INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL
STATE FINALS-SATURDAY MARCH 30
SESSION 1
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 9:30 AM ET
10:30 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (23-7) VS. FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY (18-9)
APPROX. 12:45 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (27-4) VS. WAPAHANI (26-2)
FIELDHOUSE CLEARED
SESSION 2
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 5 PM ET
6 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
SCOTTSBURG (24-5) VS. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (20-9)
APPROX. 8:15 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BEN DAVIS (23-5) VS. FISHERS (28-1)
STATE FINALS PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-24%20Boys%20Basketball%20Preview.pdf
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES-REPORTED
LIVINGSTON ACADEMY 12 MILAN 6
FLOYD CENTRAL 4 SIEGEL 3
CASTLE 8 SUMMERTTOWN 1
JASPER 16 LOOGOOTEE 0
NORTH CENTRAL 14 HUTSONVILLE/PALESTINE 4
NORTH CENTRAL 8 HUTSONVILLE/PALESTINE 7
FLOYD CENTRAL 15 HERSCHER 8
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES-REPORTED
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
(NCAA TOURNEY)
ARIZONA 78 DAYTON 68
GONZAGA 89 KANSAS 68
NORTH CAROLINA 85 MICHIGAN STATE 69
IOWA STATE 67 WASHINGTON STATE 56
NORTH CAROLINA STATE 79 OAKLAND 73 OT
TENNESSEE 62 TEXAS 58
ILLINOIS 89 DUQUESNE 63
CREIGHTON 86 OREGON 73 2OT
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
(2) MARQUETTE VS. (10) COLORADO | 12:10 P.M. | CBS
(1) PURDUE VS. (8) UTAH STATE | 2:40 P.M. | CBS
(4) DUKE VS. (12) JAMES MADISON | 5:15 P.M. | CBS
(3) BAYLOR VS. (6) CLEMSON | 6:10 P.M. | TNT
(4) ALABAMA VS. (12) GRAND CANYON | 7:10 P.M. | TBS
(1) UCONN VS. (9) NORTHWESTERN | 7:45 P.M. | TRUTV
(1) HOUSTON VS. (9) TEXAS A&M | 8:40 P.M. | TNT
(5) SAN DIEGO STATE VS. (13) YALE | 9:40 P.M. | TBS
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
TENNESSEE 92 GREEN BAY 63
CONNECTICUT 86 JACKSON STATE 64
INDIANA 89 FAIRFIELD 56
KANSAS 81 MICHIGAN 72 OT
NOTRE DAME 81 STATE 67
NORTH CAROLINA STATE 64 CHATTANOOGA 45
IOWA 91 HOLY CROSS 65
SYRACUSE 74 ARIZONA 69
OKLAHOMA 73 FLORIDA GULF COAST 70
USC 87 TEXAS A&M-CC 55
OLE MISS 67 MARQUETTE 55
WEST VIRGINIA 63 PRINCETON 53
CREIGHTON 87 UNLV 73
GONZAGA 75 UC IRVINE 56
UCLA 84 CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 55
UTAH 68 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 54
WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
MARCH 24 – SECOND ROUND
SECOND-ROUND GAMES WILL AIR FROM NOON P.M. TO 10 P.M. ACROSS ESPN AND ABC.
MARCH 25 – SECOND ROUND
SECOND-ROUND GAMES WILL AIR FROM 2 P.M. TO 10 P.M. ACROSS ESPN, ESPN2 AND ESPNU.
MARCH 29 – SWEET 16
2:30 P.M. – ALBANY 1 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 1, ESPN
4:30 P.M. – “NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE STUDIO PRESENTED BY AT&T,” ESPN
5 P.M. – ALBANY 1 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 2, ESPN
7:30 P.M. – PORTLAND 4 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 1, ESPN
9:30 P.M. – “NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE STUDIO PRESENTED BY AT&T,” ESPN
10 P.M. – PORTLAND 4 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 1, ESPN
MARCH 30 – SWEET 16
1 P.M. – ALBANY 2 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 1, ABC
3:30 P.M. – ALBANY 2 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 2, ABC
5:30 P.M. – PORTLAND 3 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 1, ESPN
8 P.M. – PORTLAND 3 REGIONAL – SWEET 16 GAME 2, ESPN
MARCH 31 – ELITE 8
1 P.M. – ALBANY 1 REGIONAL – ELITE 8, ABC
3 P.M. – PORTLAND 4 REGIONAL – ELITE 8, ABC
APRIL 1 – ELITE 8
7:15 P.M. – ALBANY 2 REGIONAL – ELITE 8, ESPN
9:15 P.M. – PORTLAND 3 REGIONAL – ELITE 8, ESPN
APRIL 5 – FINAL FOUR
7 P.M. – SEMIFINAL 1, ESPN/ESPN+
9:30 P.M. – SEMIFINAL 2, ESPN/ESPN+
APRIL 7 – CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NBA SCOREBOARD
NEW YORK 105 BROOKLYN 93
SACRAMENTO 109 ORLANDO 107
ATLANTA 132 CHARLOTTE 91
WASHINGTON 112 TORONTO 109
BOSTON 124 CHICAGO 113
PHOENIX 131 SAN ANTONIO 106
HOUSTON 147 UTAH 119
DENVER 114 PORTLAND 111
NHL SCOREBOARD
PHILADELPHIA 3 BOSTON 2
NY ISLANDERS 6 WINNIPEG 3
ST. LOUIS 5 MINNESOTA 4 OT
NASHVILLE 1 DETROIT 0
TORONTO 6 EDMONTON 3
OTTAWA 5 NEW JERSEY 2
NY RANGERS 4 FLORIDA 3
VANCOUVER 4 CALGARY 2
CHICAGO 5 SAN JOSE 4 OT
LOS ANGELES 4 TAMPA BAY 3 OT
VEGAS 4 COLUMBUS 2
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
SPRING TRAINING
PITTSBURGH 4 BOSTON 1
PHILADELPHIA 6 NY YANKEES 6
DETROIT 11 NY YANKEES 6
WASHINGTON 2 ST. LOUIS 2
BALTIMORE 6 TAMPA BAY 4
TAMPA BAY 5 ATLANTA 2
DETROIT 10 TORONTO 7
OAKLAND 11 LA ANGELS 5
ARIZONA 11 SAN FRANCISCO 5
MILWAUKEE 7 CHICAGO CUBS 4
SEATTLE 8 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2
CINCINNATI 6 COLORADO 2
CLEVELAND 5 ARIZONA 0
BALTIMORE 3 TORONTO 2
BOSTON 8 MINNESOTA 6
MIAMI 5 WASHINGTON 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NEW YORK 4 MIAMI 0
NEW ENGLAND 1 CHICAGO 1
REAL SALT LAKE 2 VANCOUVER 1
TORONTO 2 ATLANTA 0
ORLANDO CITY 2 AUSTIN 0
CINCINNATI 1 NEW YORK CITY 0
CHARLOTTE 2 COLUMBUS 0
ST. LOUIS 2 DC 2
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 3 KANSAS CITY 2
HOUSTON 1 COLORADO 0
SAN JOSE 3 SEATTLE 2
LOS ANGELES 5 NASHVILLE 0
PHILADELPHIA 3 PORTLAND 1
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
DAYTON 9 BUTLER 7
DAYTON 8 BUTLER 2
NOTRE DAME 5 MIAMI 2
GEORGETOWN 8 OHIO STATE 5
RUTGERS 13 CONNECTICUT 6
IOWA 4 PURDUE 3
INDIANA 8 ILLINOIS 1
MICHIGAN STATE 5 MARYLAND AND 2
MCNEESE 1 NORTHWESTERN 0
MICHIGAN 9 PENN STATE 6
MINNESOTA 12 SAN FRANCISCO 10
NEBRASKA 2 NEW MEXICO STATE 1
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 11 WRIGHT STATE 2
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 6 OHIO 1
MIAMI OHIO 7 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 4
EASTERN MICHIGAN 11 WESTERN MICHIGAN 4
TOLEDO 7 BALL STATE 5 (11)
OHIO 18 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 3
BOWLING GREEN 11 AKRON 6
INDIANA STATE 3 MISSOURI STATE 0
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 13 VALPARAISO 1
MURRAY STATE 7 EVANSVILLE 6
SOUTHERN INDIANA 7 TENNESSEE TECH 5
COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES
WISCONSIN 2 IOWA 0
NORTHWESTERN 5 MICHIGAN STATE 1
NEBRASKA 16 ILLINOIS 6
PENN STATE 8 INDIANA 3
MICHIGAN 7 PURDUE 0
NOTRE DAME 9 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 4
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP: NC STATE SLIPS PAST OAKLAND IN OT
DJ Burns Jr. had six points and one crucial assist in overtime and No. 11 seed North Carolina State outlasted No. 14 Oakland 79-73 on Saturday night in Pittsburgh to secure an improbable Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region.
Burns finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for the Wolfpack (24-14), who won their seventh straight postseason game between the ACC and NCAA tournaments. Michael O’Connell had 12 points and a season-high eight assists, and DJ Horne, Casey Morsell and Mohamed Diarra each supplied 11 points.
Oakland (24-12) clawed back in the final minutes of regulation before its underdog story ended with an 11-1 NC State run in overtime. Trey Townsend scored 24 of his 30 points after halftime and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Jack Gohlke, Oakland’s first-round hero who made 10 3-pointers against Kentucky, went 6-for-17 from deep Saturday to finish with 22 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies.
West Region
No. 1 North Carolina 85, No. 9 Michigan State 69
RJ Davis scored 20 points and the Tar Heels shrugged off a slow start and a couple of shaky moments to defeat the Spartans in Charlotte.
Armando Bacot added 18 points and seven rebounds and Harrison Ingram had 17 points as the Tar Heels delighted a partisan crowd and were sent off to the West Coast with momentum after two games in their home state.
North Carolina (29-7) goes on to face Alabama or Grand Canyon in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Los Angeles. Tyson Walker scored 24 points Malik Hall added 17 for Michigan State (20-15), which began the season ranked No. 4 in the country.
No. 2 Arizona 78, No. 7 Dayton 68
Caleb Love scored 19 points and the Wildcats earned a Sweet 16 spot with a victory over the Flyers in Salt Lake City.
Pelle Larsson had 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Keshad Johnson recorded 13 points and seven rebounds for Arizona (27-8). Jaden Bradley added 12 points, three steals and three blocked shots.
Daron Holmes II had 23 points, 11 rebounds and three steals for Dayton (25-8).
Midwest Region
No. 2 Tennessee 62, No. 7 Texas 58
Dalton Knecht churned out 18 points to help Volunteers coach Rick Barnes defeat his former Longhorns in Charlotte.
Knecht, who provided seven of his team’s final 15 points, clinched the outcome by sinking both ends of a 1-and-1 with 3.8 seconds to play. Tennessee (26-8) won despite shooting just 33.8 percent for the game and will face No. 3 Creighton on Friday.
Reserve Chendall Weaver and Tyrese Hunter both had 13 points to lead Texas (21-13), which is coached by former Barnes assistant Rodney Terry. The Longhorns shot 36.4 percent.
No. 3 Creighton 86, No. 11 Oregon 73 (2 OT)
Steven Ashworth scored 21 points and ignited the game-winning, 15-point run to propel the Bluejays past the Ducks in Pittsburgh.
Trey Alexander tallied 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Ryan Kalkbrenner had 19 points, 14 boards and five blocks for Creighton (25-9). The Blue Jays escaped a tough second half and will play No. 2 seed Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
Oregon’s two-man wrecking crew of Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante ran out of gas in the second overtime. Couisnard finished with 32 points and eight rebounds, and Dante racked up a career-high 28 points and 20 rebounds for the Ducks (24-12).
No. 5 Gonzaga 89, No. 4. Kansas 68
Anton Watson scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and the Bulldogs delivered a massive second-half knockout punch in routing the Jayhawks in Salt Lake City.
Nolan Hickman had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting as Gonzaga reached its ninth consecutive Sweet 16. The Bulldogs blew the game open with a 32-4 burst over a 12-plus minute stretch of the second half.
Hunter Dickinson scored 15 points and KJ Adams Jr. and Dajuan Harris Jr. added 10 points apiece for the Jayhawks (23-11). Harris added 11 assists, and Kansas again played without All-American Kevin McCullar Jr. (knee). Gonzaga will face either No. 1 Purdue or No. 8 Utah State in the Sweet 16.
East Region
No. 2 Iowa State 67, No. 7 Washington State 56
Tamin Lipsey scored 15 points and the Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons with a victory over the Cougars in Omaha, Neb.
Curtis Jones added 14 points for Iowa State, which won for the ninth time in its past 10 games. Keshon Gilbert and Milan Momcilovic added 10 points apiece.
Jaylen Wells scored 20 points for Washington State. Myles Rice added 13 points.
No. 3 Illinois 89, No. 11 Duquesne 63
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a game-high 30 points and Marcus Domask added 22 to help the Fighting Illini cruise past the Dukes in Omaha, Neb., and into the Sweet 16.
Illinois (28-8) advanced to face No. 8 Iowa State in Boston on Thursday. It’s the Illini’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2005.
Saturday marked the final game for Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot, who is retiring at season’s end. Dambrot guided the 11th-seeded Dukes to an Atlantic 10 tournament championship to clinch the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1977. Jimmy Clark III paced Duquesne with 14 points, and Fousseyni Drame followed with 13.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
LSU COACH KIM MULKEY LASHES OUT AT WASHINGTON POST, THREATENS LEGAL ACTION
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey lashed out at and threatened legal action against The Washington Post on Saturday, saying the paper has spent two years pursuing a “hit piece” about her and that it gave her a deadline to answer questions this past week while the defending national champion Tigers were preparing for the women’s NCAA Tournament.
“The lengths he has gone to try to put a hit piece together,” Mulkey said of award-winning Post reporter Kent Babb, whom she did not mention by name. “After two years of trying to get me to sit with him for an interview, he contacts LSU on Tuesday as we were getting ready for the first-round game of this tournament with more than a dozen questions, demanding a response by Thursday, right before we’re scheduled to tip off. Are you kidding me?
“This was a ridiculous deadline that LSU and I could not possibly meet, and the reporter knew it,” Mulkey continued. “It was just an attempt to prevent me from commenting and an attempt to distract us from this tournament. It ain’t going to work, buddy.”
Babb confirmed to The Associated Press that he is working on a profile of Mulkey, but declined further comment. The Post also declined comment.
Babb has been working for The Washington Post for 14 years. Three times, his features have been named best in the nation by The Associated Press Sports Editors. Babb also has written two books: “Across the River: Life, Death, and Football in an American City,” and “Not A Game: The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall of Allen Iverson.”
Mulkey is in her third season at LSU, which signed her to a 10-year, $36 million extension after she won her fourth national title as a coach last season. She also won three with Baylor, along with two as a player at Louisiana Tech and a gold medal as a player for Team USA at the 1984 Olympic Games.
Mulkey said she told Babb two years ago that she wouldn’t be interviewed by him because she “didn’t appreciate the hit job he wrote on Brian Kelly,” the current LSU and former Notre Dame football coach.
“I’m fed up, and I’m not going to let The Washington Post attack this university, this awesome team of young women I have, or me without a fight,” Mulkey added. “I’ve hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me.
“Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable, but I am, and I’ll do it,” Mulkey said.
Mulkey accused Babb of trying to trick her former assistant coaches into speaking with him by giving them the false impression that Mulkey had acquiesced to being interviewed.
“When my former coaches spoke to him and found out that I wasn’t talking with the reporter, they were just distraught, and they felt completely misled,” Mulkey said.
Mulkey added that former players have told her that the Post “contacted them and offered to let them be anonymous in a story if they’ll say negative things about me.”
“The Washington Post has called former disgruntled players to get negative quotes to include in their story,” Mulkey said. “They’re ignoring the 40-plus years of positive stories.
“But you see, reporters who give a megaphone to a one-sided, embellished version of things aren’t trying to tell the truth. They’re trying to sell newspapers and feed the click machine,” Mukley continued. “This is exactly why people don’t trust journalists and the media anymore. It’s these kinds of sleazy tactics and hatchet jobs that people are just tired of.”
WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT PORTLAND 3 ROUNDUP: UCONN STORMS PAST JACKSON STATE
Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards each recorded a double-double and No. 3 seed UConn pounced on No. 14 seed Jackson State early to cruise to an 86-64 victory in Portland 3 Regional action in Storrs, Conn., on Saturday in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
Bueckers scored the Huskies’ first five points and finished the first quarter with eight points and three rebounds on the way to game highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds. She also matched Nika Muhl and the Tigers’ Keshuna Luckett with a game-high seven assists.
Edwards complemented Bueckers with a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Ashlynn Shade finished with 26 points.
UConn (30-5) raced out to a 14-point lead by the end of the first quarter, then pushed the lead to as many as 24 points in the second quarter. The advantage grew to 27 points in the third, a period in which Shade erupted for 14 points.
Jackson State (26-7), which came into Saturday’s contest on a 21-game winning streak, struggled offensively against the Huskies’ defense. The Tigers shot 21-for-64 from the floor, including 6-for-27 from 3-point distance. Ti’lan Boler led Jackson State with 25 points.
No. 1 Southern California 87, No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 55
Freshman standout JuJu Watkins broke the Trojans’ single-season scoring record, netting 23 points in a victory over the Islanders in Los Angeles.
Watkins came into the game needing five points to surpass the legendary Cheryl Miller for the record, and she did so in the first quarter. Miller had scored 814 points in a single season, and Watkins now has 833 for Southern California (27-5).
Two Trojans each hit more 3-pointers than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (23-9) did as a team (2-for-15 from deep). McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Padilla each went 3-for-7 from beyond the arc, and Forbes matched Watkins with a game-high 23 points. The win sends Southern California into the second round, where it will face Kansas on Monday.
Mireia Aguado went 6-for-8 from the floor en route to a team-high 15 points for the Islanders. Alecia Westbrook added 12 points.
No. 6 Syracuse 74, No. 11 Arizona 69
Dyaisha Fair erupted for 13 points in the final 2:43 to cap a 32-point performance as the Orange defeated the Wildcats in Storrs, Conn.
Fair accounted for all of Syracuse’s points during a game-ending 13-3 run that allowed the Orange (24-7) to climb out of a five-point hole. While Fair exploded on offense, the Syracuse defense held Arizona (18-16) in check, with Helena Pueyo’s 3-pointer providing the Wildcats’ only points over the final 3:15 of the game.
Skylar Jones led Arizona with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Jada Williams and Pueyo each added 14 points for the Wildcats, who led for 33:28 but still couldn’t pull out the win.
Alyssa Latham chipped in 10 points for the Orange, who forced 21 turnovers that translated to 26 points. Syracuse overcame 17 giveaways of their own.
No. 8 Kansas 81, No. 9 Michigan 72 (OT)
Zakiyah Franklin had 22 points to lead four Jayhawks scorers with at least 14 and Kansas rallied from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to oust the Wolverines in Los Angeles.
Kansas (20-12) fell behind 60-50 with 6:01 remaining in regulation when Chyra Evans scored two of her nine points on a layup for Michigan, but the Jayhawks responded with a furious 17-7 run to close the fourth quarter.
They carried the momentum into overtime, scoring the extra period’s first five points to build a lead they never relinquished. Wyvette Mayberry and S’Mya Nichols each supplied 15 points for Kansas, which also got 14 from Taiyanna Jackson.
The Wolverines (20-14) got 18 points from Cameron Williams before she fouled out 91 seconds into overtime. Laila Phelia scored 16 points, and Lauren Hansen added 13 in the loss.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: JALEN GREEN, ROCKETS POUR IT ON VS. JAZZ
Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet combined for 75 points as the host Houston Rockets turned a sharpshooting exhibition into a runaway 147-119 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Green poured in 41 points — one shy of his career high matched Tuesday against Washington — while VanVleet tallied a season-high 34 to pace the Rockets to their eighth consecutive victory and 10th win in 11 games. Green and VanVleet combined to finish 26 of 38 from the floor and 17 of 26 from behind the arc as Houston drilled a season-high 27 3-pointers.
VanVleet nailed 10 treys, matching a single-game franchise record.
John Collins led the Jazz with 25 points while Collin Sexton chipped in 20 points and eight assists. The Jazz, without Lauri Markkanen (right quad contusion) and Jordan Clarkson (right groin strain), have lost 11 of 13 games and 10 consecutive games on the road.
Celtics 124, Bulls 113
Sam Hauser made seven of his eight 3-point attempts and scored 23 points to help visiting Boston stretch its winning streak to nine games with a victory over Chicago.
Jayson Tatum added 26 points and six assists for the Celtics. Al Horford finished the game with 23 points and eight rebounds for Boston, which has won six in a row on the road.
Chicago trailed by six, 113-107, with 4:35 to play, but Boston extended its lead to 10 points on a Tatum basket with 3:04 left. The Bulls never got within striking distance after that. DeMar DeRozan had a game-high 28 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the loss.
Kings 109, Magic 107
De’Aaron Fox scored 12 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, Keegan Murray added 22 points and visiting Sacramento beat Orlando.
Domantas Sabonis recorded his 53rd consecutive double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Keon Ellis finished with a career-high 19 points. Ellis’ 3-pointer put the Kings ahead 106-101 with 1:59 remaining.
Jonathan Isaac matched a career high with 25 points off the bench for Orlando, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Paolo Banchero scored 22 points, Franz Wagner added 18, Cole Anthony had 16 and Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 11 rebounds.
Knicks 105, Nets 93
Donte DiVincenzo scored a game-high 31 points to help New York to a victory over visiting Brooklyn.
Miles McBride added 26 points for the Knicks, while Isaiah Hartenstein collected 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Jalen Brunson also scored 17 points and added eight assists for New York, which has won five of its past six games. Josh Hart grabbed 13 rebounds.
Cam Thomas led the Nets with 19 points, followed by Mikal Bridges with 18 and Cameron Johnson with 13. The Nets’ losing streak reached six games.
Hawks 132, Hornets 91
Dejounte Murray had 28 points and 12 assists and Bruno Fernando came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points to lead Atlanta to a win over visiting Charlotte.
The win ended Atlanta’s two-game losing streak and sent the Hornets to their fourth straight setback. Murray, who recorded his 15th double-double this season, was 7-for-9 on 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and five steals. Fernando added six rebounds and a block. Atlanta’s Garrison Mathews scored a season-high 20 points.
Charlotte was led by Miles Bridges with 27 points and Nick Richards with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
Suns 131, Spurs 106
Devin Booker poured in 32 points and Kevin Durant added 25 in just three quarters as visiting Phoenix dismantled San Antonio.
Phoenix shot 61.6 percent from the floor through the first three quarters, eclipsing the 100-point mark in the final seconds of the third period, sending Booker and Durant to the bench for the final 12 minutes.
Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 14 points while Victor Wembanyama had 13, Blake Wesley scored 12 and Zach Collins racked up 11.
Wizards 112, Raptors 109
Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija and Richaun Holmes all recorded double-doubles and Washington used a late 8-0 run to send visiting Toronto to a 10th consecutive loss.
Avdija led the way with 22 points to go along with his 13 rebounds, but he missed a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left that gave Toronto one last shot at overtime. Poole had 18 points and Holmes finished with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Gary Trent Jr. scored a game-high 31 points to lead a heavily depleted Toronto lineup. The Raptors remained without the corps of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, four of the team’s five primary starters.
Nuggets 114, Trail Blazers 111
Reggie Jackson scored 23 points and Aaron Gordon registered 22 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots to help short-handed Denver beat host Portland.
Christian Braun had 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals off the bench for the Nuggets, who played without stars Nikola Jokic (back, hip) and Jamal Murray (ankle) while completing a four-game season-series sweep of the Trail Blazers.
Duop Reath scored 24 points, Scoot Henderson added 22 points and Toumani Camara had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Portland, which lost its sixth straight game.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: PREDS STRETCH POINT STREAK TO 17 GAMES
Filip Forsberg scored the only goal with 5:14 remaining, Juuse Saros recorded his third shutout and the host Nashville Predators extended their point streak to 17 games by edging the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 on Saturday.
Forsberg’s 39th goal extended his goal streak to five games. He has six goals in his last five games and 10 over his last nine.
Saros notched the 23rd shutout of his career by making 23 saves. The Predators are 15-0-2 during their franchise record-breaking point streak. Nashville has won its last five games in regulation, including two straight shutouts.
Alex Lyon made 32 saves for Detroit, which was starting a five-game road trip. It had won three of its previous four games.
Rangers 4, Panthers 3 (SO)
Artemi Panarin scored twice in regulation and netted the game-winner in the second round of the shootout as New York rallied past visiting Florida.
Panarin scored New York’s final two goals — including the tying goal with 3:25 remaining in the third period — after it trailed 2-0 early in the second period. He finished off the Rangers’ comeback by deking Sergei Bobrovsky and lifting a shot over the Florida goaltender’s glove.
Adam Fox started the comeback with a power-play goal and Vincent Trocheck collected three assists before making a game-saving defensive play in overtime as the Rangers improved to 18-4-1 in their past 23 games.
Flyers 3, Bruins 2
Travis Konecny scored twice while Tyson Foerster netted a dramatic game-winner with 89 seconds remaining and added an assist as Philadelphia beat visiting Boston.
Less than a minute after Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark denied Scott Laughton with his second breakaway save of the game, Foerster strode into a snap shot from the left circle to win the game at 18:31 of the third period. Ullmark finished with 26 saves.
Samuel Ersson made 18 saves as Philadelphia improved to 2-2-1 in its last five games and rebounded from a loss in Boston last week.
Kings 4, Lightning 3 (OT)
Vladislav Gavrikov scored 25 seconds into overtime as host Los Angeles captured its third straight win by cooling off Tampa Bay.
Gavrikov streaked down the middle of the ice, took a feed from Adrian Kempe — who scored the game’s first goal — and beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (19 saves) for his sixth tally of the season. Los Angeles has won four straight at home.
Steven Stamkos scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and an assist and Nikita Kucherov notched an assist to extend his franchise-record assist streak to 13 games for the Lightning, whose season-high-tying five-game winning streak snapped.
Blackhawks 5, Sharks 4 (OT)
Seth Jones scored two goals, including the game-winner 18 seconds into overtime, as visiting Chicago rallied from a four-goal deficit to defeat San Jose.
Ryan Donato had a goal and two assists, and Philipp Kurashev and Tyler Johnson each added a goal and an assist for Chicago, which snapped a two-game losing streak and won for just the second time in its last 27 road games. Taylor Raddysh added two assists, and Petr Mrazek finished with 26 saves.
Fabian Zetterlund had two goals and an assist and Thomas Bordeleau also scored twice for San Jose, which lost its seventh straight game.
Islanders 6, Jets 3
Cal Clutterbuck scored twice in a span of 3:28 in the first period as New York emphatically snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Winnipeg in Elmont, N.Y.
The Islanders stopped their second-longest skid of the season and pulled within three points of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Mathew Barzal also scored and added two assists for his fifth three-point game of the season and first since Jan. 11.
Vladislav Namestnikov scored in the first before Mason Appleton and Cole Perfetti tallied late in the third as the Jets dropped to 14-7-0 in their past 21 and dropped consecutive games for the first time since a five-game skid from Jan. 22-Feb. 8.
Canucks 4, Flames 2
Nils Hoglander scored twice to pace host Vancouver to a victory over Calgary.
J.T. Miller and Elias Lindholm also scored while Elias Pettersson and Conor Garland each collected two assists for the Canucks, who have won three straight games and sit atop the Western Conference standings. Goaltender Casey DeSmith made 22 saves.
Rasmus Andersson and Joel Hanley scored for the Flames, who have lost two straight games and have seen their flickering playoff hopes dissipate. Goalie Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves in his return after missing five games due to a lower-body injury. A.J. Greer finished with two assists.
Blues 5, Wild 4 (OT)
Brandon Saad scored the winning goal 2:05 into overtime to lift St. Louis Blues past Minnesota in Saint Paul, Minn.
Jordan Kyrou tallied a hat trick for St. Louis, which earned two key points as it chases the Vegas Golden Knights for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Jake Neighbours also scored for the Blues.
Marco Rossi scored two goals to lead the Wild. Marcus Johansson and Brock Faber also scored for Minnesota.
Maple Leafs 6, Oilers 3
Bobby McMann had two goals and an assist, Pontus Holmberg scored twice and Toronto defeated visiting Edmonton.
William Nylander and Auston Matthews each added a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who have won two in a row. Timothy Liljegren and John Tavares added two assists each. Matthews has a league-leading 58 goals after scoring into an empty net in the third period. Ilya Samsonov made 31 saves until he was injured late in the third period. Martin Jones took over to make five saves.
Former Maple Leaf Zach Hyman scored his 49th goal of the season for Edmonton. Corey Perry and Leon Draisaitl also scored. Connor McDavid added three assists and Evan Bouchard had two assists.
Golden Knights 4, Blue Jackets 2
Jack Eichel scored two goals as host Vegas topped Columbus in Las Vegas.
Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored and Adin Hill stopped 12 of 13 shots before an apparent injury caused him to depart early in the third period.
Logan Thompson entered and stopped eight of nine shots for the Golden Knights (38-25-7, 83 points), who have won five of seven to maintain a four-point lead over the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Senators 5, Devils 2
Mathieu Joseph and Thomas Chabot each had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which ended a three-game losing streak with a win in Newark, N.J.
Brady Tkachuk had two assists and Joonas Korpisalo made 18 saves for the Senators, while Jesper Bratt and Tomas Nosek scored for the Devils — losers of three of their last five games.
Down 2-1, Ottawa scored three goals in a five-minute stretch in the second period to put the game away.
BASEBALL NEWS
ORIOLES OWNER PETER ANGELOS DIES AT 94
Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos died at the age of 94, the team confirmed Saturday.
Angelos had been ill for several years, turning over day-to-day control of the franchise to his son John in 2020.
“Today, Peter G. Angelos passed away quietly at the age of 94,” the team said in a statement, per Roch Kubatko of MASN. “Mr. Angelos had been ill for several years, and the family thanks the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who brought comfort to him in his final years. It was Mr. Angelos’ wish to have a private burial, and the family asks for understanding as they honor that request. Donations may be sent to charity in lieu of flowers.”
The Angelos family has been in control of the Orioles since 1993, when Peter Angelos purchased the club for $173 million.
John Angelos recently agreed to sell the Orioles to a group led by Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein for a valuation of $1.725 billion.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the Angelos family on the passing of Peter Angelos,” Rubenstein tweeted Saturday.
“Peter made an indelible mark first in business and then in baseball. The city of Baltimore owes him a debt of gratitude for his stewardship of the Orioles across three decades and for positioning the team for great success.”
The group will start off owning roughly a 40% stake in the club, and as part of the agreement, will buy up the remaining 60% once the sale is finalized.
SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: ASTROS (6 HRS) TEE OFF ON METS
Alex Bregman belted two of the Houston Astros’ six home runs, finishing 3-for-4 with six RBIs in a 13-5 romp over the host New York Mets in spring training action Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Kyle Tucker, Shay Whitcomb, Jordan Brewer and Pedro Leon also went deep for the Astros, who jumped out to an 8-1 lead after four innings and never looked back.
Houston starter Cristian Javier (3-1) benefited from the run support, limiting New York to just one run over 4 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out three.
New York’s Jose Quintana was roughed up in his start, allowing five runs on three hits over three innings with four walks and six strikeouts.
Nick Lorusso was a bright spot offensively, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
Tigers 10, Blue Jays 7
Andy Ibanez went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and four RBIs as visiting Detroit’s split squad outslugged Toronto in Dunedin, Fla.
Jake Rogers and Akil Baddoo ripped two-run shots to back Tigers starter Kenta Maeda (2-1), who managed to pick up the win despite giving up 10 hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings. He also struck out seven and walked one.
For the Blue Jays, starter Yusei Kikuchi also endured a rough day, charged with eight runs on six hits – including three homers — over 3 1/3 innings. Justin Turner ripped a three-run homer for Toronto.
Orioles 6, Rays 4
Kolten Wong and Colton Cowser hit home runs as visiting Baltimore built a six-run lead before holding off a Tampa Bay split squad in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Baltimore starter Julio Teheran (1-1) pitched four shutout innings, limiting Tampa Bay to just one hit while walking two and whiffing three.
Meanwhile, Rays starter Zach Eflin (0-3) struck out eight in six innings but was touched for three runs and five hits and walked one. Randy Arozarena began the comeback with a solo blast, but Baltimore’s bullpen closed it out.
Tigers 11, Yankees 6
In a game that featured 13 runs over the first three innings, Detroit’s split squad prevailed over the visiting Yankees in Lakeland. Fla.
Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter and Carson Kelly all homered and drove in two runs apiece for the Tigers, who overcame a tough start by Brant Hurter (five runs on five hits in three innings).
For the Yankees, Jahmai Jones and Caleb Durbin went deep and drove in two runs each, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Starter Cody Poteet (0-1) was roughed up for eight runs on eight hits over 2 1/3 innings.
Pirates 4, Red Sox 1
Five Pittsburgh pitchers held visiting Boston to just five hits and benefited from late run support in Bradenton, Fla.
Edward Olivares broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run shot in the eighth off losing Red Sox pitcher Cody Scroggins (1-1). Jared Jones started for Pittsburgh and allowed an unearned run on four hits over five innings.
Boston Opening Day starter Brayan Bello went 5 1/3 innings, yielding just one run on five hits while striking out seven and walking three.
Rays 5, Braves 2
Aaron Civale outdueled Atlanta ace Spencer Strider as a visiting Tampa Bay split squad prevailed in North Port, Fla.
Civale (1-1) was sharp over six innings, allowing one run on three hits with six whiffs and one walk. Curtis Mead and Francisco Mejia backed Civale with two hits and two RBIs apiece.
Strider (3-1) took his first spring loss as he was charged with two runs and four hits over four innings. He fanned six and walked one. Ozzie Albies and Cal Conley swatted solo shots for Atlanta.
Phillies 6, Yankees 6
Oscar Gonzalez hit a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning as New York and visiting Philadelphia played to a tie in Tampa, Fla.
Yankees starter Carlos Rodon had his roughest start this spring, charged with six runs (five earned) and seven hits in four innings. Oswaldo Cabrera smashed a two-run shot to highlight New York’s 11-hit attack.
Phillies starter Spencer Turnbull delivered three scoreless innings with five whiffs and no walks, but the bullpen allowed six runs over six innings. Cristian Pache collected three of his team’s 10 hits and scored two runs.
Nationals 2, Cardinals 2
Alec Burleson and Thomas Saggese notched RBI hits in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift host St. Louis into a tie with Washington in Jupiter, Fla.
Victor Robles’ RBI single had given Washington a 2-0 lead in the top of the ninth, but Jordan Weems couldn’t nail down the save. Starter Jake Irvin blanked St. Louis over six innings of one-hit ball.
Cards starter Miles Mikolas held the Nats in check, yielding one run on six hits over five innings. He struck out three and didn’t issue a walk.
Athletics 11, Angels 5
Eight players drove in at least a run as visiting Oakland trounced host Los Angeles in Mesa, Ariz.
The Athletics’ Colby Thomas went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run, while Lawrence Butler also drove in a pair.
For the Angels, Nolan Schanuel belted a two-run blast and Nelson Rada added a solo shot.
Rangers 1, Royals 1
John Rave drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning as host Kansas City and Texas played to a tie in Surprise, Ariz.
Leody Tavares drove in the lone Rangers run with a forceout in the second. Starter Nate Eovaldi blanked the Royals for four innings on two hits.
Six Royals pitchers contained Texas’ bats, scattering eight hits and giving up just the one run.
GOLF NEWS
KEITH MITCHELL (66) LEADS AFTER 3 ROUNDS AT VALSPAR
Keith Mitchell overcame three bogeys on the front nine to fire a 5-under-par 66 and take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Valspar Championship on Saturday in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Mitchell carded his three bogeys in four holes going out but rebounded with four birdies on the back nine and an eagle on the 18th hole.
Mitchell sits at 10-under 203 for the tournament, two strokes ahead of Seamus Power (third-round 68), Peter Malnati (68) and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (69).
Hughes was one of five co-leaders heading into Saturday.
Friday’s round was suspended at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course with second-round action restarting at 9 a.m. local time Saturday.
One of Friday’s co-leaders, Stewart Cink, shot 76 Saturday and dropped to T55 at 1 under.
Cameron Young (68) and second-round co-leaders Chandler Phillips (70) and Brendon Todd (70) are tied for fifth at 7 under for the tournament.
Five other players are four shots off the lead at T8.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON TAKES 1-SHOT LEAD AT HOAG CLASSIC
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington played his last four holes in 4 under en route to a 67 to claim a one-stroke lead at the Hoag Classic on Saturday in Newport Beach, Calif.
Harrington sits at 12-under 130 after 36 holes. He leads Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (69 on Saturday), who owns sole possession of second at 11-under 131.
Following a bogey on the 14th, Harrington finished eagle-par-birdie-birdie to end his round with the lead.
“The first 14 holes it was the opposite of (Friday), I seemed to play nicely and not score very well, but then those last four holes make up for it,” Harrington said, in search of his seventh win on the Champions Tour.
“And I was pushing hard over the last four holes. We don’t know what we’re going to get (Sunday), it was important to be tying the lead by the end of the day if not leading. I think I got my mindset a bit, maybe making a bogey at 14 kind of kicked it off a little bit and it was a nice way to finish,” he added.
Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain (68) and England’s Paul Broadhurst (70) are three shots back in a tie for third. South Korean Y.E. Yang (66), Steve Stricker (67) and Woody Austin (68) are within striking distance at 8 under, clustered at T5.
Jimenez also closed strong after posting three bogeys on the front nine. He went birdie-birdie-eagle on Nos. 13-15 before closing with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
“My game is good overall, it’s good. I’m hitting pretty good from the tee, my irons good, the putt is start working after hole No. 8. That’s all you need,” Jimenez said.
Fred Couples withdrew after nine holes on Saturday, citing injury.
JIYAI SHIN (63) VAULTS INTO TIE FOR 1ST AT SERI PAK CHAMPIONSHIP
South Korean Jiyai Shin carded the low round of the week to shoot up the leaderboard and into a tie for first at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., on Saturday.
Shin, who began the third round in a tie for 33rd, shot an 8-under 63 to join Alison Lee on top heading into Sunday’s final round. Lee shot 68 on Saturday. The pair sit at 9-under 204, two shots ahead of a pack of four golfers.
Shin strung together five straight birdies on the front nine and finished her round with birdies on the three of the last four holes. She turned in a clean card and her 63 was one shot off matching the course record.
“Actually the setting is not for the long golfer, so we need it very consistent,” Shin said. “But, you know, this wind (made it) very hard (for) calculating today. That’s why I talked a lot with my caddie about the wind direction and the numbers, too.”
Lee, meanwhile, carded five birdies and two bogeys on the front nine alone. She would finish with six birdies against three bogeys. Lee is searching for her first win on tour.
“I was in a pretty negative mindset coming into today. I saw the forecast and I saw the wind. I saw how much it’s going to be blowing as the day went on. I definitely had a really negative mindset and I said, ‘oh, my gosh, I’m going to play terrible. It’s so windy, not going to be fun out there,’” said Lee, who is making her 181st total start on Tour. “Yeah, obviously making birdies and shooting under par when it’s like this is fun. So I definitely had a pretty good time out there.”
Tour rookies Gabriela Ruffels of Australia and Malia Nam, as well as major champions Ruoning Yin of China and Nelly Korda, are tied for third two strokes back at 7 under.
Another group of five golfers are within striking distance three shots back in a tie for seventh.
AUTO RACING
WILLIAM BYRON CLAIMS CUP SERIES POLE IN AUSTIN
In a thrilling final qualifying round, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron was able to hold on to the pole position despite a 94.685 mph run by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs, whose slight bobble in the final turns — in the final seconds of the session — at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) road course was just off the mark.
This is the 13th career pole for Byron, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet — and the fifth on a road course, which is most among active drivers. This year’s Daytona 500 winner edged Gibbs’ No 54 JGR Toyota by a slight .015 seconds around the 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course to earn the right to lead the field to green in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“It’s just an evolution over time, going out to the karting track this week,” Byron said of preparing for the season’s first road course test. “Honestly this has been my first normal week since the (Daytona) 500 and being in my rhythm and kind of in my cocoon and being able to focus on driving the race car.
“I feel very happy with the way the week has gone and feel very fresh going into this race, so I’m excited for that.”
As for Gibbs, who made a valiant, if unsuccessful, effort in the closing seconds to earn the pole, it is still the second consecutive week he has started from the front row. Defending race winner, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick will start his No. 45 Toyota third. He has started among the top five now in all four NASCAR Cup Series races at COTA. JGR’s Christopher Bell, a winner at Phoenix two weeks ago, will start fourth.
Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie, who turned in a showstopper effort in qualifying, will start fifth in the No. 7 Chevrolet, the best starting position of his nine-year NASCAR Cup Series career. And Ross Chastain, who scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at COTA in 2022, will start sixth — his first top 10 start of the season.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin line up seventh and eighth with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott rounding out the final round qualifiers.
Nineteen drivers broke the track record in what was a dramatic first session. Several of the drivers who had been fast earlier in the day surprisingly did not advance to challenge for pole position. Among those were New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen, who had been among those at the top of the speed charts in both practice sessions. He just missed advancing to final qualifying, finishing less than a hundredth of a second behind LaJoie in Group A. And just behind him, his Kaulig Racing teammate A.J. Allmendinger, a two-time Xfinity Series winner at COTA, was also slightly off the qualifying pace.
Van Gisbergen and Allmendinger, who are both competing in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, will start 12th and 14th, respectively on Sunday.
Among those in Group B not to advance to final qualifying was Kyle Larson, who had shown top five speed during practice. Larson, who is tied atop the championship points lead with Truex, was a little late to join his timed qualifying session as the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team performed a quick rotor change and was never a threat for the pole. He’ll start Sunday’s race 15th.
Austin Cindric was the top qualifying Ford and will start his No. 2 Team Penske Mustang 11th. His teammate, reigning series champion Ryan Blaney, will start the No. 12 Team Penske Mustang 28th among the 39-car field.
Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi — a two-time Rolex 24 at Daytona champion and two-time World Endurance Championship winner, will be making his NASCAR COTA debut in the No. 50 23XI Racing Toyota from 25th place on the starting grid.
INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
GAME PREVIEW: PACERS AT LAKERS
The Pacers hope their recent road dominance carries over to L.A., where Indiana (40-31) will take on LeBron James and the Lakers (38-32) on Sunday night. It will be the first of two straight nights at Crypto.com Arena for the Blue & Gold, who are scheduled to face the Clippers on Monday.
Indiana is coming off an impressive 123-111 victory on Friday night at Golden State in which Tyrese Haliburton (26 points, 11 assists, four blocks, and three steals), Pascal Siakam (26 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists), and Myles Turner (14 points, 10 boards, and five blocks) all recorded double-doubles.
Turner was the story of the night, as his five blocks were enough for him to pass Jermaine O’Neal to become the franchise’s all-time blocks leader. Turner — who will celebrate his 28th birthday on Sunday — now has 1,248 career blocks and counting.
The Pacers have won their last five road games dating back to March 5, which all of those victories coming by double digits. Aside from Monday’s win at lottery-bound Detroit, all of those victories have come against teams well above .500, including wins at Dallas, Orlando, and Oklahoma City.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Latest Standings, Potential Matchups, and More >>
Sunday’s game will technically be the first regular-season meeting between the Pacers and Lakers, but the two teams did play earlier this season in a high-stakes game — the Championship of the inaugural In-Season Tournament on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas. The Lakers prevailed in that contest, but the Pacers are very different team now, having made multiple significant trades in the months since the In-Season Tournament.
Despite capturing the NBA Cup, the Lakers have been fighting most of the season just to secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament in the highly competitive Western Conference. They currently sit in ninth place in the West despite winning two straight and four of their last six.
Injuries have hampered the Lakers’ depth for much of the season, forcing perennial All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to shoulder even more this season. Both players have had excellent seasons, keeping the Lakers in playoff contention. The 39-year-old James continues to defy Father Time, averaging 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8 assists in his 20th season. The 6-10 Davis, meanwhile is averaging 24.4 points and ranks third in the league in rebounding (12.4 per game) and fourth in blocks (2.4 per contest).
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner
Lakers: G – D’Angelo Russell, G – Austin Reaves, F – LeBron James, F – Rui Hachimura, C -Anthony Davis
Injury Report
Pacers: Obi Toppin – questionable (left ankle sprain), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right shoulder labral tear)
Lakers: Anthony Davis – probable (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy), LeBron James – questionable (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy), Colin Castleton – out (right wrist fracture), Jalen Hood-Schifino – out (back disc surgery), Jarred Vanderbilt – out (right mid-foot sprain), Gabe Vincent – out (left knee surgery), Christian Wood – out (left knee surgery)
Last Meeting
Dec. 9, 2023: The Pacers’ magical run in the inaugural In-Season Tournament came to an end with a 123-109 loss to LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Championship game in Las Vegas.
Davis was dominant, tallying 41 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks while going 16-for-24 from the field and 9-for-13 from the free throw line to lead the Lakers to victory. James added 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Tyrese Haliburton finished with a double-double in the loss, tallying 20 points and 11 assists. Second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin added 20 points off the bench in the loss, going 5-for-11 from the field and 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
“We’re sick, frustrated,” Haliburton said after the loss. “We just got outplayed tonight from the start of the game to the end of the game. Just didn’t do the job on loose balls, didn’t rebound, didn’t get enough stops when needed. They just outplayed us, and it’s frustrating.”
While it ended in disappointing fashion, it was still a special run for the Pacers and especially Haliburton. The 23-year-old guard averaged 26.7 points, 13.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from 3-point range. He received votes for In-Season Tournament MVP even though the Pacers finished as the runner-up.
“Obviously, Tyrese Haliburton is now a name that everyone knows,” Carlisle said. “He’s going to be in the conversation for a lot of things from All-Star to All-NBA to MVP based on not just this tournament, but what he’s been doing every single game this year.”
Noteworthy
The Pacers have won their last two road games against the Lakers, including a 116-115 victory on Andrew Nembhard’s buzzer-beating three last season.
Sunday and Monday’s games in L.A. will be Indiana’s 13th and final back-to-back set this season. The Pacers are 9-3 on the first night of back-to-backs this season, but just 2-10 on the second night.
Friday’s win was the 936th for Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, moving him past Dick Motta into sole possession of 13th place on the all-time list. Carlisle is now just two wins behind the legendary Red Auerbach for 12th place.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
After a five-game road trip, the Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 PM ET
INDY ELEVEN SOCCER
WILLIAMS TALLIES FIRST GOAL OF 2024
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, March 23, 2024) – Indy Eleven and Sacramento Republic FC played to a 1-1 draw in the Boys in Blue’s home opener on Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. Indy moves to 1-1-1 on the season, while Sacramento sits at 1-0-2.
Indy Eleven found themselves on the wrong side of an own goal in the 31st minute, but answered back almost immediately when Augi Williams found the back of the net for the first time this season off and assist from Max Schneider.
The teams traded chances in the second half, but neither was able to find the eventual match winner.
Indy was outshot 14-7 in the contest, with Williams having a match-high four, equaling his season best. In goal, Yannik Oettl logged three saves.
USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1:1 Sacramento Republic FC
Saturday, March 23, 2024 – 7 p.m. ET
Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis
2024 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 1-1-1 (0), 4 pts Eastern Conference
Sacramento Republic FC: 1-0-2 (+1), 5 pts Western Conference
Scoring Summary
SAC – Own Goal 31’
IND – Augi Williams (Max Schneider) 34’
Discipline Summary
IND – Adrian Diz Pe (caution) 71’
IND – Max Schneider (caution) 79’
SAC – Jared Timmer (caution) 83’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-5-1): Yannik Oettl, Aedan Stanley, Danny Barbir, Callum Chapman-Page (Adrian Diz Pe 60’), Josh O’Brien (Younes Boudadi 60’), Jack Blake, Sebastian Guenzatti, Tyler Gibson (Tega Ikoba 60’) (captain), Cam Lindley, Max Schneider (Elliot Collier 81’), Augi Williams
Indy Subs: Cayden Crawford, Karsen Henderlong, Nikola Ivetic, Macca King, Maverick McCoy
Sacramento Republic FC line-up: Danny Vitiello, Lee Desmond, Conor Donovan, Jared Timmer, Aldair Sanchez (Shane Wiedt 88’), Luis Rodriguez (Rodrigo Lopez 70’), Nick Ross, Jack Gurr (Rafael Jauregui 82’), Russell Cicerone, Trevor Amann, Cristian Parano (Jonathan Ricketts 70’)
Sacramento Subs: Jared Mazzola, Chibuike Ukaegbu, Blake Willey
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SCALIA SETS IU NCAA TOURNAMENT RECORD WITH 27 POINTS IN WIN OVER 13-SEED FAIRFIELD
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Senior guard Sara Scalia scored a team-high 27 points as 4-seeded Indiana put on a spectacular second half performance to beat 13-seeded Fairfield, 89-56, in the NCAA Tournament first round at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday.
KEY MOMENTS
Sophomore guard Yarden Garzon had seven first quarter points to pace the Hoosiers as the two teams went back-and-forth in the first 10 minutes of action. IU would extend its lead to five on a 3-pointer from Garzon and Scalia’s driving bucket at the rim, but the Stags continued to provide answers.
Holmes’ and-1 with 52 seconds left was the difference maker in the first as Indiana led 20-17. Fairfield, however, took its largest lead of the game in the second as it went up five at the media timeout. The break would spark an 11-0 Indiana run, featured by five-points from Garzon, over the next nearly four minutes to take a 38-34 halftime lead.
Indiana’s offense exploded in the second half, outscoring Fairfield 51-22. It started thanks to a 12-point third quarter from Scalia who helped Indiana go on a 13-0 run with 4:23 remaining.
Seven different players would score for Indiana in the fourth, part of a 26-point quarter as all available players saw action in the victory. IU capped the day by going 10-for-15 from the field in the final frame while limiting Fairfield to just two made field goals.
NOTABLE
Indiana set a new program record for points in an NCAA Tournament game with 89. The previous high was 87 against Kentucky in 1983.
The Hoosiers improved to 10-9 all-time in NCAA Tournament action and have advanced past the first round in all six appearances under Teri Moren.
The 34-point victory ties the largest margin of win for the Hoosiers in an NCAA Tournament game, tying its 34-point win over Charlotte in the first round in 2022.
Scalia’s 27 points are the most by any Indiana women’s basketball player in an NCAA Tournament points, breaking a 41-year-old record of 25 points set by Denise Jackson in 1983. She also set the school’s NCAA tournament record with her five made triples, besting the previous record set by Jaelynn Penn (2019) and Karlee McBride (2016).
Three other players scored in double figures, all with 13 points each from Garzon, Holmes and senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil. Holmes and Garzon added six boards each while Moore-McNeil had a team-high six assists.
IU improved to 16-0 when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor with a 50.8 percent clip overall. It also finished one shy of a season-high in assists as it passed out 25 assists on 31 made field goals.
The Hoosiers also won on the boards, 44-29, led by seven from senior guard Sydney Parrish. They also finished the night 77.3 percent from the free throw line (17-for-22).
Holmes added a team-high three blocks in the win while Indiana set a new season-high with 10 swats.
QUOTABLE
Indiana head coach Teri Moren
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will face the winner of 5-seed Oklahoma and 13-seed FGCU on Monday with a time to-be-determined following the conclusion of all Saturday games.
INDIANA BASEBALL
FOLEY DELIVERS CAREER DAY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In a time where it needed it most, the Indiana Baseball team (12-11, 1-1) received a career performance from sophomore right-hander Connor Foley (W, 2-1) on Saturday (March 23) afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field. The Jasper, Ind. native delivered seven scoreless innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts, limiting the Illinois lineup to just two hits in the 8-1 victory.
Foley gave IU a career high in innings (7.0), strikeouts (10) and pitches (103), handing over a 4-0 lead to the bullpen in the eighth inning. The Hoosiers added insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth as a sacrifice bunt and heads up base running allowed four more runs to score. Fellow sophomore Brayden Risedorph finished off the contest with two innings of one-hit ball.
Junior outfielder Nick Mitchell and freshmen infielders Jasen Oliver and Joey Brenczewski all had two-hit days. Junior third baseman Josh Pyne’s two-run double in the third inning was the effective go-ahead hit on the afternoon as Foley cruised through the Illinois lineup with the lead.
The three hits conceded by Foley and Risedorph are the fewest allowed by the Hoosier pitching staff this season. It limited Illinois’ offense to just one run, the fewest given up since a win over Baylor (6-1) on February 24th. Foley’s 10-strikeout day was the first double-digit strikeout effort from an IU pitcher since Luke Sinnard in May of 2023 against Michigan State.
IU will have a chance to win the opening Big Ten series for the second-straight season in tomorrow’s rubber match against Illinois. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM at Bart Kaufman Field.
Scoring Recap
Bottom Third
Josh Pyne opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run double to left field to score Devin Taylor and Nick Mitchell. This hit served as the eventual winning hit with IU leading the rest of the way.
Indiana 2, Illinois 0
Bottom Sixth
A nice piece of hitting and an RBI-single from Joey Brenczewski allowed Mitchell to add some breathing room with the third run of the contest.
Indiana 3, Illinois 0
Bottom Seventh
Mitchell added a fourth run with a sacrifice fly to the center fielder to score Tyler Cerny.
Indiana 4, Illinois 0
Top Eighth
Illinois got one back in the eighth. Jacob Schroeder singled through the right side on a ball hit off the end of the bat, allowing Coltin Quagliano to score from second.
Indiana 4, Illinois 1
Bottom Eighth
A handful of Illinois mistakes and heads up baserunning from Carter Mathison allowed IU to effectively put the game to rest in the eighth. Brandon Burckel laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. It was thrown away by the third baseman as Jasen Oliver and Sam Murrison scored. Burckel advanced to third on the throw. Cerny put down a bunt of his own to score Burckel. Later in the inning, Mathison stole home with the pitcher not paying attention.
Indiana 8, Illinois 1
Top Hoosier Performers
#14 Foley, Connor
7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 10 K
#20 Mitchell, Nick
2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI
Notes to Know
• Connor Foley’s 10-strikeout day was the first double-digit strikeout effort from an IU pitcher since Luke Sinnard (10) at Michigan State on May 18, 2023.
• Josh Pyne recorded the 178th hit of his college career. His two-run double served as the go-ahead play on the afternoon, his first game-winning play of the season.
• Devin Taylor collected his team-leading 34th hit of the season. He is followed closely by Tyler Cerny (32) and Brock Tibbitts (32).
Up Next
IU continues its three-game set with Illinois tomorrow at Bart Kaufman Field with a first pitch of 1:00 PM. The rubber match will decide the series and the contest will be streamed on BTN+ or can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
INDIANA SWIMMING
BIG TEN CHAMPION INDIANA TIES PROGRAM-RECORD NATIONAL FINISH
ATHENS, Ga. – Indiana has produced program record finishes in each of the last two NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, finishing seventh in the team standings for the third time in program history Saturday (March 23) inside the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
Indiana earned 206 points, just ahead of USC’s 200. With the result, IU has finished top 10 in the team race seven of the last eight seasons and top 12 at each of the last 10 national meets. The 2024 Big Ten Champion was the conference’s top finisher at the national meet, outscoring Ohio State (153) and Michigan (147.5).
“Well, we laid it all out on the line today – tonight especially – and we were really gunning for that sixth-place finish,” IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. If you would have told me we’d get seven with all the challenges that were put before us this year, I would have taken that in a second. I am so proud of these girls – Big Ten Champions, seventh place and multiple team records broken along the way. I can’t say I’m prouder of a group of ladies than this one. They’re very special, and they’ll go down in history as one of our finest teams.”
Ten Hoosiers combined for 31 All-America honors, tying the program record set a year ago. Four relays reached the podium for the first time in program history and all five scored for the fourth time but first time since 2004. Indiana tallied four individual medals, the most since Lilly King and Miranda Tucker combined for as many in 2016.
Like the Big Ten Championship, IU’s standing in the meet came down to the final relay – though, this time, not quite in Indiana’s favor. The Hoosiers did their job, posting a program record 3:10.68 to earn a podium spot and finish better than their No. 9 seed coming in. However, Louisville also overachieved to place third – enough to jump IU in the standings with 212 points. Indiana was six points away from an outright program record finish.
The Hoosiers earned 68 points on the final day from the 1,650-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and the relay.
Junior Anna Peplowski led off the relay and set the 100-yard freestyle program record for the second time Saturday with a split of 47.18. Peplowski was 47.27 in the 100 free prelim to reach her third championship final and went 47.32 in that final to finish seventh individually. Sophomore Kristina Paegle established a personal best 47.57 to finish 11th individually but split a 46.75 to anchor the relay. Seniors Ashley Turak and Ella Ristic split 47.96 and 48.79, respectively, in the final race of their decorated careers.
For the second-straight season, junior Ching Hwee Gan and Mariah Denigan both reached the podium in the 1,650 free. Gan repeated as a medalist, following her 2023 silver with a bronze this season after touching in a time of 15:46.90 – a season best. Denigan has collected consecutive seventh-place finishes, touching this year in 15:55.41. Saturday’s swim was just her second 1,650 free of the campaign, making her season debut with a bronze medal performance at the Big Ten Championships due to a busy international schedule.
As well as the No. 7 in the country, Indiana also finishes its season as Big Ten Champions for the first time since 2019 after winning the conference title by one half of a point over Ohio State in February. The Hoosier women also boasted a perfect dual meet record, going 8-0 in the regular season.
RESULTS
1,650 FREESTYLE
3. Ching Hwee Gan – 15:46.90 (NCAA Bronze, All-America)
7. Mariah Denigan – 15:55.41 (All-America)
24. Elyse Heiser – 16:09.04 (Career Best)
100 FREESTYLE
7. Anna Peplowski – 47.31 (All-America)
11. Kristina Paegle – 47.57(Second-Team All-America, Career Best)
400 FREESTYLE RELAY
8. Anna Peplowski, Ashley Turak, Ella Ristic, Kristina Paegle – 3:10.68 (All-America, Program Record)
HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Brearna Crawford (200 medley relay*, 400 medley relay*)
Mariah Denigan (1,650 freestyle)
Ching Hwee Gan (800 freestyle relay, 1,650 freestyle)
Anne Fowler (1-meter*, 3-meter)
Kacey McKenna (200 medley relay*, 200 freestyle relay, 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay*)
Kristina Paegle (200 medley relay*, 800 freestyle relay, 50 freestyle*, 200 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay*, 100 freestyle*, 400 freestyle relay)
Anna Peplowski (800 freestyle relay, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay, 200 freestyle, 400 medley relay*, 100 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay)
Ella Ristic (800 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay)
Chiok Sze Yeo (200 medley relay*)
Ashley Turak (50 freestyle*, 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay)
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
PURDUE FACES UTAH STATE ON SUNDAY FOR A TRIP TO THE SWEET 16
GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 35 /// NCAA TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND
[1 Seed] Purdue (30-4) vs. [8 Seed] Utah State (28-6)
Sunday, March 24, 2024
2:40 p.m. ET | Indianapolis, Indiana
Gainbridge Fieldhouse (18,345)
TELEVISION: CBS (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan VanGundy, Andy Katz)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• The Purdue Boilermakers, the Midwest Region’s top seed, aims for their fifth Sweet 16 appearance in the last seven tournaments, when it battles No. 20-ranked and No. 8 seed Utah State in Sunday’s second-round showdown in Indianapolis.
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Utah State (1-0), defeating the Aggies 85-64 in the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 22, 2016.
• Purdue has reached the Sweet 16 six times under Matt Painter, including four times in the last six tournaments (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022). Since 2017, only Gonzaga (6) and Michigan (5) have made more Sweet 16s than the Boilermakers.
• Purdue’s 30 wins have tied a school record for most wins in a season (30-7; 2017-18 season). The 30 victories are the fourth most in the country entering the second round (Connecticut, James Madison – 32; Houston – 31).
• Purdue (29, 29, 30) and Houston (32, 33, 31) are the only schools in America to have at least 29 wins in each of the last three seasons.
• Purdue is 7-0 against nationally-ranked teams this season, with all seven victories coming against teams ranked in the AP top 12. Utah State enters Sunday’s game ranked No. 20 in the final Associated Press Top 25.
• Purdue has won 18 straight non-conference, regular-season AND postseason games against teams that are either in a power conference OR nationally-ranked, the fourth-longest streak in NCAA history. Utah State falls in the category, ranked No. 20 in the final AP poll.
• Purdue enters the second round as one of six teams to rank in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency via KenPom.com (Connecticut, Purdue, Arizona, Houston, North Carolina, Marquette).
• Utah State assistant coach Johnny Hill was a transfer at Purdue for the 2015-16 season, averaging 5.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the 26-9 Boilermakers. Hill has had stops at Northwestern Ohio, Grand Canyon, Idaho and Montana State before heading to Utah State with Danny Sprinkle.
• Purdue’s 28-point margin was over Grambling was Purdue’s largest in the NCAA Tournament since March 13, 1998 (95-56 vs. Delaware). The 28-point victory was the fourth-largest win of the first round (40 – Houston; 39 – UConn; 34 – Tennessee; 28 – Purdue).
• The 50 points allowed against Grambing were the fewest allowed in a NCAA game since March 21, 2019 vs. Old Dominion (61-48 win).
• Purdue recorded 23 assists against 10 turnovers, improving to 24-0 when having 13 or fewer turnovers.
• Purdue is shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range in the last 11 games (86-of-204). Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith are a combined 32-of-66 (.485) from deep in that span.
• Zach Edey became just the second player in the last 50 years to record a 30-20 game in the NCAA Tournament, joining Maryland’s Joe Smith vs. Texas (March 18, 1995) as the only players to do so in the last 50 years. Edey became the first player since Memphis’ Larry Kenon in 1975 to have at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks and two assists in an NCAA Tournament game.
• Zach Edey became just the sixth player in NCAA Tournament history, and the first since 1972, to have 30 points and 20 rebounds and shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field in a win (1972 – Bill Walton; 1972 – Roy Ebron (Marshall); 1969 – Lew Alcindor; 1968 – Elvin Hayes; 1961 – Jerry Lucas).
• The 30-20 game was Zach Edey’s third of his career, the most for a player in the last 25 years. He has scored at least 22 points in 11 straight games, averaging 26.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 blocks per game.
• Zach Edey has shot 384 free throws, already the eighth most in a season in NCAA history and the most since 1970 (Pete Maravich – 440).
• Zach Edey became the first player in NCAA history with 800 points, 400 rebounds, 50 assists and 50 blocks in a season, entering the second-round matchup with 836 points, 408 rebounds, 76 blocked shots and 70 assists. He needs 17 rebounds to become the fourth player in NCAA history with at least two seasons of 750 points and 425 rebounds (Elvin Hayes – 3; Rick Barry – 2; Oscar Robertson – 2).
• Braden Smith recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 11 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, with zero turnovers. Smith’s 10 assists with no turnovers made him the first Purdue player since Nov. 2011 (Lewis Jackson) to have at least 10 assists with no turnovers.
• Smith became the seventh player in Big Ten history to have 250 assists in a season (Cassius Winston, Mateen Cleaves, Magic Johnson, Deron Williams, Trey Burke, Demitri McCamey).
• Braden Smith needs four rebounds to become the fifth player in NCAA history with 425 points, 250 assists and 200 rebounds in a season (UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth, Cal’s Jason Kidd, Michigan State’s Magic Johnson).
• Braden Smith (403) surpassed 400 assists in his career in the win over Grambling, making him the fourth player in Big Ten history to have at least 400 assists by the end of his sophomore season (Magic Johnson – 491; Cassius Winston – 423; Trey Burke – 416). He is just the second sophomore in league history with at least 750 points, 400 assists and 300 rebounds (Magic Johnson).
• Zach Edey and Mason Gillis are the only players in Purdue history to score at least 800 points with 500 rebounds and 100 assists and to shoot at least 40.0 percent from 3-point range. Edey is 1-of-2 from deep, while Gillis is at 144-of-355 (.406).
• Fletcher Loyer is 41-of-83 (.494) from 3-point range in the last 24 games which consists of the final non-conference game, the entire Big Ten season, the Big Ten Tournament and the first-round win over Grambling. In his last six games, Loyer is 12-of-16 (.750) from deep.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn had 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists in the opening-round win over Grambling. TKR’s 11 points were his most since scoring 12 against Ohio State (Feb. 18). It marked his second double-digit scoring game in his last 19 games. He has 20 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in 38 minutes over the last two games.
• Purdue’s 2,830 points scored are the fifth most in school history. The Boilermakers are averaging 83.2 points per game, the highest average in a season since the 1997-98 season (83.7 PPG).
PURDUE SWIMMING
BOILERMAKERS ACCOUNT FOR 3 OF TOP 8 ON PLATFORM AT NCAAS AGAIN
ATHENS, Ga. – Daryn Wright, Maycey Vieta and Sophie McAfee all claimed All-America honors in platform diving as the Purdue Divers accounted for three of the eight championship finalists on the tower at the NCAA Championships for the second time in four years.
Wright finished fifth, Vieta sixth and McAfee eighth while competing for the national title in the event. The Purdue women also had accounted for three of the top eight in 2021, with Vieta being part of both trios. The Purdue men achieved the feat in platform diving in 2011 and 2015 as well.
The divers accounted for 57 team points to help the Boilermakers finish 18th at the NCAA Championships. It was Purdue’s best showing since 2010 (16th). The women were top 25 at NCAAs for the 14th time since 2005. Only Texas (77) scored more points than the Boilermakers in the diving events this week.
McAfee joined LSU’s Monsterrat Lavenant as the only divers at NCAAs this year to finish top eight in both a springboard (3-meter) event and the platform. McAfee was fourth on 3-meter Friday. She’s now a four-time All-American and just the Boilermakers’ fourth female diver to be a full-fledged (top 8) All-American on a springboard and the platform in the same year – joining Carrie McCambridge (2005), Amanda Miller (2007) and Emily Bretscher (2021).
Vieta closed out her college career as a four-year All-American on the tower. She was a championship finalist in the event in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Jaye Patrick and Jenna Sonnenberg also closed their college careers Saturday in the prelim as Purdue accounted for five of the 43 divers in the event field.
Wright earned her first career full-fledged All-America accolade while accounting for Purdue’s second top-five finish of the week. The sophomore was also an honorable mention All-American on 3-meter Friday.
Only the top three finishers in the championship final improved on their prelim scores in the finals session. Vieta was in second place, just two points behind the leader, entering round 4 but a poor finish over the final two rounds took her out of medal contention. Wright finished strong with the top-scoring dive of the fifth and final round, but her scores in rounds 3 and 4 kept her out of a medalist finish.
Vieta has already qualified for the Olympic Games on 10-meter for Puerto Rico. McAfee and Wright will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June. Vieta, Wright and Patrick all competed at the World Aquatics Championships earlier this year.
McAfee and Wright will headline Purdue’s returning student-athletes for the 2024-25 NCAA season.
SATURDAY AT NCAAs – PLATFORM DIVING
Daryn Wright, 304.10 (Prelim Score) – Finished 5th in Championship Final; All-American
Maycey Vieta, 313.10 (Prelim Score) – Finished 6th in Championship Final; All-American
Sophie McAfee, 297.35 (Prelim Score) – Finished 8th in Championship Final; All-American
Jaye Patrick, 233.50 – Finished 28th in Prelim
Jenna Sonnenberg, 195.00 – Finished 41st in Prelim
PURDUE BASEBALL
GAFFNEY’S 2-RUN HOMER, GILL’S RBI TRIPLE NOT ENOUGH IN GAME 2 WITH IOWA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Luke Gaffney connected for a two-run homer and Ty Gill delivered a game-tying RBI triple, but Iowa broke the stalemate with a run in the seventh inning and held on to defeat Purdue Baseball 4-3 Saturday at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (16-8, 1-1 Big Ten) left the bases loaded in the eighth inning and Mike Bolton Jr. was robbed of at least a triple when center fielder Kyle Huckstorf made a stellar catch with his back to home plate to open the bottom of the ninth.
The Hawkeyes (12-10, 1-1 Big Ten) out hit the home team 14-5 but Purdue still had an opportunity to take the lead in the eighth inning. Logan Sutter, Couper Cornblum and Jo Stevens all reached base with one out to load the bases. Iowa went to the bullpen for righthander Jack Young and the sidearmer retired a pair of lefthanded hitters – Gill and pinch hitter Aaron Dolney – to keep his team in front.
Luke Wagner, Aaron Suval and Jackson Dannelley teamed up to post four consecutive zeros for the Boilermakers after the Hawkeyes scored three of their four runs over the first two frames. Huckstorf scored the go-ahead tally on an RBI single from Davis Cop after moving into third base with no outs via a pair of wild pitches.
Dannelley stranded a pair of inherited runners in the sixth inning, running his streak of inherited runners left on base to 12 dating back to the 2023 season finale. But Wagner and Dannelley both saw their consecutive scoreless innings streak come to an end. Wagner gave up an earned run for the first time since the first inning of the Feb. 25 win vs. George Mason, snapping his streak at 22 straight innings. Dannelley gave up an earned run at Alexander Field for the first time since April 30, 2023, snapping a streak at 13 consecutive innings.
Another #4faves from game two against Iowa for @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/eINHVE6cVa
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) March 23, 2024
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Camden Gasser – 22-game on-base streak (every game he’s played in 2024)
• Couper Cornblum – 15-game on-base streak in Big Ten Play (since 4/15/23)
• Jo Stevens – 10-game hit streak
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Jackson Dannelley – 12 consecutive inherited runners stranded (since 5/20/23)
Gaffney hit an opposite-field homer into the right field bullpen with Camden Gasser aboard in the first inning for his fourth home run of the season. Gasser walked twice Saturday, increasing his Big Ten-leading total to 23.
Gill’s opposite-field gapper into left center landed out of the reach of a diving Huckstorf, going for a game-tying, two-out triple in the fourth inning.
Gill and Dannelley accounted for the top web gems of the day. Gill made a sliding catch in foul territory to snare a pop up for the second out of the sixth inning. Dannelley made a blind behind-the-back stab on a hot shot back to the mound, retiring Iowa’s 3-hole hitter to complete a 1-2-3 top of the eighth.
Jo Stevens’ single in his first at-bat gave him a 10-game hit streak for the second year in a row. Connor Caskenette was kept off base at Alexander For the first time since March 21, 2023 – ending his home streak at 27 consecutive games.
The rubber game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
PURDUE SOFTBALL
BOILERMAKERS OPENED BIG TEN PLAY AT MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It was a frigid, windy day in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for Purdue’s Big Ten season-opener, which ended with a 0-7 shutout for Michigan to take the series opener.
The Boilermakers (12-15) recorded three hits in the outing. Sage Scarmardo notched a double to center field, secured thanks to a diving effort to beat out the tag. Tyrina Jones registered Purdue’s second hit in the sixth inning on a shot through the left side and Moriah Polar followed in the seventh inning with a rip through the right side.
With Scarmardo’s double, the sophomore increased her hitting streak to 15 consecutive games.
In total, Purdue was out-hit 3-11 in the Boilermakers’ first game in Ann Arbor in eight years (last away game came in 2018).
Purdue loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but strong pitching led to three straight strikeouts to keep the Boilermakers off the board. In total, 11 Boilermakers were left stranded compared to the Wolverines’ nine.
Junior starting pitcher Madi Elish received the loss after starting the game and re-entering in the fifth inning to close the game. In total, Elish pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and one strikeout.
Purdue returns to Alumni Field tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET for Game 2 at Michigan. The Boilermakers and Wolverines close the series out Monday at 4 p.m. ET. All games will be streamed on B1G+.
PURDUE WOMEN’S TENNIS
BOILERMAKERS EARN DOMINANT WIN OVER PENN STATE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 59 Purdue women’s tennis defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 4-0 Saturday, earning the second Big Ten victory of the season.
First to win in doubles were Ashlie Wilson/Juana Larranaga at No. 3. The pair defeated Penn State’s Jordina Cegarra/Alina Lebedeva 6-4. To clinch the doubles point for the Boilermakers, Tara Katarina Milic/Carmen Gallardo Guevara beat No. 69 Karly Friedland/Olivia Dorner. At the one spot, the pair claimed a 7-5 victory. When the doubles point was called for Purdue, Csilla Fodor/Kennedy Gibbs were battling at No. 2, leaving the match unfinished at 5-5.
The Boilermakers took a quick lead in singles with five players each winning their first set. At No. 3, senior Csilla Fodor claimed the first singles victory for Purdue, going 6-0, 6-4. Tara Katarina Milic earned the second singles point for the Boilers with her 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 5. To complete the sweep, Juana Larranaga bested the Nittany Lions’ Jordina Cegarra in two straight sets, finishing 6-3, 6-4.
Up Next
The Boilermakers will be back at Schwartz Tennis Center Sunday, March 24 at noon to take on the No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes.
Purdue (9-5)- 4, Penn State (2-11)- 0
SINGLES
1. Carmen Gallardo Guevara (PUR) vs. Sofiya Chekhlystova (PEN)- 6-1, 6-7(3), 0-0
2. Kennedy Gibbs (PUR) vs. Olivia Dorner (PEN)- 6-7(5), 4-4
3. Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Yvonne Zuffova (PEN)- 6-0, 6-4
4. Juana Larranaga (PUR) def. Jordina Cegarra (PEN)- 6-3, 6-4
5. Tara Katarina Milic (PUR) def. Alina Lebedeva (PEN)- 7-5, 6-4
6. Ashlie Wilson (PUR) vs. Karly Friedland (PEN)- 6-2, 5-7, 1-0
DOUBLES
1. Tara Katarina Milic/Carmen Gallardo Guevara (PUR) def. No. 69 Karly Friedland/Olivia Dorner (PEN)- 7-5
2. Kennedy Gibbs/Csilla Fodor (PUR) vs. Sofiya Chekhlystova/Yvonne Zuffova (PEN)- 5-5 (Unfinished)
3. Juana Larranaga/Ashlie Wilson (PUR) def. Jordina Cegarra/Alina Lebedeva (PEN)- 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles- 3, 5, 4, 1 (Unfinished), 2 (Unfinished), 6 (Unfinished)
Doubles- 3, 1, 2 (Unfinished)
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTRE DAME ADVANCES AFTER 81-67 WIN OVER KENT STATE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 2 Notre Dame (27-6) is headed to the Round of 32 after the Irish downed No. 15 Kent State (21-11) on Saturday afternoon, 81-67. Sonia Citron led all players with 29 points, and Hannah Hidalgo posted her eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 assists. She also had 6 steals.
The Irish struggled to get going offensively, and Kent State was able to get out in front 5-4 to start. Back-to-back field goals from Anna DeWolfe brought some life to the offense, sparking a 20-1 run for the Irish.
Defensively, the Irish held the Flashes scoreless for 5:58 and 1-15 from the floor after starting the game 2-4. Notre Dame ended the first quarter up 22-10. Citron was 4-5 and led all players with 9 points.
Carrying momentum into the second, the Irish started the quarter with a 9-1 run to extend their lead to 31-11. Three straight buckets from Hidalgo, Citron and Becky Obinma gave the Irish the 40-23 advantage at the media timeout.
Citron continued her domination through Q2 and had 16 points at the half with a pair of treys. She was 78 percent from the floor. Anna DeWolfe had 10 points of her own.
Offense was hard to come by in the third quarter. The Flash opened the half shooting 3-5 from the floor, but three consecutive Irish baskets all coming off of Flash turnovers would force a Kent State timeout. Notre Dame scored just 10 points in the quarter.
Notre Dame got going offensively again in the fourth, and Citron added 9 more points. Hidalgo did an excellent job finding her in transition, leading to 22 fast break points by the Irish. Kent State had just 3.
The Irish ended with just 9 turnovers, the third consecutive game in which they had single-digit giveaways. Kent State had 17 turnovers leading to 23 Irish points.
Notre Dame will play the winner of No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 10 Marquette on Monday in the Round of 32. The tip time will be released following the conclusion of Saturday’s games.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
IRISH TAKES THE SERIES WITH SATURDAY’S WIN OVER NC STATE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – After giving up three unearned runs in the first inning, the University of Notre Dame softball team battled back and cruised to a 9-4 win over the visiting North Carolina State Wolfpack Saturday afternoon at Melissa Cook Stadium. With the win, the Fighting Irish improve to 19-10 overall, and 4-4 in ACC action.
Sophomore Micaela Kastor got the start in the circle, throwing an inning-plus. She allowed two hits, four runs, one earned and struck out one. Shannon Becker dominated in relief, throwing 6.0 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.
The Irish offense had 11 hits in the contest, the ninth time the offense has reached the double-digit hit plateau. Carlli Kloss and Cassidy Grimm led the charge, each finishing 3-for-4. Kloss drove in one and scored twice to go with a walk, Grimm drove in a pair and scored a run herself. Karina Gaskins added a 2-for-3 effort with a walk, driving in three and scoring twice. Emily Tran, Addison Amaral and Anna Holloway added hits in the contest, each scoring a run.
How It Happened
NC State took the lead in the first inning for the second-straight game. The Wolfpack led off with a walk, as the Irish couldn’t record an out on two ground balls, loading the bases. After a strikeout, a single from Ellie Goins drove in two and put runners on the corners. NC State executed a delayed steal, Kloss threw the runner out at second, but the runner from third took home and the Wolfpack took the 3-0 lead.
Notre Dame answered the bell in the bottom of the first, sending 11 hitters to the dish. Kloss and Tran led off with back-to-back singles and a walk from Gaskins loaded the bases. Amaral hit a ground ball up the middle that was fielded, but the throw to get Kloss was late for the first run. Grimm followed with a single to center to score two and tie the game. A sacrifice fly put the Irish up 4-3 with Grimm moving to third. A wild pitch brought in Grimm and Kloss drove in Holloway with a single to put the Irish up 6-3 after the first inning.
The Wolfpack got a run back in the top of the second, scoring on a bases loaded walk.
The Irish struck again in the bottom of the third. Kloss led off with a walk and went first to third when Tran’s ground ball was misplayed. Gaskins drove a low and outside pitch the other way for a three-run homer to extend the lead to 9-4. Its her fifth of the season, and 43rd of her career.
That score held for the duration as neither team scored over the final three and a half innings.
Up Next
The Irish look for the series sweep of the Wolfpack Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
BUTLER MEN’S TENNIS
BUTLER MTENNIS TOPS VILLANOVA 7-0
The Butler men’s tennis team defeated Villanova 7-0 on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs now stand at 7-13 overall and 3-1 in BIG EAST play for the spring season.
BIG EAST Singles Player of the Week Alvaro Huete Vadillo defeated Josh Robinson in a 6-1, 6-3 fight at No. 1 singles. Borja Miralles played a tight match against Will Monahan at No. 2 singles. Miralles clinched the victory over Monahan with a 7-5, 6-7 (3), 10-8 finish. Nicholas Balthazor defeated Justin Frattarellli at No. 6 singles in a hard fought three set victory, 2-6, 6-0, 10-4.
In doubles play, Huete and Rahulniket Konakanchi beat Monahan and Frattarelli in a 6-2 contest at No. 1 doubles. Miralles and Patrick Joss defeated Robinson and Cooper Gordon in a hard-fought tiebreaker victory for the Bulldogs, 7-6 (7-2).
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Friday, March 29 to take on Saint Louis in Saint Louis, Mo.
Results
SINGLES
Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BUT) def. Josh Robinson (NOVA), 6-1, 6-3
Borja Miralles (BUT) def. Will Monahan (NOVA), 7-5, 6-7 (3), 10-8
Patrick Joss (BUT) def. Eitan Khromchenko (NOVA), 6-0, 6-2
Rahulniket Konakanchi (BUT) def. Ryan Nguyan (NOVA), 6-4, 6-1
Aidan William (BUT) def. Lukas Choi (NOVA), 6-4, 6-1
Nicholas Balthazor (BUT) def. Justin Frattarelli (NOVA), 2-6. 6-0, 10-4
DOUBLES
Huete/Konakanchi (BUT) def. Monahan/Frattarelli (NOVA), 6-2
Miralles/Joss (BUT) def. Robinson/Gordon (NOVA), 7-6 (7-2)
Arts/Balthazor (BUT) vs. Khromchenko/Winton (NOVA)
BUTLER WOMEN’S LAX
BUTLER WLACROSSE BEATS XAVIER IN BIG EAST MATCHUP
The Butler women’s lacrosse team defeated BIG EAST member Xavier today in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bulldogs improve to 2-7 overall and 1-0 in BIG EAST games for the 2024 season, while the Musketeers fall to 3-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
The Bulldogs dominated in the first half quarter, scoring nine goals and only allow one Xavier goal. Senior midfielder Leah Rubino opened up the match with an unassisted goal at the 13:29 mark to set the tone for the match. Teammates Patricia Lynn, Kayla Kielbasa, Delaney Hudson, Elise Latham, and Ava Clemson all played a crucial role in the first quarter surge each scoring a goal. Sophomore attack Luci Selander also contributed two goals in the first quarter.
The Musketeers started to find their rhythm throughout the second quarter, scoring four goals and only allowing two Butler goals. Hudson and Kate Kaptrosky each netted a goal in the second quarter to help the Bulldogs to a 11-5 lead at the half.
While the Musketeers continued to fight against the Bulldogs, the strength of Butler’s defense only allowed for five goals in the second half. Selander added two goals in the second half alone; she was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs with four goals. Rubino contributed another goal in the fourth quarter, assisted by Hudson, whom leads the program in assists. Latham and Kaptrosky each netted in a goal to help secure the Bulldog’s win. Goalie Caroline Smith recorded 15 saves in the team’s victory.
Noteable Stats:
The Bulldogs topped the Musketeets 18-12 in draw controls and 15-9 in saves.
Delaney Hudson accounted for four points; consisting of two goals and two assists.
Leah Rubino filled the box score with three goals on six shots, five ground balls, and five draw controls.
Kate Kaptrosky contributed two goals on seven shots, one assist, and five draw controls.
Patricia Lynn accounted for two draw controls, two ground balls, and one goal.
The Bulldogs will be back at home on Saturday, March 30 to take on Villanova in Indianapolis, Ind. The first draw is set for 12 p.m.
BUTLER BASEBALL
DAYTON SWEEPS SATURDAY DOUBLEHEADER
INDIANAPOLIS – The Dayton Flyers recorded two wins at Bulldog Park on Saturday. Butler took a 9-7 loss in game one and were defeated 8-2 in the nightcap. These two teams will return to the diamond tomorrow for a 12 PM doubleheader in Indy.
Game One
Butler scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Dayton would claim a 9-7 win in the opener. Carter Dorighi, Jack Moroknek, Evan Parks, Kade Lewis and AJ Solomon all had extra base hits for BU. Lewis opened the scoring for Butler with an RBI double to right-center that scored Billy Wurch in the second inning to make the game 2-1. Butler didn’t score again until the ninth.
With their backs against the wall, Butler kept fighting until the final out. AJ Solomon entered the game and doubled to left to score David Ayers and Moroknek’s double to deep centerfield cleared the bases to make the game 9-5. Ayers got involved with a two-RBI single to left, but the contest would end at 9-7
Tyler Banks got the start for Butler. He tossed six full innings and struck out six Flyers. He took the loss and the win went to Eli Majick. Nick Wissman came in for the final out to get his fourth save of the season.
Game Two
Dayton built an early 4-0 lead against Butler and a three-run sixth inning would fuel an 8-2 victory. Eddie Yamin IV hit a two-run home run for the Flyers in the sixth to increase their lead. Butler broke up the shutout in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single to left from Kade Lewis. Jack Moroknek also had an RBI single in the seventh.
The win went to Connor Fennell while the loss went to Grant Brooks. Brooks tossed 5.2 innings before handing the ball off to Ben Whiteside. Fennell had eight strikeouts and just one walk over 6.1 innings. Michael Fortes was the only reliever used in the contest for UD.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
UCONN CLINCHES SERIES OVER @BUTLERSOFTBALL WITH ONE GAME REMAINING
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler softball team lost the second game of a three-game BIG EAST series with UConn on Saturday by the final score of 10-8. While the Huskies took a three-run lead in the first inning, the Bulldogs plated five in the third to take their first lead. UConn (17-11, 5-0 BIG EAST) regained the lead in the fourth and, though Butler (13-17, 2-6 BIG EAST) threatened in the late innings, held on to clinch the series with one game remaining.
Game 2: UConn 10, Butler 8 (7 innings)
UConn scored three runs in the first inning, and the 3-0 lead held through two complete.
In the third, with two Butler runners on base, Cate Lehner knocked in a run with a single. Later, with the bases loaded, Ella White drew a walk to push another run across. Paige Dorsett then hit a three-RBI double to right field to give the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.
The Huskies responded in the fourth, scoring six runs on four hits and an error. UConn’s lead was 9-5.
In the fifth, Olivia Moxley hit a leadoff home run. After a pair of walks, Lehner pushed another run across with a single through the left side. Hailey Conger followed that with another single that pulled the Dawgs to within one, at 9-8.
UConn hit a leadoff home run in the sixth to extend its lead to 10-8.
The Bulldogs stranded two runners in the sixth and had two on in the bottom of the seventh, but a foul out ended the game.
Katie Petran (0.2IP, 3R, 3H, BB, K) started in the circle for Butler but left before completing an inning. Rylyn Dyer entered in the first and ultimately took the loss. In 2.1 innings, she allowed six runs (five earned) on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Sydney Cammon (4.0IP, R, H, 2BB, 2K) provided relief in the top of the fourth and finished the game.
Bulldog Bits
Olivia Moxley’s home run was her first of the season and fourth of her career.
Paige Dorsett’s double was her fifth of the season and 17th of her career.
Cate Lehner’s had a season-high two RBI and her three hits matched her season high.
Up Next
The third and final game of the BIG EAST series with UConn is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 24. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
MVB TAKES HOME FIVE-SET THRILLER AGAINST PFW TO REMAIN ATOP OF THE MIVA STANDINGS
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – It was an intense match against the two interstate Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association rivals which saw the No. 12 Ball State men’s volleyball team take a five-set thriller (18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 27-29, 15-11) against longtime rival Purdue Fort Wayne Saturday night at the Gates Sports Center.
With the win, Ball State remains atop of the MIVA standings with an overall record of 17-8 and a league mark of 10-2 while Purdue Fort Wayne drops to 11-10 on the year and 5-7 in conference action.
Tonight’s contest was close from start to finish, consisting of 47 ties and 16 lead changes.
At first, the Mastodons carried their momentum throughout the first frame of action winning easily by a score of 25-18 after dominating offensively with a .500 hitting accuracy from the floor.
The tides then turned in the second and third frames, although close late in both sets, Ball State took confident leads in both allowing the Cardinals to jump ahead to a 2-1 edge over Purdue Fort Wayne.
It was the fourth set that got a little tricky. Ball State went up 18-14 off a kill from Vanis Buckholz late in the stanza. The Cardinals continued to move forward after some PFW errors to push BSU’s lead even further, 20-15. Purdue Fort Wayne then came back to take a 21-20 advantage. From that point forward, the set was a back-and-forth affair which saw missed opportunities for Ball State to win the match. Unfortunately, the Mastodons completed their comeback to send the match into overtime.
In the final set the score was knotted 9-9 as both teams were neck-and-neck. But Dyer Ball would come through with two huge kills to put the Cardinals in a strong position 12-10 for a possible victory. Ball State was able to hold off PFW from another comeback and Tinaishe Ndavazocheva would seal the win with a kill for match point.
Ndavazocheva finished the match with a season best 25 kills off 55 swings for a .382 hitting percentage while Ryan Bartz finished the night with 14 kills. The Cardinals’ setter Lucas Machado dished out 51 assists for a .495 accuracy while leading the squad with 15 digs.
The Ball State men’s volleyball team will play two matches on the road next week at Lewis starting Thursday night. First serve is at 8 pm ET.
BALL STAGE GYMNASTICS
MIDDLETON SHINES; CAPTURES MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS ALL-AROUND TITLE
MUNCIE, Ind. – – It was another thrilling day in Worthen Arena for the Ball State gymnastics team which took home titles in three of four individual events and the all-around on the way to a second-place finish at the 2024 Mid-American Conference Championships.
“I am proud of our athletes and the way these young women came out focused from the first routines to the last routine,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “It was something incredible to be part of. They kept their cool, they kept their focus and just had a stellar meeting. I am extremely proud of the way they went out and competed today.”
Overall, the Cardinals finished the day with a team score of 196.475 and counted 15 scores of 9.800-or-higher. Unfortunately, it was just shy of Western Michigan who would capture the event championship with a team score of 196.525.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was sophomore Zoe Middleton, who became just the second gymnast in program history to capture the all-around title with a score of 39.525. The effort included three additional medals, as she tied for the event wins on beam (9.900) and floor (9.900), while tying for third on vault (9.900).
Middleton’s all-around score was .275 higher than any other league gymnast, and she was the only athlete on the day to record three scores of 9.900-or-higher.
She was not Ball State’s only individual champion crowned on Saturday, however, as freshman Ashley Szymanski earned her first MAC title by tying for the top spot on bars with a 9.925. In addition, for her effort the entire season, Szymanski became the first player in program history to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors.
Rounding out Ball State’s individual event champions on Saturday was senior Suki Pfister who tied with Middleton and four others for the event win on floor with a 9.900. That was not Pfister’s only honor on the day, however, as she was also named the MAC Specialist of the Year for the third straight season.
The Cardinals also received one more specialty award on the day, with Saleem being named the MAC Coach of the Year for the third time in the past four season.
“I am humbled and honored to be voted the MAC Coach of the Year again,” Saleem said. “As I just told the team, this is truly a team award. None of us to this by ourselves, for me, it’s the amazing staff I have and the amazing student-athletes I have the privilege of coaching that makes this possible. From top to bottom, every person helps make this a special program.”
The Cardinals opened the meet on floor, turning in a team score of 49.250, led by Middleton and Pfister who tied for the event win. Ball State also counted a 9.875 by senior Victoria Henry, a 9.800 from graduate Megan Teter and a 9.975 by junior Carissa Martinez.
After its first bye, Ball State turned its attention to vault and tallied three scores of 9.800-or-higher, once again led by Middleton’s 9.900. Teter followed with a 9.850, while senior Hannah Ruthberg turned in a 9.800.
The Cardinals best rotation of the day came in the fifth of seven total rotations, with BSU leading all seven MAC schools with a 49.200 on bars. Along with Szymanski’s title, the Cardinals counted a 9.850 from Ruthberg, 9.825s from Middleton and junior Grace Sumner, as well as a 9.775 from freshman Ava Molina.
Ball State closed out the day with another solid showing, putting up the meet’s second-best showing on beam at 49.000. Along with Middleton’s title, the Cardinals also received a 9.875 from Szymanski, a 9.825 from Ruthberg and a 9.800 from Sumner.
With three scores of 9.800-or-better, Ruthberg would take fourth in the all-around with a 39.175. Teter rounded out her MAC career with an all-around mark of 38.275, paced by her 9.850 vault and 9.800 floor routine.
With a National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 196.520 entering Saturday’s championship meet, the Cardinals were already a look for an NCAA Regional berth. Ball State will find out its NCAA fate on Monday on the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Selection Show.
Stay tuned to BallStateSports.com for updates.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
TOLEDO COMES BACK LATE TO TAKE MIDDLE GAME OF SERIES OVER BASEBALL
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Ball State baseball team got out to an early 5-0 lead, but Toledo rallied back for a 7-5 win in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon at Scott Park in the middle game of the series.
The Cardinals (12-12, 1-7 Mid-American Conference) enjoyed a quality start from Merritt Beeker, who allowed two runs in 6.0 innings of work while striking out 11, but the Rockets (10-12, 6-2 MAC) rallied back against the Ball State bullpen, scoring twice in the eighth inning and once in the ninth before right fielder Caden Konczak hit a walkoff home run in the bottom half of the 11th to clinch the series for the hosts.
Ball State had an RBI single in the first inning from Michael Hallquist that scored Nick Gregory before crossing the plate twice in the third including a run-scoring knock off the bat of Decker Scheffler. Blake Bevis accounted for the Cardinals’ final offense of the day on a two-run double in the fifth inning.
Bevis went 3-for-5 with two doubles and the pair of RBI, while Gregory, Hallquist and Scheffler collected two hits each at the top of the Ball State order. Toledo’s Konczak went 5-for-6 with two homers and five RBI on the day.
Brady Owens (0-1) entered the ninth in a bases loaded jam and struck out the side, but suffered the loss in the 11th. Kyle Pijaszek worked a scoreless inning to improve his record to 2-1 for the Rockets.
Ball State and Toledo are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. on Sunday to wrap up the three-game set.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
CUTTS, HERNANDEZ HELP SYCAMORES EVEN THE SERIES WITH 3-0 WIN OVER MISSOURI STATE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Brennyn Cutts went into the seventh inning and Luis Hernandez drove in all three Indiana State RBIs as the Sycamores topped Missouri State, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon at Bob Warn Field to even the weekend series.
The Sycamores (16-5, 1-1) picked up their first Missouri Valley win of the 2024 season courtesy of the strong performance from Cutts (3-1) and Jared Spencer (S, 2) on the mound, as well as key hitting from both Dominic Listi and Hernandez.
Cutts pitched the Sycamores out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning and pitched around runners in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth frames in his longest outing of the 2024 season. The junior right-hander allowed five hits and four walks while striking out six over a 6.1-inning, 102-pitch outing as the Sycamores picked up their 11th consecutive win in the second game of an MVC series dating back to the 2022 season.
Cutts struck out Jahlani Rogers to open the top of the seventh, before walking Logan Chambers after a nine-pitch battle before turning the ball over to Spencer in the inning. The Sycamore relief ace pitched out of a bases-loaded situation catching MSU’s Caden Bogenpohl looking at strike three to end the Missouri State’s final scoring opportunity over the final three innings.
Hernandez provided all the run support the Sycamores would need following up Listi’s leadoff single in the top of the fourth. His double to left center that rolled to the warning track allowed Listi to score from first to give ISU the 1-0 lead.
Hernandez would go on to add a two-run double that one-hopped the wall in left field in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring Adam Pottinger and Grant Magill to put ISU ahead 3-0.
Spencer retired the final seven batters he faced over 2.2 innings of work, recording three strikeouts in his second save of the season. Parker Stinson added a highlight fly with a sliding catch in foul territory in the ninth inning to help secure the shutout.
Hernandez extended his 20-game hitting streak on Saturday going 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of doubles. Listi added a 2-for-3 day and was hit by a pitch to run his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games. Riley Iffrig, Pottinger, and Magill all singled for the Sycamores in the win.
Taeg Gollert doubled and had two hits to help lead a Missouri State offense that was limited to six hits on Saturday afternoon. Tyler Epstein added a pair of singles in the loss.
Jason Schaaf (0-1) took the loss on the mound for the Bears going 4.1 innings allowing five hits and three runs while walking one and striking out one. Kaleb Thomas pitched MSU out of trouble in the fifth inning, while Hunter Day recorded three shutout innings in relief.
How They Scored
Luis Hernandez followed a Dominic Listi single with an RBI double in the left center gap to put Indiana State ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Hernandez added to the Indiana State lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as the junior first baseman connected on a two-out two-run double that one-hopped the wall in left field scoring Adam Pottinger and Grant Magill to make it 3-0 Sycamores.
News & Notes
Luis Hernandez extended his hitting streak to 20 consecutive games following RBI double to left center in the bottom of the fourth inning. He continues the longest hitting streak in the Mitch Hannahs coaching era dating back to the 2014 season and finished the day 3-for-4 from the plate.
Dominic Listi extended his on-base streak to 21 games on Saturday afternoon after singling in the bottom of the fourth inning. He finished 2-for-3 with his team-leading 14th hit-by-pitch on the afternoon.
Listi reached safely in every game in the 2024 season to date and is the fourth player to post a 20-game on-base streak in a single season over the last two years joining Adam Pottinger (36 games – 2023), Luis Hernandez (26 games – 2023), Mike Sears (23 games – 2023).
Indiana State has won the second game in each of their last 11 Missouri Valley weekend series dating back to the end of the 2022 season. ISU went a perfect 9-0 in the Saturday contests in the 2023 season, including 3-0 in games that evened the series.
Brennyn Cutts’ 6.1-inning outing tied a career-high for the Sycamore right-hander, equaling the mark set last season in the MVC Tournament against Evansville on May 27, 2023.
Spencer tied Simon Gregersen for the team lead with his second save of the season, while his three strikeouts made him the fifth ISU pitcher to eclipse 20-strikeouts on the year.
Up Next
Indiana State closes out the conference weekend on Sunday afternoon as the Sycamores take on Missouri State to Bob Warn Field for the final game of the three-game series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on ESPN+ and GoSycamores.com. The Sunday game day promotion is 70’s Day at Bob Warn Field. All fans with a valid ID with birthday in 1970’s can purchase a discounted $5 general admission ticket.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S HOOPS BATTLES THE GOLDEN GOPHERS IN SECOND ROUND OF NIT ON SUNDAY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball hosts the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sunday afternoon for the second round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) on Sunday, March 24.
Game Day Information
Any 2023-24 Indiana State Athletics Credential is not active for this game due to the NCAA/NIT Postseason Guidelines. New credentials have been issued to the working staff and media. Varsity Club members can still use their passes to access the Varsity Club room. Hulman Center remains a Clear Bag Facility with the guidelines listed here. Any Varsity Club Parking Pass is still active and in effect for Wednesday’s game.
Due to the NCAA/NIT regulations, there will be no seating in Section 124 or on the South Baseline due to the requirement to reserve space for the visiting team’s spirit squad and band. The spacing is in effect even if the other team does not bring either element.
All gates on the East Lower Bowl behind the team benches and press row will be closed throughout the entirety of the game. Only Credentialed staff may access the court from these gates. Fans with seats on the East Side wishing to visit the Varsity Club Room must use the Hulman Center Concourse.
Additionally, due to the postseason competition, there will not be a pregame or postgame handshake line on the baseline for the Indiana State team and players.
The doors will open one hour before tip, at 1 p.m. ET.
Series History
Sunday is the fifth meeting between Indiana State and Minnesota, and the Golden Gophers have the advantage. Minnesota holds a 3-1 record over Indiana State, with ISU’s lone win coming at home in 1984.
Last Time Out – Indiana State
Indiana State men’s basketball earned its first NIT win since the 1977-78 with Wednesday night’s win over SMU, 101-92. Wednesday’s win was highlighted by a career-high 35 points from Jayson Kent, who went 11-for-12 from the floor. The 35 points ties the most points scored by a Sycamore this season. Kent also recorded nine rebounds in almost 39 minutes of action, all with no turnovers.
Ryan Conwell scored 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting, pulling down five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Xavier Bledson scored 14 points off the bench, shooting 6-for-9 with four rebounds. Avila scored 13 points, recorded eight rebounds, and dished out seven assists. The big man converted all 9-of-9 free throw attempts. Julian Larry rounded out the five Sycamores in double figures with 10 points, also tallying seven assists.
Last Time Out – Minnesota
Dawson Garcia led five players in double-figures with a game-high 25 points, and Elijah Hawkins finished with 11 points and a game-high 15 assists, as Minnesota rallied late to record a 73-72 overtime win over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse in the First Round of the NIT. Garcia made 11-of-19 field goals for his 13th game with 20-plus points this season and added four rebounds. Hawkins shattered Minnesota’s single-game NIT record for assists. Pharrel Payne finished with 11 points and five rebounds, Cam Christie had 10 points, six assists, and five boards, and Parker Fox had 10 points, two rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals. Mike Mitchell Jr. added six points, four rebounds, and two steals.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
SABOL’S 10 K OUTING POWERS MASTODONS OVER WRIGHT STATE 11-2
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Carter Sabol’s first start on the Mastodon Field mound was one to remember. Sabol fanned 10 in 6.1 innings to lift the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons to an 11-2 victory over Wright State on Saturday (March 23).
In addition to his 10 strikeouts, Sabol (3-2) tossed 6.1 innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on four hits and walking none. Jake Paymaster tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to finish off the contest for the ‘Dons.
The ‘Dons never scored more than two runs in an inning on Saturday, but scored in each inning except the fifth.
Wright State scored their only two runs in the second, but the ‘Dons responded with their own pair of runs in the bottom half to go up 3-2. It was an 8-2 Mastodon lead following six innings.
The Mastodon offense recorded 11 hits and 13 walks. Justin Osterhouse knocked in three. Nick Sutherlin walked four times. Jacob Walker recorded two hits including a double with two walks, three runs and two RBIs.
Wright State was led offensively by junior Boston Smith, who went 2-for-4 with a double. Ty Roder took the loss for WSU. He is 0-2.
Wright State falls to 12-10 (3-2 Horizon League). Purdue Fort Wayne is now 9-15 (3-2 Horizon League).
The ‘Dons and Wright State will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday (March 24) in a 1 p.m. start.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
DIEDRICH RECORDS PROGRAM TOP-10 MARK OF 37 KILLS AGAINST BALL STATE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Jon Diedrich of the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s volleyball team recorded one of the all-time great individual performances in Mastodon men’s volleyball history on Saturday night (March 23) against Ball State. The fifth-year outside hitter finished with 37 kills to finish in the top-10 in program history in a single match.
Despite Diedrich’s heroics, Purdue Fort Wayne fell to the No. 12 Cardinals 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 27-29, 15-11).
Diedrich finished with 37 kills on 73 attempts with just four errors for a .452 hitting percentage. He had seven kills on seven attempts in the first set and 11 kills on 18 in the fourth. His 37 kills is the most by a Mastodon since 2011 and is the most in an NCAA match this season.
The Mastodons blitzed the Cardinals in set one with a .500 hitting percentage. Diedrich’s seven kills and ace led the way for the ‘Dons.
The Cardinals took sets two and three by hitting .400 and .290, respectively, while bringing the Mastodons down below .250 in both. Both sets were tied at 23 despite the hitting discrepancies.
Set four went to the Mastodons after they responded to a 4-0 start for Ball State. Bryce Walker was spectacular from the service line in the run that got the ‘Dons back in it, as he had three of his match-high five aces in a 5-0 run to tie it at eight. Down 20-15, the Mastodons had another 5-0 run to tie it again at 20. The ‘Dons staved off three set points and ultimately got a kill from Diedrich and forced an attack error to take the frame.
The Mastodons went to Diedrich 13 times in set five. He managed five kills and was error-less, but Ball State got six kills on seven swings out of Tinaishe Ndavazocheva to get the victory. He finished with 26 kills and a .382 hitting percentage.
Mark Frazier and Carlos Mercado chipped in 15 and 11 kills, respectively for the ‘Dons. Frazier finished with 13 digs for a double-double.
Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 11-10, 5-7 MIVA. Ball State improves to 17-8, 10-2. The Mastodons are back in action on Friday (March 29) at Lindenwood.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
BRUINS SWEEP SATURDAY DOUBLEHEADER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont’s pitching was the story on Saturday as the Bruins swept a doubleheader against the University of Evansville softball team. After opening with a 3-0 win, Belmont took the second game, 7-1.
Game 1 – Belmont 3, UE 0
Bruins pitcher Emma Summers allowed three hits in a complete-game, 7-inning performance to open play on Saturday. In the top of the first, Jess Willsey picked up a 2-out single for the Purple Aces’ first baserunner of the day, however, it was the Bruins plating the first run in the bottom of the second.
Evansville did not have another baserunner until the fifth when Hannah Hood reached on an error. The biggest threat of the day came in the sixth when Zoe Frossard and Willsey reached on 2-out hits before a strikeout ended the frame. BU added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and would take the 3-0 win.
Sydney Weatherford was solid in the circle, scattering three runs on six hits in six innings of work. Willsey had two of the Aces three hits.
Game 2- Belmont 7, UE 1
A close battle throughout most of the game, Belmont plated five runs in the bottom of the sixth to clinch a 7-1 victory in the second end of the doubleheader. Belmont once again opened the scoring with a single run in the bottom half of the first.
UE made its first threat in the second when Hannah Hood walked and Brooke Voss followed with a single. The persistence paid off in the fourth when the Aces tied the game. Jess Willsey hit a leadoff single before advancing to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Voss laced a double to right field, which scored Willsey.
The Bruins stormed back with a single run in the bottom of the inning before a 5-spot in the 6th pushed the lead to 7-1. Singles by Alexa Davis and Zoe Frossard in the top of the 5th saw UE attempt to tie it up before the big finish by the Bruins clinched the win.
Megan Brenton went 5 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on nine hits. Mikayla Jolly recorded the final two outs. UE had six hits in the game with Voss recording two. Belmont’s offense was led by Emily Cockrill, who went 3-4 with two RBI and a run. Maya Johnson threw the complete game in the circle to earn the win for the Bruins. She fanned 11 batters.
Sunday’s series finale is slated for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
MURRAY STATE RALLIES PAST BASEBALL ACES, 7-6, IN NINTH
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Down to its final strike in the top of the ninth inning, the visiting Murray State baseball team rallied for three runs on Saturday afternoon to steal a 7-6 victory over the University of Evansville Purple Aces at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
After Evansville rallied for two two-out runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 4-4 tie on back-to-back two-strike base hits by graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger and senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse, the Racers used some two-out, two-strike magic of its own to take the victory.
After Taylor Howell opened the ninth inning with a double down the left-field line and a strikeout, pinch-hitter John Orberson laced a two-strike pitch down the left-field line for a double to cut UE’s lead to 6-5. After a ground out, Murray State shortstop Drew Vogel flared a two-strike pitch just beyond the reach of UE shortstop Simon Scherry on a full-extension dive into left-center field for a base hit. Shallenberger tried to throw out pinch-runner Gunnar Bingham at the plate, but he was unable to as the Racers tied the game at 6-6.
Outfielder Dustin Mercer then bounced a ball through the left side, where Shallenberger once again tried to gun down a runner at the plate. Initially, the runner was called out, but upon video review, it was discovered that the runner beat the UE tag at the plate to give Murray State a 7-6 lead.
Evansville threatened to rally in the ninth, putting two men on base on an error and a walk, but pinch-hitter Evan Waggoner lined out to the warning track in right field to end the game, as Murray State right-fielder Jonathan Hogart made a running catch on the track to end the contest. The victory clinched a series win for Murray State.
Graduate third baseman Brent Widder led the Evansville offense by going 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Scherry went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Evansville actually jumped to an early 4-0 lead with two runs in the first and single tallies in the second and fifth innings. Murray State rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, though, to tie the contest and force the late drama.
With the victory, Murray State improves to 16-6 overall and 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Evansville, meanwhile, falls to 9-13 overall and 0-2 in the Valley. The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Graduate left-hander Donovan Schultz (0-1, 9.55 ERA) will get the start for the Purple Aces.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL
USI GETS BACK TO .500 WITH SERIES-OPENING WIN AT LINDENWOOD
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Softball secured a 3-2 series-opening win in nine innings at Lindenwood University on Saturday after the host Lions rallied in the seventh inning to force extra innings.
Southern Indiana (11-11, 5-2 OVC) moved back to .500 on the season with Saturday’s win, which was USI’s second nine-inning game in the last three contests and third extra-inning game this season for the Screaming Eagles. Plus, the victory extended USI’s winning streak to five games. Lindenwood (13-15, 2-5 OVC) suffered its fourth consecutive loss in Ohio Valley Conference play.
After a two-inning stalemate to start the game, both sides made their way onto the scoreboard in the third inning. In the top half of the third, USI freshman Kate Satkoski (Lanesville, Indiana) belted her first home run of the season on a solo shot. Lindenwood responded with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to even the game at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Satkoski barreled up her second extra-base hit of the game with a double. One batter later, junior outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) brought Satkoski home on an RBI single to put the Screaming Eagles back ahead by one.
With Southern Indiana an out away from the win in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lions tied the game with another solo home run to send the game to extra innings.
Following a scoreless eighth, the Screaming Eagles got their opportunity in the ninth. With a runner at first and two outs, senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenfield, Indiana) delivered a go-ahead triple that scored sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) all the way from first base to push USI ahead, 3-2. Southern Indiana held Lindenwood off the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth to seal the series-opening victory.
USI tallied three runs on 10 hits. Three Screaming Eagles registered multi-hit games, combining for seven of the 10 hits. Satkoski went 3-3 with a home run, a double, and two runs. Nalley and junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) had two hits each.
Southern Indiana starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched all nine frames, allowing two runs on five hits with 11 strikeouts. Newman improved to 9-5 with the win.
Lindenwood sophomore pitcher Avery Wapp started the first five innings, giving up two runs. Graduate pitcher Amanda Weyh tossed the last four innings, surrendering the go-ahead run in the ninth. Weyh dropped to 8-7 this season.
The series finishes with a Noon doubleheader Sunday at Lou Brock Sports Complex. Both games can be heard on 95.7 The Spin.
Live stats and coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
BOYD BLAST GIVES USI A 7-5 COMEBACK WIN
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana freshman rightfielder Cameron Boyd (Villa Hills, Kentucky) hit a three-run bomb in the bottom of the ninth to rally the Screaming Eagles by Tennessee Tech University, 7-5, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 10-12 overall and 1-1 in the OVC, while TTU goes to 13-10, 1-1 OVC.
The Screaming Eagles fell behind early after the Golden Eagles scored five times in the third and held the lead until the final frame. USI started its comeback in the eighth when Boyd scored on a sacrifice fly by senior third baseman Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) to make the score, 5-1.
The USI rally continued into the ninth when it scored six runs for the 7-6 victory. The Screaming Eagles began the ninth with a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases. USI cut the deficit with its first run of the ninth when sophomore shortstop Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) scored on a RBI-single by junior catcher Logan Mock (Livermore, California) to shrink the deficit to 5-2.
Following a TTU pitching change and a walk to senior pinch hitter Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) to load the bases again, junior second baseman Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) moved the runners up with a two-run single to close the gap to 5-4 and set the stage for Boyd. Boyd sent the Screaming Eagles out with a win by smacking a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence for a three-run walk off winner.
On the mound, junior right-hander Gavin Seebold (Jeffersonville, Indiana) picked up the win for the Screaming Eagles in relief. Seebold (3-2) blanked the Golden Eagles for the final six innings on three hits and striking out a career-high tying six TTU batters.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Screaming Eagles and the Golden Eagles conclude the opening three-game series of the OVC season Sunday at 1 p.m. USI returns to the road next week with visits to Ball State University March 26 and to Morehead State University March 28-30 in the OVC.
VALPO BASEBALL
ALEX RYAN HOMERS IN SATURDAY SETBACK TO SALUKIS
Host Southern Illinois hit four home runs to right field on a day where the wind was blowing out to right and the ball was carrying in that direction at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill. on their way to beating the Valparaiso University baseball team 13-1 in eight innings. Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran) ripped a home run to left to account for the Beacon tally.
How It Happened
Valpo mounted a threat in the second inning with the bases loaded and one away, but the Beacons left the maximum and came away empty handed.
Southern Illinois got an unearned run after a pop fly was dropped on the infield leading to a tally in the second. It could have been worse as Valpo starting pitcher Adam Guazzo (Huntley, Ill. / Hunley) worked out of the inning without further damage despite facing a second-and-third, one-out spot with SIU already up 1-0.
Jordan Bach hit a solo shot in the Saluki second to make it 2-0 in favor of the hosts, then Bennett Eltoft doubled the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth.
Senior Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central) stayed hot with a leadoff double in the top of the fifth, but he was stranded at third. The Salukis hit their third home run of the day in the bottom of the fifth, a solo shot to right to make it 5-0.
The fifth inning turned out to be a turning point as SIU totaled four runs, batting around on its way to expanding the lead to 8-0.
Valpo got on the board in the seventh as Ryan drilled a solo blast over the left-field fence.
Valpo reliever Joe Seiber (Homer Glen, Ill. / Lockport [College of DuPage]) retired the final seven batters he faced, sending down the Salukis in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
SIU got five in the eighth including a game-ending three-run homer by Steven Loden that invoked the 10-run rule.
Inside the Game
Ryan’s home run was his third of the season and the sixth of his Valpo career. Both of his prior blasts this year came exactly a week ago, a two-homer game on March 16 at No. 23 Campbell.
Four of Valpo’s five hits came from the first name Alex as Ryan and Thurston notched two apiece.
Seiber’s final line of 2 1/3 innings while allowing one run on one walk and two hits was the highlight for the Valpo pitching staff.
Hannahs extended his on-base streak to 21 games.
Injuries continued to hurt the Beacons as Carson Husmann was sidelined for Saturday’s game. Returning First Team All-MVC selection Ryan Maka remained out, and would-be weekend starter Josh Cottrill is also among the Beacons on the shelf.
Up Next
Valpo (8-13, 0-2 MVC) and SIU will close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Carbondale. The game will air on ESPN+ with links to live coverage available on ValpoAthletics.com.
UINDY BASEBALL
NOWAK GOES COMPLETE AS HOUNDS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER WITH BEARCATS
INDIANAPOLIS – It is now 13 wins in a row for the University of Indianapolis baseball team and a perfect 11-0 in GLVC-action after they swept the Southwest Baptist Bearcats on Saturday afternoon.
Carter Nowak was the star of the show during game one, going complete from the mound in the Hounds 9-2 victory. Nowak limited the Bearcats to just three hits across seven frames, striking out ten and only walking two.
For game two, it was the birthday boy Easton Good who set the tone with a leadoff home run. He later plated another run on route to a 3 for 4 day as the Hounds leadoff man.
GAME 1 | UIndy 9, SBU 2
One of the only two extra-base hits the Bearcats recorded across all seven frames came in the first frame. A triple down the right field line scored the first Bearcat run of the ballgame, a feat they replicated in the top of the third, launching their other XBH for their second run of the contest.
Looking to support Nowak’s efforts, the Hounds finally broke open the ballgame with a four-run third, the big punch coming from a Zack Williams 3 RBI triple deep down the right-field line.
The offense of the Hounds did not lay off the gas from there as they slapped up runs in the next three frames with Williams continuing his big day with another pair of ribbies off a hot single up the middle in the fourth. Both Nick Lukac and Drew Donaldson tallied RBI as well through the stretch.
Nowak went on to shut down the Bearcats after the third, attacking the visitors early in counts on way to his third win of the year.
GAME 2 | UIndy 12, SBU 10
On just the second pitch of the ballgame, Good set the pace with a dome scraping bomb to right field, setting off what ended up being a 10-run first frame for the Hounds.
Hampton nearly made it a multi-homer inning in the first, but the wind denied him scoring the second XBH of the frame and the second run. From that point, poor pitching by the Bearcats scored four more runs before a sac fly by Donaldson plated another. Situational hitting and more bases-loaded walks left the first heavy in the Hounds favor.
Two more runs were enough for the Hounds in the second as they rode out the 12-run lead through the remainder of the contest. The Bearcats didn’t roll over, however, clawing back into the ballgame with big fourth and fifth frames, bringing it to the final score.
E.J. White captured his fifth save of the season, coming in and eliciting three fly balls in the seventh to shut down the ballgame.
UP NEXT
The series finale and a chance at win 14 in a row is on deck for the Hounds as they will battle it out with the SBU Bearcats one last time at Greyhound Park at noon on Sunday.
UINDY SOFTBALL
GREYHOUNDS CELEBRATE HOME OPENER WITH SWEEP OVER HAWKS
INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 6 UIndy softball team swept GLVC-rival Rockhurst in Saturday’s doubleheader home opener. With both games favoring the Greyhounds, the squad increases their win streak to 18. With two more wins the Hounds will surpass a 19-game win streak created in 2014 and hold the fifth-longest win streak in UIndy history.
GAME 1 | UIndy 3, Rockhurst 0
The first game of the day was a pitching battle between the two teams, as the game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. The Greyhounds notched the day’s first run on some heads-up base running. As Jocelyn Calvin swiped second base, pinch-runner Megan Wineinger hustled home with the go-ahead run after the ball ended up in centerfield. The rally capped off with a two-run bomb by Emily O’Connor. This was O’Connor’s 11th homer of the season.
The Hounds finished with eight hits; Sydnee Perry led the team with three. Megan Nichols had a single and a stolen base, while Braxton Downs had two walks.
Reigning NFCA DII Pitcher of the Week Kenzee Smith remained undefeated with her 14th win and 10th shutout of the season. Smith finished with 115 pitches in seven innings and faced 28 batters. The senior allowed five hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters.
GAME 2 | UIndy 9, Rockhurst 1 (6 innings)
The Hounds stepped up the plate ahead by three runs at the bottom of the fifth. During the frame, UIndy scored five runs off two hits. Rockhurst pitchers opened the inning with three straight walks and included a pitching change in the mix. With the bases loaded, Dominique Proctor sent a sacrifice fly into left field for the Greyhounds’ fourth run. Singles by Cook and Calvin combined to give UIndy four more runs.
Starting pitcher Jayden Casebolt earned the complete-game win to improve to 10-1 on the season. Although Casebolt only struck out one batter and four walks, the junior only allowed four hits and one run. The Newburgh, Ind., native faced 23 batters and threw 80 pitches.
UP NEXT
UIndy welcomes William Jewell to Baumgartner Field for the Greyhounds’ second doubleheader of the weekend. The matchup is slated to begin at noon ET.
MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MARIAN’S MAGICAL SEASON COMES TO UNTIMELY END IN NAIA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
Sioux City, Iowa – The magical season for the Marian women’s basketball team came to it’s untimely end Saturday afternoon in the Tyson Events Center, as the Knights fell short against the University of Providence in a 78-68 defeat. The Knights’ program-record win streak ends at 31 games, as they end the season with a 33-2 record.
Marian got off to a poor start from the field, as two turnovers and two missed shots in the first three minutes allowed a red-hot Providence team to capitalize with a 9-0 run. Ella Collier opened the lid on the rim and score four unanswered points to start the flow, but Marian was unable to keep up the pace with the Argos, as they fell behind by double-digits under seven minutes into the game. Another four-point spurt from Collier helped the Knights get back within three possessions, but a 4-0 finish from Providence put Marian behind 24-12 after one quarter.
As the second quarter opened, the Knights continued to be double figures, as Marian had no answers in the paint defensively. Providence’s strong shooting in the paint and from three allowed them to hold their lead over 10 points for the duration of the quarter, with the lead swelling to as many as 16 points. Ella Collier continued to carry the offensive output with help from Allison Bosse, Aliyah Evans, and Tamia Perryman, but without getting stops on the defensive end, Marian failed to cut the lead under four possessions. Perryman earned a pair of free throws late in the quarter while a stop from Collier on the final possession gave Marian positive momentum entering the break, however the Knights found themselves trailing 42-28.
Marian opened the third quarter on a strong note as Collier and Abbey McNally came out scoring on their first touches of the half, however the same problems on the defensive end loomed as the Argos clamped tight to their double-digit edge. With 4:41 to play in the third quarter Marian fell behind by 18 points, but slowly started to take ownership, as stops and open shots kept them in the contest. Collier and Perryman were able to cut the deficit from 18 to 12, and with a score from McNally in the seconds before the buzzer sounded, the Knights trailed 61-49.
The Knights were unable to keep their late offense rolling into the final quarter, as nearly two minutes passed before a Providence three-point play pushed the Marian hole 15 points. Perryman and Collier stopped the bleeding and pushed the Knights to get back into the game, but as the score continued to rock between a 12 and 16 point contest, the odds continued to drop for Marian. With 4:54 remaining in the season Marian made one final push, as the senior Perryman scored seven straight points for her team to cut the margin to 12. Collier and McNally pushed Marian to an 11-point deficit with 2:28 to play, but hit a cold streak for two minutes, as they were unable to keep the fight going.
Marian would get within nine points in the final minute, but time ran out on the magical season as they fell 78-68 to Providence.
The Knights ended the game shooting 54 percent from the field, but the Argonauts 58 percent shooting night and 88 percent effort at the foul line did the Knights in. Collier finished the game with a career-high 30 points, breaking Marian’s single season scoring record in the second quarter of Saturday’s game. Perryman finished with the game with a career-high 18 points, going 6-7 from the floor. McNally scored 12 points and had six rebounds, and Sara Majorosova led the team with five assists.
Marian, the winners of the Crossroads League Regular Season and Tournament Championships, ended the season with a program record for win percentage as they close with a 33-2 overall record. The Knights’ set program records single season win streak and program-long win streak with their run of 31 consecutive victories.
MARIAN WOMEN’S TRACK
BENJAMIN’S THREE NAIA STANDARDS LEAD MARIAN AT MONTREAT OPEN
Montreat, N.C. – The Marian women’s track and field team opened their outdoor season with a strong outing at the Montreat Open, placing second out of 22 teams in their first meet coming off of indoor season. Katie Woods and Arriana Benjamin headlined the Knights, as both athletes earned multiple NAIA standard marks.
Arriana Benjamin kept her strong performance in her final collegiate season going, coming off of her two NAIA National Championships form indoor season with three NAIA standard efforts at Montreat. Benjamin won each event entered in, hitting NAIA A standards in both the shot put and discus, while in the hammer throw she hit a B standard mark. Benjamin’s efforts give her top-five marks in the NAIA in each event.
On the track, Katie Woods dominated for Marian, earning a win with an NAIA B standard in the 800m. The 2:15.62 time is one of the top-four fastest recorded times in program history, and gives the Knights their fist provision track mark of the season. Woods also finished third in the 1500m, and was one of the listed runners on Marian’s 4x800m relay team that hit an NAIA A standard time. Liz Loichinger, Hanna Reuter, and Taylor Thomas were also listed entrants on the A standard relay.
800m: Katie Woods (1st, 2:15.62, NAIA B), Hanna Reuter (2nd), Nora Steele (4th), Taylor Thomas (6th)
1500m: Woods (3rd), Liz Loichinger (11th), Steele (18th)
100m Hurdles: Nina Marinkovic (6th)
4x800m Relay – NAIA A Standard, 1st place
High Jump: Marinkovic (2nd)
Long Jump: Marinkovic (7th), Reuter (10th)
Triple Jump: Shirmara Anderson (7th), Naomi Walters (12th)
Shot Put: Arriana Benjamin (1st, 13.95m, NAIA A), Gabi Bilbrey (7th)
Discus: Benjamin (1st, 45.14m, NAIA A), Bilbrey (2nd), Tracey Gooch (3rd)
Hammer: Benjamin (1st, 50.38m, NAIA B), Keeley Hughes (5th), Nhaydia Watson (7th)
The Knights will host the Marian Open this week, hosting their first of two track meets this season. The action on Thursday, March 28, will begin around 10:00 a.m.
MARIAN MEN’S TRACK
KNIGHTS SHINE IN OUTDOOR SEASON OPENER AT MONTREAT COLLEGE OPEN
Montreat, N.C. – The Marian men’s track and field team opened their 2024 outdoor season over the weekend, competing at the Montreat College Open. Marian won the meet as the events were scored, the Knights hit an NAIA standard mark in seven different events.
Pacing Marian on the track was Owen Myers, who clocked an NAIA A standard time in the race walk, becoming the program’s first national qualifier in the event for outdoor track and field in the last decade. Myers school record was one of two on the weekend, as Blake Hipkiss hit an NAIA B standard and set the Marian record in the 5000m, clocking a 14:45.57 time as he won the event for his first victory of the outdoor season.
In the throws, Marian continued their dominance from indoor season to outdoor, winning each of the three mainstream throws. Isaiah Tipping hit NAIA A standards in both the hammer and discus, as he won each event. Jacob Netral earned the win in the shot put and hit an NAIA A standard with his efforts, and Chrisitan Rios had one of the top overall outings, hitting an A standard in the hammer, while reaching B standard in both the shot put and discus.
Other Knights had quality outings, with Olivier Lifrange earning a pair of scoring finishes in the 100 and 200 meter races, while Tristan Trevino placed second in the 800m. Marian also hit NAIA B standards on their 4x100m relay and the 4x800m relay, with the mid-distance relay group earning a victory. Marian’s 4x400m relay team also earned a win.
100m: Olivier Lifrange (5th), Connor Maple (7th), Manny Manneh (15th), Eli Givens (16th), Armani Glass (31st)
200m: Lifrange (6th), Givens (8th), Maple (10th), Richard Dube (14th), Eric Materna (21st), Manneh (25th)
400m: Dube (7th), Materna (8th)
800m: Tristan Trevino (2nd), Howard Hendricks (8th), Owen Pittman (10th), Benjamin Moster (18th), Blake Hipkiss (19th), Robin Aguilar-Gonzalez (42nd)
1500m: Pittman (7th), Moster (13th), Hendricks (15th)
5000m: Blake Hipkiss (1st, 14:45.57, School Record, NAIA B)
3000m Steeplechase: Aguilar-Gonzalez (2nd)
5000m Race Walk: Owen Myers (4th, 24:48.33, NAIA A, School Record)
110m Hurdles: Micah Williams (13th)
4x100m Relay: B standard – 2nd place
4x400m Relay: 1st Place / 5th Place
4x800m Relay: B standard – 1st place
Discus: Isaiah Tipping (1st, 52.58m, NAIA A), Christian Rios (4th,NAIA B), Jacob Netral (7th), Marco Keys (25th)
Shot Put: Jacob Netral (1st, 16.84m, NAIA A), Rios (3rd, NAIA B), Tipping (5th), Kevaughn Dawn (10th)
Hammer: Tipping (1st, 60.81m, NAIA A), Rios (2nd, NAIA A), Keys (5th)
Javelin: Felipe Mentz (8th)
Long Jump: Armani Glass (2nd)
Pole Vault: Brenden Endres (2nd), Evan Haag (3rd)
The Knights will host the Marian Open this week, hosting their first of two track meets this season. The action on Thursday, March 28, will begin around 10:00 a.m.
MARIAN BASEBALL
KNIGHTS BOUNCE BACK WITH A 2 GAME SWEEP OVER LANCERS
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian baseball team bounced back from game two loss yesterday with a two game sweep over the Lancers. The Knights won game one 15-5 in seven innings and won game two 6-2, to move them to 15-12 overall and 10-6 in the Crossroads League.
Game 1 | Marian 15-5 Grace
Grace got the bats rolling early in the first inning scoring a run off of a loaded base walk. After a rough start on the mound for Aden Burnside, Garrett West came in to close out the inning only giving up one more run off of a sacrifice fly to bring the score 2-0 at the middle of the first inning.
The Knights offense quickly pushed at the Lancers lead with Kameron Salazar scoring a run off of Rylan Huntley’s single past second base. At the next at bat Bryce Davenport singled to the same place as Huntley to allow for Huntley and Josh Lamb to score two more runs to bring the lead into Marian’s hands at the end of the inning.
The Lancers pushed at the Knights lead on another lead scored on a single past third base. But the home team didn’t show any signs of wanting to give up their lead with Lamb hitting a bomb into double field to allow for Salazar, Dawson Estep, and Caden Mason to score more runs for the Knights. Lamb was able to score his second run of the game off of Huntley’s single down the left line. Davenport and Huntley took advantage of an error by third base to score two more runs for the Knights. Pierson Barnes and Johnny Roeder scored the last two runs of the inning off of Max Steffen’s ground-out to short stop and Mason’s single into left field to bring the score 11-3 in at the end of the second inning. The home team kept adding to their lead with Salazar taking advantage of a balk to score the 12th run of the game for the Knights.
In final attempts to rally the Lancers scored two more runs off of a fielder’s choice and a Matt Friesema single past third to bring the score 5-12 in favor of Marian going into the bottom of the fifth. The Knights secured their win in game one off of back-to-back singles by Davenport and Barnes to allow Lamb, Salazar, and Huntley to score three more runs and claim the win for the Knights 15-5.
Marian had 15 hits in game one with Davenport going 4-4 and having four RBI’s. Lamb and Huntley both went 4-3 with Lamb having three RBI’s and Huntley having two. Mason also had two hits, and Salazar, Barnes, and Steffen all had one to add to the total. West took the win having two strikeouts with Justin Johnson closing out the game having four strikeouts and only gave up two hits in the win.
Game 2 | Marian 6-2 Grace
After a scoreless inning on both sides the Lancers scored their first run of the game off of a double into right field. The Knights tied up the ball game fast in the bottom of the second with Mason singling into left field allowing Barnes to score the tying run to bring the game 1-1 at the end of the second.
The Lancers continued to push scoring their second run of the game on a reach from an error to allow for the second run to be scored to allow for Grace to take the lead 2-1.
After a pair of scoreless innings for both sides the Knights secured their lead with Roeder doubling into left field allowing Davenport to score the tying run of the game once again. On loaded bases Estep hit a sacrifice fly into right field to allow Roeder to score a run to allow the Knights to take the lead. At the next at bat Salazar hit a double into left field to allow both Mason and Nathan Pinarski to score runs to bring the score 5-2 at the end of the fourth inning.
Davenport hit a bomb into right field in his last at bat then advanced on a overthrown ball to claim the 6-2 win for the Knights to sweep the day two double header and win the series against Grace.
Marian had five hits in game two with, Salazar, Davenport, Barnes, Roeder, and Mason all tallying one. Salazar lead the team in RBI’s with two. Seth Hogg took the win with four strikeouts. Deacon Spencer closed out the game with one strikeout and no hits given up in the soul inning pitched.
The Knights will be back in action on the road in their four game series against Mount Vernon starting on Thursday, March 28th with first pitch of game one scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
MARIAN WOMEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF EARNS VICTORY AT HERITAGE HILLS INVITE
Shepherdsville, Ky. – The Marian women’s golf team earned their second win of the spring season on Saturday afternoon, winning the Lawrence Tech Heritage Hills Invite. Marian battled through windy and chilly conditions on Saturday to secure the win, while freshman Emma Weiler and Hailey Kirkland led the Knights with a respective first and second place finish.
The Knights started the tournament on fire, shooting a 294 score in the first round on Friday afternoon. Marian got even stronger through the second round that concluded Saturday morning, posting a 291 score. In the final round, Marian battled the strong wind conditions in Kentucky, salvaging a 317 score to end the week with a 902 team card. Marian’s margin of victory was 33 strokes, with Milligan finishing second. UNOH finished third overall, while Lawrence Tech, Siena Heights, Olivet Nazarene, and Madonna rounded out the field.
Individually, Emma Weiler scored the win, firing an even par in round one to highlight her three rounds. Weiler scored a 72+74+75=221, landing her first collegiate victory. Teammate Hailey Kirkland was right behind in the finishing order, taking the runner-up with her 71+70+85=226. Kirkland played a pair of rounds under par in her efforts on the weekend.
Keara Eder finished tied for fourth, firing a 73+73+82+228, as she rounded out the top-five golfers in the field. MacKendzie Dresbaugh shot a 79+74+79=232 over her three rounds of golf to finish with a seventh place finish. Sidney Parmer tied for 14th with a total score of 241, shooting a 78, 82, and 81 over her three rounds, completing Marian’s lineup.
Marian will next play April 8 and 9, competing in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Cumberland University Music City Classic.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Portsmouth Spartans Sold to Detroit Syndicate
It tells of the March 24, 1934 when it was announced that a group led by George Richards, the owner of Detroit radio station WJR, bought the Spartans and moved them to Detroit for the 1934 season. Richards renamed the team the Lions, as a complement to the Detroit Tigers according to the SportsTeamHistory.com website.
March 24, 1973 – At an owners meeting San Francisco 49ers President Lou Spadia proposes that the NFL expand to 30 teams per the profootballhof.com site. This was just 4 years after the AFL and NFL merged and the total number of teams in the League was now 26 teams. Some of the franchises were afraid of expanding too fast and thinning out the talent bases thus making the NFL very vanilla. Others supported the increase to strike while the iron was hot. A compromise was reached and the League awarded franchises to both Tampa Bay and Seattle to take the total to 28. It was not until the early 1990’s when the National Football League added Jacksonville, Carolina and later Houston and Cleveland to the mix to round out at 32 teams.
March 24, 1988 – San Diego Chargers Quarterback Dan Fouts announced his retirement. The great passer spent his entire NFL career with the Chargers since the 1973 seasons when San Dego drafted him out of the Oregon Ducks program. The right hander finished his career with 43040 yards of passing offense and 254 touchdowns. Dan was twice selected as an All-Pro, was the 1982 offensive Player of the Year and played in 6 Pro Bowl games per the Pro Football Reference and the Pro Football Journal.
March 24, 1991 – The Barcelona Dragons beat New York Knights 19-7 in their 1st World League of American Football contest.
March 24, 2019 – New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announces retirement as 3-time Super Bowl winner. The elite Tight End boasted postseason records in 81 receptions, 1163 receiving yards and caught TDs at 12 per the Onthisday.com web page. Of course he added to these number when in 2020 he came out of retirement to join Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and go on to win yet abnother Super Bowl.
Football Hall of Fame Birthdays for March 24
March 24, 1938 – The rangy two way star of the University of Utah, Larry Wilson credited his date of birth. More on this former Cardinal by clicking his name.
March 24, 1976 – New Orleans, Louisiana – The top tier quarterback of the Tennessee Volunteers program, Peyton Manning was born. Manning is Tennessee’s all-time leading passer, 1997 consensus First Team All-American, 1997 Heisman Trophy runner up as well as that he claimed the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Sullivan Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards. Manning had 39 wins as a starter for the Vols, a Tennessee record of 11201 passing yards, 89 touchdown passes, along with 12 rushing scores. The National Football Foundation paid the ultimate respect to the talent of Peyton Manning in 2017 when they placed him into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Indianapolis Colts wasted no time in turning in their 1998 Draft card to select Peyton as the top pick. He played 18 seasons in the League between the Colts and the Denver Broncos and made it to 14 Pro Bowls. He played in a total of four Super Bowls winning two of them and threw for 71940 yards, which was a record when he faded off into the sunset. His 539 TD passes and becoming an All-Pro 7 different times are impressive legacies of the player. But one of his biggest accomplishments may have been being named as the NFL’s Player of the Year 5 times! Peyton Manning posed for his bronze bust for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
33 – 14 – 87 – 27
March 24, 1979 – Earvin Magic Johnson puts up 29 points as part of a triple-double to help his school, the Michigan State Spartans capture victory 101-67 over Pennsylvania in a final four game of the NCAA Men’s Tournament. Though Magic wore Number 32 as a pro with the LA Lakers, the legend wore Number 33 for the Spartans in college.
March 24, 1988 – Dan Fouts, Number 14 announced his retirement from playing quarterback for the San Diego Chargers.
March 24, 2019 – All-pro Tight End Rob Gronkowski, Number 87 retired from playing football for the New England Patriots. We know returned to football the following season to join former QB Tom Brady in Tampa Bay where these duo helped bring a Lombardi to the Buccaneers franchise just like did back in New England.
March 24, 2019 – The Los Angeles Angels signed 2-time American League Most Valuable Player Mike Trout, Number 27 to a North American Sports record whopping $426.5 million dollar contract.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1933 Babe Ruth, who made $75,000 last season, takes a $23,000 pay cut, a decrease indicative of the depression era. The 38-year-old Yankee slugger remains productive, batting .301, hitting 34 home runs, and driving in 103 runs for the second-place club that finishes seven games behind the Senators.
1936 Paul Dean agrees to a $10,000 deal to pitch for the Cardinals after posting a 19-11 record in his sophomore year. After compiling 38 victories in his first two seasons, Dizzy’s 23-year-old right-handed brother will have his career shortened by arm troubles, retiring after a nine-year tenure in the major leagues with a 50-34 mark.
1946 In Birmingham, Alabama, police pull 27-year-old southpaw Edward Klep from the Cleveland Buckeyes lineup, a visiting Negro American League team. The authorities order the first white player in organized black baseball to change into his civilian clothes and sit in the “whites only” section of Rickwood Field away from his teammates.
1947 During a four-hour hearing with Commissioner Chandler at the Sarasota Terrace Hotel, Dodger manager Leo Durocher admits to playing occasional card games for money with Kirby Higbe. Before Opening Day, Chandler will suspend the Brooklyn skipper for the 1947 season for “association with known gamblers.”
1952 During spring training at St. Petersburg, Cardinals pitcher Bob Slaybaugh is hit in the face with a line drive during batting practice, resulting in the loss of his left eye. The 21-year-old southpaw will attempt a comeback in 1953 and 1954 before retiring from professional baseball.
1959 A photo of Pete Whisenant taken before an exhibition game played against the Dodgers in Havana, Cuba, shows the Reds outfielder toting a machine gun. The weapon shown in the posed picture belongs to a rebel from Fidel Castro’s revolutionary army.
1961 The NY State Senate approves $55 million in funding to build a new stadium in Flushing Meadows Park for the new National League’s expansion team. Until the Queens’ ballpark is completed, which will become known as Shea Stadium, the Mets will play in the Polo Grounds during the first two years of their existence.
1982 When Fernando Valenzuela ends his three-week holdout, the Dodgers automatically renew the southpaw’s contract for a reported $350,000. The National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year Award recipient, after earning just $42,500 in his freshman season, still refuses to sign the deal that makes him the highest-paid second-year player in baseball history, having asked for a raise to $850,000.
1984 The Tigers trade utility player John Wockenfuss and outfielder Glenn Wilson to the Phillies for first baseman Dave Bergman and relief pitcher Willie Hernandez, who will win the American League’s MVP and Cy Young awards. The 29-year-old closer from Aguada (PR) posts a 9-3 record and a 1.92 ERA en route to saving 32 games in 33 opportunities for the World Champs.
2001 During an exhibition game against the Giants, Diamondback hurler Randy Johnson’s fastball hits and instantly kills a dove flying in front of home plate. The bird appears to explode as the National League Cy Young winner’s pitch sends it over catcher Rod Barajas’ head.
2006 At Mickey Mantle’s Manhattan restaurant, the U.S. Postal Service unveils the Baseball Sluggers postage stamps, to be issued before the game against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium on July 15. The four featured Hall of Famers all have roots in New York, with Mickey Mantle (Yankees), Mel Ott (Giants), and Roy Campanella (Dodgers) playing their entire careers in the Big Apple, and the fourth, Hank Greenberg, setting schoolboy records at James Monroe High School in the Bronx.
2008 The Twins agree to a new deal with their All-Star closer, signing Joe Nathan (1.88, 37 saves) to a $47 million, four-year contract, including a 2012 club option. The 33-year-old right-hander’s 160 saves over the past four seasons is tied with Mariano Rivera of the Yankees for most in the American League.
2008 On the South Lawn of the White House, the Washington Nationals Presidential character mascots take part in the traditional White House Easter Egg Roll. Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington appeared very comfortable in their surroundings.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1952 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)
Off the field…
After an eight-year study, scientist Jonas Salk finally developed a vaccine that prevented the crippling disease known as polio. Though he was hailed as a miracle worker and a national hero, Salk remained shy of the public eye. He declined to apply for a patent for the vaccine, saying that he was more concerned with people having access to it than the money it would bring him. His next project, one that lasted up until his death in 1995, was to find a cure for AIDS.
The 1952 Olympic games took place in Helsinki reflecting the attitudes of “East versus West” that had been spawned by the Cold War. The Soviet Union decided to rejoin the competition for the first time since 1912, although from a distance. Instead of joining the other athletes in the Olympic Village, the Soviets set up their own camp strictly for Eastern bloc countries near the Soviet naval base at Porkkala. All Russian athletes were then chaperoned by Soviet officials everywhere they went in an effort to prevent communication with athletes from the West.
In the American League…
On April 30th, renamed “Ted Williams Day” at Boston’s Fenway Park, “Teddy Baseball” played in his final game of the season before going overseas to serve in the Korean War as a Marine fighter pilot. Fittingly, in his last at-bat, the Red Sox slugger hit a game-winning, two-run home run off Detroit’s Dizzy Trout for a 5-3 victory over the Tigers.
Seven players including members of the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians were turned in by American League umpire Bill Summers for apparently “fraternizing” before a game. Although the players remained nameless, they were fined $5 each for violating the 1951 rule that strictly prohibited socializing between players from two competing teams.
Washington Senators’ owner Clark Griffith dispelled any chance of being accused of practicing preferential treatment after he sold his own nephew, catcher Sherry Robertson, to the Philadelphia Athletics. Robertson later returned to his uncle’s front office and served as director of their farm system from 1958-1970.
In the National League…
Boston Braves ace Warren Spahn tied a National League record (set by Jim Whitney) after posting eighteen strikeouts against the Chicago Cubs in a ffiteen inning, 3-1 loss. Spahn also added a home run as the only score in support of his own efforts. June 14th has also been remembered as a winning day in Braves history after team scout Dewey Griggs signed an up and coming rookie named Henry Aaron to his first Major League contract.
The Brooklyn Dodgers set a National League mark after completing double plays in twenty-three consecutive games.
On September 29th, Stan Musial shocked the Cubs by making his first (and only) Major League pitching appearance. After beating Chicago’s Frank Baumholtz for his sixth batting title, the St. Louis Cardinal’s slugger decided to face his adversary from the mound. Baumholtz responded to the challenge with a clutch hit and managed to reach base on a fielding error en route to a 3-0 victory.
Around the League…
The Celler committee announced that legislation for government control of Major League Baseball was unnecessary. The committee stated that the sport was obviously “competent and trustworthy” enough to solve its own problems. They also opposed all legislation exempting the reserve clause from antitrust laws.
Seventy-seven year-old Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Honus Wagner finally retired after forty years as both a Major League player and coach. “The Flying Dutchman” completed his career with a .327 career batting average, six-hundred forty-three doubles, two-hundred fifty-two triples and seven-hundred twenty-two stolen bases. He also hit one-hundred one home runs (with never more than ten a season), won the National League Batting Champion title eight times and batted .300 (or better) sixteen times — including fifteen seasons in a row.
Russia openly criticized the American game of baseball by citing their own version called “lapka” as being the original concept for the game. The State Department quickly came to the defense of the National Pastime by accusing the Soviet’s claim as the founders of baseball to be part of its “Hate America” Cold War campaign.
Major League attendance plummeted for the second season in a row as National League ticket sales dropped a staggering 904,854 and American League sales went down 588,788.
BASEBALL’S GREAT PITCHERS
Kid Nichols
Charles Augustus Nichols was born into a large family on September 14, 1869 in Madison, Wisconsin. His father was a butcher there for many years and briefly served as an alderman. For a few years before Charles was born, his half-brothers James and John were regulars for Madison’s Capital Citys club, which was connected to the National Association of Base Ball Players. After Charles arrived, the names of his brothers Will and George would also occasionally show up in newspaper articles about local baseball games, such as one during 1877 in which Will, about nineteen years old, was the winning pitcher.
READ MORE: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/kid-nichols/
TODAY IN NBA HISTORY
March 24, 1969
Baltimore’s Wes Unseld became only the second rookie ever — Wilt Chamberlain was the other in 1960 — to be named the season’s MVP. Unseld, also named NBA Rookie of the Year, led the Bullets into the playoffs, averaging 13.8 ppg and 18.2 rpg.
March 24, 1969
Elvin Hayes of San Diego became the first rookie since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959-60 to lead the league in scoring, with 2,327 points for a 28.4 average.
March 24, 1970
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers won his first and only scoring title, accumulating 2,309 points in 74 games for a 31.2 ppg average.
March 24, 1973
Kansas City-Omaha’s Nate “Tiny” Archibald became the only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring (34.0 ppg) and assists (11.4 apg) in the same season.
March 24, 1979
Lloyd Neal’s No. 36 becomes the first uniform retired by the Portland Trail Blazers.
March 24, 1981
New York Knicks great Dave DeBusschere’s No. 22 was retired in ceremonies at Madison Square Garden.
March 24, 1996
Toronto’s Damon Stoudamire sets a then NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season with 126 (breaking Dennis Scott’s record of 125), after sinking six shots from behind the arc against Chicago during the Raptors’ 109-108 victory in front of 36,131 fans at SkyDome. Stoudamire finished the season with 133.
March 24, 1999
The Seattle SuperSonics retired the No. 10 jersey of Nate McMillan in ceremonies at KeyArena.
March 24, 2001
Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz swished a free throw with 10:48 remaining in the third quarter of Utah’s 119-93 win over the Washington Wizards at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The free throw enabled Karl Malone to pass Moses Malone and become the NBA’s all-time leader in free throws made with 8,532.
March 24, 2002
The 2002 NBA D-League Playoffs began when the North Charleston Lowgators hosted the Mobile Revelers at the North Charleston Coliseum. Mobile won the first D-League Playoff game 78-75.
March 24, 2017
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns scores 70 points in a 130-120 loss to the Boston Celtics. He shot 21-for-40 overall and was 24-for-26 on free throws and he scored 51 points in the second half as Phoenix tried to rally from a 26-point hole.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1936 — Detroit’s Mud Bruneteau ends the longest game in NHL history with a goal after 116 minutes and 30 seconds (six overtimes) to edge the Montreal Maroons 1-0 in the semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
1941 — Long Island University wins the NIT championship with a 56-42 victory over Ohio.
1945 — NYU battles back from a ten-point deficit with two minutes to go to send the NCAA Tournament national semifinal game into overtime. NYU wins 70-65. At the time, a team got one free throw when fouled near end of game, but could elect instead to inbound the ball. Ohio State is fouled three times, opts to shoot the foul shot and misses each time.
1956 — San Francisco’s Bill Russell has 26 points and 27 rebounds to lead the Dons to an 83-71 win over Iowa and their second-straight national title and 55th consecutive victory, then an NCAA record.
1962 — Paul Hogue scores 22 points and grabs 19 rebounds and Tom Thacker adds 21 to lead Cincinnati to a 71-59 victory over Ohio State for its second NCAA basketball championship.
1970 — Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers wins his only NBA scoring title, accumulating 2,309 points in 74 games for a 31.2 ppg. average.
1973 — Kansas City-Omaha’s Nate “Tiny” Archibald becomes the first player in NBA history to lead the NBA in both scoring (34.0 ppg.) and assists (11.4 apg.) in the same season.
1975 — Muhammad Ali knocks out Chuck Wepner in the 15th round to retain the world heavyweight title in Cleveland.
1975 — Princeton becomes the first Ivy League school to win the NIT title with an 80-69 win over Providence.
1979 — Indiana State, led by Larry Bird, advances to the NCAA Championship game by squeezing past DePaul 76-74. Bird has 35 points, 16 rebounds and 9 assists.
1980 — Louisville beats UCLA 59-54 to win the NCAA basketball title.
1992 — Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux becomes the 36th player in NHL history with 1,000 points, getting an assist in the second period of the Penguins’ 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
1994 — Kansas State’s Askia Jones scores 62 points in 28 minutes in a 115-77 victory over Fresno State in the NIT quarterfinals. Jones shoots 18-for-25 from the floor, including 14-of-18 on three-pointers, and 12-for-16 from the line.
2013 — Florida Gulf Coast goes from shocking the men’s college basketball world to downright impressing it. The Eagles beat San Diego State 81-71 to become the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
2017 — Devin Booker scores 70 points, becoming the sixth different player in NBA history to reach that total, but the Boston Celtics get 34 points from Isaiah Thomas and outlast the Phoenix Suns 130-120.
2018 — Nathan Chen completes six quadruple jumps in the free program to become the first U.S. winner of the men’s world figure skating title since 2009.
2018 — Loyola Chicago romps to a 78-62 victory over Kansas State to cap off a stunning run through the bracket-busting South Regional. The Ramblers (32-5) match the lowest-seeded team ever to reach the Final Four, joining LSU (1986), George Mason (2006) and VCU (2011). The South is the first regional in tournament history to have the top four seeds — including overall No. 1 Virginia — knocked out on the opening weekend.
TV SPORTS SUNDAY
AUTO RACING
9:30 a.m.
TRUTV — MotoGP: The Portuguese Grand Prix, Portimão, Portugal
10 a.m.
CBSSN — FIM Motocross: The MX2, Xanadu-Arroyomolinos, Spain
11 a.m.
CBSSN — FIM Motocross: The MXGP, Xanadu-Arroyomolinos, Spain
12:30 p.m.
NBC — NTT IndyCar Series: The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, Thermal, Calif.
3:30 p.m.
FOX — NASCAR Cup Series: The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
7 p.m.
FS1 — NHRA: The Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.
1 a.m. (Monday)
CNBC — AMA Supercross Series: Round 11, Seattle (Taped)
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Noon
ACCN — Georgia Tech at North Carolina
SECN — Kentucky at Missouri
3 p.m.
SECN — Florida at LSU
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)
Noon
CBS — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
2:40 p.m.
CBS — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
2 p.m.
ESPN2 — NIT Tournament: Minnesota at Indiana St., Second Round
4 p.m.
ESPN2 — NIT Tournament: Georgia at Wake Forest, Second Round
5:15 p.m.
CBS — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
6 p.m.
TNT — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
7 p.m.
TBS — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
7:30 p.m.
ESPNU — NIT Tournament: VCU at South Florida, Second Round
7:45 p.m.
TRUTV — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
8:30 p.m.
TNT — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
9 p.m.
ESPN2 — NIT Tournament: Iowa at Utah, Second Round
9:30 p.m.
ESPNU — NIT Tournament: Boston College at UNLV, Second Round
TBS — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)
Noon
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
1 p.m.
ABC — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
2 p.m.
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
3 p.m.
ABC — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
4 p.m.
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
6 p.m.
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
8 p.m.
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
10 p.m.
ESPN — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Second Round
COLLEGE HOCKEY (MEN’S)
6:30 p.m.
ESPNU — NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Selection Show
COLLEGE HOCKEY (WOMEN’S)
4 p.m.
ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Championship, Durham, N.H.
COLLEGE LACROSSE (MEN’S)
2:30 p.m.
BTN — Penn St. at Ohio St.
4:30 p.m.
BTN — Johns Hopkins at Rutgers
COLLEGE LACROSSE (WOMEN’S)
Noon
BTN — Rutgers at Maryland
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Noon
ESPN2 — Kentucky at Florida
3 p.m.
ACCN — Syracuse at Boston College
PAC-12N — UCLA at Washington
5 p.m.
ACCN — Florida St. at Pittsburgh
PAC-12N — Southern Cal at UCLA
6 p.m.
SECN — Tennessee at South Carolina
CYCLING
3 p.m.
CNBC — UCI: The Volta a Catalunya, Final Stage, 90 miles, Barcelona, Spain (Taped)
FISHING
Noon
FOX — Bassmaster Opens: The 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, Grand Lake O The Cherokees, Tulsa, Okla.
GOLF
1 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Valspar Championship, Final Round, Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, Fla.
3 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Final Round, Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
NBC — PGA Tour: The Valspar Championship, Final Round, Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, Fla.
6 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Hoag Classic, Final Round, Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif.
HORSE RACING
3 p.m.
FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: Atlanta vs. Boston, Fort Myers, Fla.
4 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: NY Yankees (Split Squad) at Diablos Rojos
7 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: LA Angels at LA Dodgers
NBA BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
NBATV — Oklahoma City at Milwaukee
10 p.m.
NBATV — Indiana at LA Lakers
NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL
2 p.m.
NBATV — Long Island at Delaware
4:30 p.m.
NBATV — Ontario at Texas
NHL HOCKEY
12:30 p.m.
NHLN — Winnipeg at Washington
2 p.m.
TNT — Pittsburgh at Colorado
RODEO
8 p.m.
CBSSN — PBR: Round 3 & Championship Round, Albuquerque, N.M.
SOCCER (MEN’S)
3:30 p.m.
FS2 — International Friendly: San Marino vs. St. Kitts and Nevis, Via Rancaglia, San Marino
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
4 p.m.
CBSSN — D1 Arkema: Paris Saint-Germain at Montpellier
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — NWSL: NJ/NY Gotham FC at Portland Thorns FC
TENNIS
11 a.m.
TENNIS — Miami-ATP/WTA Early Rounds