THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” SATURDAY MARCH 4, 2023

 INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL SEMI-FINAL’S FRIDAY

CLASS 4A
MUNSTER
HAMMOND MORTON		HAMMOND CENTRAL		PPD.
LAKE CENTRAL		MUNSTER		PPD.
CROWN POINT
CHESTERTON		CROWN POINT		PPD.
HOBART		VALPARAISO		PPD.
LAPORTE
MICHIGAN CITY		LAPORTE		PPD.
SOUTH BEND RILEY		MISHAWAKA		PPD.
ELKHART
GOSHEN		PENN		PPD.
CONCORD		NORTHRIDGE		PPD.
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)
FORT WAYNE NORTHROP	59	EAST NOBLE	53
FORT WAYNE NORTH	64	FORT WAYNE SNIDER	57
COLUMBIA CITY
FORT WAYNE SOUTH		FORT WAYNE WAYNE		PPD.
HOMESTEAD		COLUMBIA CITY		PPD.
KOKOMO
KOKOMO	68	HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)	63	OT
MARION	89	MCCUTCHEON	51
CARMEL
NOBLESVILLE	47	WESTFIELD	45
ZIONSVILLE	59	FISHERS	53
MUNCIE CENTRAL
NEW PALESTINE	48	PENDLETON HEIGHTS	35
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)	58	ANDERSON	57
WARREN CENTRAL
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL	64	WARREN CENTRAL	61
INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS	51	LAWRENCE NORTH	38
PERRY MERIDIAN
PIKE	66	DECATUR CENTRAL	51
BEN DAVIS	76	FRANKLIN CENTRAL	46
PLAINFIELD
BROWNSBURG	62	TERRE HAUTE NORTH	41
PLAINFIELD	78	TERRE HAUTE SOUTH	59
CENTER GROVE
CENTER GROVE	62	BLOOMINGTON SOUTH	39
BLOOMINGTON NORTH	84	MARTINSVILLE	70
COLUMBUS NORTH
WHITELAND	47	SHELBYVILLE	45
COLUMBUS NORTH	60	COLUMBUS EAST	54
SEYMOUR
JEFFERSONVILLE		JENNINGS COUNTY		PPD.
NEW ALBANY		SEYMOUR		PPD.
EVANSVILLE NORTH
EVANSVILLE REITZ	49	EVANSVILLE CENTRAL	47
JASPER	51	EVANSVILLE NORTH	37
CLASS 3A
HANOVER CENTRAL
RIVER FOREST		LAKE STATION		PPD.
HAMMOND NOLL		HANOVER CENTRAL		PPD.
KNOX
CULVER ACADEMY		KNOX		PPD.
BREMEN		JOHN GLENN		PPD.
JIMTOWN
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON		MISHAWAKA MARIAN		PPD.
NEW PRAIRIE		SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH		PPD.
NORTHWOOD
LAKELAND		WEST NOBLE		PPD.
FAIRFIELD		NORTHWOOD		PPD.
GARRETT
HERITAGE		FORT WAYNE DWENGER		PPD.
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA		WOODLAN		PPD.
FRANKFORT
TWIN LAKES	45	WESTERN	43
RENSSELAER CENTRAL	47	BENTON CENTRAL	44
PERU
PERU	55	OAK HILL	47
NORWELL	80	MACONAQUAH	60
NEW CASTLE
DELTA	61	HAMILTON HEIGHTS	42
NEW CASTLE	54	FRANKTON	43
DANVILLE
TRI-WEST	57	CRAWFORDSVILLE	39
DANVILLE	60	LEBANON	49
NORTHVIEW
INDIAN CREEK	60	NORTHVIEW	43
SOUTH VERMILLION	61	EDGEWOOD	53
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE
GUERIN CATHOLIC		BREBEUF JESUIT		PPD.
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD		INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE		PPD.
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER	67	INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON	45
BEECH GROVE	71	SPEEDWAY	50
GREENSBURG
BATESVILLE	53	FRANKLIN COUNTY	26
GREENSBURG	54	LAWRENCEBURG	44
CHARLESTOWN
SALEM		CORYDON CENTRAL		PPD.
SCOTTSBURG		SILVER CREEK		PPD.
WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON	55	HERITAGE HILLS	48
NORTH DAVIESS	55	VINCENNES LINCOLN	41
BOONVILLE
GIBSON SOUTHERN	66	BOONVILLE	55
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI	57	EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL	48
CLASS 2A
WHITING
ANDREAN		GARY 21ST CENTURY		PPD.
BOWMAN ACADEMY		ILLIANA CHRISTIAN		PPD.
NORTH JUDSON
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)		NORTH JUDSON		PPD.
SOUTH BEND CAREER		LAVILLE		PPD.
WESTVIEW
EASTSIDE		WESTVIEW		PPD.
CENTRAL NOBLE		PRAIRIE HEIGHTS		PPD.
ROCHESTER
WABASH		WINAMAC		PPD.
LEWIS CASS		ROCHESTER		PPD.
SOUTH ADAMS
ADAMS CENTRAL	65	FORT WAYNE LUERS	44
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK	75	MANCHESTER	42
DELPHI
CLINTON PRAIRIE	57	DELPHI	40
CARROLL (FLORA)	64	COVINGTON	38
TAYLOR
TAYLOR	45	ELWOOD	37
TIPTON	73	MADISON-GRANT	56
MONROE CENTRAL
MUNCIE BURRIS	59	WES-DEL	34
WAPAHANI	49	LAPEL	41
SHENANDOAH
HAGERSTOWN	65	KNIGHTSTOWN	44
NORTHEASTERN	66	UNION COUNTY	33
EASTERN HANCOCK
TRITON CENTRAL	78	INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE	45
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA	55	EASTERN HANCOCK	40
CASCADE
PARK TUDOR	67	COVENANT CHRISTIAN	44
UNIVERSITY	57	CASCADE	32
SOUTHMONT
PARKE HERITAGE	65	SOUTH PUTNAM	40
NORTH PUTNAM	65	RIVERTON PARKE	53
SOUTH RIPLEY
NORTH DECATUR	44	SOUTH RIPLEY	37
MILAN	48	HAUSER	43
SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)
HENRYVILLE		SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)		PPD.
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL		PROVIDENCE		PPD.
NORTH KNOX
SOUTH KNOX	65	EASTERN GREENE	32
LINTON-STOCKTON	74	MITCHELL	42
TELL CITY
NORTH POSEY	56	PERRY CENTRAL	29
FOREST PARK	74	TELL CITY	41
CLASS 1A
MORGAN TWP.
HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH		KOUTS		PPD.
DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN		MORGAN TWP.		PPD.
TRITON
OREGON-DAVIS		CULVER		PPD.
ARGOS		MARQUETTE CATHOLIC		PPD.
HAMILTON
LAKEWOOD PARK		LAKELAND CHRISTIAN		PPD.
ELKHART CHRISTIAN		BETHANY CHRISTIAN		PPD.
WEST CENTRAL
TRI-COUNTY		FRONTIER		PPD.
NORTH WHITE		WEST CENTRAL		PPD.
SOUTHWOOD
SOUTHWOOD	69	NORTHFIELD	35
FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY	47	SMITH ACADEMY	40
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL
NORTH VERMILLION		FOUNTAIN CENTRAL		PPD.
ROSSVILLE		FAITH CHRISTIAN		PPD.
TRI-CENTRAL
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN	67	COWAN	48
DALEVILLE	74	TRI-CENTRAL	70
TRI
BLUE RIVER	82	UNION (MODOC)	17
SETON CATHOLIC	75	CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN	66
WHITE RIVER VALLEY
BLOOMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE	63	NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG)	62
BLOOMFIELD	36	WHITE RIVER VALLEY	21
INDIANA DEAF
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN	53	INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE	35
TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN	53	INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN	42
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN	83	PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY	44
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN	75	VICTORY COLLEGE PREP	28
EDINBURGH
OLDENBURG ACADEMY	52	SOUTH DECATUR	51
JAC-CEN-DEL	44	WALDRON	42
WEST WASHINGTON
SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH)		BORDEN		PPD.
LANESVILLE		ROCK CREEK ACADEMY		PPD.
NEW WASHINGTON
TRINITY LUTHERAN		NEW WASHINGTON		PPD.
CROTHERSVILLE		RISING SUN		PPD.
LOOGOOTEE
LOOGOOTEE	46	BARR-REEVE	28
ORLEANS	62	SPRINGS VALLEY	33
WOOD MEMORIAL
EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN	52	TECUMSEH	39
NORTHEAST DUBOIS	56	EVANSVILLE DAY	46

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

TOLEDO 87 BALL STATE 81

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 85 EASTERN MICHIGAN 66

BUFFALO 68 MIAMI OHIO 63

WESTERN MICHIGAN 81 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 65

OHIO 92 BOWLING GREEN 58

ST. LOUIS 65 DAYTON 61

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD:  HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/CBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230303

TOP 25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

#1 SOUTH CAROLINA 93 ARKANSAS 66

#2 INDIANA 94 MICHIGAN STATE 85

#4 LSU 83 GEORGIA 66

#5 MARYLAND 73 ILLINOIS 58

#19 UCLA 69 #6 STANFORD 65

#7 IOWA 69 PURDUE 58

#8 VIRGINIA TECH 68 MIAMI FLORIDA 42

#10 NOTRE DAME 66 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 60

#13 DUKE 44 #18 NORTH CAROLINA 40

#14 OHIO STATE 81 #17 MICHIGAN 79

WASHINGTON STATE 61 #20 COLORADO 49

ELSEWHERE:

GEORGETOWN 53 BUTLER 46

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/WCBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230303

NBA SCOREBOARD

ORLANDO 117 CHARLOTTE 106

ATLANTA 129 PORTLAND 111

BROOKLYN 115 BOSTON 105

PHOENIX 125 CHICAGO 104

NEW YORK 123 MIAMI 120

OKLAHOMA CITY 130 UTAH 103

DENVER 113 MEMPHIS 97

GOLDEN STATE 108 NEW ORLEANS 99

SACRAMENTO 128 LA CLIPPERS 127

MINNESOTA 110 LA LAKERS 102

BOX SCORES:  HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NBA/SCOREBOARD.ASP

NHL SCOREBOARD

SEATTLE 4 COLUMBUS 2

EDMONTON 6 WINNIPEG 3

CAROLINA 6 ARIZONA 1

ANAHEIM 3 MONTRÉAL 2

VEGAS 4 NEW JERSEY 3

BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NHL/SCOREBOARD.ASP

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL – SPRING TRAINING

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6 CINCINNATI 4

CLEVELAND 7 MILWAUKEE 4

KANSAS CITY 6 OAKLAND 4

TEXAS 11 SAN FRANCISCO 7

SAN FRANCISCO 3 COLORADO 2

LA DODGERS 2 LA ANGELS 2

SEATTLE 6 ARIZONA 3

CHICAGO CUBS 4 SAN DIEGO 0

BOSTON 9 MINNESOTA 4

HOUSTON 11 ATLANTA 8

DETROIT 6 PHILADELPHIA 3

ST. LOUIS 8 MIAMI 3

TORONTO 7 TAMPA BAY 6

WASHINGTON 11 NY METS 6

PITTSBURGH 1 BALTIMORE 1

DETROIT 5 NY YANKEES 3

BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/MLB/SCOREBOARD.ASP

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

NBA NEWS

MIKAL BRIDGES HELPS NETS RALLY TO STUN CELTICS, 115-105

BOSTON (AP) Mikal Bridges was considered a defensive star and complementary offensive player in Phoenix before abruptly having his five-year run there ended when he was shipped to Brooklyn as part of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns.

Bridges gave his new team another glimpse of the go-to potential he could grow into.

Bridges scored 38 points and the Nets overcame a 28-point deficit to stun the Boston Celtics 115-105 on Friday night.

He has reached 30 or more points in three of Brooklyn’s last six games. Bridges also had 10 rebounds, playing nearly 43 minutes.

“I think we kind or realized over a couple of games that offense wasn’t really our problem,” Bridges said. “I feel like our offense is pretty good. But our defense, we got stops and stayed together possession-by-possession. … We just kept and stayed together.”

It was Brooklyn’s first victory over Boston in four meetings this season.

Bridges played through pain in the second half after knocking knees with Derrick White, hitting on the same spot he did in a similar collision with Jalen Brunson in Wednesday loss to the Knicks.

“I think when I got traded it was kind of at the right time because when everybody was out in Phoenix I had to take up another role offensively and be more aggressive,” Bridges said. “By the time I got traded I was in a great rhythm and was confident.”

Fellow former Sun Cam Johnson added 20 points. Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 17.

It is the largest comeback by a Boston opponent since the Los Angeles Clippers also rallied from 28 down to beat Boston 123-112 at TD Garden on Feb. 9, 2019.

The Celtics have lost two out of three and lost more ground on East-leading Milwaukee, which was idle Friday. Boston, which made 26 3-pointers in a 139-96 win over the Nets on Feb. 1, went just 9 of 30 from beyond the arc on Friday.

“They beat us in every analytical category possible,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “If we don’t commit to the margins, no matter how hard we play, we’re not going to win.”

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 35 points. Jayson Tatum, who was celebrating his 25th birthday, added 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Boston led by 28 in the first half before being outscored 69-43 over the second and third quarters.

The Nets scored just 23 points in the first 16 minutes of the game, allowing Boston to go up 51-23 with 7:23 left in the first half.

It evaporated in a rash of pull up jumpers and one-and-done possesses for the Celtics as Brooklyn mounted a 57-23 run to nudge in front 80-74 with 3:56 in the third quarter. The lead was 106-90 early in the fourth.

During one wild sequence, the Nets secured four offensive rebounds and had five shots on a single possession before the Celtics were finally able to corral the ball, triggering a fast break and layup by Derrick White. It was one of the few highlights for Boston the rest of the way.

The Nets’ frantic rally also saw the Celtics lose big man Robert Williams for the night after he left early in the third with left hamstring tightness.

A 3-pointer by Marcus Smart got Boston as close as 110-102 with just over four minutes to play. But Finney-Smith answered with a triple of his own on the Nets’ next possession.

The lead grew as high as 51-23 early in the second, but the Nets chipped it down 64-55 at halftime.

NEW INJURY FOR SIMMONS

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said Ben Simmons began experiencing some back soreness this week while starting to increase his activity to strengthen the sore left knee that has kept him sidelined since the All-Star break restart. There isn’t a timeline for him to return, and there hasn’t been discussion of sitting him down for the remainder of the season.

TIP-INS

Nets: Outscored the Celtics 40-27 in the second quarter, shooting 65% (15 of 23) from the field. Bridges had 15 points in the period. … Johnson, who celebrated his 27th birthday, was whistled for three fouls in less than three minutes of action. It contributed to the Nets putting Boston in the bonus at the 8:48 mark of the opening quarter.

Celtics: Finished with 19 turnovers, leading to 21 Brooklyn points. …Went 0 for 6 from 3-point line in third quarter. … Al Horford played his 1,000th career regular-season game. He’s only the 11th active player to reach that plateau. After his milestone was announced to the TD Garden crowd, he capped the ensuing possession with a 3-pointer to put Boston in front 16-5.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host Charlottes on Sunday night.

Celtics: Host New York on Sunday night.

RANDLE SCORES 43, KNICKS WIN 8TH STRAIGHT, TOP HEAT 122-120

MIAMI (AP) Here’s just some of the things Julius Randle did in the final seconds Friday night: He lost the ball, fell to the floor, sent New York coach Tom Thibodeau sprawling and collided with a security guard.

Oh, and he hit a game-winner – as the red-hot Knicks found a way again.

Randle scored 43 points, the last of them on a go-ahead 3-pointer off a wildly broken play with 1.7 seconds left, and the Knicks extended their winning streak to eight games with a 122-120 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.

“A lot of energy,” Randle said. “Friday night in Miami.”

Tyler Herro had a steal and layup to put Miami up by one with 23.1 seconds remaining. Randle got the ball from Knicks teammate Jalen Brunson with 11 seconds left. It bounced away and Randle had to scurry to just inside the midcourt line to pick it up, clock then down to 9 seconds and with Miami’s Jimmy Butler right on him.

Randle headed toward the sideline, only to have Butler knock the ball away with 5.7 seconds left – yet it somehow stayed inbounds and skipped right back into Randle’s hands. His shot was good, and the celebration was on.

“If you did that play 100 times … 99 times out of that, it’s going to end up in our favor,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Butler was more succinct: “We didn’t deserve to win,” he said after Miami lost for the sixth time in its last seven games.

Randle was 16 of 25 from the floor, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range. Brunson scored 25 points, Immanuel Quickley added 21 and RJ Barrett scored 17 for New York.

Butler scored 33 points and Herro scored 29 for Miami, which got 18 from Bam Adebayo and 14 from Caleb Martin.

Now at 38-27, the Knicks have topped last season’s win total – the sixth team in the NBA to do so already this season, joining Sacramento, Indiana, Oklahoma City, Portland and Orlando.

It was a bad night for Miami (33-31) in the standings. They’re now 4 1/2 games behind No. 5 New York, fell 2 1/2 games behind No. 6 Brooklyn after the Nets erased a 28-point deficit to stun Boston, and saw their lead over No. 8 Atlanta trimmed to a half-game after the Hawks beat Portland.

Atlanta plays its next two games at Miami, the first Saturday and the rematch Monday.

New York led 71-56 at the half, after another first two quarters of Miami being unable to get stops. The Heat also gave up 71 points by the break on Wednesday in a loss to Philadelphia; it’s the first time in the team’s 35-year history that Miami allowed at least 71 points in consecutive first halves.

“When we don’t guard,” Adebayo said. “it gets ugly.”

But Miami got back into the game after halftime, chipping away and eventually got the lead – 107-106, on a 3-pointer by Martin with 5:45 left. The lead changed hands three more times, the last off Randle’s winner.

“Unbelievable,” Thibodeau said.

TIP-INS

Knicks: New York has averaged 66.2 first-half points in its last nine games after managing only 40 at Orlando in the first 24 minutes on Feb. 7. … Randle had 25 points at halftime; his previous high for a full game against Miami was 26, done twice.

Heat: PG Kyle Lowry missed his 11th consecutive game with left knee soreness, and will miss another on Saturday when Miami plays host to Atlanta. Lowry is hoping to return at some point next week. … The Heat allowed New York to shoot 58%.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH

It’s New York’s second eight-game winning streak of the season, joining one from December. The Knicks haven’t had a season with two eight-game win streaks since 1972-73 – the last season in which they won an NBA title.

PLAYING FAVORITES

The Heat, who entered Friday as 2-point underdogs, were 1.5-point favorites by tip-off according to FanDuel Sportsbook. That marked the 46th time in the last 48 Heat-Knicks games, including playoff matchups, since Dec. 25, 2009, that Miami entered as a favorite. The exceptions were a home game in 2013 and a road game in 2017.

UP NEXT

Knicks: Visit Boston on Sunday.

Heat: Host Atlanta on Saturday.

MURRAY’S 39 HELP HAWKS BEAT BLAZERS FOR SNYDER’S FIRST WIN

ATLANTA (AP) Dejounte Murray’s career high in scoring helped give Quin Snyder his first win with the Atlanta Hawks.

Murray predicted more wins are coming for the Hawks with their new coach.

Murray scored 41 points to help Atlanta overcome Damian Lillard’s 33 points and give the Hawks a 129-111 victory over the slumping Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

“He’s great, he’s here to win,” Murray said of Snyder. “He’s here to win the right way. … We’re here to win together.”

Murray scored 15 points in the second quarter. He made 17 of 22 shots from the field for the game and all five of his 3-point attempts.

Trae Young took over with 15 in the third quarter and finished with 23 points and 11 assists, but Murray claimed the spotlight.

“He’s the king of the mid-range jumper right now,” Young said of Murray.

Snyder, the former Utah coach, agreed to a five-year deal as Atlanta’s coach on Feb. 26, five days after the firing of Nate McMillan. The Hawks lost to Washington 119-116 on Tuesday night in Snyder’s debut.

The Hawks scored the game’s first five points and never trailed.

“It was a good effort, a good team effort,” Snyder said. “We’ve got a ways to go, but it’s a good step.”

Murray described Snyder as a “high IQ guy” who “makes his voice heard at the right time.”

Added Murray: “I feel like he will get it going in the right direction.”

The Hawks hope Snyder can guide the Hawks (32-31) from eighth place in the Eastern Conference to a top-six spot and playoff berth.

Cam Reddish had 25 points and Jerami Grant 14 for the Trail Blazers (29-34), who lost their third straight and fifth in six games.

“We’re not playing great,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “Every team has these lapses during the season and that’s exactly where we’re at.”

They leaned heavily on Murray’s scoring in the first half. Murray had 15 second-quarter points, giving him 23 at halftime as Atlanta’s answer to Lillard’s lead role for the Blazers.

Murray topped his previous high of 40 points scored in a 129-125 loss at Portland on Jan. 30.

“I was hooping, having fun,” Murray said.

OKONGWU FOR RARE 3

Snyder mentioned forward-center Onyeka Okongwu had been making a good percentage of his 3-pointers in practice. It was a surprise, considering Okongwu made his first career 3 against Phoenix on Feb. 1.

Okongwu made good on Snyder’s observation by sinking another 3, the second of his career, early in the second period.

“He shot it with a lot of confidence,” Snyder said. “He didn’t hesitate at all.”

SECOND-CHANCE POINTS

Billups said the difference was Atlanta’s 24-9 advantage in second-chance points. Atlanta claimed a 43-34 advantage in rebounds.

“I don’t care how good you are, it’s tough to absorb 24 second-chance points,” Billups said.

TIP INS

Trail Blazers: Reddish, who began his career in Atlanta, made four 3-pointers while starting at shooting guard as Anfernee Simons (right ankle sprain) was held out. Simons was injured in Wednesday’s loss to New Orleans. … C Jusuf Nurkic (left calf strain) missed his 12th consecutive game.

Hawks: Young started after being listed as probable with a sore right groin. Young appeared to tweak his left ankle early in the game. He appeared to favor the ankle after Matisse Thybulle landed on his foot, but Young remained in the game. … Clint Capela had 11 points and 12 rebounds. De’Andre Hunter added 17 points.

UP NEXT

Trail Blazers: Continue their six-game road trip at Orlando on Sunday.

Hawks: Open a four-game road trip at Miami on Saturday night. Atlanta plays the Heat again on Monday before back-to-back games at Washington on Wednesday and Friday.

GOBERT LEADS TIMBERWOLVES PAST LAKERS DESPITE DAVIS’ 38

LOS ANGELES (AP) Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Anthony Edwards scored 19 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a two-game Los Angeles sweep with a 110-102 victory over the short-handed Lakers on Friday night.

Naz Reid scored 15 for the Wolves, who moved back above .500 and rebounded from an 0-3 stretch with impressive back-to-back wins over the Clippers and Lakers, whose fourth-quarter rally fell just short. Minnesota also blew most of a big late lead three days ago against the Clippers, but their tenacity is promising to coach Chris Finch.

“The last couple of games, it’s been big for us,” Finch said. “We’ve found a way. It’s a perfect time to find that resiliency.”

Anthony Davis scored 38 points and Malik Beasley had 15 for the Lakers, who lost for only the second time in six games. Los Angeles couldn’t keep up without injured LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell, who wasn’t able to suit up against the team that traded him Feb. 9 after parts of four seasons in Minnesota.

The Lakers trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter, but made it close with a 16-6 run down the stretch. Minnesota’s lead dwindled to three points before Davis lost his shoe during a defensive possession, leading to Mike Conley hitting an open 3-pointer with 1:13 to play. The Wolves closed it out authoritatively from there.

“There was a time when it looked like we were playing in mud,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “(The Wolves) are fighting for their lives as well and trying to get to the postseason. They had that urgency, and we didn’t.”

James missed his third straight game with a right foot injury, and the NBA’s career scoring leader won’t even be re-evaluated until late this month, when only a handful of games remain in the Lakers’ season. His absence threatens to negate the recent push by Los Angeles, which surged out of the trade deadline with its revamped roster.

The Lakers’ playoff fate could be determined before James returns: This loss to eighth-place Minnesota began a vital stretch of Los Angeles’ season with 10 of 12 games at home. Los Angeles is 5-3 since its flurry of activity at the deadline.

“I feel like we’re playing pretty good basketball,” Davis said. “When our team is whole, we’ve shown what we can do. It’s just tough, knowing how good we are.”

Eight Timberwolves scored at least eight points, leading Gobert to praise their reserves in a balanced offensive attack. Gobert got rolling himself on both ends of the court when he switched into a defensive matchup with Davis in the second quarter.

“The last two games, the bench has been huge, coming into the game with that energy and the mindset,” Gobert said. “You can tell we’re on a mission right now.”

Davis still had a prolific offensive game, but with Gobert hounding him on defense, he also committed a season high-tying six turnovers, giving him 11 in his last two games.

Dennis Schröder had 12 assists and no turnovers while playing on an injured ankle for the Lakers, who struggled to run an offense when their German point guard wasn’t on the floor.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Jaylen Nowell missed his third straight game with a left knee injury. … Conley finished with 14 points.

Lakers: Russell missed his fourth straight game since spraining his right ankle last week, but he is scrimmaging in practice, Ham said. Russell could return Sunday. … Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Beasley will return to Target Center with the Lakers on March 31. … They wore their Minneapolis Lakers throwback uniforms.

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: At Sacramento on Saturday.

Lakers: Host Golden State on Sunday.

JOKIC’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE LIFTS NUGGETS OVER GRIZZLIES 113-97

DENVER (AP) Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists for his 25th triple-double this season to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 113-97 Friday night in a showdown of the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Denver won the season series 2-1 and holds a six-game lead – five in the loss column – over Memphis for the top seed in the Western Conference. Sacramento is seven games back.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Jamal Murray scored half of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Nuggets, who are 25-0 this season when Jokic has a triple-double.

“Since the All-Star break, it feels like every night’s a playoff-type game,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “We’ve played Memphis twice, Cleveland, the Clippers, and our guys showed up.”

Ja Morant had 27 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies despite wearing a face mask due to a nasal fracture suffered at Houston on Wednesday night. Desmond Bane had 19 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 and Xavier Tillman Sr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

“We did a lot of great things for three quarters and then just kind of fell apart,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said.

The game was tied at 80 after three quarters, but the Nuggets outscored the Grizzlies 33-17 in the fourth. Murray had two layups, made a pair of free throws and fed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for a corner 3-pointer to give the Nuggets a 96-86 lead.

Murray’s 3-pointer and Porter’s four-point play – which secured Jokic’s 101st career triple-double – made it 105-86.

“Anybody can make a shot, but we’re getting stops, we were getting out and running, the team was flowing. Everyone was being unselfish,” Murray said of the fourth quarter.

Memphis shot just 7 of 20 in the final 12 minutes.

“In the fourth, we got some good shots and they just weren’t falling, and they started hitting more shots,” Luke Kennard said.

Denver missed its first 11 shots from 3-point range and didn’t get its first make until late in the second quarter.

MAN BEHIND THE MASK

Morant won’t have this particular mask for long. The guard will have one fitted to his face by the time the team arrives in Los Angeles for Sunday’s game.

“This one will be a temporary one that is kind of a standard operating one,” Jenkins said. “Luckily we’ll get one that fits him a little bit more, to the mold of his face and gives him a little more comfort out there.”

TAKE A SEAT

Memphis forward Dillon Brooks was hit with his 16th technical foul of the season with 5:45 left in the game. Brooks earned a $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension.

CLARKE INJURED

Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke left in the final seconds of the first quarter with a lower left leg injury. Clarke missed a free throw and started limping as he went up the court and fell at half-court. He was helped to the locker room without putting weight on his left leg.

TIP-INS

Grizzlies: Have held Denver to 42 and 50 points in the first half of their last two games. … C Steven Adams missed his 16th straight game with a right knee sprain.

Nuggets: C Thomas Bryant was helped to the bench after suffering an injury under Memphis’ basket in the third quarter. Malone said after the game Bryant could have returned if needed.

UP NEXT

Grizzlies: At the Clippers on Sunday night.

Nuggets: Host the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

BOOKER, DURANT, OKOGIE LEAD SUNS TO 125-104 ROMP OVER BULLS

CHICAGO (AP) Kevin Durant sees a loaded roster and all the possibilities that come with it for the Phoenix Suns.

It’s up to them to make it happen. And they’re off to a good start with their shiny new star.

Devin Booker scored 35 points and matched his career high with six 3s, Durant added 20 points in his second game with Phoenix and the Suns beat the Chicago Bulls 125-104 on Friday night.

Josh Okogie scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers, and the Suns improved to 2-0 with Durant in the lineup.

“We’ve got a lot of big names,” Durant said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have done so much in this league so far. But it’s about how we come together as a group, and I think this is a tightknit group, a tightknit organization. We’ll figure it out along the way.”

The Suns, fourth in the Western Conference, put themselves in position to finish the season on a strong note when they landed Durant from Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade three weeks ago. They need some time to mesh the way they would like. But they’re looking good so far.

Phoenix dominated the second half against Chicago, outscoring the Bulls by a combined 65-40 after trailing by four at the break. The Suns withstood big efforts by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, and won for the eighth time in 11 games.

“We have (18) games left to find this chemistry and communication before playoffs start,” Booker said. “We’re trying to not take any day off. We’ve had extended practices every day, going over both sides of the ball and game plans and schemes – things that we’ve been doing for a few years here.”

Booker made 6 of 10 3-pointers, and Okogie hit 5 of 10.

Durant continued to make a seamless transition following the trade from Brooklyn and once again showed no lingering issues from a sprained right knee that sidelined him for seven weeks. The 34-year-old star took just 10 shots. He had nine rebounds and six assists, helping the Suns win their seventh in a row against Chicago.

DeRozan led the Bulls with 31 points. LaVine had 27, but the 3-point discrepancy continued to be a big issue. Chicago was 7 of 23 from beyond the arc, while Phoenix made 20 of 47.

“I think we have to take more 3s,” coach Billy Donovan said. “We’ve to change our shot profile when you go against an elite team. They took twice as many 3s as we did, and they made nearly three times as many as we did.”

BURYING BULLS

The Suns went from leading by 13 in the first half to trailing by four at the break. But they outscored Chicago 34-21 in the third and reeled off 10 in a row midway through the fourth to break open a seven-point game.

Durant scored seven straight early in the third to put the Suns back on top, 70-67. Cameron Payne gave Phoenix a double-digit lead when he hit a 3 to make it 88-78 with 3:41 left in the quarter.

It was 107-100 midway through the fourth when Chris Paul nailed a 3 to start a 10-0 run that buried the Bulls.

TIP-INS

Suns: Donovan said he expects Durant and Paul to be “great” together. Donovan had both superstars in Oklahoma City, albeit on separate occasions and not as teammates. “You’ve got two guys that are very driven, very motivated, very detailed, put the work in in every aspect possible to be the best they can be,” he said. “And everything is done from a perspective of how they can influence, impact winning.” … F Terrence Ross (sore right toe) missed his second game in a row.

Bulls: The Bulls have not beaten the Suns since March 18, 2019. … Donovan said DeRozan feels “really, really good” since his return from a strained right quadriceps that kept him out of back-to-back games prior to the All-Star break. The six-time All-Star averaged 20 points in four games prior to Friday’s contest. … The Bulls signed G Carlik Jones from their Windy City G League affiliate.

UP NEXT

Suns: At Dallas on Sunday.

Bulls: Host Indiana on Sunday.

NFL NEWS

GEORGIA’S CARTER WILL TRY TO PROTECT DRAFT STATUS AT PRO DAY

ATLANTA (AP) Jalen Carter’s next step in his attempts to preserve his status as a top prospect in next month’s NFL draft will be Georgia’s pro day on March 15, where he is expected to participate in workouts in front of coaches and general managers.

Carter, a defensive tackle who played a big role in the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships, has been widely projected as one of the top picks in the April 27 NFL draft. His draft outlook was potentially clouded by misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving in relation to the Jan. 15 crash that killed teammate Devin Willock and a Georgia recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy.

Police allege in an arrest warrant that Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy at the time of the crash. Willock was a passenger in the SUV LeCroy was driving.

Police determined LeCroy’s Expedition was traveling at about 104 mph (167 kph) shortly before the crash. The arrest warrant says LeCroy’s blood-alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash. The legal limit in Georgia is .08.

The crash occurred just hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national championship with a parade and ceremony.

Carter tweeted a statement on Wednesday, saying he expects to be “fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”

He is scheduled for arraignment in municipal court in Athens on April 18 after posting a $4,000 bond on the charges late Wednesday night. He then returned to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis for interviews with teams and measurements.

As he planned even before the legal problems, Carter only observed workouts at the combine.

Carter is not the only Georgia player facing charges of racing on public roads. Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, the team’s second-leading tackler in 2022, was arrested on Feb. 22 on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. Dumas-Johnson is scheduled for arraignment on April 17.

Also, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested in Dallas on Jan. 29 and charged with public intoxication.

“It was a mistake,” Bennett said Friday at the combine. “Everybody’s aware of it, I know why they can’t happen. I talked to my the coaches about it, I apologized to my family because that’s who I felt worse about. I felt like I let them down.”

Bennett described the recent legal problems by Georgia players as “individual mistakes.”

“They’re responsible for them, it’s not the culture,” Bennett said.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart told ESPN on Friday also said the arrests do not reflect a culture problem at Georgia.

“Absolutely not. I would say we’re far from it,” Smart said. “When you talk to people outside our program that come into it, they talk about what a great culture we do have — and we do an incredible job. Because I’ve got a lot of outside entities that come into our program and pour into these young men.

“Do we have perfect young men and women and players? Not necessarily. But I promise you this, that’s the intent: for us to grow these guys and get them better. And I feel really good about the culture within our program.”

Smart said University of Georgia campus police and Athens-Clarke County Police had officers talk to Georgia players last summer about the dangers of street racing.

YOUNG, STROUD DEFEND AGAINST CRITICISMS AT NFL COMBINE

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bryce Young insists he’s big enough to win in the NFL, and C.J Stroud calls himself the best player in this year’s draft.

To anyone who disagrees, each has a succinct message: Just watch.

The two top quarterbacks in this year’s draft class stepped behind the same podium Friday at the NFL’s annual scouting combine – Young first, Stroud second – and each made a case to be selected in that sequence order, or reverse order, April 27.

“I’ve been this size my whole life. I know who I am, I know what I can do,” Young said quietly before explaining how he answered the same question in team interviews. “I just speak my truth, you know, I make sure I explain how I play the game, how I see the game, my process, being able to get big plays.”

The former Alabama star and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner certainly presents the skillset of a franchise quarterback. Young has a strong arm, quick release, terrific accuracy and elusiveness as a runner. He even has that championship-winning pedigree.

Still, one concern lingers – size. In college, Young was listed at 6-feet, 194 pounds, but some worried he might check in at 5-10 or 5-11 in Indianapolis. It would make him one of the league’s shortest quarterbacks and if he weighs less than 194, it may raise durability questions.

Young said he’s comfortable with a playing weight around 200 pounds.

But even if Young doesn’t go first, he’s not likely to slide far with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts sitting in the No. 2 and No. 4 slots. Both teams need a quarterback, as does Las Vegas at No. 7 and Carolina at No. 9.

Three other teams in the top 10 also could join the fray for one of the four projected first-round signal-callers — Seattle at No. 5, Detroit at No. 6 and Atlanta at No. 8.

With so many possibilities, including Chicago dealing the No. 1 pick, the fourth day of the combine turned into lobbying day.

Just moments after Young and Stroud passed one another behind podium row, Stroud took the stage and made his case.

In two seasons as the Buckeyes starter, he completed 69.3% of his passes, threw for 85 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, was twice named Big Ten offensive player of the year and was a two-time Heisman finalist.

Unlike Young, Stroud was listed at a sturdy 6-3, 218, but did not win a national championship and until last year’s playoff semifinal against Georgia, didn’t run often. That’s the critique.

Naturally, Stroud disagrees.

“I’ve done everything. I’ve had tough third-down runs, I’ve had tough fourth-down runs,” he said. “But there were times where I didn’t run the ball or maybe I should have – that’s something I learned.”

While the top of the draft board looks like a four-man competition between Young, Stroud, defensive tackle Jalen Carter and linebacker Will Anderson Jr., Young’s college teammate, it’s unclear how it will shake out among the others at the sport’s most important position.

Will Levis of Kentucky has generally been regarded as the No. 3 quarterback and could be taken in the top 10, possibly the top five. While his college stats weren’t nearly as gaudy as Young or Stroud, he played in a more traditional pro-style offense, which could make the transition from college smoother.

Like Stroud, Levis certainly tried to sell himself. He plans to showcase his “cannon” arm during Saturday’s workouts and contends being two years older than the other two guys could play to his and his new team’s advantage.

“I think I’m able to assimilate myself very, very well, better than anybody else,” he said. “That’s the competence I have just due to my experience and just due to my physical tools, I think I’m going to be able to be plugged into any offense, learn it well and become a leader very quickly.”

Don’t count out Anthony Richardson, of Florida, either. The one-year starter with a completion percentage of 53.8% has seen his draft stock skyrocket in recent weeks, going from second-day prospect to top-10 projection. He doesn’t expect the ascent to stop on draft night, either.

“I want to be a legend. I want to be like Patrick Mahomes. I want to be like Tom Brady. I want to be one of the greats. I will be one of the greats because I’m willing to work that hard and get to that point. To answer your question, I feel like I’m going to be one of the greats for the next few years.”

First, though, the top quarterbacks have eight more weeks to hear about their perceived flaws, to answer those questions, to prove themselves on the field and to convince scouts and general managers they are the best option.

Let the debate begin.

“I think I can show the balance, but I think today when dudes are open you feed your guys the ball or they look at you like you’re crazy,” Stroud said. “If you put on my film, I think I’ve been the best player in college football two years in a row.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UCLA’S KELLY SIGNS 2-YEAR EXTENSION THROUGH 2027 SEASON

LOS ANGELES (AP) Coach Chip Kelly has signed a two-year extension with UCLA that keeps him under contract through 2027, the school said Friday.

The Bruins were 8-4 last year and finished 21st in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, the first time since 2014 that they had been ranked at the end of the season.

“I am excited about our football program under the leadership of Coach Kelly and his talented staff,” athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “The football program is on an upward trajectory, both on the field and in the classroom. Coach Kelly and his staff have done a tremendous job developing young men as demonstrated by their academic excellence.”

Kelly is 27-29 through five seasons in Westwood, but is 16-8 the past two years. He took over after Jim Mora Jr. was fired in 2017 and had a roster predominantly filled with underclassmen his first two seasons.

The Bruins were 3-9 in Kelly’s first year in 2018 and 4-8 the following season. During the shortened 2020 season, a turnaround began with a 3-4 mark.

Kelly – who is 72-36 as a college coach – signed a four-year contract last year.

UCLA will go into its final season in the Pac-12 with plenty of questions. The Bruins were fifth in the nation in total offense, but quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has graduated and running back Zach Charbonnet left early for the NFL draft.

Kelly will also have his third defensive coordinator in as many seasons after hiring D’Anton Lynn.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WASHINGTON ST. STUNS NO. 20 COLORADO FOR PAC-12 TITLE BERTH

LAS VEGAS (AP) Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 15 points and seventh-seeded Washington State stunned No. 20 Colorado 61-49 Friday night to earn a berth in the Pac-12 Conference championship game for the first time in program history.

The Cougars will face fifth-seeded UCLA in Sunday’s title game. It will be the first time none of the conference’s top four seeds have reached the finals.

Washington State, which set a program record with its 22nd win, shut down the third-seeded Buffaloes early, building a 20-6 lead in the second quarter.

Colorado regrouped in the second half and used a 12-0 run to tie it at 38 going into the fourth quarter. Ula Motuga drilled a 3-pointer with 6:17 left to jump-start a 12-2 run that put the Cougars in front by 10 and stayed there.

Bella Murekatete had 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Washington State (22-10). Astera Tuhina had 10 points and Motuga shot 3 of 4 from beyond the arc to add nine points. The Cougars were 23 of 49 from the field (46.9%), including 6 of 13 from long range and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Colorado (23-8) shot 37% from the floor (20 of 54) and was just 4 of 18 from behind the 3-point arc. Aaronette Vonleh led the Buffaloes with 18 points. Jaylyn Sherrod had 13 points, five rebounds and six assists and Frida Formann added 11 points.

Washington State split its regular-season series with the Bruins. UCLA won in Pullman 73-66. The Cougars won 62-55 in Los Angeles.

NO. 19 UCLA RACES PAST NO. 6 STANFORD, REACHES PAC-12 FINAL

LAS VEGAS (AP) Freshman Kiki Rice scored a career-best 22 points and No. 19 UCLA shocked No. 6 Stanford 69-65 Friday night to advance to the championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament.

Rice finished 12 of 13 from the free-throw line, including 5 of 6 down the stretch to send the Bruins to the title game Sunday against Washington State, a 61-49 winner over No. 20 Colorado in the second semifinal.

Emily Bessoir scored 14 points, Charisma Osborne added 13 and Gina Conti 11 for UCLA (25-8), which erased a 16-point third-quarter deficit.

Cameron Brink had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Cardinal (28-5). Haley Jones finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

It marked just the second time UCLA beat Stanford in 13 meetings in the Pac-12 Tournament. The Bruins, who will be making their seventh title-game appearance, become just the second No. 5 seed to reach the tournament final.

The Bruins used a 20-9 run to take a one-point lead, 60-59, after Jones was called for an offensive shove at one end of the floor and Rice buried a jumper just inside the 3-point stripe at the other end with 2:07 left in the game.

“I feel like the energy and effort that we really played with starting off the second half, that’s what really allowed us to go on that run,” Rice said. “We knew we really just needed to come together, play hard and it all ended up working out for us.”

The Cardinal (28-5) actually had a chance when Rice missed the back end of two free throws with 21 seconds left with the Bruins leading by two. But, Conti grabbed the rebound, drew a foul, and made two free throws to extend the UCLA lead to four.

“We really just didn’t do what we needed to do in the second half,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “I thought we had a really good first half. But compliment UCLA. They stepped up big. They were aggressive. They got on the boards. We had opportunities down the stretch and just didn’t come up with the ball.”

Stanford darted out to a 9-2 lead to open the game, but the Bruins answered quickly with a 6-2 run. After a timeout, however, the Cardinal used a 6-0 run to close things out, as UCLA failed to score over the final 5:15 of the quarter. The Bruins made just three field goals, but committed five turnovers in the opening quarter.

UCLA managed to cut the deficit to five early in the second quarter, but Stanford’s stringent defense limited the Bruins offensively the rest of the half. As the Cardinal closed the half on a 13-5 run, the Bruins missed nine of their last 11 shots in the quarter.

UCLA hit just 8 of 30 (26.7%) in the first half, including 3 of 14 (21.4%) from 3-point range, while Stanford finished with 15-of-31 shooting (48.4%) in the first two quarters.

“In the first half, we were tough, but we weren’t totally together; not because we didn’t want to be, but because we just wanted to make a play to fix it,” UCLA coach Cori Close said.

BREAKOUT BESSOIR

Bessoir came in averaging 9.2 points and had scored in double figures in 14 of 30 regular-season games. The redshirt sophomore from Germany scored in double figures for the third time in the tournament and is averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in the three games.

NO JUMP

The Cardinal came into the game 73-6 over the past two seasons when Hannah Jump made just one 3-pointer. Jump, who had made at least one 3-pointer in all but three games this season, was held scoreless after going 0 for 4 from the floor, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range. It was just the second time she was held scoreless this season, the first also against UCLA on Feb. 20.

BIG PICTURE

UCLA: After shooting 31.1% (14 of 45) in the first three quarters, the Bruins hit 7 of 13 (53.8%) in the fourth quarter.

Stanford: The Cardinal had their seven-game Pac-12 Tournament win streak snapped. Stanford was seeking its third straight tournament title.

UP NEXT

UCLA: Will face Washington State on Sunday in the final.

Stanford: Awaits an NCAA bid.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

SCHERZER TESTS PITCH CLOCK LIMITS, GETS QUICK-PITCH BALK

(AP) — Max Scherzer has theorized that baseball’s new pitch clock will allow pitchers to dictate the pace of games.

In the eyes of one umpire, he raced too fast even for the pitch timer Friday.

Scherzer tested the boundaries of baseball’s novel pace-of-play rules during his second spring training start, trying several unusual tactics to get Washington Nationals hitters off their game Friday. At one point, he started throwing a pitch to Victor Robles the moment plate umpire Jeremy Riggs reset the clock, and Riggs called him for a balk.

“He calls time, I come set, I get the green light,” Scherzer said. “I thought that was a clean pitch. He said no. We have to figure out where the limit is.”

Major League Baseball’s pitch clock has left pitchers and hitters learning a whole new pace to the game this spring. Players have 30 seconds to resume play between batters. Between pitches, pitchers have 15 seconds to deliver the ball with nobody on and 20 seconds if there’s a baserunner.

Batters must be in the box and alert to the pitcher with at least eight seconds on the clock, and they only get one timeout per plate appearance.

Some are adjusting and taking advantage of the rules faster than others. New York Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta rushed through an at-bat so effectively Thursday that he completed a three-pitch strikeout in only 20 seconds.

On Friday night, seven Chicago Cubs pitchers combined on a no-hitter against Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres.

Scherzer experimented with a few strategies Friday.

With two on and two strikes against the Riley Adams in the third inning, Scherzer froze in the set position and let the pitch clock tick down to seven before Adams called timeout.

On the next pitch, Scherzer became set as the 20-second clock started. Adams finally stepped into the box with the clock at 11 seconds, and Scherzer immediately delivered, getting a swinging strike on a 96 mph fastball.

“You can tell they were expecting me to work quick today, and you can make that work to your advantage by speeding up and slowing down the game,” Scherzer said.

Not all the experiments worked. Not only was Scherzer called for a balk, but he also had a double play overturned when umpires ruled he had narrowly let the pitch clock run out before starting his delivery.

“Max and a lot of veteran pitchers and pitchers in general are going to use this time to test some things and make some adjustments,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “Everybody up here is looking for a competitive edge – hitters, pitchers, catchers – and it’s a good time to be testing those things.”

JAYME’S BUYING

Jayme Hoskins already is known for picking up the beer tab for fans in Philadelphia.

Now the wife of Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins wants to make sure some fans at spring training have free snacks.

Jayme Hoskins became the heroine of Phillies fans when she picked up the beer tab for a bunch of them in her vicinity at Citizens Bank Park during last year’s World Series.

On Friday, before the Phillies’ game against the Detroit Tigers at BayCare Ballpark, she hid 15 envelopes with gift cards good for snacks sold by concessionaires around the ballpark.

She blasted it out on social media and asked the finders to tag her.

One social media commenter suggested Jayme has become more popular than the Phillies players.

GUERRERO OUT

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Friday’s game with knee discomfort.

Guerrero was seen walking toward the clubhouse with an athletic trainer in the second inning and was replaced defensively by Rainer Nunez to start the third.

He had an RBI single during the first inning in his lone at-bat in the game against Tampa Bay.

The slugger hit .274 with 32 homers and 97 RBIs in 160 games last year.

Guerrero is on the Dominican Republic roster for this month’s World Baseball Classic.

WINDY DAY

Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman was blown off balance on the mound by gusty winds in his first spring training start against Tampa Bay.

“I worked hard in the offseason to put on some weight, but that wind just knocked me right off,” Gausman said with a smile. “I got lucky that the (pitch) clock manager actually kind of noticed it and re-started it because it was at six seconds.”

Gausman added that situations like that are among things that may need to be addressed by MLB.

“When it’s raining, we don’t have time to sit on the back of the mound and wipe off our spikes after every pitch where we used to be able to,” Gausman said. “Those are little things that are going to come up as spring training goes on, and the more us players that we can bring these things up to them the better off we can make the new changes as a whole.”

NO-NO

Cubs starter Justin Steele and six relievers combined on baseball’s first spring training no-hitter since 2017, blanking the Padres 4-0.

The Cubs said they believed it was the first spring training no-hitter in their history.

Machado, Nelson Cruz and Jake Cronenworth were among the Padres in the starting lineup. Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts and Fernando Tatis Jr. got the night off.

“It’s a spring training game, but it never feels good to get no-hit,” Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters. “We’re not going to go home with a smile on our face.”

Steele and Javier Assad went two innings. Brad Boxberger, Adbert Alzolay, Jeremiah Estrada, Cam Sanders and Nick Burdi followed with an inning apiece.

WHATEVER WORKS

After losing 100 games last season, the Cincinnati Reds need all the togetherness and morale building they can get.

This spring, Reds players are putting on regular talent shows, with veteran first baseman Joey Votto donning different costumes to act as master of ceremonies.

“Reds’ Got Talent” is a private, team-only affair that has reportedly featured singing, dancing and magic tricks.

A 3-point basketball shooting contest was also planned by the team.

COLE IN COMMAND

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole gave up one hit over three scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers in his first spring training start.

Cole struck out four and allowed just two baserunners. The right-hander’s fastball reached 99 mph during his 51-pitch outing.

“I like how I feel now.” Cole said. “I liked the amount of strikes. I liked the pace.”

This was the first Cole took the mound with the pitch clock that is being used in games this season.

“I’m excited,” Cole said. “It’s going to be great. Get home quicker. It’s going to be awesome.” Cole was 13-8 with a 3.50 ERA in 33 starts last season.

INJURIES

Phillies 19-year-old pitching prospect Andrew Painter is getting tests on his right elbow after reporting some tenderness during his spring training debut Wednesday. He gave up a run and three hits in two innings with a strikeout. He’s been the buzziest prospect in baseball this spring as he tries to crack the NL champions’ opening day rotation. … Red Sox left-hander James Paxton left his spring training debut on Friday with a right hamstring injury.

NHL NEWS

WENNBERG, MCCANN LEAD KRAKEN TO 4-2 WIN OVER BLUE JACKETS

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Alex Wennberg and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 Friday night for their third straight road win and a season series sweep.

Joran Eberle and Brandon Tanev also scored for Seattle, and Vince Dunn had two assists. Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots for the Kraken, who stayed ahead of Edmonton for third place in the Pacific Division – two points behind Los Angeles and Vegas.

“We had a really consistent effort,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “I liked our third period. We came out and were on our toes in the third period-could have easily stretch the lead in the first part of that period. That didn’t happen, but we responded well and were able to close out the game.”

Adam Boqvist and Patrik Laine each had a goal and an assist for Columbus, which has lost two of its last three games and remains in the NHL basement. Elvis Merzlikins, in his first game as the Blue Jackets’ full-time starter after the trade of Joonas Korpisalo to Los Angeles, stopped 34 shots.

“It wasn’t like a terrible effort,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “I know there’s another level of competitiveness at the puck that’s going to be required. We could have killed a lot more plays and had the puck more.”

Laine put Columbus on the board at 10:18 of the second period with the first power-play goal given up by Seattle in nine games dating back to Feb. 14.

The lead was short-lived, as Seattle got two goals in 48 seconds – one from McCann and the other on the power-play from Eberele.

Boqvist pulled Columbus even at 4:53 of the third, but a goal from Wennberg against his former team 9 seconds into a Kraken power-play, his first since Jan. 28, to put Seattle up for good at 7:12.

“It’s nice to have success and score against your former team,” Wennberg said. “Right now it doesn’t matter who scores. It’s important to win the game.”

Tanev scored the empty-netter with 47.5 seconds remaining to seal the win.

HELLO AND GOODBYE

The Blue Jackets had a new face in the backup goalie spot after welcoming Michael Hutchinson from Vegas as part of a flurry of trades that also sent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goalie Joonas Korpisalo west to Los Angeles.

INJURY UPDATE

Columbus forward Sean Kuraly suffered a left oblique strain in practice Thursday and will be sidelined the remainder of the season. Oliver Bjorkstrand, in his first Columbus appearance since being traded to Seattle in the off-season, left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury.

FIVE TO SURVIVE

McCann’s assist on Eberle’s goal extended his point streak to five games, matching his career high.

UP NEXT

Kraken: At Colorado on Sunday night.

Blue Jackets: At Ottawa on Saturday night.

NUGENT-HOPKINS HAS 2 GOALS, 2 ASSISTS; OILERS BEAT JETS 6-3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two goals and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-3 Friday night for their second straight win.

Leon Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto each had two goals and an assist, and Connor McDavid had three assists for his sixth straight multi point game for Edmonton. Stuart Skinner finished with 25 saves for his second straight win to improve to 17-13-4 this season.

“Our effort was great, the work rate was where it needed to be and the ability to draw as many penalties as we did is a credit to the way we were skating,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. “We built a big lead and found a way to get the win.”

McDavid has 10 goals and nine assists in the last six games, and 24 points during a nine-game point streak.

Axel Jonsson Fjallby had a goal and an assist, and Mark Scheifele and Brendan Dillon also scored for the Jets, who lost their fifth straight (0-4-1) and seventh in the last eight (1-6-1). Connor Hellebuyck gave up four goals on 24 shots through two periods, and David Rittich had seven saves in the third.

The Oilers were 2 for 9 on the power play, while the Jets went 1 for 3.

“I’ve never coached a team, I don’t think, that was so undisciplined and took so many penalties. You play a third of the game short-handed against that team, they’re going to make you look bad and they made us look bad tonight,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “We made them look a whole lot better than they are. They are a good team, there’s no question about that. My point is we made it very easy for them to play their game.”

Draisaitl put the Oilers on the scoreboard 2:06 into the game as he got a pass from Nugent-Hopkins between the right circle and the goal line, and fired a one-timer on the power play from a sharp angle past Hellebuyck on the glove side. Draisaitl became the eighth player in NHL history with 24 power-play goals in consecutive seasons. He also extended his point streak to 11 games (nine goals, eight assists).

Nugent-Hopkins doubled the lead 1:44 into the second as his shot from between the circles beat Hellebuyck between the blocker and his pad.

Yamamoto then scored twice 40 seconds apart to push the Oilers’ lead to 4-0 midway through the middle period. He now has eight goals on the season, including four in the last five games. It also gave him the fastest pair of goals by an Oilers player since Taylor Hall scored twice in 8 seconds in 2013.

Nugent-Hopkins got his career-high 30th from between the circles off a pass from McDavid on a power play at 2:26 of the third to make it 5-0.

“Guys are finding me with great passes,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who has a career-high 77 points. “I know that I need to step up a little bit offensively and help produce and still try to play that two-way game. I think it just goes to show the way that we are rolling as a team right now.”

Jonsson-Fjallby spoiled Skinner’s shutout bid at 6:22 with a shot from the bottom of the right circle for his fifth.

The Oilers quickly responded on a highlight-reel sequence 1:05 later as Draisaitl was able to put a dislodged Winnipeg net back on its moorings before getting the puck back and putting a shot through a seemingly impossibly small hole for his 38th of the season to restore the Oilers’ five-goal lead.

“I watched the replay and it was pretty cool,” Yamamoto said. “Not many players can make that shot.”

Scheifele scored a power-play goal for his 35th with 8:11 left and Dillon got his second just 1:06 later to pull the Jets to 6-3.

“I thought the third period was a little better, but overall it wasn’t a good game,” Jonsson-Fjallby said.

TRADES

Winnipeg acquired forward Vladislav Namestnikov on trade deadline day from San Jose in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Namestnikov, who had been traded to the Sharks from Tampa Bay two days earlier, did not make it to Edmonton in time for the game.

INJURIES

Oilers forward Evander Kane missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body issue. … Out with injuries for the Jets were Cole Perfetti (upper body), Mason Appleton (upper body) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body). … Jets forward David Gustafsson returned after missing the last 20 games with an upper-body injury.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host Edmonton on Saturday night to close the home-and-home set and open a three-game homestand.

Oilers: At Winnipeg on Saturday night to open a four-game trip.

DUCKS’ POWER PLAY GETS ON TRACK IN 3-2 WIN OVER CANADIENS

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Mason McTavish and Jakob Silfverberg scored power-play goals in the third period and the Anaheim Ducks extended their point streak to five games, beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Friday night.

Jayson Megna also scored for Anaheim, which is 4-0-1 during its streak. John Gibson stopped 26 shots and Derek Grant had two assists.

“I thought we were rested. I think it helped Montreal played last night,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “I thought everybody was involved in our power play and it came up big.

“The other thing too is we were in a game in kind of own weight class here, too. I think when you’re in those kind of games, you show a little bit better. As we go on the road here and get some desperate teams, I hope we can keep that level of play up.”

The win put the Ducks at 50 points on the season, which is fourth-lowest in the league. The Canadiens have 56 points, which is 26th out of 32 teams.

Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist while Nick Suzuki also scored for Montreal. Sam Montembeault made 30 saves. The Canadiens have dropped two straight and three of their last four.

“I think it was one of those games you kind of love to play. The intensity ramped up in the third period where every play matters because it was a tie game,” said McTavish, who has a point in three straight games with a goal and four assists.

Anaheim came into the game last in the league on the power play with a 15.6% conversion rate and was 1 for 17 in the past five games.

But the Ducks finally found their stride with the man advantage midway during the third period. McTavish scored on a one-timer from the right faceoff circle off a pass by Cam Fowler to make it 2-1. It was McTavish’s 14th goal of the season and his team-leading seventh on the power play.

Silfverberg provided what would prove to be the decisive goal with five minutes remaining when he put a wrist shot past Montembeault with plenty of traffic in front of the net.

Suzuki brought the Canadiens within a goal with 30 seconds remaining after they pulled the goaltender. It was the Montreal’s captain’s 21st of the season, which tied a career high.

“I thought tonight the effort was there, we just didn’t get the result that we wanted,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “We’re going to try to keep building our game and brand. I’m expecting us to fight every game and keeping working on what we’re trying to do.”

Montreal scored 76 seconds into the game when Drouin tipped in the loose puck in the crease after Mike Matheson’s shot went through Gibson’s legs. The goal was Drouin’s first in 45 games, dating back to last season.

“It means a lot,” Drouin said of the goal. “We have such a great group of guys, and a tight knit group. To see the reaction, and all of the emotion, it was fun.”

Megna tied it three minutes later with a wrist shot in front of the net after taking a pass from Max Comtois. Montreal defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic partially got his stick on the pass, but wasn’t able to clear it, leading to Megna’s second goal of the season.

TRAINING ROOM

Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek said forward Adam Henrique (MCL sprain) could possibly return for the final two weeks of the season. Henrique, who is second on the team with 19 goals, was injured Feb. 21 against Tampa Bay.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At Vegas on Sunday.

Ducks: At Seattle on Tuesday night to open a three-game trip.

TOP INDIANA NEWS RELEASES

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

GAME NOTES – GAME 31 VS. MICHIGAN

Opening Tip

• Indiana University closes the book on the regular season of the 123rd season of competition in men’s basketball against Michigan on March 5 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Tip is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET with a national broadcast on CBS.

• The game will signify the final home game for sixth-year senior forward Race Thompson, fifth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson, fifth-year senior forward Miller Kopp, senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, senior forward Nathan Childress, and senior guard Michael Shipp. The six players will participate in the 50th edition of senior speeches.

• The Wolverines, led by led by fourth-year head coach Juwan Howard, enter the matchup with a 17-13 record and an 11-8 mark in B1G play. Michigan dropped a 91-87 (2OT) game at Illinois on Thursday night. Four players for U-M played over 40 minutes in the loss.

Game Information

March 5, 2023 • 4:30 p.m. ET

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.

TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel)

Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)

Series History: Indiana leads, 109-65

Last Meeting: IU 62, MICH 61 on Feb. 11, 2023 in Ann Arbor

Series History

• Indiana held Michigan scoreless over the final 5:12 of the ballgame to hold onto a 62-61 triumph in Ann Arbor on Feb. 11. The win marked the first for IU in the Crisler Center since Feb. 2, 2016.

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis posted a 28-point, 11-rebound double-double, while freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino totaled 21 points, four rebounds, and five assists in the win.

• Indiana head coach Mike Woodson and Michigan head coach Juwan Howard are two of the eight current head coaches in college basketball to have played in the NBA and returned to lead their respective alma maters.

• In seven career games against the Wolverines, Woodson averaged 26.4 points. He scored 32 points in his first career game against Michigan.

Last Time Out

• Indiana lost 90-68 against Iowa at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Feb. 28. The margin of defeat was the biggest in Bloomington since falling to No. 5 Michigan by a score of 69-46 on Jan. 25, 2019.

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis tallied 26 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one block in the loss. In the game, Jackson-Davis grabbed his 1,096th career rebound, passing Alan Henderson for the most rebounds in program history.

• TJD is the first major conference player since Ben Simmons (LSU, 2015) to post that stat line or better in a Division I men’s basketball game.

• Freshman forward Malik Reneau scored 10 points to go along with three rebounds off the Hoosier bench.

Jackson-Davis, The All-American

• Since the calendar flipped to 2023, senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis has averaged 22.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game. His rebounding figure marks the highest tally in the NCAA during the 17-game stretch.

• In Big Ten play, Jackson-Davis ranks second in the league with 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per contest. He leads the conference with 2.9 blocked shots per game. His rebounding rate is the second highest in conference play in the last 25 seasons.

• Over the last 25 years of basketball only Jackson-Davis (Jan. 2023), Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O’Neal have averaged at least 23.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in a calendar month (min. 5 games) in Division I basketball or the NBA.

• TJD posted three 30-pooint games in the month of January, including back-to-back games with 35 points at Illinois (Jan. 19) and 31 points against Michigan State (Jan. 22). He also grabbed at least 20 rebounds three times during the stretch of nine games.

Miller Time

• Fifth-year senior forward Miller Kopp has knocked down a team-best 55 3-pointers this season, the second most of his career (65 in 2019-20). He is hitting the long ball at a 46.2% clip, the second-highest percentage on the team (min. 20 attempts).

• In the two games against Rutgers this season, Kopp averaged 19.5 points and hit 60.0% (9-of-15) of his shots from behind the arc. The two games mark his two highest scoring outputs of his season.

• Kopp provided the key stop on Michigan freshman Jett Howard on Feb. 11, forcing Howard into a difficult shot at the buzzer to preserve Indiana’s 62-61 victory in Ann Arbor.

Reneau for Two

• After scoring 64 total points (10.7 per game) in his first six collegiate games, freshman forward Malik Reneau tallied just 64 points (4.9) in his next 13 games.

• The Miami native has averaged 7.8 points in home games this season, including a career-high-matching 15 points against Ohio State. He has hit 52-of-92 (56.5%) in the 16 games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Chasing History

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis currently sits fourth all-time at IU in scoring (2,136). He holds the program record in both rebounds (1,096) and blocked shots (253). He joins Alan Henderson as the only Hoosiers to be top-10 all-time in career scoring, rebounding, and blocks.

Up Next: Career Scoring Leaders

1. Calbert Cheaney (2,613)

2. Steve Alford (2,438)

3. Don Schlundt (2,192)

4. Trayce Jackson-Davis (2,136)

Up Next: Career Rebounding Leaders

1. Trayce Jackson-Davis (1,096)

2. Alan Henderson (1,091)

3. Walt Bellamy (1,087)

4. Kent Benson (1,031)

Up Next: Career Blocks Leaders

1. Trayce Jackson-Davis (252)

2. Jeff Newton (227)

3. Alan Henderson (213)

4. D.J. White (198)

Up Next: Career Double-Doubles

1. Walt Bellamy (59)

2. Archie Dees (56)

3. Alan Henderson (49)

4. Trayce Jackson-Davis (48)

• TJD is the fifth player in Big Ten history to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, joining Joe Barry Carroll (Purdue), Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Greg Kelser (Michigan State), and Herb Williams (Ohio State).

• Jackson-Davis is one of two high-major players (Zach Edey; Purdue) to average at least 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game this season.

INDIANA WBB

STRONG SECOND HALF LEADS TOP-SEEDED INDIANA TO BIG TEN TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS

MINNEAPOLIS – Top seeded Indiana scored 60 points in the second half as it got past 9-seed Michigan State on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals at Target Center.

KEY MOMENTS

Senior guard Sara Scalia knocked down IU’s first three-point basket of the contest to break a 15-6 start to the game for Michigan State.

The Spartans (16-14) held a 24-14 lead following the first quarter with senior forward Mackenzie Holmes scoring eight of IU’s 14 points in the opening period.

Junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil drained a big shot from the corner to open the scoring in the second period and bring IU within seven points. After a Spartan three to extend the lead to 33-21, freshman guard Yarden Garzon responded with a layup through contact, converting the three-point play from the line.

Back-to-back buckets from Holmes and a deep three-point shot from Scalia brought the Hoosiers (27-2) within five, 36-31. Michigan State took a 40-34 lead into the break after connecting on 8-of-15 baskets from beyond the arc in the first half.

Graduate student guard Grace Berger knocked down her first bucket of the game to bring the Hoosiers back within three at 45-42. A 7-2 run and a three-point basket from Scalia brought IU back on level terms at 49-all for the first time in the entire contest.

Garzon buried a three-point basket out of the timeout to make it 52-49, handing IU its first lead since taking a 2-0 lead in the opening seconds of the game. The Hoosiers held a 59-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Parrish hit her first bucket of the game with a three-point shot from the left arc to make it 52-48, IU’s largest lead of the game.

Scalia buried her fourth three-point basket of the game to put the Hoosiers up 77-67, their first double-digit lead of the game.

Moore-McNeil was 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to help IU close out a 94-85 win in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals.

NOTABLE

Holmes was the first into double figures, scoring 27 on the afternoon including 16 in the first half.

Her 27-point performance marked the 35th 20-point game of her career. On the season, she’s scored 20-plus points on 21 occasions.

Holmes entered the day with 1,836 points. After scoring 27 against Michigan State, she sits in sixth all-time with 1,863 points. She is just three points from passing Jill Chapman for fifth all-time in IU history.

Her 11 made free throws is tied for the second most by an IU player in a single Big Tournament Game. Tyra Buss made 11 against Rutgers in 2015 while Ali Patberg converted on 12 against Rutgers in 2020.

Her 27 points is the most by a Hoosier in a Big Ten Tournament game since Patberg scored 28 against Rutgers in 2020.

Scalia scored 20 points in the winning effort. She was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.

Today marked the second 20-point outing of the season for the Minnesota native. She scored 24 in a victory at Ohio State three weeks ago.

Moore-McNeil scored a career-high 19 points against the Spartans. She was perfect from beyond the arc and hit 10-of-12 free throws to help clinch the win.

Today’s contest marked the second double-double of her career. Her 11 assists are the most ever by an IU player in a single Big Ten Tournament game. Kristen Bodine held the record with nine assists in a game against Penn State in 2003.

Garzon scored nine of her 12 points in the second half including 3-of-5 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes.

Parrish hit a pair of big threes in the second half. She finished the game with six points, four blocks, four rebounds and one steal.

Berger scored eight points but added six rebounds and four assists in the victory.

IU’s 94 points against Michigan State was the most by an IU team in a regulation game in Big Ten Tournament history.

The Hoosiers move to 2-2 all-time against the Spartans in Big Ten Tournament play.

UP NEXT

Indiana will face either No. 5 seed Michigan or No. 4 seed Ohio State in the semifinals on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET inside Target Center. The game will air live on Big Ten Network.

INDIANA BASEBALL

BASEBALL DROPS OPENER AT LECLAIR CLASSIC

GREENVILLE, N.C. – A four-hit night for senior Phillip Glasser was outdone by an offensive explosion for No. 9 East Carolina as the Indiana baseball program dropped a 17-4 decision to open up the LeClair Classic at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

East Carolina (6-2) scored one in the first and two in the second to grab an early lead, before Indiana (4-5) got on the board in the third inning with one run. Nine runs over the next three innings, including a five-run fifth inning, pushed the Pirate lead to 12-1. The Hoosiers scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth, but ECU posted its second five-run inning of the night in the eighth inning to account for the final margin.

Glasser produced his sixth multi-hit game in nine starts in 2023 with a career-high-tying four-hit day at the plate. The right-handed hitter posted his first home run of the season, doubled and was hit-by-pitch. He stole his seventh base of the season and drove in two RBIs.

Senior Hunter Jessee pushed his reached base streak to 27 games dating back to 2022 with a base hit and walk, while sophomore Carter Mathison also reached base twice with a single and a walk in the game. Sophomore Brock Tibbitts doubled and drove in one RBI and added a walk in the contest, as well. Senior Riley Langerman drove in an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.

Senior Ben Seiler (0-2) took the loss with three innings of work in the start and three runs allowed on four hits. He walked three in his third start of the season. The Hoosiers used six total pitchers in the game, with five relievers throwing the final five innings with 14 runs allowed on 12 hits.

ECU right-hander Trey Yesavage (1-0) went six innings in the start and allowed one run on four hits. He walked three and struck out 11 to earn the win. Jacob Starling had a pair of hits and drove in six RBIs and Justin Wilcoxen plated three RBIs with a home run. In all, ECU had 14 hits, with seven going for extra bases. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart also had three RBIs on the night.

Scoring Recap

Bottom First

Luke Nowak led off the game with a walk and moved to third base on a Jacob Jenkins-Cowart double. Justin Wilcoxen’s sacrifice fly plated the first run of the game.

at East Carolina 1, Indiana 0

Bottom Second

A wild pitch allowed the first run to score after a pair of hits put two runners on base. With two outs, Nowak’s infield single scored the second run of the frame.

at East Carolina 3, Indiana 0

Top Third

Phillip Glasser hit a solo home run to right-center field.

at East Carolina 3, Indiana 1

Bottom Fourth

A groundout started the inning, but a single and walk put two runners on base in front of a three-run home run by Jacob Starling.

at East Carolina 6, Indiana 1

Bottom Fifth

East Carolina loaded the bases with one out and Starling cleared them with a three-RBI double to center field. After a lineout, Wilcoxen followed with a two-run home run to make it a five-run inning.

at East Carolina 11, Indiana 1

Bottom Sixth

Nowak led off the inning with a triple and scored on a Wilcoxen sacrifice fly.

at East Carolina 12, Indiana 1

Top Eighth

Back-to-back singles from Matthew Ellis and Tyler Cerny started the inning and a wild pitch moved the runners up a base. Riley Langerman then hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Glasser followed with an RBI double down the left field line.

at East Carolina 12, Indiana 3

Bottom Eighth

The first four batters reached against reliever Ty Bothwell, with a Carter Cunningham single bringing the first run of the inning across. Gabe Levy entered to relieve Bothwell and got the first out of the inning, before a fielder’s choice netted the second run. Jenkins-Cowart then hit a three-run home run to cap the inning.

at East Carolina 17, Indiana 3

Top Ninth

Singles from Hunter Jessee and Carter Mathison bookended the first out of the inning. Brock Tibbitts then doubled to drive in a run.

at East Carolina 17, Indiana 4

Up Next

Indiana will play Georgetown (6-3) in the first game on day two of the Keith LeClair Classic at Noon ET.

PURDUE WBB

PURDUE OUTLASTED BY IOWA

MINNEAPOLIS – The seventh-seeded Purdue women’s basketball team saw its run at the 2023 Big Ten Tournament come to an end after a hard, physical 69-58 loss to second seed Iowa on Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The Boilermakers (19-10) rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second straight night to take a lead in the third quarter, only for the No. 7 Hawkeyes (24-6) to regain the advantage and stop any charge by Purdue late in the fourth.

A night after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer to lift Purdue over Wisconsin, Jayla Smith matched her career high with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting and a pair of triples. Jeanae Terry posted another all-around performance with six points, 12 rebounds five assists, one block and one steal. Terry notched her 19th game of the year with at least five points and five rebounds.

Cassidy Hardin made history on Friday night playing the most games in Purdue women’s basketball history with her 141st career appearance.

Purdue finished even on the boards with Iowa at 37-37 and turned 13 offensive rebounds into 16 points, while giving up just six second chance points to the Hawkeyes.

The Boilermakers posted a season-high nine blocks. Rickie Woltman turned away a season-high three shots with additional rejections coming from Hardin, Terry, Smith and Ava Learn. Purdue’s bench totaled six of the blocks.

Iowa was led by Big Ten Player of the Year Caitlin Clark’s 22 points, as the team shot 46.3% overall. Purdue stymied the national player of the year candidate to just seven points over the opening 20 minutes.

The Boilermakers overcame a close start that saw Iowa build up a nine-point gap. Terry scored four of Purdue’s nine points to keep the deficit to single digits, despite the team going 4-of-16 from the field.

Purdue’s stepped up in the second to allow just two field goals for the entire quarter and zero over the final 6:23. Smith and Woltman combined for eight points to give the Boilermakers a 15-10 edge in the period. Purdue turned six Iowa giveaways into six points to trail by just four, 29-25, at the break.

Hardin nailed an early 3-pointer in the third to start a 9-2 run, all points coming from behind the arc, that give Purdue it’s only lead of the game with 6:27 to play. A minute later, Madison Layden sank a mid-range jumper to tie the score at 36-36 at the midway point of the third. Purdue trailed by five after Iowa closed the period on a 9-4 run.

The Hawkeyes extended its lead to 15 points early in the fourth. Smith scored half of her points in an effort to spart a rally, but Iowa had an answer for every Purdue basket. The Boilermakers made four 3-poitners over the final 10 minutes.

NOTES

• Purdue leads the all-time series with Iowa 40-38.

• Ava Learn recorded a rebound and two blocks and the team’s only positive plus-minus over eight minutes of action.

• The Boilermakers shot 33.3% for the game with eight 3-pointers.

• Iowa finished with a clip of 46.3% overall and seven triples, in addition to 12-of-13 at the line.

• Abbey Ellis tallied eight points, taking her over the 1,500-point plateau for her career.

• Purdue’s bench outscored Iowa’s second unit 26-6. 

UP NEXT

The Boilermakers will now wait to hear their name called for NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday on March 12. Purdue is looking for its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and first since the 2017-18 season.

PURDUE SOFTBALL

SOFTBALL FALLS 3-4 IN CAROLINA CLASSIC OPENER

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Purdue softball squad (8-6) were upended, 3-4 at North Carolina (8-10) in the weekend opener of the Carolina Classic.

Home runs were the Boilermakers’ downfall as the Tar Heels capitalized with a three-run homer in the third inning, followed by another in the fifth, which served as the eventual game-winner. The Boilermakers, able to come back from the three-run deficit in the fifth with a trio of their own, but could not come back from North Carolina’s second home run.

Purdue, the Big Ten leader in fielding %, remained errorless for the ninth time this season. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers were out-hit, 5-7, in the outing.

Among the hits were two doubles, with Alex Echazarreta securing one on her first at-bat and Purdue’s first hit of the game. Then in the fourth inning, Tyrina Jones earned one on a hit to right center field. With the effort, Purdue has recorded one in the last 10 consecutive games.

Scoring for the Boilermakers were pinch runner Khloe Banks, Kiara Dillon and Kiersen George.

Echazarreta receives the loss after entering in relief for the final three innings. The fifth-year struck out one batter and allowed three hits as she moves to 1-5 on the season.

Purdue will return to Anderson Softball Field tomorrow for two games. First, Purdue will take on James Madison at 10 a.m. ET and return to face North Carolina one final time tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET. Then, the Boilermakers will close out their time in Chapel Hill with an 11 a.m. ET matchup vs. James Madison on Sunday.

PURDUE BASEBALL

TOETZ SHINES BUT PURDUE DROPS 2-1 PITCHER’S DUEL

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – Paul Toetz impressed with an RBI triple off the center field wall and two excellent defensive plays on a day in which runs were at a premium, but Akron plated the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to defeat Purdue baseball 2-1 Friday at Ting Stadium.

The game featured three close plays at the plate, two ending in the Zips’ favor. Ian Pennington was safe in the top of the ninth as Akron (4-4) capitalized on his leadoff double, manufacturing the go-ahead run with a sac bunt and sac fly. Evan Albrecht was called out on a similar bang-bang play while trying to score on another fly ball to right field in the third inning.

Toetz followed the 50-50 call in the bottom of the third with a rocket off the wall in center field for a two-out RBI triple, giving the Boilermakers (5-4) the lead. Defensively, Toetz made the key relay throw from short right-center field to cut down a runner at the plate to end the top of the fourth. He teamed up with Mike Bolton Jr. and Connor Caskenette for the out as Pennington tried to score from first on a two-out double.

With the game tied 1-1 to begin the sixth inning, Toetz made a diving play in the hole on the right side to rob a leadoff single from the Zips’ leadoff man in the lineup. It loomed even larger when a four-pitch walk and pitching changed followed.

Khal Stephen and Akron lefty Sammy Tortorella both pitched well as the Friday starters leading their rotations. Tortorella (1-1) was able to get much deeper in the game, needing only 98 pitches to complete eight innings of five-hit ball. He plunked four batters but only walked one.

The Boilermakers’ struggles against lefthanded pitching persisted as they’re now 9-for-64 vs southpaws in their five games in Holly Springs and 10-for-71 on the season.

Stephen pitched into the sixth inning, working 5 1/3 innings of four-hit ball in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. He also accounted for Purdue’s ninth pickoff of the season. The only run he surrendered came on a solo home run by Michael Sprockett in the fifth inning. Sprockett’s line drive to right field in the top of the ninth also produced the game-winning RBI on the sac fly.

Aaron Suval impressed again, giving the Boilermakers nine outs on 32 pitches. He retired the first six batters he faced, including consecutive strikeouts of the 3-4 hitters after taking over for Stephen with a man aboard in the sixth inning. For the season, Suval has surrendered just two hits (both singles) over 9 2/3 innings.

Cal Lambert won a lefty-lefty matchup with runners on second and third to end the eighth inning. But Pennington got the better of another lefty-lefty setting to open the ninth. Akron was aggressive against reliever Jackson Dannelley, who threw only four pitches while retiring all three batters he faced. But a successful sac bunt and Sprockett’s line drive to right field were enough to get the go-ahead run home. Right fielder Jake Jarvis made a quality throw to the plate but Purdue was unable to complete the out.

The Boilermakers had runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth inning, but second baseman Kaito Hara made a good play on an in-between short hop near the second base bag to end the threat.

Purdue had a season-high seven stolen bases Friday, matching the third most in program history. Couper Cornblum, Bolton and Albrecht all swiped a pair of bases and each has five steals on the season. Defensively, Caskenette threw out a base stealer to erase a game-opening walk.

Albrecht singled twice to extend his on-base streak to 12 consecutive games dating back to the end of last season.

The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

BUTLER BASEBALL

#1 LSU DEFEATS BUTLER 12-2

BATON ROUGE – The Tigers scored six of their 12 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to defeat Butler 12-2 on Friday night. The ‘Dawg were limited to two hits in the game with the LSU starter striking out 13 over six innings.

Skenes improved to 3-0 on the year with an excellent outing vs. Butler. He only allowed one hit over the first six innings while striking out 13 batters. Skenes threw in the upper 90’s and didn’t issue a walk on Friday.

Cole Graverson got the start for BU vs. #1 LSU. He struck out eight over four innings, but would be hit with the loss.

Butler hits went to Scott Jones and Cade Vota. The ‘Dawgs scored two runs late in the game to break up the shutout. Jake DeFries walked with the bases loaded in the eighth and Vota delivered a pinch-hit double to right center to score Kyle Van Liere in the ninth.

LSU built their lead with an RBI double from White followed by a three-run home run by Crews in the fifth. Beloso doubled to right in the seventh to move the lead to 12-0 and the top team in the country would be safe the rest of the way.

Butler will get a rematch vs. #1 LSU on Monday night at 6:30.

BALL STATE MBB

CARDINALS FALL IN FINAL GAME OF REGULAR SEASON

MUNCIE, Ind.  – The Ball State men’s basketball team returned to the friendly confines of Worthen Arena for the final time of the 2022-23 season against Toledo on Friday. Payton Sparks tied a career high with 24 points and brought down a game-high 11 rebounds to pace the Cardinals, but BSU fell 87-81.

The Cardinals finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and a 11-7 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The Rockets finished the regular season with a 25-6 record and were 25-6 in league games.

Prior to tonight’s game, Ball State recognized six student managers along with Demarius Jacobs and Jarron Coleman for Senior Night.

Sparks recorded his 10th double-double of the season. He led the team with 24 points and collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Sparks added two assists and two blocks. Jaylin Sellers ended the game with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Jacobs produced 12 points in his final regular season game as a Cardinal. He dished out a team-high six assists. He added a block and a steal. Basheer Jihad notched an 11-point effort to go along with two boards, two assists, a block, and a steal. Mickey Pearson Jr. closed out the double-digit scorers with 10. He brought down four rebounds and blocked two shots.

The game started with the two squads trading baskets. With the score tied 4-4, the Rockets scored five unanswered and took a 9-4 lead early in the first half. The Cardinals were unfazed and answered with a 4-0 run to pull within one, 9-8, with 16:45 left in the opening stanza. 

Ball State was able to keep it a one-point game, 15-14, with 11:29 left in the half. Toledo went on a 10-4 run and extended their lead to 25-18. The Cardinals were able to cut the deficit down to three, 29-26, after an 8-4 run that ended with 4:46 left in the first stanza. UT outscored BSU, 11-9, for the remainder of the half and took a 40-35 lead into the break.

The Rockets opened the second half on a 10-4 run and extend their lead to 50-39. A 9-5 run gave Toledo its largest lead of the night, 59-44, with 13:30 left to play.

The Cardinals would not go away and fought back with a 19-8 run to pull within four, 67-63, with 8:11 left on the clock. A 13-6 run by Toledo put them back on top by 11, 80-69, with just under four minutes left in the game. Ball State continued to battle to the final buzzer and outscored Toledo 12-7, over the remaining 3:51, but the Rockets held on for an 87-81 victory.

RayJ Dennis produced a career-high 32 points for the Rockets. He added game-high seven assists to go along with three rebounds and two steals. Setric Millner Jr. posted 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Dante Maddox Jr. went for 12 points, four boards, and one steal. JT Shumate rounded out the double-digit scorers for Toledo with 12. He added a team-high seven rebounds with an assist and a block.

The Cardinals return to action on Thursday, March 9, for the opening round of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. Ball State will take on Ohio in the quarterfinals with tip coming a minimum of 30 minutes after the completion of the first game.

BALL STATE BASEBALL

CARDINALS KNOCK OFF BIG RED IN NEUTRAL-SITE CONTEST

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Ball State baseball team returned to the diamond for a neutral-site game against Cornell on Friday. Justin Conant led the team with two hits, while Blake Bevis led the team with two RBIs. The Cardinals bested the Big Red 5-2.

With the win, Ball State improved to 5-4 on the season, while Cornell fell to 0-4 on the year.

“Our team battled today to earn the victory,” said Head Coach Rich Maloney. “Tanner Knapp was outstanding! Jacob Hartlaub finished well. Blake Bevis came up with the big hit. It was a solid team effort.”

After both teams stranded a runner in the first inning, the Big Red got on the board with two runs in the top of the second inning.

Conant got the bottom of the third inning started with a single to first base. Zach Lane grounded out to third and moved Conant to second. After Conant stole third, Ryan Peltier reached safely on an error by the third baseman, which allowed Conant to score.

Adam Tellier produced a two-out double to left in the bottom of the fifth. Hunter Dobbins followed with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2.

Casey Turturici notched a two-out walk in the bottom of the eighth to get things started for the Cardinals. Decker Scheffler followed with a single through the right side and moved the pinch runner, Grant Miller, to second. Nick Gregory drew a walk to load the bases for BSU. Bevis singled through the left side, which drove in two runs. Conant followed with an RBI double to right field. The Cardinals went on to claim a 5-2 victory.

Casey Bargo got the start on the mound for BSU and went one inning in the no decision. He gave up two earned runs, on four walks and one hit. Tanner Knapp produced a solid showing in 6 2/3 innings of relief. He struck out a career-high eight batters, walked two, and only surrendered one hit. Jacob Hartlaub picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of work. He only faced four batters and struck out two of them as he improved to 1-2 on the season.

Noah Keller started for the Big Red and went 4 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs, one earned. He was the only Cornell pitcher to record a strikeout and he finished with five. Beck Urofsky picked up the loss in 2/3 of an inning of work. He surrendered three earned runs on three hits.

The Cardinals return to David F. Couch Ballpark for two games on Saturday. Ball State will face Purdue Fort Wayne at 1:30 p.m., followed by No. 3 Wake Forest at 5 p.m.

NOTRE DAME WBB

CITRON POSTS 28, IRISH DOWN WOLFPACK TO REACH ACC SEMIS

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Notre Dame got its revenge.

On Friday, the top-seeded Irish (25-4) faced No. 8 seed NC State (20-11) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Notre Dame saw the Wolfpack on Jan. 29 in Raleigh and fell, 69-65. This time was different, as Notre Dame is moving on to the semifinals after a 66-60 victory. The Irish snapped a 10-game ACC Tournament win streak that NC State had going, and the Wolfpack had won the previous three ACC titles.

For the second straight game, Sonia Citron paved the way for the Irish. She put up a season-high 28 points after scoring 27 at Louisville on Sunday. She is the first Notre Dame player to post 25+ points in back-to-back games since Arike Ogunbowale did so in February 2018.

The scoring ebbed and flowed a bit for the Irish, who ultimately shot 44 percent on the day. Not unlike many games this year, Notre Dame started off a bit slow. NC State had an 18-14 advantage through 10 minutes. The second quarter was Notre Dame’s best defensive quarter of the year. The Irish held NC State to just 4 points. The previous mark was 6, which was set against both Virginia Tech and Syracuse.

At the 2:48 point in the second quarter, Maddy Westbeld achieved a personal milestone. A put-back bucket gave the junior her 1,000th career point. She scored the last 7 points of the quarter on a 7-0 Irish run to give them the 25-22 advantage at the break.

The second half was largely Notre Dame’s. Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey’s squad went 8-for-13 from the floor (61.5 percent). The group led by 14 midway through the final frame. NC State crawled back a bit in the final minutes, but the effort was not enough.

In addition to missing starters Miles and Dara Mabrey, forward Nat Marshall was hit in the face and knocked out of the game after playing fewer than 2 minutes. It was a largely six-person rotation for Ivey, with freshman Cassandre Prosper serving as the sole bench player to play extensive minutes. In addition to Citron, Westbeld ended up with 15 points. She hit three treys, tying a career high.

Notre Dame’s next challenge is a familiar foe in Louisville. It will be the third time the teams have seen each other since Feb. 16. The Irish are 2-0 in those matchups. Tomorrow’s game tips off at noon ET on the ACC Network.

NOTRE DAME BASEBALL

STRONG START GIVES THE IRISH THE WIN OVER UAB

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish take home their fourth win of the season, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham in game one at Young Memorial Field in downtown Birmingham. The Irish won 7-2 against the Blazers and improved to 4-3 on the season.

Jackson Dennies (0-1) started on the mound for the Irish and pitched three innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. Jack Findlay (2-0) took home his second win of the season after four innings and gave up three hits and one run to the Blazers. He was relieved by Matt Bedford (1-0), who was on the bump for two innings and allowed two hits and one run.

How it happened

Notre Dame put runs on the board early, scoring two in the first, one in the second, and two in the third.

TJ Williams reached first on a UAB error to start the first inning, followed by a stolen base at second. Williams advanced to third on a single from Zack Prajzner and scored on an RBI double from Brooks Coetzee. With the Irish leading 1-0, Carter Putz would hit a sac fly to left field to score Coetzee. Jack Penney followed with his first triple of the season, but was left on base.

The Irish took the 2-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the first and held the Blazers scoreless in the first three innings. The Irish extended their lead to 3-0 after the second inning thanks to an RBI single from Estevan Moreno that sent home Danny Neri.

At the top of the third, Prajzner reached first after being hit by the pitch, but was scored on an RBI triple to center field by Coetzee. Putz grounded out to second base, but recorded his second RBI on the day after scoring Coetzee to give the Irish the 5-0 advantage after three. The Blazers would finally put a run on the board in bottom of the fourth, but the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings would remain scoreless for the Irish.

To start the eighth, Penney reached first via a walk and Nick DeMarco recorded his first hit of the season as he singled to left field. Neri sent both Penney and DeMarco home on an RBI single to extend the Irish lead to 7-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth. The Blazers would score one more run to close out the eighth and after a scoreless ninth for both Notre Dame and UAB, the Irish would take home game one 7-2.

Up Next

The Irish are back in action tomorrow for game two of the three-game series at UAB. First pitch is set for 3:00 PM ET (2:00 PM CT) at Young Memorial Field.

NOTRE DAME MBB

GAME 31 PREVIEW: ONE MORE TO GO BEFORE GREENSBORO

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – One last regular season game for the Notre Dame men’s basketball squad and Glenn & Stacey Murphy head coach Mike Brey. One last opportunity to play spoiler to a team near the top of the ACC standings and seeking a double-bye in the conference tournament. One last opportunity to build momentum before bussing to Greensboro to compete in the ACC Tournament.  The Fighting Irish (11-19, 3-16) travel to (RV/RV) Clemson (19-7, 13-6) for a Saturday night matchup inside Littlejohn Coliseum. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.

ND VS CLEMSON

A series that didn’t begin until Notre Dame was an ACC member, Notre Dame has found much success against Clemson. The Irish lead the series, 8-2, with a 4-1 mark inside Littlejohn Coliseum. The Irish are on a three-game win streak against the Tigers and last defeated them 76-61 at Clemson on Feb. 12, 2022. Dane Goodwin exploded in that game with 20 points. Cormac Ryan also finished in double figures with 12 points.

A LITTLE IRISH MAGIC LEFT

It was Senior Day for both Notre Dame’s six graduates and Head Coach Mike Brey. And that group of resilient Irish made sure to go out on a high note in their last game inside Purcell Pavilion, knocking off No. 25 Pitt, 88-81, tying their season high in points scored. ND controlled most of the game, jumping out to a 14-point lead at halftime and a lead as large as 20 points in the second half. Pitt made it a little interesting, cutting the lead to five, but the Irish held on as Cormac Ryan put the exclamation point on the game with a slam dunk with 14 seconds left.

And what a moment it was for a senior group that’s had its ups and downs. Ryan and Marcus Hammond co-led the team in scoring with 20 points each, as it marked a season high for the latter. All-in-all, 5 grads finished in double figures and even Robby Carmody provided solid minutes down the stretch.

“We wanted it bad, for a variety of reasons,” Ryan said. “At no point, have we ever given up. I think there was starting to be a little bit of a narrative like, the guys don’t want to win. People are ready for spring break. Nobody wanted it more than the guys in that locker room. To send Coach out with a win means everything to us.”

“Call me crazy, but I feel the same way about this group as I did when I was talking to you guys in June,” said Ryan. “I feel the same exact way. It hasn’t gone our way. I’m telling you, I wouldn’t want to play us in Greensboro.”

THE DIFFERENCE A FEW POSSESSIONS CAN MAKE

How unlucky have the Irish been this season? Just in ACC play alone, they have lost 11 games by single digits. Of those 11, a whopping eight have been by five points or less. Plus, an incredible five has been decided by one possession.

If those eight that were decided by five points or less went a different direction, aka the difference of 2-3 possessions, the Irish could easily be sitting at 11-8 and in the middle of the pack.

Taking a deeper look at six of ND’s last eight losses – excluding both Wake Forest games – the Irish have lost by a combined margin of 21 points over those 6 games, which equates to a 3.5 average margin of defeat.

UNLUCK OF THE IRISH

The Irish battled Duke, No. 7 Virginia and North Carolina to the final minute. All three – Unluck of the Irish.

At Duke, the Irish Trailed by 10 in the 2nd half and rallied to make it a one-point game at 62-63 with 36 seconds left. The comeback was fueled by Dane Goodwin, who scored 17 straight points from 12:35-4:29. Goodwin finished with a season high 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting. ND thought they would have a chance for at least the tie at the end if it wasn’t for the heroics of Duke’s Mark Mitchell, who had one field goal at that point in the game. He then hit a corner three with 12.0 seconds left.

A few days later in Charlottesville, the Irish thought they had a miracle at the buzzer. Down two with three seconds on the clock, Trey Wertz was on the free-throw line with one to shoot. He then shot a ‘perfect miss’ as the ball found its way back to him. Wertz calmly dished to Dane Goodwin who was wide open for the game-winning three. It hit off the rim as ND fell at the buzzer 57-55.

A few days later at home vs North Carolina, it was 57-56 UNC with one minute remaining. UNC’s Davis took his defender 1-on-1 and converted a tough jumper just beyond the free-throw line, extending the lead to 59-56. The Irish put the ball in Starling’s hands and the freshman beat his defender with a driving layup down the right side of the paint – now 59-58 UNC with 30.3 seconds left. Next, the offensive boards helped the Tar Heels again as they got two shots off but no rim. Notre Dame was a second away from a huge defensive stand and on UNC’s third shot of the possession they hit the front end of the rim as the rebound was knocked out-of-bounds. It stayed with UNC with now just nine seconds on the clock, shot-clock off, which meant ND had to foul. The Tar Heels made both free throws and then fouled Notre Dame so they couldn’t shoot the three. ND ultimately fell 63-59.

THREAT FROM THREE

Notre Dame’s offense may struggle from time to time, but you can’t argue with the team’s three-point shooting ability. The Irish rank 3rd in the ACC in made three-pointers per game and 43rd in the country, converting 8.8 per game. Their 8.8 threes per game would crack the program’s all-time top-10 list- the program record is 9.7 set by the 19-20 squad.

Career Three-Pointers Made

Goodwin – 227

Laszewski – 232

Ryan – 208

Hammond – 248

Trey Wertz – 192

Between those 5 players, a whopping 1,107 career three-pointers made.

MARCH MARCUS

Just something about the month of March. After going thru Senior Day festivities on March 1, Hammond had his best game of the season vs #25 Pitt, co-leading the team in scoring with 20 points. Hammond sunk 4-of-6 from three and drained 8-of-11 overall.

VEN-ALLEN – THE STARTER

Ven gets the award for most-improved Irish player down the final stretch of the season. He’s moved into a starting role and has posted five double-digit scoring performances over the last eight games. He’s averaging 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds since returning from injury on Feb. 8.

Lubin recently posted a career high 19 points at Wake Forest (2/25), where he went 9-of-13 from the field. He had a near double-double with 8 boards and tied his career high of 3 blocks.

WERTZ WATCHER

Trey Wertz is 8 threes away from 200 in his career and 17 assists away from 500 — If he can get to both, he’d become just the 3rd Irish player to achieve 200 made threes + 500 career assists since 1996. The other two: Chris Thomas and Prentiss Hubb.*Note that not all of Trey’s threes and assists happened at Notre Dame

Trey is finishing the season strong. His last 3 games, all in double figures, tie his season-high stretch. He’s produced at least five assists in three of the last four games – 18 assists total.

RYAN PEAKING

Cormac Ryan got hot in March in 2022 in the NCAA Tournament. He’s starting to peak again down the final stretch this year. He’s recorded 9 double-digit scoring games over the last 11 contests. That’s included a career best 6 straight games in double figures which ended at Duke on Feb. 14. 

He just earned his 3rd 20-point game of the season in ND’s upset win over #25 Pitt – 6th of his career. Lastly, he’s averaging 15.3 ppg over the last 3 games.

INDIANA STATE MBB

NEESE’S RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT LEADS NO. 5 INDIANA STATE PAST NO. 4 BELMONT AND ONTO ARCH MADNESS SEMIFINALS

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – More Missouri Valley Conference Tournament records fell for the No. 5 Indiana State Sycamores Friday night as they defeated No. 4 Belmont 94-91 in the Arch Madness Quarterfinals inside Enterprise Center. Cooper Neese set the individual single game record for 3-pointers in an MVC Tournament game while the Sycamores set a team record for the same thing to help Indiana State advance to the semifinals.

No matter what the Sycamores did or how much they extended their lead in the game, Belmont seemed to always have an answer. Indiana State led by 13 early in the second half but the Bruins clawed all the way back to take a familiar 89-88 lead over the Sycamores with 2:04 remaining. This time, however, that is not where the score would stay. That’s when Neese hit his record-breaking 3-pointer to regain the lead, and Indiana State was able to hold on the rest of the way.

Indiana State improves to 22-11 this season and will face top-seeded MVC Regular Season Champion Bradley in the Arch Madness semifinals Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.

Neese hit nine 3-pointers in the game to break the MVC Tournament record while the Sycamores hit an MVC Tournament record 16 3-pointers as a team. Neese paced all scorers in the game with 33 points, 28 of those coming in the second half on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting clip from the field including a perfect 8-of-8 from three.

Cameron Henry posted a team second-best 25 points alongside a team-high eight assists. He joined Courvoisier McCauley with a tied team-high seven rebounds, and McCauley rounded out the Sycamores in double-figures with 12 points.

After shooting 0-of-6 in yesterday’s first-round win, McCauley hit the first basket of the game on Indiana State’s first possession which was the first of back-to-back Sycamore threes to open the scoring on the day. Indiana State later hit three straight layups from three different Sycamores to go up 14-8, but Belmont responded with a 6-0 run of its own to even things up at 14-14 with 13:13 left in the first half.

Xavier Bledson picked up where he left off yesterday with back-to-back threes to put the Sycamores ahead 26-17 at 10:09, but once again the Bruins fought back to even things up. The two teams exchanged buckets and were tied at 34-34 with 5:02 to go in the opening half when ISU went back up by nine on a pair of Henry free throws. The Sycamores led 49-40 in the last minute, but Belmont hit a three in the last six seconds to cut its deficit to five at 49-44 going into the halftime break.

Neese turned it up early in the second half, hitting three triples within a minute and a half. He continued to let them fly, hitting his sixth 3-pointer of the half to put ISU up by 11 at 70-59 with 13:18 to go in the frame. The Bruins later used a 9-0 run to pull it back to a two-point game at 75-73 with 8:44 remaining, but who else but Neese hit two straight buckets before hitting his eighth three of the night at 5:52 to put ISU ahead 82-76.

Indiana State and Belmont went shot-for-shot in the span of a minute before the Bruins hit two straight to take the 89-88 lead at 2:04, but Neese came up clutch with the go-ahead record-breaking three to take the lead back at 91-89 with 1:26 to go. The Sycamores pulled down a board on the defensive and offensive end to set Bledson up for a trip to the charity stripe where he was able to cushion ISU’s lead with a pair of free throws. Belmont got a bucket back and the Sycamores led by three with 1.1 on the clock after a Henry free throw, and Belmont missed its last-chance running jumper.

News & Notes

The Sycamores have won two Arch Madness games for the first time since 2014 and are making their second semifinal appearance in three years after advancing to the semis in 2021 with just one win.

ISU improves to 29-39 all-time in the MVC Tournament.

The Sycamores have won 22 games for the first time since 2013-14 when they won 23 and played in the MVC Championship game.

Not only did Cooper Neese set an MVC Tournament record for threes in a single game, but his career-high nine threes also ties the Indiana State program record for threes in a single game that was set by Marico Stinson against Drake Dec. 30, 2006. His 33 points were two shy of a career-high.

Neese’s 28 points in his perfect second half (10-10, 8-8 3-pt) tied Larry Bird’s second half against Houston in the 1977 NIT for the most second half points in program history.

Indiana State continues to extend its program record for 3-pointers as a team in a single season. After breaking the previous record of 270 earlier this season, the Sycamores are up to 314 this season after hitting 16 in today’s game to break the MVC Tournament record for team 3-pointers in a single game.

INDIANA STATE WBB

SYCAMORES CLOSE REGULAR SEASON AGAINST REDBIRDS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State plays its final game of the 2022-23 regular season Saturday afternoon when it faces Illinois State for a 1 p.m. tip at Hulman Center.The game will be carried on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.

Last Time Out

Del’Janae Williams scored a career-high 30 points Thursday evening and Chelsea Cain tied her season-high with 21, leading Indiana State to an 87-71 win over Bradley inside Hulman Center.

Williams also led the Sycamores with eight rebounds and five assists, becoming the first Sycamore to score 30 points in a game since 2014. Anna McKendree finished with 12 points, all coming off 3-pointers, while Indiana State shot better than 50 percent both overall and from 3-point range.

Both teams shot the ball well in the first half, but it was Bradley who took the lead into the locker room off the strength of 10 first-half 3-pointers. Indiana State dictated the tempo in the second half, though, as the Sycamores went on a 22-2 run spanning parts of the third and fourth quarters to put the game out of hand. Indiana State set season-best marks in most offensive statistics on the way to their seventh win at home this season.

Senior Weekend

With Saturday’s game being the last of the season, Indiana State will recognize its graduating class at the game.

Sommer Pitzer, Adrian Folks, Natalia Lalic, Florence Tshimanga, Hattie Westerfeld, Anna McKendree, Caitlin Anderson and Del’Janae Williams will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

Burger’s Big Game

Indiana State guard Del’Janae Williams had a career night in the Sycamores’ most recent game, dropping a career-high 30 points in an 87-71 win over Bradley.

Williams made a career-best 11 shots against the Braves, including a 7-for-13 mark from 3-point range. The seven 3-pointers were also a career high.

Crunch Time

With one games left before the MVC Tournament, Indiana State has a chance to play itself up the standings heading into the Quad Cities.

The Sycamores can finish anywhere between eighth and 11th in the MVC standings, with the teams occupying those spots separated by just one game in the standings.

Heating Up

Indiana State freshman guard Bella Finnegan has stepped up on the offensive end for the Sycamores in the month of February. Finnegan posted six double-figure scoring games in the month, including a pair of 20-point performances on the road.

In eight games in the month of February, Finnegan averaged a team-leading 15.3 points per game while also chipping in 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, both increases from her season averages. She leads all MVC freshmen in scoring during conference play with 10.8 points per game.

All-Conference Charge

After earning honorable mention all-conference honors last season, Indiana State guard Del’Janae Williams has seen her numbers continue to go in the right direction this season as she looks to earn another conference honor.

Williams leads Indiana State in scoring at 13.4 points per game and also adds 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Blue and White. She has scored in double-figures a team-leading 18 times this season, with a career-high 30 points in the Sycamores’ last game against Bradley.

Milestone Moments

This season has seen a trio of Sycamore reach career milestones, including two which happpened during Indiana State’s recent road trip.

Del’Janae Williams became the 29th player to score 1,000 points at Indiana State by scoring each of the Sycamores’ first nine points at Belmont.

Chelsea Cain hit 1,000 points for her collegiate career with a layup in the first quarter at Evansville. Cain scored 857 points in three seasons at Nicholls State and has 272 points for the Sycamores this year, giving her 1,129 career points.

Head coach Chad Killinger picked up his 300th win as a collegiate head coach with Indiana State’s 82-71 win over Murray State.

Play to the End

Despite the scoreline not ending in its favor, Indiana State played hard to the final buzzer at Missouri State with the fourth quarter proving that point.

The Sycamores outscored Missouri State 19-8 in the last 10 minutes of the game, limiting the Lady Bears to a 21.4 percent clip from the field (3-for-14) and forcing four turnovers, which the Trees converted into six points.

Illinois State at a Glance

Illinois State enters Saturday’s game at 22-7 overall and 16-3 in conference play. The Redbirds have won three straight games.

Paige Robinson leads the Redbirds in scoring at 18.8 points per game, with DeAnna Wilson (12.3) and Mary Crompton (11.1) also averaging double-figures. Wilson averages a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game.

Illinois State will win at least a share of the MVC regular season title and the No. 1 seed at the MVC Tournament with a win Saturday.

Now in her sixth season at the helm, head coach Kristen Gillespie has turned Illlinois State back into one of the top teams in the MVC. The Redbirds are looking to win the regular season title this year after winning the conference tournament last season.

Series History Against Illinois State

Illinois State has a 58-45 advantage in the all-time series and has won each of the last seven. Indiana State has a 23-20 advantage in games played in Terre Haute.

Last Game Against Illinois State (Jan. 20, 2023)

Chelsea Cain recorded her first double-double in an Indiana State uniform, but Illinois State’s 3-point barrage was too much to overcome for the Sycamores in a 78-68 defeat inside CEFCU Arena.

Cain finished with 16 points and a season-high 11 rebounds, becoming the second Sycamore to record a double-double this season. Del’Janae Williams also had 16 points, while Caitlin Anderson added a season-high nine off the bench.

Indiana State hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Sycamores jumped out to an early lead. Illinois State responded, though, as the Redbirds got hot from behind the arc to take a nine-point lead at the break. The Sycamores made a second-half charge, cutting their deficit to two on multiple occasions behind 23 second-half points from Cain, Williams and Hattie Westerfeld, but a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers for the home side proved to be daggers.

Up Next

Indiana State will play its first game at Hoops in the Heartland Thursday. The Sycamores’ seed, opponent and game time will be determined following Saturday’s games.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASBEALL

MASTODONS FALL TO NO. 5 WAKE FOREST

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Dylan Stewart recorded two hits in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 11-0 loss to No. 5 Wake Forest on Friday (March 3).

Enas Hayden (0-1) started and took the loss. He allowed four runs in 2.0 innings with two strikeouts.

The Mastodons faced 2022 ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder. The projected first round MLB draft pick is now 3-0 with the win. He had eight strikeouts and gave up six hits to the ‘Dons.

Jarrett Bickel, Grant Thoroman, Ben Higgins and Jacob Walker each had singles. The ‘Dons put a runner in scoring position in the second and sixth innings. The sixth inning saw the ‘Dons load the bases with one out, but two strikeouts ended the threat.

Wake Forest scored two runs in the first and then added three third and fourth innings as well as two in the sixth and one in the seventh. Brock Wilken knocked in four runs and had a home run.

Silas Israel pitched a scoreless eighth for the ‘Dons.

Wake Forest improve to 11-0. The ‘Dons fall to 1-8. Purdue Fort Wayne will play Cornell and Ball State on Saturday.

SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL

USI LEFT STRANDED BY WSU, 7-5

PULLMAN, Wash. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball left the bases loaded in the ninth in losing to Washington State University, 7-5, Friday afternoon in Pullman, Washington. The Eagles watch their record go to 5-4, while WSU goes to 8-1.

USI had an uphill climb after WSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead with three in the first and one in the second. The Eagles rallied to cut the deficit to one run, with a three-run third inning and tied the score with a tally in the sixth.

USI junior designated hitter Gavin McLarty (Buckner, Kentucky) put the Eagles on the scoreboard in the third with a RBI-single, while freshman second baseman Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) shrank the deficit to one run, 4-3, with a two-run triple. The Eagles knotted the score in the sixth, 4-4, when senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas).

The Cougar bats came back to life to regain the lead 7-4 by scoring a tally in the seventh and sealed the eventual victory with two runs in the eighth for a 7-4 advantage.

The Eagles tried to rally in the ninth, but fell short after loading the bases with no outs. Niehaus, who led USI with three RBIs in the game, drove in a run with a RBI-single to cut the deficit to two, but the Cougar hurlers struck a pair of USI hitters to stranded a trio of Eagles on base as they closed out the 7-5 final.

On the mound, sophomore right-hander Adam Weihe (Louisville, Kentucky) took the loss for USI relief. Weihe allowed one run on four hits, while striking out five in three innings of work.

Eagles’ sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) started for USI and picked up the no-decision. Hutson gave up four runs on six hits and a pair of walks in 2.2 innings of work.

Up Next for the Eagles:

The Eagles and the Cougars continue the three-game series Saturday with a 4:05 p.m. (CST) first pitch. The three-game slate concludes Sunday and scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m.

Following the three-game series at WSU, the Eagles come back to the Midwest and will visit Austin Peay State University March 7 before hosting Oakland University for a three-game slate at the USI Baseball Field March 10-12.

VALPO WBB

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SET TO HOST SENIOR DAY SATURDAY

Valparaiso (7-21, 5-14 MVC)

Game #29 – March 4, 2023 – 1 p.m.

Belmont (20-10, 16-3 MVC)

Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valpo women’s basketball team closes out the regular season Saturday afternoon as the Beacons welcome MVC co-leader Belmont to the ARC for the first time. It will be Valpo’s Senior Day game, recognizing Ilysse Pitts and Maya Dunson, as well as student manager Kaylee Huyser and practice players James Sroge and Anthony Sciarroni.

Previously: Olivia Brown posted the highest-scoring half by a Valpo women’s basketball player in over five years on Thursday evening at the ARC, scoring 22 points in the second half, but it wouldn’t be enough to push the Beacons’ comeback effort over the hump, as visiting Murray State came away with a 77-64 win.

Following Valpo Basketball: Streaming Video: ESPN3

Radio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso)

Streaming Audio: TuneIn app

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her fifth year at the helm of the program in 2022-23 and owns a record of 55-89. Evans has made an impact on the program in her first four years, raising the team’s level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. Evans’ preferred style of play has been a big part of the program’s turnaround, as Valpo has led the MVC in 3-pointers made per game in each of the last three seasons and in steals per game in two of the last three years.

Series Notes: Valpo and Belmont had not met on the hardwood prior to this year and the Bruins joining the Missouri Valley Conference. The two teams faced off for the first time on Dec. 30 in Nashville in both squads’ Valley opener, with the Bruins earning a 74-60 victory. Olivia Brown went 6-of-8 from 3-point range as she led the Beacons with 18 points, while Ava Interrante tallied 14 points and Ali Saunders chipped in 10 points off the bench.

@ValpoWBB…

…and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo was picked to finish in 10th place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 197 points, just 10 points behind Evansville.

– Valpo is in its sixth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– The Valley was ranked 10th in conference NET last year, was ranked seventh nationally in conference NET in 2020-21 and was eighth nationally in conference RPI in 2019-20.

…versus Murray State

– Valpo shot just 26.1% from the field in the opening half as the Racers led from the jump. An 8-0 MSU run midway through the first quarter accounted for most of its 21-10 lead at the end of the opening period.

– The Racers led by as many as 21 points in the second quarter before entering halftime up 36-18.

– While the Murray State lead reached as many as 24 points in the third quarter, Olivia Brown helped Valpo keep pace by scoring 12 points in the third quarter alone, as the Racers’ lead was 60-40 with 10 minutes to play.

– Valpo opened the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 11 points, and after MSU pushed the lead back out to 17, the Beacons put together another spurt to get within 73-61 with 2:30 to play. But they would get no closer than that.

– After being held scoreless in the first half, Brown exploded for 12 points in the third quarter and 10 in the final period for a 22-point second half on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor, leading all players in the scoring column and coming just two points shy of her career best.

– Not to be outdone, Ali Saunders had a 20-point night on 8-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, as well. The freshman scored 10 points in each half en route to her second-highest scoring output of the season.

– It is the first time since Jan. 31, 2021 against Missouri State that Valpo has had two players finish with 20 or more points.

– Brown and Saunders were the only Beacons to finish in double figures, however, as Leah Earnest was next on the scoring list with seven points. The junior also paced Valpo with five rebounds.

– After shooting just 26.1% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, the Beacons rebounded to hit at a 59.3% clip in the final 20 minutes to finish at 44% for the game.

– Valpo’s 46 second-half points matched its second half against Southern Miss for the team’s highest-scoring half of the season.

– The Beacons also shot a season-best 92.9% (13-of-14) from the foul line.

…at Illinois State

– After surrendering the first six points of the game, Valpo scored the next seven to set the stage for an opening quarter which featured five lead changes.

– The Beacons scored the final five points of the period in the final minute to take an 18-14 lead at the end of one.

– Valpo and Illinois State were tied at 25-25 late in the second quarter before the Redbirds closed the half on an 11-2 run to lead 36-27 at intermission.

– Valpo was held to one field goal over the first 7:50 of the third quarter as Illinois State pulled out to a 56-35 lead with 10 minutes to play. The Beacons were unable to get closer than 18 points in the final quarter.

– After shooting better than 50% in each of their previous two games, the Beacons hit just 34.7% (17-of-49) from the field and were just 7-of-29 from 3-point range.

– Valpo did hold Illinois State to 39.7% shooting from the floor (25-of-63), but the Redbirds hit 11 3-pointers — a season high for a Valpo opponent in MVC play. The Redbirds also committed nine fewer turnovers than the Beacons.

– Ali Saunders paced Valpo with 12 points and dished out a game-best six assists to set a career high.

– Jayda Johnston joined Saunders in double figures, scoring 10 points to reach double digits for the third time this season.

– Leah Earnest and Emma Tecca shared team-high honors with five rebounds each. Tecca’s five boards were her season best and matched her career high from her time at Akron.

…looking ahead

– Hoops in the Heartland begins Thursday, March 9 in Moline, Ill.

INDIANAPOLIS WBB

HOUNDS CRUISE TO FIRST GLVC TOURNEY WIN IN SIX YEARS

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The UIndy women’s basketball team (18-11) earned its first GLVC Championship Tournament victory in six years to the day on Friday evening, cruising to a 78-48 win over fifth-seeded Missouri S&T in Hyland Arena.

The Greyhounds used a 41-14 run over a span of 17+ minutes to pull away, defeating the Miners for the second time in as many games. UIndy concluded the regular season with a 73-57 win last Saturday at S&T.

Sadie Hill led all players with 21 points and 13 rebounds, finishing with her sixth double-double of the season. Liv Becker also recorded 19 points, drilling three-of-four attempts from 3-point range.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a tight opening quarter that saw eight lead changes, the Greyhounds exploded in the second, going on a 16-1 run to end the half. That came off of paint dominance by Hill, who was responsible for nine of the points in that run.

And when it rained, it poured in St. Charles, as the Hounds followed up their second quarter masterclass with a 25-13 stretch after intermission. A 3-pointer from Lauren With got the Hounds started, as she added nine more points in the period. Aside from the With triples, Ilani Williams-Harris added a long distance shot of her own late in the third quarter.

With a rowdy S&T visiting crowd successfully quieted, the Hounds went to work in the fourth. A pair of Hill free throws started the scoring for the Greyhounds. The Miners did their best to battle back, scoring eight to open the final stretch, but the Hounds answered blow for blow, the biggest punch coming off of a Becker dagger 3 from the left wing.

The defense of the Hounds remained stout at the clock wined down, forcing four turnovers in the fourth to hold onto their advantage. A deep fade-away 3 by Mya Scheidt was the final nail on the contest, securing the Hounds’ first GLVC victory in six seasons.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– Of the 11 Hounds that saw playing time, nine recorded an assist.

– “Rebound and win” was the motto for the Hounds, winning the boards battle 38-28.

– Becker’s 19 was the 10th double-digit performance of the season for the sophomore, just two points shy of her season best.

– UIndy protected the rock, committing 11 turnovers, tying their fifth best performance on the year.

MORE NOTES

The defense picked a great time to be great, with the 48 points given up to the Miners marking a season-best effort by the Greyhounds.

UP NEXT

UIndy will now face top-seeded Drury on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Hounds fell twice to the No. 2 Panthers during the regular season.

INDIANAPOLIS SB

GREYHOUNDS BLANK CARDINALS IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

TRIDELPHIA, W.V.—The No. 11 UIndy softball team turning is a dominating performance Friday versus Wheeling University. With inclement weather forcing the games inside the Highlands Sports Complex., the Greyhounds racked up 22 runs in two five-inning wins – both shutouts. It marked the first time UIndy played an official game indoors since April of 2018.

GAME 1 | UIndy 13, Wheeling 0 (5 innings)

The Hounds pushed across a single run in the second inning and two more in the third before blowing it wide open in the fourth. UIndy batted around and then some in the latter frame, sending 15 batters to the plate while racking up nine runs on seven hits and five walks.

Megan Nichols and Shelby Cook led off the fourth with back-to-back doubles as the first seven UIndy hitters all reached base safely. RBI hits followed from Dominique Proctor (three-run double), Jocelyn Calvin (RBI single) and Emily O’Connor (two-run double), while Nichols went on to cross the plate twice in the inning.

Cook finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of ribbies, while Nicole Pearce added a pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth.

All-American starter Kenzee Smith struck out four in three scoreless innings to get the win on move to 9-2 on the season. Jayden Casebolt completed the shutout, surrendering just one hit while getting the final six outs.

GAME 2 | UIndy 9, Wheeling 0 (5 innings)

The capper once again saw UIndy hold the Cardinals scoreless in a run-rule victory.. The Greyhounds jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first and didn’t let up. A hit by pitch and two singles loaded the bases right out of the gate, while an RBI base hit by Sydnee Perry and bases-loaded walks by Calvin and Tara Williams plated the early runs.

Four more runners crossed the plate in the top of the second, with two coming home a bomb from Calvin. The finishing touches came in a two-run fourth, punctuated by an RBI double by Perry.

Senior Kaitlyn Brown notched her second complete-game win in as many starts. She fanned five while allowing just two hits and zero walks in her first career shutout.

UP NEXT

The Greyhounds remain in the Mountain State for a twin bill versus Salem University on Sunday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. ET.

MARIAN WRESTLING

MARIAN EARNS THREE NAIA ALL-AMERICANS ON DAY 1 OF NAIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wichita, Kan. – The Marian wrestling team turned in a strong day at the NAIA National Championships on Friday, as three of Marian’s eight wrestlers prevailed through the competition to earn NAIA All-American honors. The trio of Blake Mulkey, Asa Garcia, and Jack Servies each earned NAIA All-American honors and will wrestle for final standings on Saturday, while Marian’s other five competitors showed strong fight throughout the day. In total Marian’s eight wrestlers won a combined 17 matches, the most ever on the opening day of the championship.

BLAKE MULKEY (133)

Mulkey entered as the No. 4 seed in his weight class, and after sitting idle with a bye in his first round, Mulkey went to work against No. 13 Alex Pena, defeating the Wayland Baptist product on an 11-3 major decision. The win advanced Mulkey into the quarterfinals, where he squared off against Matt Gimson of Indiana Tech. Battling his rival, Mulkey needed extra time to complete the win, earning a 3-1 sudden victory win to reach the semifinals. Mulkey and Grimson locked horns for much of the overtime, but in the closing seconds the Marian senior took his shot, scoring the two-point takedown to earn the win. Mulkey’s win sets him up against No. 1 Carson Taylor of Grand View, with a win sending Mulkey to the NAIA Championship at 133.

ASA GARCIA (141)

Garcia got off to a strong start in his nationals debut, winning his opening match over Kyler Adams (Midway) on a 12-5 decision. Garcia followed with a win by fall against Joe Rice (Missouri Valley) in 75 seconds, but after reaching the quarterfinals saw his streak come to an end as Doane’s Baterden Boldmaa took a 7-3 win. Garcia fell into a matchup against his teammate in the consolation bracket, ending Wagner’s day with a 5-2 win by decision to earn NAIA All-American honors. Garcia will have a chance to wrestle up to third, and will begin his Saturday by taking on Chasen Brown of the Cumberlands.

LOGAN WAGNER (141)

After going 0-2 in his previous nationals experience, Wagner got off to a shaky start by suffering a 9-8 defeat before turning it on in the consolation bracket. Wagner claimed his first NAIA Tournament win with an 11-5 victory over Thomas Williams (St. Thomas), and followed with a 4-2 win over No. 14 Jackson Wenberg (Graceland). Wagner notched a third consecutive win as he took down his rival from Indiana Tech, Kyle Kantola, by a 14-9 decision. Wagner’s run would end one match short of an All-American run, losing to his teammate Asa Garcia to close with a 3-2 overall record.

BAILEY MOORE (157)

At 157 Bailey Moore claimed a win in his opening round, dominating Elijah Chacon (Indiana Tech) to the tune of a 17-1 tech. fall. Moore wouldn’t stay in the championship bracket past the second round despite the strong start, falling to Sal Silva (Southeastern) on a 9-4 decision. In the back draw, Moore earned a second win as he defeated Larry Rodriguez (Missouri Valley) in a 16-5 major decision. The win would be the final of the seniors career, as Moore fell in his next match on a 12-3 major decision to Wilder Wichman (Thomas More) to close with a 2-2 record.

ELLIOTT RODGERS (165)

Looking to make another All-American run Rodgers started his weekend with a win by fall in the opening match against Braden Anderson (Ottawa) at the 6:11 mark. Rodgers would drop to the consolation bracket as he was upset by No. 10 Shadric Slone (Campbellsville), and in the consolation bracket the weekend came to a close for the Marian junior as Braeden Baller (Texas Wesleyan) scored an upset 10-4 victory. Rodgers finished with a 1-2 overall record.

NOAH HOLLENDONNER (174)

Hollendonner got off to a slow start in his NAIA Tournament debut, suffering an ankle sprain in his opening match before getting pinned in the second period by Embry-Riddle’s Sheldon Cole. Hollendonner would use a bye to get back into form, scorching the mat with a 9-3 win by decision over No. 11 Michael Long (Cumberland) and a win by fall over No. 13 Maximus Zamora (Menlo) at the 5:45 time stamp. Hollendonner would miss All-American honors by one match, falling to Cole Tenety (Reinhardt) on a 12-4 major decision. The Marian redshirt-sophomore finished with a 2-2 record.

SAM OSHO (184)

One of Marian’s reigning All-Americans showed strong wrestling early Friday, scoring a 17-7 major decision win against Kaden Martin (Arizona Christian) to begin his day. In Osho’s second match, the fifth-year senior fell behind 8-0 early against Brett Bober (Baker), trailing after one period. Osho continued to fight through multiple blood stoppages, and despite trailing 10-7, the senior scored a win by fall to reach the quarterfinals, winning with 56 seconds remaining in the third period. The Knight was unable to capture the momentum and reach the semifinals, as Asher Eichert (Life) scored a 2-1 win by decision. After the session break, Osho came up one win short of reaching the All-American rounds, losing to Sam Irwin (Reinhardt) on a 3-2 decision to end his storied career. Osho went 2-2 in his final trip to the NAIA National Championship.

JACK SERVIES (197)

Servies began the tournament with a bye, and rolled right into a win as he defeated WHAC rival Carter Kroll (Lourdes), scoring a win by fall at the 1:42 mark in the top-10 bout. Servies then earned a win by decision in the quarterfinals, taking down yet another WHAC opponent in Indiana Tech’s Nathan Critchfield, downing the Warrior 6-2. The Marian senior’s two wins landed him a trip to the semifinals, where he will wrestle Grand View’s Owen Braungardt on Saturday.

Competition will resume on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET, with Mulkey and Servies wreslting in the championship semifinals. Garcia will continue his run in the consolation quarterfinals, looking to wrestle into a third place match. The NAIA Championship matches will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

MARIAN TRACK

MARIAN CAPTURES TWO ALL-AMERICAN HONORS AT DAY 2 OF NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP

Brookings, S.D. The Marian men’s track and field team claimed two more NAIA All-American honors on Friday at the NAIA National Championships, as Isaiah Tipping and the 4x800m relay team made podium finishes.

Marian claimed their first All-American honor of the day in the weight throw, as Isaiah Tipping finished fifth with his one and only throw of the day at 18.79m. Tipping’s fifth place finish marks the first time he has earned an All-American honor in the weight throw in his Marian career.

The Knights captured their second All-American honor of the day in the 4x800m relay, as Marian’s team of Owen Pittman, Howard Hendricks, Drew Thornton, and Maksims Sincukovs earned their NAIA All-American honor with their fourth-place finish in the finals. Marian’s team posted a time of 7:36.44, taking fourth place in the nation. The honor is Marian’s fifth straight season claiming All-American status in the indoor 4x800m relay. Thornton now becomes a four-time All-American in the event, while Hendricks takes his third honor, and Pittman claims in second. Sincukovs’ All-American award is the first in his career at Marian.

Individually, Drew Thornton qualified for the finals in the 800m as he took the eighth best time in the prelims. Thornton hit a time of 1:55.23 to advance to tomorrow’s finals. Maksims Sincukovs also qualified for Saturday’s finals in the 600m, placing sixth with a time of 1:20.37. Sincukovs’ time was a PR and broke the school record in the event.

Earlier in the day on the track, Olivier Lifrange finished 14th in the 400m as he clocked a 48.44 effort, good for a new school record and PR in the event. Later in the day, Lifrange also hit another personal best mark in the 200m with a time of 21.82. Otto De St Jeor finished ahead of Lifrange in the 200m, as he crossed the finish line in 21.73 to finish 20th. In the 1000m, a new school record was set by Robin Aguilar-Gonzalez, as he clocked in at a time of 2:28.79 to place 12th.

Marian had two members compete in the 60m, as Manny Manneh and Tyler Thomas ran in the event. Manneh led the Knights with a 24th place finish as finished in a time of 6.89, while Thomas ran a 6.91 to take 28th.

Marian’s last event of the day was the long jump, with Armani Glass setting a personal best with a jump of 7.09m, just missing the finals with a 10th place finish.

Marian will finish their final day of the NAIA Championships on Saturday when the meet resumes at 11 a.m. ET.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

SPORTS EXTRA

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Milwaukee	45	17	.726	—	27-5	18-12	8-4	26-13	10-0	16 W
2 Boston	45	19	.703	1.0	25-8	20-11	9-3	28-14	7-3	1 L
3 Philadelphia	40	22	.645	5.0	24-10	16-12	7-6	23-15	6-4	1 L
4 Cleveland	39	26	.600	7.5	26-7	13-19	11-3	23-13	6-4	1 L
5 New York	38	27	.585	8.5	19-15	19-12	7-8	27-16	9-1	8 W
6 Brooklyn	35	28	.556	10.5	18-12	17-16	7-8	25-17	3-7	1 W
7 Miami	33	31	.516	13.0	19-12	14-19	7-4	16-21	4-6	2 L
8 Atlanta	32	31	.508	13.5	18-13	14-18	5-6	19-20	5-5	1 W
9 Toronto	31	33	.484	15.0	20-13	11-20	4-9	19-21	7-3	1 L
10 Washington	30	32	.484	15.0	15-13	15-19	7-3	17-19	6-4	2 W
11 Chicago	29	35	.453	17.0	18-14	11-21	6-7	23-21	3-7	1 L
12 Indiana	28	36	.438	18.0	18-15	10-21	4-5	19-18	3-7	1 L
13 Orlando	27	37	.422	19.0	15-16	12-21	4-8	14-27	5-5	1 W
14 Charlotte	20	45	.308	26.5	11-20	9-25	7-9	11-30	5-5	2 L
15 Detroit	15	48	.238	30.5	8-23	7-25	0-10	6-31	1-9	6 L
Western Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Denver	45	19	.703	—	29-4	16-15	10-5	32-12	8-2	3 W
2 Memphis	38	24	.613	6.0	26-5	12-19	7-2	20-17	6-4	1 L
3 Sacramento	37	25	.597	7.0	19-12	18-13	7-6	25-13	8-2	5 W
4 Phoenix	35	29	.547	10.0	21-10	14-19	9-1	22-15	7-3	2 W
5 Golden State	34	30	.531	11.0	27-7	7-23	5-7	22-15	6-4	5 W
6 Dallas	33	31	.516	12.0	21-12	12-19	8-2	24-17	5-5	1 W
7 Minnesota	33	32	.508	12.5	20-14	13-18	8-7	24-20	5-5	2 W
8 LA Clippers	33	33	.500	13.0	15-15	18-18	6-7	19-21	3-7	5 L
9 Utah	31	33	.484	14.0	20-13	11-20	5-7	21-20	4-6	2 L
10 New Orleans	31	33	.484	14.0	20-11	11-22	7-4	20-16	4-6	1 L
11 LA Lakers	30	34	.469	15.0	15-15	15-19	3-9	17-22	5-5	1 L
12 Oklahoma City	29	34	.460	15.5	18-15	11-19	6-7	16-22	4-6	1 W
13 Portland	29	34	.460	15.5	17-15	12-19	5-8	21-19	3-7	3 L
14 San Antonio	16	47	.254	28.5	10-21	6-26	2-8	6-32	2-8	2 W
15 Houston	13	49	.210	31.0	8-22	5-27	1-9	7-35	0-10	11 L

Eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. 

X – Clinched Playoff Spot,  Y – Clinched Division,  Z – Clinched Conference

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Boston Bruins	61	48	8	5	101	46	233	130	25-2-3	23-6-2	9-1-0
2 Carolina Hurricanes	60	40	12	8	88	37	206	155	21-7-2	19-5-6	7-3-0
3 New Jersey Devils	61	40	15	6	86	39	218	166	18-11-2	22-4-4	6-2-2
4 Toronto Maple Leafs	62	38	16	8	84	38	211	164	23-6-4	15-10-4	7-3-0
5 Tampa Bay Lightning	61	37	19	5	79	35	217	185	22-5-4	15-14-1	4-3-3
6 New York Rangers	62	35	18	9	79	32	207	175	17-11-4	18-7-5	5-4-1
7 Pittsburgh Penguins	61	31	21	9	71	30	200	195	16-9-4	15-12-5	5-5-0
8 New York Islanders	64	31	25	8	70	31	184	176	18-11-3	13-14-5	4-3-3
9 Buffalo Sabres	60	31	25	4	66	30	224	215	12-16-2	19-9-2	5-5-0
10 Ottawa Senators	61	31	26	4	66	29	194	191	18-12-2	13-14-2	7-2-1
11 Florida Panthers	63	30	27	6	66	28	215	216	16-10-3	14-17-3	5-5-0
12 Washington Capitals	63	30	27	6	66	29	191	189	15-13-3	15-14-3	3-7-0
13 Detroit Red Wings	61	28	24	9	65	26	186	201	15-12-4	13-12-5	5-4-1
14 Philadelphia Flyers	62	23	28	11	57	22	163	205	11-15-4	12-13-7	2-6-2
15 Montreal Canadiens	62	26	32	4	56	22	170	221	14-15-1	12-17-3	5-5-0
16 Columbus Blue Jackets	62	20	36	6	46	19	161	229	13-19-2	7-17-4	5-3-2
Western Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Vegas Golden Knights	62	37	19	6	80	33	199	174	20-13-1	17-6-5	7-1-2
2 Dallas Stars	62	33	16	13	79	30	204	163	16-8-8	17-8-5	4-3-3
3 Los Angeles Kings	63	35	20	8	78	29	214	213	18-9-2	17-11-6	7-2-1
4 Seattle Kraken	62	35	21	6	76	35	217	198	15-12-3	20-9-3	6-3-1
5 Minnesota Wild	62	35	21	6	76	28	179	168	21-10-2	14-11-4	7-1-2
6 Colorado Avalanche	59	34	20	5	73	30	190	164	16-10-4	18-10-1	7-2-1
7 Edmonton Oilers	63	34	21	8	76	34	243	209	16-12-5	18-9-3	4-3-3
8 Winnipeg Jets	62	35	25	2	72	34	190	171	20-10-1	15-15-1	3-6-1
9 Calgary Flames	62	27	22	13	67	26	194	193	15-12-3	12-10-10	3-4-3
10 Nashville Predators	59	30	23	6	66	27	172	175	16-11-3	14-12-3	6-4-0
11 St. Louis Blues	61	27	29	5	59	24	189	223	13-14-4	14-15-1	4-4-2
12 Vancouver Canucks	61	24	32	5	53	21	205	242	11-17-1	13-15-4	4-5-1
13 Arizona Coyotes	62	21	32	9	51	18	167	222	14-11-2	7-21-7	4-4-2
14 Anaheim Ducks	63	21	34	8	50	18	161	257	11-16-2	10-18-6	4-4-2
15 San Jose Sharks	62	18	32	12	48	17	183	232	6-17-8	12-15-4	2-7-1
16 Chicago Blackhawks	61	21	35	5	47	19	152	222	12-17-3	9-18-2	5-5-0

Last updated Mar. 4, 1:33 ET

Eight teams in each conference qualify for the divisional playoff format.  The top three teams from each division make up the first six spots.   The two remaining teams with the highest points, regardless of division, qualify for the final two wild card spots.  

X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1912       With the shanties torn down and the garbage pits filled in the Pigtown section in Brooklyn, Charles Ebbets breaks ground for his team’s new Bedford Avenue ballpark. The Dodgers’ Flatbush facility, which will serve as the team’s beloved home for 44 years, will be named for its owner after a reporter at the ceremony suggested the idea to Charley.

1913       The Yankees become the first team to train outside of the United States when they start spring training in Bermuda, playing nine games against the International League’s New Jersey Skeeters. The minor league team had trained on the island nation in 1912, playing on a converted cricket field in Hamilton, known Bernard Park today.

1919       Giants’ manager John McGraw sells Slim Sallee to the Reds, but the team will purchase the southpaw back next year. During his five seasons with New York, ‘Scatter’ compiles a 42-23 (.646) record along with an ERA of 2.26.

1921       After spending the first 12 years of his career with the Red Sox, the team trades veteran outfielder Harry Hooper to the White Sox for Nemo Leibold and Shano Collins. ‘Hoop’ will finish his playing days in Chicago, hitting .302 during his five seasons in the Windy City, thirty points higher than his average in Boston.

1948       Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial ends his holdout, signing for $31,000, the same salary he made last season after new owners Robert Hannegan and Fred Saigh assure him that his salary will increase based on his performance. ‘Stan the Man’ gets a pay raise of $5,000 when he is hitting .403 at the All-Star break, en route to being named the National League’s MVP.

1976       The Giants, due to the intervention of San Francisco mayor George Moscone, will stay in the City by the Bay. In a last-minute deal, the Stoneham family sells the team to Bob Lurie and Bud Herseth for $8 million instead of the Labatt’s Brewery, which had planned to move the Giants to Canada.

1984       The Special Veterans Committee selects two outstanding defensive players, shortstop Pee Wee Reese and catcher Rick Ferrell, to be members of Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Cooperstown’s newest infielder batted .269 during his 16-year career, all with the Dodgers, and the former Browns, Senators, and Red Sox’s backstop hit .281 in his 18-year major league tenure.

2004       Commissioner Bud Selig announces major league baseball will celebrate “Jackie Robinson Day” in every ballpark on April 15, the anniversary of the debut of the first black player in the major leagues. Jackie’s number (42) was retired for all time in a ceremony at Shea Stadium in April of 1997 to mark the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s achievement.

2006       “We are sorry that certain players will not be present for portions of spring training. These players have elected to participate in the World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic is an event sanctioned by the commissioner of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The New York Yankees did not vote to support this event.”- LEGENDS FIELD SIGN, apologizing for the absence of star players. Before the scheduled exhibition game at Legends Field in Tampa, the Yankees, using a sign outside the park, apologize to the fans for Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, and Bernie Williams not playing due to their participation in the World Baseball Classic. Bronx Bombers boss George Steinbrenner had abstained when the owners approved the World Cup type tournament at the urging of baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

2008       Brad Hawpe and the Rockies agree to $17,425,000 for three years, replacing the $3,925,000, one-year contract signed in January. Joining right-hander Aaron Cook, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and closer Manny Corpas, the Colorado right fielder becomes the fourth young player of the National League champs to receive a long-term deal.

2012       A swarm of bees that moved down the right-field line and settled near the Giants’ dugout behind first base causes the evacuation of two sections of fans, delaying the split-squad game against the Diamondbacks for 41 minutes. The Salt River Fields grounds crew uses a combination of lemonade and cotton candy obtained from the concession stand to lure the buzzing insects away from fans and players.

BASEBALL’S BEST

COMMISSIONER FORD FRICK BIOGRAPHY

Ford Frick was born on December 19, 1894, and started serving as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball on September 20, 1951. Fourteen years later his reign as commissioner ended. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present our Commissioner Ford Frick biography.

The first Commissioner NOT to have a political background, Ford Frick was a multi-talented journalist with experience in teaching, ghost writing and advertising. After graduating from DePauw University, Frick took a position as an English teacher at Colorado High School and also freelanced as a beat writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette. Two years later, he left teaching to become the supervisor of training in the rehabilitation division of the War Department for four states (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming). Although the position was important, Frick could not ignore his “writers’ bug” and briefly worked for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver before returning to Colorado Springs to open his own advertising agency and write a weekly editorial column for the Colorado Springs Telegraph.

An enthusiastic baseball fan, Frick landed his dream job in 1922 after joining the sports staff of the New York American. The following year, he moved on to the Evening Journal where he covered the New York Yankees and eventually became a ghostwriter for Babe Ruth. Things got even better when he finally left the typewriter behind in favor of the microphone to become a sportscaster with station WOR. A rising figure in the sports media, Frick was named the first director of the National League Service Bureau and was put in charge of all publicity for Major League Baseball. He excelled rapidly at the position and was later elected as the President of the National League, succeeding John A. Heydler.

His first act as president was a passionate proposal for the establishment of a National Baseball Museum to honor the greatest players ever to take the field. This of course let to the Hall of Fame. He was also instrumental in saving several franchises from bankruptcy including the Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. Immensely popular amongst the owners, he held the position until September 1951 when sixteen of them elected him Commissioner on September 20, 1951.

During his tenure, Frick was responsible for many changes in the reconstruction, expansion and transition of baseball. Some of the major changes included the growth from eight to ten teams in each league, the establishment of multiple national television contracts, a league draft and college scholarship system and the introduction of baseball on the international level in countries such as Japan, Central America, Holland, Italy and Africa.

Not unlike his Major League Baseball forefathers, Frick was also contested on several occasions for policies that did not agree with the public’s view. His most controversial decision came in 1961 when he caved under pressure from the sports writing community (that he had once been a part of) and ruled that Roger Maris’ record sixty-one home run season should be recorded with an asterisk due to the fact it transpired over a one-hundred sixty-two game period as opposed to the one-hundred fifty-four that Babe Ruth experienced. This suggestion stood for the next thirty years and would remain as a black eye on an otherwise stellar career. Frick would later go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, in which he helped establish in 1970. He also became the namesake of the Ford C. Frick Award, given to outstanding Hall of Fame broadcasters.

BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW

YEAR IN REVIEW : 1903 AMERICAN LEAGUE

Off the field…

Automobile pioneer Henry Ford organized the Ford Motor Company. By cutting the costs of production and by adapting the conveyor belt and assembly line to automobile production, Ford was soon able to outdistance all his competitors to become the largest car manufacturer in the world. In 1908 he designed the infamous “Model T” and nearly seventeen million cars were produced worldwide before the model was discontinued in 1928. Later a new design called the “Model A” was created to meet growing competition.

In the American League…

On May 6th, the Chicago White Sox committed twelve errors, and the Detroit Tigers answered back with six of their own. The combined “18-E debacle” set a modern Major League record for the most errors (by two teams) in a single game.

Buck Freeman of the Boston Americans (Red Sox), completed a cycle on June 21, 1903, the first in franchise history. Just over a month later, Pat Dougherty, also with Boston, hit for the cycle as well. The Boston Americans became the second American League team with two cycles in the same season, joining the Philadelphia Athletics (1901).

At a post-season American League meeting, Ban Johnson was unanimously re-elected president and given a raise of $10,000. The American League owners also voted to allow base-running coaches at first and third at all times and to institute the “foul strike” rule in which a foul would be counted as a strike unless there are already two on the batter.

In the National League…

Fred Clarke hit for the cycle on May 7, 1903. Two years earlier, on July 23, 1901, Clarke had completed his first career cycle making him the first twentieth century player to hit for the cycle twice, and the first Pirate to ever complete two cycles in Pittsburgh.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Tommy Corcoran set a Major League record after totaling fourteen assists in a 4-2 regulation win over the St. Louis Cardinals, on August 7, 1903. Lave Cross, of the Philadelphia Athletics, had originally racked up fifteen assists during a twelve-inning game in 1897.

The National League-leading Pittsburgh Pirates set an uncharacteristic National League mark for inept fielding after making six errors in the first inning of a 13-7 New York Giants victory on August 20th.

Around the League…

In Cincinnati, peace talks between both rival leagues continued as the Nationals proposed a consolidated twelve team league, which the Americans promptly rejected. Eventually an agreement was reached to coexist peacefully with the American League promising to stay out of Pittsburgh.

Baseball rules committee chairman Tom Loftus announced that the pitcher’s box would not be more than fifteen inches higher than the baselines or home plate.

The inaugural World Series of 1903 was a resounding success and represented the first step in healing the bruised egos of both the veteran National and fledgling American Leagues. Pittsburgh and Boston went head-to-head for eight games proving that great baseball between the two leagues was possible and that a merger would benefit the growth of the sport. Unfortunately, some owners still disagreed with the concept and in 1904 it was prematurely cancelled.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

March 4, 1956- Inventors working with the Cleveland Browns used the first radio transmitter in a QB helmet. John Campbell and George Sarles, a couple of inventors from Ohio approached Cleveland’s head Coach Paul Brown, who was always up for being on the cutting edge of innovation, with an idea. The two inventors had developed a radio transmission system that they felt could be installed into a football helmet safely to improve communication with the sideline. Brown loved the idea and asked the two men to develop the gadget in secrecy. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the radio was carefully mounted into the helmet and, using the seclusion of a wooded area behind Campbell’s home, the pair proceeded to test the unit. Sarles retreated to the woods with the helmet. The signal became weak and communication broke off. When Sarles did not return, Campbell set out to find his partner. Soon thereafter, he spotted Sarles talking with a police officer who had intercepted the signal. It was very Fortunate for Sarles and Campbell, that the officer was a Browns fan and agreed to keep the discovery under wraps. It is this test that we believe took place on March 4, 1956. Nonetheless, the pair changed the frequency on the unit. The helmet was first used by Quarterback George Ratterman in a preseason exhibition against Detroit. The Lions sideline became suspicious during the game when they didn’t see Brown’s shuttling lineman into the game to carry plays so they sent a scout who discovered the transmitter on a light pole behind the Cleveland bench. The Browns were able to use the radio helmet for three more games but then NFL Commissioner Bert Bell stepped in and banned the device. In 1985 John Campbell donated the innovative helmet to the Pro Football Hall of Fame where it is currently on display.

HOF BIRTHDAYS

March 4, 1964 – Frewsburg, New York – The stud linebacker of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1983 through 1986, Shane Conlan was born. Shane according to the NFF’s bio on his was a 1986 Consensus First-Team All-American and a finalist for the Butkus Award. Conlan recorded eight tackles and two interceptions in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl over Miami (Fla.) to give Penn State the national title. In two different seasons Shane led the Penn State defense in tackles and he finished off his collegiate career ranked second on the Lions’ All-Time tackles list with 274, and his 183 solo tackles still rank third in school history. The National Football Foundation selected the name of Shane Conlan for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. After graduation Shane became the 8th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1987 NFL Draft. The linebacker played six seasons with the Bills and three for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams before retiring after the 1995 season. Conlan was the 1987 Rookie of the Year and a three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection played in three straight Super Bowls with the Bills.

March 4, 1971 – Rochester, New York – The standout running back of 1990 to 1992 from Ithaca College, Jeff Wittman arrived into this life. The FootballFoundation.org website states that Jeff earned First -Team All-America status 3 times with the Bombers. Jeff led his Ithaca Bombers team to the Division III national title in 1991 and was subsequently named as the MVP of the Stagg Bowl after punching in three touchdowns in the contest. .The NFF voters chose Jeff Wittman to receive the honor of entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. He is only the second person from the school to have made it into the HOF, the other being head coach Jim Butterfield.

SPORTS IN NUMBERS

3 – 1 – 22 – 8

March 4, 1927 – The New York Yankees famous Number 3, Babe Ruth, becomes the highest paid player in baseball with a whopper of a contract at the time of nearly $70,000 per season over a three year contract.

March 4, 1941 – The Chicago Black Hawks goaltender Number 1, Sam LoPresti, certianly earned his pay on this day! The opposing Boston Bruins fired an NHL record 83 shots at the goal minder and remarkably only three of them slipped stone wall Sam. Unfortunately it was in a losing effort as the Bruins outlasted the Black Hawks 3-2.

March 4, 1980 – Mike Bossy, Number 22 of the New York Islanders posted his 40th hattrick in a game on this day.

March 4, 1984 – Pee Wee Reese and Rick Ferrell were both elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Reese wore Number 1 on his uniform for the Brooklyn Dodgers as an infielder from 1940 through 1957 and then an additional season when the team moved to LA. Ferrell was a catcher that wore many different jersey digits with multiple teams but may be best known as being Number 8 on the Washington Senators roster from 1938 to 1944

March 4, 1993 – Perhaps the most famous Number 23 of All-Time, NBA player Michael Jordan won an ESPY award on this day for his play on the court for the Chicago Bulls.

TV SATURDAY

NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES – MEN’S	TIME ET	TV
ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M	12:00PM	CBS
SETON HALL AT PROVIDENCE	12:00PM	FOX
OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE	12:00PM	ESPN
IOWA STATE AT BAYLOR	12:00PM	ESPN2
PENN AT PRINCETON	12:00PM	ESPNEWS
SOCON QUARTERFINAL: FURMAN VS. MERCER/THE CITADEL	12:00PM	–
BIG SOUTH SEMIFINAL	12:00PM	ESPN+
CAA SECOND ROUND: WILLIAM & MARY VS. ELON	12:00PM	FLOSPORTS
GEORGE MASON AT RICHMOND	12:30PM	USA
SUN BELT QUARTERFINAL: SOUTHERN MISS VS. SOUTH ALABAMA/APP STATE	12:30PM	ESPN+
GEORGIA AT SOUTH CAROLINA	1:00PM	SECN
UAB AT CHARLOTTE	1:00PM	STADIUM
ST. JOHN’S AT MARQUETTE	2:00PM	FOX
KENTUCKY AT ARKANSAS	2:00PM	CBS
TENNESSEE AT AUBURN	2:00PM	ESPN
LOUISVILLE AT VIRGINIA	2:00PM	ESPN2
DUQUESNE AT FORDHAM	2:00PM	SNY
MOUNT ST. MARY’S AT MANHATTAN	2:00PM	ESPN3
SIENA AT SAINT PETER’S	2:00PM	ESPN3
BIG SOUTH SEMIFINAL	2:00PM	ESPN+
COLUMBIA AT CORNELL	2:00PM	ESPN+
HARVARD AT DARTMOUTH	2:00PM	ESPN+
LOYOLA CHICAGO AT LA SALLE	2:00PM	ESPN+
KANSAS STATE AT WEST VIRGINIA	2:00PM	ESPN+
YALE AT BROWN	2:00PM	ESPN+
ST. BONAVENTURE AT UMASS	2:30PM	USA
GEORGIA TECH AT BOSTON COLLEGE	2:30PM	ESPNU
SOCON QUARTERFINAL: WESTERN CAROLINA VS. ETSU	2:30PM	–
CAA SECOND ROUND: DREXEL VS. HAMPTON/MONMOUTH	2:30PM	FLOSPORTS
WKU AT NORTH TEXAS	3:00PM	STADIUM
FIU AT RICE	3:00PM	ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT LOUISIANA TECH	3:00PM	ESPN+
TCU AT OKLAHOMA	3:00PM	ESPN+
SUN BELT QUARTERFINAL: JAMES MADISON VS. TBD	3:00PM	ESPN+
OLE MISS AT MISSOURI	3:30PM	SECN
MVC SEMIFINA	3:30PM	CBSSN
NIAGARA AT CANISIUS	3:30PM	ESPN3
STANFORD AT OREGON	4:00PM	CBS
KANSAS AT TEXAS	4:00PM	ESPN
FLORIDA STATE AT VIRGINIA TECH	4:00PM	ESPN2
LONG BEACH STATE AT UC DAVIS	4:00PM	SPECTRUM
SAN JOSE STATE AT AIR FORCE	4:00PM	ALT
MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT UTEP	4:00PM	ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M AT BETHUNE-COOKMAN	4:00PM	YOUTUBE
VCU AT GEORGE WASHINGTON	4:30PM	USA
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M	4:30PM	–
WAKE FOREST AT SYRACUSE	5:00PM	ACCN
UNLV AT NEVADA	5:00PM	–
UTAH AT COLORADO	5:30PM	PAC12N
OKLAHOMA STATE AT TEXAS TECH	6:00PM	ESPN2
LSU AT FLORIDA	6:00PM	SECN
PITT AT MIAMI (FL)	6:00PM	ACCN
MVC SEMIFINAL	6:00PM	CBSSN
NEC SEMIFINAL	6:00PM	SNY
SOCON QUARTERFINAL: SAMFORD VS. CHATTANOOGA/VMI	6:00PM	–
SUN BELT QUARTERFINAL: MARSHALL VS. TBD	6:00PM	ESPN+
CAA SECOND ROUND: NORTH CAROLINA A&T VS. STONY BROOK	6:00PM	FLOSPORTS
DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA	6:30PM	ESPN
ALCORN STATE AT UAPB	6:30PM	–
ALABAMA STATE AT GRAMBLING STATE	6:30PM	–
BUTLER AT XAVIER	7:00PM	FS1
SUMMIT LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL: ORAL ROBERTS VS. DENVER/NORTH DAKOTA	7:00PM	–
CHICAGO STATE AT FRESNO STATE	7:00PM	–
QUINNIPIAC AT MARIST	7:00PM	ESPN3
IONA AT RIDER	7:00PM	ESPN+
JACKSON STATE AT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE	7:00PM	YOUTUBE
UCONN VS. VILLANOVA	7:30PM	FOX
BIG SKY FIRST ROUND: #9 VS. #10	7:30PM	ESPN+
OVC CHAMPIONSHIP	8:00PM	ESPN2
NOTRE DAME AT CLEMSON	8:00PM	ACCN
DAVIDSON AT RHODE ISLAND	8:00PM	CBSSN
CALIFORNIA AT OREGON STATE	8:00PM	PAC12N
NEC SEMIFINAL	8:00PM	SNY
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT VANDERBILT	8:30PM	SECN
SOCON QUARTERFINAL: UNCG VS. WOFFORD	8:30PM	–
SUN BELT QUARTERFINAL: LOUISIANA VS. #7/#10	8:30PM	ESPN+
CAA SECOND ROUND: DELAWARE VS. NORTHEASTERN	8:30PM	FLOSPORTS
CREIGHTON AT DEPAUL	9:00PM	FS1
HAWAI’I AT UC SANTA BARBARA	9:00PM	ESPNU
BOISE STATE AT UTAH STATE	9:00PM	STADIUM
CSU BAKERSFIELD AT UC IRVINE	9:00PM	ESPN+
UC SAN DIEGO AT CAL STATE FULLERTON	9:00PM	ESPN+
ALABAMA A&M AT SOUTHERN	9:00PM	–
SUMMIT LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE VS. KANSAS CITY/OMAHA	9:30PM	–
ARIZONA AT UCLA	10:00PM	ESPN
WCC QUARTERFINAL: LOYOLA MARYMOUNT VS. TBD	10:00PM	ESPN2
WYOMING AT SAN DIEGO STATE	10:00PM	CBSSN
BIG SKY FIRST ROUND: #7 VS. #8	10:00PM	ESPN+
UC RIVERSIDE AT CAL POLY	10:00PM	ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE AT USC	11:00PM	FS1
COLLEGE BASKETBALL – WOMEN’S	TIME ET	TV
ATLANTIC 10 TOURNAMENT	11:00AM	CBSSN
ACC TOURNAMENT	12:00PM	ACCN
ATLANTIC 10 TOURNAMENT	1:30PM	CBSSN
ACC TOURNAMENT	2:30PM	ACCN
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT	2:30PM	BTN
SEC TOURNAMENT	4:30PM	ESPNU
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT	4:45PM	BTN
SEC TOURNAMENT	6:45PM	ESPNU
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL	12:30PM	GOLF
MLB SPRING TRAINING	TIME ET	TV
NY METS VS MIAMI	1:10PM	MLBN
LOS ANGELES VS KANSAS CITY	8:05PM	MLBN
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
XFINITY: ALSCO UNIFORMS 300 AT LAS VEGAS	4:30PM	FS1
NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
TORONTO AT WASHINGTON	5:00PM	SPORTSNET NBCS-WSH
DETROIT AT CLEVELAND	7:30PM	BALLY SPORTS
ATLANTA AT MIAMI	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
HOUSTON AT SAN ANTONIO	8:00PM	ATTSN-SW BALLY SPORTS
PHILADELPHIA AT MILWAUKEE	8:30PM	BALLY SPORTS NBCS-PHI
MINNESOTA AT SACRAMENTO	10:00PM	BALLY SPORTS NBCS-CA
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
TAMPA BAY AT BUFFALO	12:30PM	BALLY SPORTS MSG-BUF
DETROIT AT NY ISLANDERS	12:30PM	BALLY SPORTS MSGSN
NY RANGERS AT BOSTON	1:00PM	ABC ESPN+
COLORADO AT DALLAS	3:30PM	ABC ESPN+
WASHINGTON AT SAN JOSE	6:00PM	NBCS-WSH NBCS-CA
PITTSBURGH AT FLORIDA	6:00PM	BALLY SPORTS ATTSN-PIT
TORONTO AT VANCOUVER	7:00PM	NHLN SPORTSNET
EDMONTON AT WINNIPEG	7:00PM	SPORTSNET
COLUMBUS AT OTTAWA	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
NASHVILLE AT CHICAGO	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS NBCS-CHI
MINNESOTA AT CALGARY	10:00PM	BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
ST. LOUIS AT LOS ANGELES	10:30PM	BALLY SPORTS
SOCCER MATCHES	TIME ET	TV
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: MANCHESTER CITY VS NEWCASTLE UNITED	7:30AM	USA
LA LIGA: GETAFE VS GIRONA	8:00AM	ESPN+
SERIE A: MONZA VS EMPOLI	9:00AM	PARAMOUNT+
BUNDESLIGA: BOCHUM VS SCHALKE 04	9:30AM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: UNION BERLIN VS KÖLN	9:30AM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: MAINZ 05 VS HOFFENHEIM	9:30AM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: BORUSSIA M’GLADBACH VS FREIBURG	9:30AM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: AUGSBURG VS WERDER BREMEN	9:30AM	ESPN+
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS VS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR	10:00AM	USA
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: ARSENAL VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH	10:00AM	PEACOCK
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: ASTON VILLA VS CRYSTAL PALACE	10:00AM	PEACOCK
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION VS WEST HAM UNITED	10:00AM	PEACOCK
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: CHELSEA VS LEEDS UNITED	10:00AM	PEACOCK
LA LIGA: ALMERÍA VS VILLARREAL	10:15AM	ESPN+
LIGUE 1: LENS VS LILLE	11:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
SERIE A: ATALANTA VS UDINESE	12:00PM	PARAMOUNT+
BUNDESLIGA: STUTTGART VS BAYERN MÜNCHEN	12:30PM	ESPN+
LA LIGA: MALLORCA VS ELCHE	12:30PM	ESPN+
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: SOUTHAMPTON VS LEICESTER CITY	12:30PM	NBC
SERIE A: FIORENTINA VS MILAN	2:45PM	PARAMOUNT+
LA LIGA: ATLÉTICO MADRID VS SEVILLA	3:00PM	ESPN+
ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: GIMNASIA LA PLATA VS COLÓN	3:00PM	PARAMOUNT+
ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: PLATENSE VS CENTRAL CÓRDOBA SDE	3:00PM	PARAMOUNT+
LIGUE 1: PSG VS NANTES	3:00PM	BEIN SPORTS
MLS: LOS ANGELES FC VS PORTLAND TIMBERS	4:30PM	FOX
ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: LANÚS VS RIVER PLATE	5:15PM	PARAMOUNT+
LIGA MX: LEÓN VS ATLÉTICO SAN LUIS	6:00PM	TUDN
ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: NEWELL’S OLD BOYS VS BARRACAS CENTRAL	7:30PM	PARAMOUNT+
ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: ATLÉTICO TUCUMÁN VS BANFIELD	7:30PM	PARAMOUNT+
MLS: NEW ENGLAND VS HOUSTON DYNAMO	7:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: NEW YORK RB VS NASHVILLE SC	7:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: COLUMBUS CREW VS DC UNITED	7:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: INTER MIAMI VS PHILADELPHIA UNION	7:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: ATLANTA UNITED VS TORONTO FC	7:30PM	MLS PASS
LIGA MX: AMÉRICA VS PACHUCA	8:05PM	UNIVISION
MLS: CHICAGO FIRE VS NEW YORK CITY	8:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: DALLAS VS LA GALAXY	8:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: ST. LOUIS CITY VS CHARLOTTE	8:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: AUSTIN VS CF MONTRÉAL	8:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: COLORADO RAPIDS VS SPORTING KC	9:30PM	MLS PASS
LIGA MX: GUADALAJARA VS SANTOS LAGUNA	10:05PM	PEACOCK
MLS: SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC VS REAL SALT LAKE	10:30PM	MLS PASS
MLS: SJ EARTHQUAKES VS VANCOUVER WHITECAPS	10:30PM	MLS PASS
XFL	TIME ET	TV
SEATTLE AT VEGAS	7:00PM	FX