city’s Union Station. The 60,000-pound train, with its cargo of oranges, makes a 40-second trip back and forth on its track every time an Astro player hits a home run.
Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros (Major League Baseball – Houston, Texas – July 19, 2017)
2000 After reacquiring Jesse Orosco from the Orioles in December, the Mets send the veteran left-hander to the Cardinals for utility player Joe McEwing. In 1978, the eventual four-decade hurler (1979-2003) was the player to be named later in the trade when New York dealt veteran southpaw Jerry Koosman to Minnesota.
2005 After Mark McGwire, who had previously denied using steroids, refuses to answer the questions concerning his involvement during the congressional hearings, U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay (D-MO) wants to remove the slugger’s name given to a stretch of highway in his state. The legislators officially renamed a five-mile segment, a distance approximately as long traveled by the 70 home runs, of Interstate-70 the Mark McGwire Highway as a tribute to ‘Big Mac’ hitting a record 70 home runs in 1998.
(Ed. Note: In May 2010, the Missouri Legislature passed a bill to change the name of Mark McGwire Highway to the Mark Twain Highway. -LP)
2008 The possibility of collusion by the major league owners against Barry Bonds, who has pleaded innocent to four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, will be examined by the Players Association. The San Francisco slugger, who hit .276 last year with 28 home runs, has not been offered a contract by any major league team.
2008
In an attempt to be part of a healing process on the campus where 32 students and staff became victims of a deadly shooting spree last April, the Yankees play the Hokies at Virginia Tech’s English Field. George Steinbrenner, moved by coverage of the massacre, donated $1 million to a memorial fund and arranged for his team to participate in an exhibition game at the school.
2009 The Cubs announce the team will retire its fifth number when 31 will be set aside on May 3rd in honor of Fergie Jenkins (1966-73, 1982-83) and Greg Maddux (1986-92, 2004-06). The hurlers will join Ron Santo (#10), Ernie Banks (#14), Ryne Sandberg (#23), and Billy Williams (#26) as honorees chosen by the Chicago club.
2010 Free-swinging slugger Mark Reynolds (.260, 44, 102) and the Diamondbacks agree to a new three-year, $14.5 million contract. The deal covers the 26-year-old third baseman’s first two arbitration years.
2011 The Mets make a symbolic but expensive roster move when they release their second baseman, Luis Castillo. The oft-injured embattled 35-year-old, best remembered by New York fans for the dropped popup in a 2009 Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium, is still owed the remaining $6 million on the four-year, $25 million contract he signed before the 2008 season.
2014 In a Cactus League game, all nine batters Jose Quintana faces reach base and eventually score in the White Sox’s 16-6 loss to the A’s at Camelback Ranch. The southpaw starter gives up seven hits, including a homer by Jed Lowrie and a triple by Sam Fuld, and issues two walks before exiting the game without retiring a batter.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1946 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)
Off the field…
John William Mauchly designed the first all-electronic computer for the U.S. Department of Army Ordnance to help compute ballistic firing tables. The revolutionary device, called the ENIAC, weighed thirty tons and consisted of thirty separate units that were cooled by a crude, forced-air system. The all “digital” computer operated on 19,000 vacuum tubes, 1,500 relays, and hundreds of thousands of resistors, capacitors, and inductors that consumed almost 200 kilowatts of electrical power.
Dr. Benjamin Spock published his first book “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care” with a dramatic contrast to earlier child-care guides that favored rigid schedules and warned against showing a child too much affection. Dr. Spock’s book was reassuring in its support of maternal tenderness and went on to sell 25,000,000 copies while revolutionizing parenting in the United States and abroad.
In the American League…
The New York Yankees became the first Major League Baseball team to fly on a regular basis after leasing a United Airlines plane nicknamed the “Yankee Mainliner”. Despite the convenience of a shortened travel schedule, four players, including Red Ruffing, still elected to take the train.
Boston Red Sox second baseman Johnny Pesky became the first American League player to single-handedly score six runs in a game during a 14-10 triumph over the Chicago White Sox on May 8th for their thirteenth straight victory. Boston extended its streak to fifteen games before losing to their rivals, the New York Yankees, on May 11th.
The American League All-Stars embarrassed the National’s representatives with a 12-0 triumph at Fenway Park. Despite the lop-sided finale, this particular Midsummer Classic remained special, as the ’45 event had been cancelled due to wartime travel restrictions. Many players later stated that they had never seen a more festive occasion and many of them had not seen their major league rivals in several years. “Home field” slugger Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox led the charge with two home runs, two singles, a walk, four runs scored and four runs batted in.
In the National League…
On March 17th, the Brooklyn Dodgers played an exhibition game in Daytona Beach against their own Minor League farm team, the Montreal Royals. With Jackie Robinson in the line-up, it marked the first appearance of an integrated baseball team during the 20th century. As a fitting tribute, the field was later renamed Jackie Robinson Ballpark in honor of the man who broke through baseball’s color barrier.
On May 20th, Chicago Cubs ace Claude Passeau made his first error since 1941 to end an all-time pitcher’s fielding streak of two-hundred seventy-three consecutive errorless chances. Passeau was noted for playing with a special modified glove due to a deformed left hand that was disfigured by a childhood shooting accident.
The Pittsburgh Pirates voted 20-16 in favor of a walkout (prior to a game against the New York Giants) in order to gain recognition of the American Baseball Guild. According to league policy however, a two-thirds majority vote was required to “legally” initiate a strike. Despite being unsuccessful, the players had made a statement in direct support of the newly established coalition that had yet to be acknowledged by the league. As a prelude to the Players Association, the guild had proposed the increase of the leagues’ minimum salary to $7,500 as well as a formal arbitration policy for all future salary disputes.
Around the League…
The Chicago White Sox became the first Major League team to provide an official Media Guide for the baseball writers. The seventeen-page publication had been developed by Marsh Samuel and listed individual player and team information as well as limited statistical data. Bill Veeck was so impressed by the concept; he hired Samuel himself to develop a similar guide for the Cleveland Indians.
The Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Athletics and Phillies all refused to raise their standard ticket fare while the rest of the league upped their costs considerably with $2.50 for boxes, $1.25 for general admission and .60 cents for outfield bleachers.
Fortune magazine published a study into the finances of Major League Baseball that included a detailed report on the New York Yankees franchise. As a sign of things to come, the Bronx Bombers posted league high revenues of $306,000 that were cut to $201,000 following Minor League losses. Of their overall gross income, $896,000 came from home ticket sales. Despite playing poorly, the Yanks completed their home season with a record attendance of 2,309,029. The best previous draw was credited to the Chicago Cubs who boasted 1,485,166 fans in 1929.
On Friday, August 9th, all games (four each for both the American and National Leagues) were played at night for the first time in Major League history.
BASEBALL’S GREAT PITCHERS
DON SUTTON
“I never wanted to be a superstar, or the highest paid player,” Don Sutton said. “[A]ll I wanted was to be appreciated for the fact that I was consistent, dependable, and you could count on me.”1 By that measure, Sutton achieved his goal and more, as few pitchers in baseball history were as reliable, and as healthy, for as long as the right-hander.
During his 23-year major-league career (1966-1988), Sutton logged at least 200 innings in 20 of his first 21 seasons, a remarkable stretch interrupted only by the strike-shortened campaign of 1981; and struck out at least 100 batters in 21 straight seasons, a feat subsequently duplicated only by Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, and Roger Clemens. As of 2019 Sutton ranked tied for 14th in victories (324), 10th in shutouts (58), seventh in innings pitched (5,282⅓) and strikeouts (3,574), and third in games started (756) in major-league history; and given the trends in baseball, his positions seem permanently fixed.
READ MORE: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/don-sutton/
TODAY IN NBA HISTORY
March 18, 1988
The Golden State Warriors retired Rick Barry’s uniform No. 24, joining the numbers of only three other former Warriors: Al Attles, Tom Meschery, and Nate Thurmond.
March 18, 1991
The Philadelphia 76ers retired Wilt Chamberlain’s No. 13 jersey, only the fifth jersey ever retired by the Sixers, along with those of Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones and Julius Erving. Chamberlain ultimately had his jersey retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, becoming the first NBA player to have his number retired by three teams.
March 18, 1996
Chicago’s Michael Jordan scores 38 points and becomes the 10th NBA player to reach 24,000 career points, as the visiting Bulls defeat Philadelphia 98-94.
March 18, 1998
Clyde Drexler announced that he will retire following the conclusion of the 1997-98 season after agreeing to become the men’s head basketball coach at the University of Houston.
March 18, 2001
Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers became the first NBA player to convert 2,000 3-point field goals when he sank a trey in the third quarter of Indiana’s 101-95 victory over the Sacramento Kings. The 3-point field goal was introduced into the NBA for the 1979-80 season.
March 18, 2001
Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz coached his 1,000th game as head coach of the Jazz, becoming only the sixth coach in NBA history to coach 1,000 games with the same team. Sloan joined Hall of Famers Red Auerbach and Red Holzman as well as Gene Shue, John MacLeod and Al Attles.
March 18, 2019
Dirk Nowitzki sinks one of his trademark fadeaway jumpers in the first quarter, allowing him to pass Wilt Chamberlain for sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. At the time, Nowitzki’s 31,424 career points trailed only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
March 18, 2021
Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards scores 42 points in a 123-119 win against the Phoenix Suns. At 19 years and 226 days old, Edwards becomes the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 40 or more in a game, trailing only LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1945 — Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens becomes the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season during a 4-2 triumph over the Boston Bruins in the final game of the season.
1950 — CCNY beats Bradley 69-61 for the NIT championship.
1953 — Don Schlundt scores 30 points to lead Indiana to a 69-68 victory over Kansas for the NCAA basketball championship.
1990 — Jeff Fryer’s 41 points leads Loyola Marymount to a 149-115 victory over defending national champion Michigan in the highest-scoring game in NCAA tournament history.
1993 — Santa Clara beats Arizona 64-61 to become the second 15th-seeded team to win a first-round game in the NCAA tournament.
1995 — Michael Jordan announces he is ending his 17 month NBA retirement.
2001 — Indiana’s Reggie Miller becomes the first player in NBA history to accumulate 2,000 3-pointers after hitting four in a 101-95 win over Sacramento.
2008 — The Houston Rockets’ 22-game winning streak comes to an end. Kevin Garnett scores 22 points and Paul Pierce adds 20 as the Celtics beat the Rockets 94-74, stopping Houston’s remarkable run.
2009 — New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur breaks Patrick Roy’s NHL record for career wins by a goaltender. Brodeur records his 552nd win in a 3-2 decision over the Chicago Blackhawks.
2013 — LeBron James and the Miami Heat escape Boston with their 23rd win in a row, the second longest win streak in NBA history. James scores 37 points and makes the go-ahead basket with 10.5 seconds left in Miami’s 105-103 victory.
2015 — Lindsey Vonn wins the World Cup downhill title for the seventh time, winning the last race in the discipline at the World Cup finals in Meribel, France.
2016 — Middle Tennessee State sends a big shock through the men’s NCAA Tournament, topping second-seeded Michigan State 90-81 in the first round. Middle Tennessee never trails the Spartans (29-6) in one of the biggest upsets since the tournament began seeding teams in 1985.
2016 — Thomas Walkup scores 33 points and 14th-seeded Stephen F. Austin takes down West Virginia’s full-court pressure with some of its own in-your-face defense, pulling off a 70-56 first-round upset of the third-seeded Mountaineers in the NCAA Tournament.
2017 — Kalani Brown scores 21 points and top-seeded Baylor overwhelms much smaller Texas Southern 119-30, the most lopsided women’s NCAA Tournament game. The 89-point margin breaks the previous record 74-point win by Tennessee over North Carolina A&T (111-37) in 1994. Baylor’s 119 points are the most scored in regulation of a women’s NCAA Tournament game, surpassing the previous record 116.
2017 — Texas A&M pulls off the biggest comeback in women’s NCAA Tournament history, rallying from a 21-point deficit for a 63-61 victory over Penn to close out the first round of the NCAAs. The fifth-seeded Aggies finish the game on a 25-1 run to beat the 12th-seeded Quakers.
2018 — Tennessee loses for the first time at home in women’s NCAA Tournament history. Marie Gulich has 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead sixth-seed Oregon State to a 66-59 win. The third-seeded Lady Vols had been 57-0 at home, with most of those victories coming under late Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt.
2019 — 40-year old Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki overtakes Wilt Chamberlain to go 6th with 31,424 points on the NBA scorers’ list; Mavs suffer 129-125 OT loss to New Orleans Pelicans.
TV SPORTS MONDAY
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
7 p.m.
SECN — Mississippi at LSU
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: Boston vs. Minnesota, Fort Myers, Fla.
4 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: LA Angels vs. Milwaukee, Phoenix
NBA BASKETBALL
7:40 p.m.
ESPN — Miami at Philadelphia
10:05 p.m.
ESPN — New York at Golden State
NHL HOCKEY
8:30 p.m. NHLN — Washington at Calgary