THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2024

INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL

Danville 79 Northview 58
Donovan (Ill.) 47 South Newton 34
East Noble 45 Fort Wayne Dwenger 35
Indianapolis Ritter 75 Beech Grove 48
Mishawaka Marian 61 John Glenn 37
Sheridan 65 Southmont 45
Thrival Indy Academy 63 GEO Next Generation 21
Tri-West 63 Speedway 50

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

ALL TIMES EASTERN
Bellmont at DeKalb 7:30 pm
Bethesda Christian at Greenwood Christian 7:30 pm
Central Christian at Seven Oaks 6:00 pm
Connersville at East Central 7:30 pm
Culver at Argos 7:30 pm
Delta at New Castle 7:30 pm
Elkhart at Bremen 7:30 pm
Gary 21st Century at Hammond Science & Tech 8:00 pm
Griffith at Highland 8:00 pm
Hammond Morton at Calumet 8:00 pm
Indiana Deaf at Pioneer 6:00 pm
Indianapolis International at Providence Cristo Rey 6:30 pm
Indianapolis Metropolitan vs. Indianapolis HomeSchool 2:00 pm
Indianapolis Washington at Guerin Catholic 7:30 pm
Kankakee Valley at East Chicago Central 8:00 pm
Madison at Greensburg 7:30 pm
Martinsville (Ill.) at Dugger Union 6:30 pm
Morristown at Southwestern (Shelbyville) 7:30 pm
Pioneer at Indiana Deaf 7:30 pm
Purdue Poly Englewood at Indianapolis Shortridge 7:30 pm
Rensselaer Central at Benton Central 8:00 pm
Rushville at Batesville 7:30 pm
Southmont at Seeger 7:30 pm
Trinity Lutheran at Christian Academy 7:30 pm
University at Indianapolis Lutheran 7:30 pm
Winamac at North White 7:30 pm
Wood Memorial at Vincennes Lincoln 8:00 pm
Putnam County Tournament
South Putnam at Greencastle 6:00 pm R1
North Putnam vs. Cloverdale 7:30 pm R1

Northern Regional Hosts

Southern Regional Hosts

Southwestern (Shelbyville)

INDIANA WRESTLING SEMI-STATE

1. East Chicago Central (John C. Baratto Athletic Center) | 9 am CT
Feeder Regionals: Crown Point, Hobart, Logansport, Penn.

2. Fort Wayne South Side (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum) | 8:30 am ET
Feeder Regionals: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Goshen, Jay County, Peru.

3. New Castle (New Castle Fieldhouse) | 9 am ET
Feeder Regionals: Frankfort, Pendleton Heights, Perry Meridian, Richmond.

4. Evansville F. J. Reitz (Ford Center) | 9 am CT
Feeder Regionals: Bloomington South, Castle, Jeffersonville, Mooresville.

INDIANA GIRLS STATE SWIMMING FINALS

Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
Gates open at 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm CT
6 pm ET / 5 pm CT | Swimming Preliminaries | Heat Sheets | Psych Sheets

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024
Gates open at 7:30 am ET / 6:30 am CT
9 am ET / 8 am CT | Diving Preliminaries, Semifinals
1 pm ET / 12 pm CT | Championship/Consolation Finals in all swimming events; Diving Finals

SUPER BOWL LVIII

SUNDAY, FEB. 11

KANSAS CITY VS. SAN FRANCISCO

IN LAS VEGAS, 6:30 P.M. ET

MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

MICHIGAN 72 #11 WISCONSIN 68

#12 AUBURN 99 #16 ALABAMA 81

#6 TENNESSEE 88 LSU 68

PROVIDENCE 91 #19 CREIGHTON 87 OT

#9 DUKE 71 NOTRE DAME 53

ELSEWHERE:

CLEVELAND STATE 75 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 72

EVANSVILLE 73 BRADLEY 70

NORTHWESTERN 80 NEBRASKA 68

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCORES

#11 CONNECTICUT 67 SETON HALL 34

#24 OKLAHOMA 72 TCU 55

BYU 78 #18 BAYLOR 66

ELSEWHERE:

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 76 BALL STATE 71 OT

NBA SCOREBOARD

CLEVELAND 114 WASHINGTON 106

TORONTO 123 CHARLOTTE 117

GOLDEN STATE 127 PHILADELPHIA 104

MIAMI 116 SAN ANTONIO 104

BOSTON 125 ATLANTA 117

NEW ORLEANS 117 LA CLIPPERS 106

NHL SCOREBOARD

NY RANGERS 3 TAMPA BAY 1

TORONTO 5 DALLAS 4

MINNESOTA 2 CHICAGO 1

NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES

NFL NEWS

PRO PICKS: PURDY WILL LEAD THE 49ERS TO ANOTHER COMEBACK WIN, RUINING CHIEFS’ REPEAT BID

The underdog Kansas City Chiefs are playing for history against the San Francisco 49ers.

No team has been the underdog in consecutive Super Bowls and won both games. The two previous defending champions to return as an underdog both lost.

But the Chiefs (14-6) have been defying the odds throughout the postseason. They were underdogs in victories at Buffalo and Baltimore.

Now, they’ve got to do it again to become the first repeat champions in 19 years.

The 49ers (14-5) are 2 1/2-point favorites on Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. They’re quite familiar with that role having been favored to win each game this season.

The past three teams to be favored in every game in a season — 2017 and 2007 Patriots and 2001 Rams — each lost the Super Bowl.

So, something has to give. One streak will end Sunday.

The Chiefs are 13-1 in domes with Patrick Mahomes. He has 33 touchdown passes and just three interceptions in those games. They’ll be indoors at Allegiant Stadium.

“I just like playing football, so it doesn’t matter if it’s minus-30 or if we’re in indoors,” Mahomes said. “I’m just going to go out there and try to play the best I can. I’m sure quarterbacks will tell you it’s easier to throw the football when it’s in perfect conditions, so that’s probably why, but for me it’s just going out there and competing.”

Here are two stats going against the 49ers. The team with the better winning percentage is 1-15 against the spread in the Super Bowl since 2003. Teams who had a bye facing teams who played a wild-card game are 5-10 straight up and 2-12-1 against the spread in Super Bowls.

Here are two stats going San Francisco’s way. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan is 6-0 straight up as a favorite in the playoffs.

Under Shanahan, the 49ers are 32-11 straight up and 28-14-1 against the spread when playing in the Pacific time zone for the second straight game.

This will be the 31st Super Bowl with a point spread of six points or fewer. The winning teams also covered the spread in 29 of 30 games.

Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs were inconsistent on offense throughout the season and had to rely often on a strong defense led by Chris Jones.

Brock Purdy and the 49ers have plenty of offensive playmakers led by All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, All-Pro tight end George Kittle and wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

They’ve got a talented defense led by star edge rusher Nick Bosa and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. But San Francisco has been susceptible on third downs.

“As good as we sometimes think we are, teams do a really good job of having really good plays and no matter what the situation may be, we gotta play hard and we gotta play fast,” linebacker Dre Greenlaw said.

If they let Mahomes and the Chiefs extend drives and don’t get off the field, it can be a long day.

In the previous 57 Super Bowls, the favorites are 36-21 straight up and 27-28-2 against the spread. Pro Picks leans slightly toward the 49ers in a close one that comes down to Purdy having to lead the team to a comeback win for the third straight game.

REPORT: COWBOYS INTERVIEW REX RYAN FOR DC JOB

Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys’ vacant defensive coordinator position, sources told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

Ryan has been out of the NFL and working as an ESPN analyst since being fired by the Bills near the end of the 2016 campaign.

The 61-year-old coached the Jets from 2009-14, leading the club to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two years. Ryan finished with a 46-50 overall record in New York after struggles over the final seasons of his tenure.

Ryan lasted just two years in Buffalo, going 15-16 and missing the playoffs in both campaigns. He previously acted as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 2005-07 and produced a top-six scoring unit each season.

Ryan interviewed to be Sean Payton’s DC with the Denver Broncos last year but lost out on the job to Vance Joseph.

The Cowboys are eyeing experienced former head coaches to take over from defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who left for the Washington Commanders’ top job. Dallas also reportedly interviewed Mike Zimmer and Ron Rivera.

ERIC BIENIEMY, FIRED BY COMMANDERS, VISITED CHIEFS DURING PLAYOFF RUN

HENDERSON, Nev. — Eric Bieniemy left the Kansas City Chiefs as offensive coordinator a year ago, but he still impacted their run to this season’s Super Bowl.

Bieniemy paid a visit to the Chiefs before their AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. He sat in on meetings and talked with various offensive players, including Patrick Mahomes.

“It’s always great to have EB be in the building, just being there and the energy that he brings and the mentality that he brings,” Mahomes said. “He loves being there. He loves being a part of the team and being a part of that culture. So just having him back in the building was really cool, and listening to him talk and his energy … I think guys had a little bit of chill bumps, like, ‘Hey, we got EB’s back here.’

“Obviously he didn’t get that head-coaching opportunity, but I’m excited for him to continue to coach football and continue to make his impact on the game.”

Bieniemy was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator for five seasons, helping them to two Super Bowl titles in three appearances. He left last year for the same position with the Washington Commanders in hopes of making himself more attractive as a head-coaching candidate.

In Washington, he called offensive plays and escaped the imposing shadow of Chiefs coach Andy Reid.

Bieniemy, however, is out in Washington after just one season. Head coach Ron Rivera was fired by new Commanders owner Josh Harris on Jan. 8 and new coach Dan Quinn was hired on Feb. 1.

“I think his coaching future is great,” Reid said. “I’m obviously a big fan of his and I know the things that he can do.”

Reid didn’t sound optimistic about Bieniemy returning to the Chiefs in some capacity, saying, “I have no spot right now.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

OHIO STATE COACH RYAN DAY MUM ON THE POSSIBILITY OF OC BILL O’BRIEN JUMPING TO BOSTON COLLEGE JOB

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day didn’t shed any light Wednesday on the future of new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who has been linked to the open head coaching job at Boston College.

O’Brien was hired on Jan. 19 to be Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach but has become a candidate for the BC job, which became vacant last week.

“No real updates on that today,” Day said, adding that O’Brien was in the building working on Wednesday.

Day hired O’Brien to handle play-calling duties so the head coach could focus on other game-management duties.

The BC job became open a week ago when former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley left the Eagles to join the staff of the Green Bay Packers.

Day said Ohio State has contingency plans if O’Brien leaves.

“If something were to change, we’ll have to adjust from there,” he said. “But we spent a lot of time on that to make sure it was right.”

Day also talked about the challenge of evaluating five quarterbacks who all expected to be the starter at Ohio State. They are a transfer, four-year Kansas State starter Will Howard, elite recruits Julian Sayin and Air Noland, and returning players Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz.

The job came open after 2023 starter Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and ended up signing with Syracuse.

Brown lost out to McCord in the preseason competition, but what had been seen as an audition for the starting role in 2024 was cut short when he injured an ankle early in the Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri.

“We’ve had the situation before where that (quarterback) room has been crowded, but the cream really rises to the top of this thing,” he said. “And so we’re going to do everything we can to get as many reps as possible and rely on our experience of seeing quarterbacks over the years and recognizing the traits that it takes to start.”

Howard, who threw for 5,786 yards and 48 touchdowns at Kansas State, said he expects to the be starter when Ohio State’s season starts at home against Akron on Aug. 31.

“I just felt like this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on,” Howard said last week. “I thought I had a really good relationship with Coach Day and thought he was a really good guy. There were just so many different things that went into this decision. It was a long, weird journey in the portal, but I couldn’t be happier and more blessed to be here.”

With returning stars such as running back TreVeyon Henderson and receiver Emeka Egbuka, the roster is in great shape a month before spring practice begins, Day believes.

“We’ve got the right guys in the right seats right now,” he said.

NBA NEWS

NBA ROUNDUP: JADEN IVEY, PISTONS STUN KINGS

Jaden Ivey scored 19 of his career-high 37 points in a brilliant fourth quarter, Marcus Sasser and Alec Burks each hit key 3-pointers late in the game and the visiting Detroit Pistons stunned the Sacramento Kings 133-120 on Wednesday night.

Ivey shot 13 for 23 from the floor and 5 for 7 on 3-pointers. He added seven assists and six rebounds. Jalen Duren chipped in 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who won for just the seventh time this season. The Kings had thumped the Pistons 131-110 in Detroit last month.

Domantas Sabonis had a team-high 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for Sacramento, which led 101-97 in the first minute of the fourth quarter before Ivey took over. The second-year guard scored six straight points to draw the Pistons even at 103-all. He then buried a pair of 3-pointers, the second of which gave Detroit a 114-109 lead with 5:54 to go.

Ivey hit another 3-pointer for a 121-113 advantage with 3:14 left. Sasser (25 points) and Burks (18) followed with 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to halt a potential Sacramento rally.

Heat 116, Spurs 104

Jimmy Butler notched his 16th career triple-double, leading host Miami past San Antonio.

Butler had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and added a game-high three steals with no turnovers in 34 minutes. Tyler Herro had a game-high 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Heat. Bam Adebayo added 20 points on 10-for-14 shooting.

San Antonio, which has lost five straight games, was led by star rookie Victor Wembanyama, who had 18 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, three assists and one block. He made 7 of 13 shots, including 3 of 5 on 3-pointers, and he produced his 25th double-double of the season.

Celtics 125, Hawks 117

Kristaps Porzingis made 13 of 19 field-goal attempts and scored a game-high 31 points to lead Boston to a victory over visiting Atlanta.

The Celtics’ Derrick White made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 21 points. Saddiq Bey led the Hawks with 25 points. Trae Young finished with 20 points and 10 assists and Jalen Johnson added 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Atlanta was within five points, 120-115, after Bogdan Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer with 1:17 left, but Porzingis sealed the win with a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics an eight-point lead with 19.4 seconds to play.

Raptors 123, Hornets 117

RJ Barrett poured in 23 points and Toronto went on a 9-0 run down the stretch to send host Charlotte to its ninth straight loss.

Barrett didn’t play Monday night at New Orleans as he has been on load management since returning from a knee injury, but the Raptors needed his offense to snap a three-game skid. Barrett shot 9 for 15 from the floor, part of Toronto’s 53.1 percent shooting overall.

Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes each scored 18 points. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 45 points, eclipsing the 40-point mark for the second game in a row.

Cavaliers 114, Wizards 106

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 40 points while leading Cleveland past host Washington.

Evan Mobley added 22 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field for Cleveland, which extended the NBA’s longest active winning streak to seven games. Darius Garland scored 13 for the Cavaliers, and Jarrett Allen contributed 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 28 points, while Corey Kispert scored 23 off the bench. Daniel Gafford collected 14 points and 13 rebounds for Washington, which dropped its fourth straight game.

Warriors 127, 76ers 104

Andrew Wiggins had 21 points and 10 rebounds to carry Golden State past host Philadelphia, which has lost seven of its past eight games.

Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 points apiece and Lester Quinones added 13 for the Warriors. Stephen Curry scored just nine points in 25 minutes.

The depleted Sixers played without reigning MVP Joel Embiid (knee) for the fourth straight game. Nicolas Batum (hamstring), Robert Covington (knee) and De’Anthony Melton (back) were also out. Ricky Council IV led Philadelphia with 17 points.

Pelicans 117, Clippers 106

CJ McCollum scored 25 points and Zion Williamson added 21 points and 10 assists as visiting New Orleans extended its winning streak to four games with a victory over Los Angeles.

Brandon Ingram scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Pelicans won the opener of a four-game road trip. They have won their past three road contests. Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III each scored 13 for New Orleans.

James Harden scored 19 points and Norman Powell added 18 as the Clippers saw their four-game winning streak end in their return home from a 6-1 road trip. Los Angeles started the night in a four-way tie for first place in the Western Conference but now sits a half-game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.

REPORT: MAVS INTERESTED IN KUZMA, WASHINGTON

The Dallas Mavericks are looking to add to their frontcourt.

Washington Wizards wing Kyle Kuzma and Charlotte Hornets forward PJ Washington are two players the Mavericks are interested in acquiring by Thursday’s trade deadline, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

The Hornets are interested in Mavericks wing Josh Green, Stein adds.

Kuzma is averaging a career-high 21.8 points along with 6.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Meanwhile, Washington is averaging 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

Both players penned long-term deals this past offseason.

Dallas has a 2026 first-round pick to include in a trade as well as two second-round selections in this year’s draft.

Another forward reportedly in the trade market is Golden State Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins, but the Mavericks are not pursuing the 28-year-old, Stein reports.

The Mavericks are 28-23 and eighth in the Western Conference. They’ve rotated through a variety of forwards in the starting lineup this season, including Green, Derrick Jones Jr., and Grant Williams.

JAZZ SEND SIMONE FONTECCHIO TO PISTONS FOR KEVIN KNOX, PICK

The Utah Jazz are sending forward Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons for former first-round draft pick Kevin Knox, a 2024 second-round pick and draft rights to Gabriele Procida, ESPN reported Wednesday.

Fontecchio, 28, is in his second NBA season, both with the Jazz.

In 50 games (34 starts) this season, he is averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists and shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range.

The 6-foot-8 Italian began his pro career in Europe at 17, playing in leagues that included Lega Basket Serie A and the German Basketball Bundesliga.

Knox, 24, was the No. 9 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. The forward has appeared in 31 games (11 starts) this season, averaging 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 18.1 minutes.

The Pistons selected Procida with the No. 36 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-7 wing currently is playing in the Euroleague for Alba Berlin of Basketball Bundesliga and is averaging 8.7 points over 17.8 minutes in 23 games.

The Jazz, at 26-26, currently occupy 10th place and the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The 6-43 Pistons have the worst record in the NBA.

WNBA NEWS

REPORT: CANDACE PARKER TO RE-SIGN WITH ACES

Two-time WNBA MVP and three-time league champion Candace Parker is returning to the Las Vegas Aces on a one-year contract, Winsidr reported on Wednesday.

Parker, 37, is an unrestricted free agent after playing last season with the Aces. She averaged 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 18 games (all starts) with eventual champion Las Vegas before a fractured foot and the resulting surgery ended her season prematurely.

The seven-time All-Star spent her first 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks (2008-20) and the next two with the Chicago Sky (2021-22).

Parker has contributed 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 410 career games (406 starts). She was part of the Sparks’ title team in 2016 and led her hometown Sky to the 2021 championship.

Parker ranks ninth on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list with 6,574 points and third in rebounds with 3,467. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2016.

Parker was a college star and two-time NCAA champion at Tennessee and was selected No. 1 in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Sparks. She also is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012).

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TOP 25 ROUNDUP: MICHIGAN HOLDS OFF NO. 11 WISCONSIN

Michigan shook off its habit of second-half collapses and held on to upset No. 11 Wisconsin 72-68 on Wednesday night in a Big Ten matchup in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan (8-15, 3-9 in the Big Ten) had lost 10 of its last 11, struggling in particular late in games.

Wisconsin (16-7, 8-4) lost its third game in a row and dropped out of a second-place tie in the Big Ten with idle No. 10 Illinois.

Dug McDaniel led the Wolverines with 16 points, while Tarris Reed Jr. had 12. AJ Storr topped the Badgers with 20 points, and Chucky Hepburn added 17.

No. 6 Tennessee 88, LSU 68

Dalton Knecht scored 27 points and the Volunteers never trailed in their win over the Tigers in Knoxville, Tenn.

Jordan Gainey added 18 points, Zakai Zeigler had 17 and Jonas Aidoo added 10 for Tennessee (17-5, 7-2 SEC), which took command during a first half in which it shot 58.1 percent from the floor and 64.3 percent on 3-pointers while building a 23-point halftime lead.

Will Baker scored 16 points and Derek Fountain had 11 to lead LSU (12-10, 4-5), which played without Jalen Cook (hamstring), who was tied for the team lead in scoring (15.5 points per game).

No. 9 Duke 71, Notre Dame 53

Freshman Caleb Foster came off the bench to score 13 points and the Blue Devils were in control most of the way in defeating the visiting Fighting Irish in Durham, N.C.

Mark Mitchell also finished with 13 points and added 10 rebounds and two steals, Jared McCain chipped in 11 points and Tyrese Proctor nine for Duke (17-5, 8-3 ACC), which sits third in the league.

Markus Burton notched 19 points and Braeden Shrewsberry had 13 points for Notre Dame (7-16, 2-10), which lost its seventh game in a row and shot just 33.9 percent from the floor.

No. 12 Auburn 99, No. 16 Alabama 81

Jaylin Williams scored 26 points, Johni Broome added 24 points and the Tigers cruised past the Crimson Tide in a Southeastern Conference matchup in Auburn, Ala.

Auburn (19-4, 8-2) pulled into a tie with Alabama (16-7, 8-2) and South Carolina (20-3, 8-2) for first place in the SEC standings.

Tre Donaldson added 14 points for the Tigers, who avenged a loss at Alabama two weeks ago. Chad Baker-Mazara finished with 13 points.

Providence 91, No. 19 Creighton 87 (OT)

Josh Oduro logged 32 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Friars to an overtime win over the visiting Bluejays.

Devin Carter also posted a double-double with 28 points, 11 boards and six assists for Providence (15-8, 6-6 Big East). The Friars shot 4-for-5 in the extra session.

Baylor Scheierman led Creighton (16-7, 7-5) with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Steven Ashworth scored 20 points on 6-of-7 3-point shooting, and Trey Alexander had 18 points and six assists.

NHL NEWS

JETS D BRENDEN DILLON TO HAVE HEARING WITH NHL

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon is scheduled to have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday, one day following his illegal check to the head on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Noel Acciari.

TSN reported that it’s a phone hearing, which means Dillon could be facing a suspension of up to five games.

Dillon received a match penalty after he used his shoulder to deliver a check to the head of Acciari at 4:15 of the second period in the Jets’ 3-0 loss to the Penguins on Tuesday. Acciari left the game with an upper-body injury.

“Obviously, our major concern is Noel. He’s doing OK, but he’s being evaluated right now,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’ll allow the league to go through their process, like they always do. We can all have opinions on it, but at the end of the day, our opinions don’t really matter. Our major concern is Noel and his health, and he seems to be doing OK.”

The Penguins scored a pair of power-play goals on Dillon’s penalty.

Dillon previously was suspended one game on Dec. 5, 2017, for slashing Washington Capitals defenseman Madison Bowey in a game.

Dillon, 33, has recorded 15 points (six goals, nine assists) and a plus-16 rating in 48 games this season.

He has totaled 191 points (35 goals, 156 assists) and a plus-62 rating in 863 career games with the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Capitals and Jets.

NHL ROUNDUP: WILD END SKID, TOP REELING BLACKHAWKS

Marcus Foligno and Jacob Lucchini scored and Vinni Lettieri had two assists as the visiting Minnesota Wild edged the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Wednesday night.

Filip Gustavsson stopped 20 shots to help the Wild snap a two-game losing streak.

Petr Mrazek made 23 saves and Nick Foligno, Marcus’ brother, scored for Chicago, which matched its season-worst skid with a fifth straight defeat.

Lettieri swooped in to corral a Lukas Reichel turnover and found Marcus Foligno in front of the net for the tiebreaking goal at 10:07 of the third period.

Maple Leafs 5, Stars 4

William Nylander had two goals and an assist and Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves as Toronto defeated visiting Dallas.

John Tavares added a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs, who were 3-for-3 on the power play and won for the fourth time in five games. Auston Matthews added a goal and an assist and Mitchell Marner also scored.

Evgenii Dadonov scored twice — one on a penalty shot — for the Stars, who had their four-game winning streak end. Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston also scored. Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood stopped 26 shots.

Rangers 3, Lightning 1

Jonathan Quick made 18 saves, Jimmy Vesey scored twice and New York beat visiting Tampa Bay.

Vesey scored his first goal early in the second period and added an empty-net tally shortly after Tampa Bay forward Anthony Cirelli’s wrist shot missed wide right with 1:21 remaining in regulation.

Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning, who had 22 shots blocked, saw a three-game winning streak end and lost for the second time in 10 games (8-2-0). Tampa Bay also lost Mikhail Sergachev to a scary lower-body injury in the second period when the defenseman collided with New York’s Alexis Lafreniere.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

(HCAC RELEASE)

FRANKLIN COLLEGE VOTED TO ROUND THE BASES WITH THE HCAC 2024 BASEBALL TITLE

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the results of the Baseball preseason poll, with Franklin College picked to bring home the 2024 title in a vote among league coaches.

The Grizzllies were the overwhelming favorite, picking up seven first place votes in route to 79 points overall. Transylvania University earned the second place spot with 70 points and two first-place nods. Anderson University came in third with 63 points and snagged the last first-place vote. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology snagged the fourth-place spot, with 62 points. Earlham College rounded out the top half of the poll with 43 points.

Listed below is the 2024 HCAC Baseball Preseason Poll and the 2024 HCAC Athletes to Watch. For more information on HCAC Baseball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC’s home on the Internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the “HCAC DIII” Facebook page.

2024 HCAC Baseball Preseason Poll

1.	Franklin College (7)	79
2.	Transylvania University (2)	70
3.	Anderson University (1)	63
4.	Rose-Hulman Insitute of Technology	62
5.	Earlham College	43
6.	Bluffton University	39
7.	Hanover College	34
8.	Manchester University	33
9.	Mount St. Joseph University	17
10.	Defiance College	10

2024 HCAC Athletes to Watch:
Anderson

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Justin Reed	GR	Martinsville, Ind.	SS
Tyler Smithson	GR	Westfield, Ind.	1B/DH
Landon Southern	JR	Lafayette, Ind.	RHP
Griffin Wolf	SR	Carmel, Ind.	OF/1B/DH

Bluffton

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Jack Towell	GR	Batavia, Ohio	SS
Jake Baumgartner	GR	Toledo, Ohio	2B
Andrew Collinsworth	JR	Westerville, Ohio	P
Justin Mauer	JR	Springfield, Ohio	1B

Defiance

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Gunner Gregg	JR	Graytown, Ohio	2B/SS
Jacob Hild	JR	Holly, Mich.	C/DH
Tim Bobek	JR	Holland, Ohio	C/OF
Jeff Varga	JR	Rockford, Mich.	RHP

Earlham

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Max Fries	GR	Cleves, Ohio	OF
Dillon Fischer	SR	Cincinnati, Ohio	RHP
Sean Jeffries	SO	Gilbert, Ariz.	SS
Mitchell Roether	SO	Beavercreek, Ohio	1B

Franklin

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
AJ Sanders	SR	Clayton, Ind.	SS
Sean Sullivan	GR	Schererville, Ind.	OF
Tysen Lipscomb	JR	Muncie, Ind.	C
Jackson Young	SR	Greenwood, Ind.	P

Hanover

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Marcus Goodpaster	SR	Indianapolis, Ind.	RHP
Alex Christie	SR	Greenwood, Ind.	INF
Matt Alter	SR	Indianapolis, Ind.	RHP
Jake Danneman	JR	Edgewood, Ky.	SS

Manchester

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Rocco Hanes	JR	Ossian, Ind.	C/P
Joel Kennedy	SO	Mooreland, Ind.	1B/DH
Harrison Pittsford	SR	Elletsville, Ind.	OF/DH
Arturo Casas	JR	Pendleton, Ind.	P

Mount St. Joseph

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Ethan Mason	SO	Cincinnati, Ohio	INF/RHP
Anton Mere	JR	Centerville, Ohio	OF
Jake Lawson	SR	Cincinnati, Ohio	INF
Aidan Post	SR	Fairfield, Ohio	LHP

Rose-Hulman

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Colter Couillard-Rodak	SR	Lafayette, Colo.	MIF
Ian Kline	SR	Frederick, Md.	RHP
Michael Yager	SR	Park Ridge, Ill.	LHP
Kade Kline	SR	Terre Haute, Ind.	OF

Transylvania

Name	Class	Hometown	Position
Trent Youngblood	SR	Louisville, Ky.	OF/IF/RHP
Connor Arnold	JR	Lexington, Ky.	RHP
Calvin Schubert	JR	Louisville, Ky.	RHP
Gabe Dillard	SR	Nashville, Tenn.	OF/1B/DH

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

JORDY BAHL’S MOVE TO NEBRASKA CREATES OVERWHELMING SOFTBALL TICKET DEMAND AND NATIONAL TITLE HOPES

Call it the “Jordy Bahl Effect.”

A Nebraska softball program that hasn’t won a conference championship in 10 years enters this spring believing it can win a national championship.

A program that couldn’t fill its stadium to even half of capacity last year is rushing to add seats and still won’t be able to meet ticket demand.

A program that hasn’t appeared in the preseason Top 25 since 2015 shows up in all four major polls, between Nos. 13-18, and is the highest-ranked in the Big Ten.

“I know there’s a lot of excitement; that’s not lost on us,” coach Rhonda Revelle said. “I mean, you can’t lie. We’re at practice, there’s construction going on, and they’re trying to accommodate more fans, so it’s not like it’s invisible to us.”

The Cornhuskers bring back all the top players from the 36-22 team that made an NCAA regional for a second straight year. But make no mistake: their sudden popularity is attributable to Bahl.

The two-time All-America pitcher shocked the college softball world last June when, a week after she led Oklahoma to a third straight national championship and was named Most Outstanding Player in the Women’s College World Series, she announced she would transfer to her home-state school.

Bahl grew up in the Omaha suburb of Papillion and strongly considered going to Nebraska out of high school before picking the powerhouse Sooners. She went 44-2, won two national titles and was Big 12 pitcher of the year and a first-team All-American each year.

She cited homesickness and a desire to help grow the sport in the state of Nebraska when she announced her decision to leave OU after two years.

Bahl demurred when asked how she handles being in the spotlight in Lincoln.

“I don’t think I’ve ever looked at it that way,” she said. “It’s just our team, and we show up and we go to work every day, and that’s just how it is.”

The evidence suggests otherwise.

In the days following her transfer, Nebraska received requests for more than 2,000 new season tickets. The Huskers, who averaged 1,000 fans per game at 2,530-seat Bowlin Stadium last season, immediately made plans to get capacity over 3,000 before the March 1 home opener.

“I think it makes us excited because it just shows how our game is growing, and it’s an awesome feeling to just know that the people of Nebraska are excited to come and watch softball,” Bahl said. “And we’re all working really hard to try to make it a fun show to watch.”

Bahl has had no difficulty fitting in. There are six other native Nebraskans on the roster, she was a club teammate with standout shortstop Billie Andrews and knows other players from summer ball.

“She’s a great person off the field, and I think that just bleeds into who she is on the field,” Andrews said. “And we know when we go out there and play, we’ve got her back and she’s got ours. She’s a great addition to this team.”

The Huskers open at a tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Thursday against Washington, which is ranked as high as No. 7. The pitching matchup could pit Bahl against a fellow Nebraskan in Ruby Meylan, a preseason second-team All-American from Omaha.

The Huskers will play another nationally ranked team in Duke on Friday, and they have nonconference games later this month against Top 25 opponents and future Big Ten members UCLA and Oregon.

It’s a schedule designed to prepare the Huskers for conference play and beyond.

“Our goal,” Bahl said, “is to be the last team standing.”

MEN’S GOLF

TIGER TO TEE IT UP AT GENESIS INVITATIONAL

Tiger Woods will make his 2024 debut at The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, which begins play Feb. 15, he announced Wednesday.

Woods made his return from ankle surgery in the spring to play at the Hero World Challenge and the PNC Championship in December. He stated then that his goal was to play one tournament per month in 2024 and mentioned The Genesis and The Players Championship as possibilities before major championship season gets underway in April.

Riviera hasn’t historically been kind to Tiger, though. He’s never won in 14 appearances at the venue and finished T45 at the tournament in 2023.

The event will also mark Woods’ first tournament since parting ways with Nike in January.

The Genesis Invitational is organized by the Tiger Woods Foundation, so he’ll serve as host in addition to competing in the event.

PHOENIX OPEN PREVIEW: TEEING UP ROWDIEST WEEK ON PGA TOUR

The PGA TOUR’s rowdiest week is here once again with the WM Phoenix Open serving as three parts party and one part golf.

The annual event held on Super Bowl weekend has become one of the most anticipated tournaments on the calendar, with enormous – often inebriated – crowds helping to produce the loudest experience of the year.

It’s also become Scottie Scheffler’s personal ATM, with the Texan coming into this year’s event as the two-time defending champion. He’ll look to become the first player to win the same tournament three years in a row on the PGA TOUR since Steve Stricker accomplished that feat at the John Deere Classic from 2009-2011.

When: Feb. 8-11

Where: TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona

Scheffler bested his 2022 winning score by three thanks to a final-round 65 to keep the title by two strokes over Nick Taylor. The 2022 Masters champion separated from the Canadian with an electric eagle on the par-5 13th Sunday and pushed that advantage to two with a clutch par on No. 16. He’d see the tournament through with a birdie on No. 17 and a par on No. 18 to regain the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Scheffler became the seventh player to win the Phoenix Open in back-to-back years and the first since Hideki Matsuyama in 2016-17. This event was also his jumping-off point as the 2022 triumph was his first on the PGA TOUR. He followed that up with a Masters win just two months later and claimed The Players Championship in March after last year’s standout Phoenix Open performance.

Recent winners

2023: Scottie Scheffler (-19)

2022: Scottie Scheffler (-16)

2021: Brooks Koepka (-19)

2020: Webb Simpson (-17)

2019: Rickie Fowler (-17)

2018: Gary Woodland (-18)

2017: Hideki Matsuyama (-17)

2016: Hideki Matsuyama (-14)

Group: Jordan Spieth, Brian Harman, Max Homa

Round 1 – 9:53 a.m.

Round 2 – 2:33 p.m.

Group: Rickie Fowler, Grayson Murray, Tom Kim

Round 1 – 10:04 a.m.

Round 2 – 2:44 p.m.

Group: Shane Lowry, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Sungjae Im

Round 1 – 10:15 a.m.

Round 2 – 2:55 p.m.

Group: Scottie Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Wyndham Clark

Round 1 – 2:33 p.m.

Round 2 – 9:53 a.m.

Group: Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Cameron Young

Round 1 – 2:44 p.m.

Round 2 – 10:04 a.m.

Group: Sam Burns, Si Woo Kim, J.T. Poston

Round 1 – 2:55 p.m.

Round 2 – 10:15 a.m.

Reasons to watch

Scottie 3-peat

Back-to-back wins on the PGA TOUR have become commonplace in recent years. However, completing the three-peat has proved too tough a task since 2011. Last year alone saw Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy, KH Lee, and Sam Burns unable to accomplish the feat. Scheffler gets that opportunity this week in Phoenix, and one has to feel confident in his ability to seal the deal. He has two wins and a seventh-place finish in his last three starts here since 2021. Scheffler also comes in with top-six results in two of his three starts this year.

Aces on No. 16

The tournament will see over 600,000 fans come through the turnstiles throughout the week, with Saturday serving as the biggest – and drunkest – show of the event. That ups the ante on the iconic par-3 16th, with Sam Ryder providing the most memorable moment in recent years in 2022.

Tiger Woods’ historic ace is also one that’ll never be forgotten. It represents an interesting time capsule, showing how much bigger the event has gotten since he joined the TOUR in the late 1990s.

Long-shot stories set to end

Wyndham Clark’s weather-shortened 54-hole victory at Pebble Beach last week kept an incredible streak of long-shot winners rolling for this season. All five winners on the PGA TOUR have held at least 100-1 odds prior to the tournament. However, if there were ever an event for that run to end, it’s the Phoenix Open. Every single one of the last eight tourney winners has also claimed either a major or Players Championship title. Kevin Stadler in 2014 is the only Phoenix Open winner in the last decade to hold odds of at least 100-1 heading into action.

Betting odds

Scottie Scheffler +450

Justin Thomas +900

Jordan Spieth +1,600

Max Homa +1,600

Sam Burns +2,200

Byeong Hun An +2,800

Wyndham Clark +2,800

Sahith Theegala +3,300

Sungjae Im +3,300

J.T. Poston +3,500

Matthew Fitzpatrick +3,500

Min Woo Lee +3,500

Tom Kim +3,500

Cameron Young +4,000

Hideki Matsuyama +4,000

Adam Hadwin +4,500

Eric Cole +5,000

Rickie Fowler +5,000

Odds via theScore Bet

INDIANA SPORTS NEWS RELEASES/NEWS REPORTS

INDIANA PACERS

(PACERS RELEASE)

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS WARRIORS

The Pacers (29-23) will look to pick up a third straight win on Thursday night, when they host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors (22-25) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Thursday will be Indiana’s final home game before NBA All-Star 2024, as the Blue & Gold will embark on a three-game road trip over the next week as preparations begin for Indianapolis to host the league’s annual showcase from Feb. 16-18.

The Blue & Gold are coming off a 132-129 win over the Rockets on Tuesday night. The Pacers shot a blistering 62.8 percent, with six players reaching double figures. Pascal Siakam led the way with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting (4-of-6 from 3-point range), while Myles Turner added 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting and T.J. McConnell chipped in 18 points off the bench, going 8-for-11 from the field.

The most encouraging development for Pacers fans was that All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton played 29 minutes, his most playing time since returning from a left hamstring strain last week, and tallied 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting and seven assists.

The Pacers have four games left until the All-Star break and the hope is that Haliburton close to full health by the time the break rolls around. He’ll have a busy weekend playing host during All-Star, but still will have eight days off between games and should be ready to go when the Pacers resume their playoff push.

Less than two years removed from their latest NBA title, the Warriors are fighting just to make the playoffs this year. Golden State is currently in 11th place in the Western Conference and would not even qualify for the Play-In Tournament if the season ended today.

Despite the Warriors’ struggles, Curry is still as brilliant as ever at age 35. The two-time MVP is sixth in the league in scoring at 28.1 points per game and is still the league’s best volume shooter, hoisting nearly 12 threes per game and knocking them down at a 41-percent clip.

Curry has had some big nights in recent weeks. He scored 46 points and went 9-for-21 from beyond the arc on Jan. 27 against the Lakers and then dropped a season-high 60 points while going 10-for-23 from long range on Feb. 3 in Atlanta. But those games aptly summarize the 2023-24 Warriors, as despite Curry’s strong performances, Golden State dropped both contests.

One bright spot for the Warriors in recent weeks has been Jonathan Kuminga. Still just 21 years old, Kuminga has started to show why he was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Over his last 10 games entering Wednesday, the 6-7 forward has averaged 24.9 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 60.8 percent from the field.

The Warriors will be on the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday, as they play on Wednesday night in Philadelphia before traveling to Indianapolis.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner

Warriors: G – Stephen Curry, G – Brandin Podziemski, F – Klay Thompson, F – Jonathan Kuminga, C – Draymond Green

Injury Report

Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin – questionable (illness)

Warriors: Andrew Wiggins – probable (left ankle contusion), Draymond Green – questionable (right knee contusion), Chris Paul – out (left hand fracture), Gary Payton II – out (left hamstring strain)

Last Meeting

Dec. 14, 2022: Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin combined for 53 points and nine 3-pointers to lead Indiana to a 125-119 win over Golden State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

After scoring just one point two nights earlier in a loss in Miami, Haliburton bounced back in a big way. Indiana’s leading scorer dropped 20 of his 29 points in the first half on Wednesday, and went 5-for-10 from 3-point range while also tallying four rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and a steal.

“I’ve just got some great people in my life,” Haliburton said of his bounce-back performance. “…Great people in this locker room, great vets and coaches that just stayed on me to just play basketball, play free.”

Mathurin, meanwhile, hit big shot after big shot, finishing with 24 points, six boards, and three assists, going 8-for-14 from the field and 4-for-7 from 3-point range.

Stephen Curry tallied 38 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 30 minutes for the Warriors, going 11-for-19 from the field, 5-for-10 from 3-point range, and 11-for-11 from the free throw line, but exited after injuring his left shoulder with 2:04 remaining in the third quarter and did not return.

Myles Turner tallied 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, three assists, two steals, and a block for the Pacres in the win. Buddy Hield added 17 points and five rebounds, while Oshae Brissett chipped in 11 points off the bench for Indiana.

Jordan Poole finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Golden State in the loss. Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points and eight rebounds, while JaMychal Green tallied 15 points off the bench.

Noteworthy

The Pacers have won three straight games against the Warriors. Indiana swept the season series with Golden State last season for the first time since 2017-18.

Pacers guard Buddy Hield needs two 3-pointers to pass Billy Keller (506) for fifth place in franchise history.

All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton is 28 points shy of reaching 4,000 for his career.

Former Pacers guard Cory Joseph, who played in Indiana for two seasons from 2017-19, is in his 13th NBA season and his first with the Warriors.

The Warriors drafted Indiana University All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis, the son of former Pacers center Dale Davis, with the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Jackson-Davis is averaging 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds over 35 games as a rookie.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

Tickets

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Alperen Sengun and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 7:00 PM ET.

INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS

(IU RELEASE)

INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS SET TO HOST THREE MATCHES THIS WEEKEND

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––––– After a perfect 4-0 stretch last week, Indiana Men’s Tennis is busy once again, hosting three matches this weekend.

For the first match of the weekend, Indiana will face Drake on Friday, February 9, at 5 p.m. Drake currently holds a 5-1 record, with their last win coming this past Saturday against Creighton, 4-3.

On Saturday, February 10, Indiana will take on Brown at 3 p.m. Brown comes into the match with a 3-5 record, with their last match being a loss to Old Dominion, 7-0.

Indiana will close out the weekend on Sunday, February 11, with a match against Middle Tennessee State. Middle Tennessee State sits on a 5-3 record, with their last match being a loss to No. 19 Michigan State, 5-2.

In singles play, senior Michael Andre and freshman Nikola Kolyachev have built up strong resumes. Both Andre and Kolyachev are sitting at a 6-1 singles record so far this season.

In doubles, Luc Boulier and Facundo Yunias have been perfect, holding a 4-0 record on the season.

Live video and live stats will be available for all of the Hoosiers matches this weekend.

Video (all three matches): https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/2018/2/22/tennis-playsight

Drake Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=499418

Brown Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=499419

Middle Tennessee Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=499420

INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(IU RELEASE)

NO. 14 IU MEETS MICHIGAN STATE ON THURSDAY

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 14 Indiana hosts Michigan State to try and remain perfect at home this season on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock.

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

Michigan State is coming off a 76-65 win over Minnesota at home on Monday night to win its fourth-straight game. Senior guard Moira Joiner led the way against the Gophers with 21 points as she’s also the team’s leading scorer with 15.2 points per outing. Senior forward Julia Ayrault adds 14.9 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds. The Spartans are averaging 86.0 points per game, the third-highest scoring offense in the Big Ten.

SERIES HISTORY

Michigan State leads 50-34

LAST MEETING

3/3/23- W, 94-85 (Minneapolis)

NOTES

Indiana and Michigan State meet for the only time in the regular season on Thursday. The Hoosiers have won four of the last five and seven of the last 10 in the series dating back to the 2017-18 season.

IU is a perfect 11-0 on the season at home, one of 24 teams in NCAA Division I women’s basketball to remain perfect at home. It is the only Big Ten team to hold an undefeated record on its home court this season.

Senior guard Sara Scalia recently moved into the top 10 in a single season for three pointers made with 66 as she added three more to her tally on Sunday at Ohio State. The Stillwater, Minn. native on pace to break Amanda Cahill’s record of 78 makes (2017-18) as she averages 3.1 per game (seventh nationally).

Holmes inches closes in on taking over the top spot in scoring the IU history books. She enters Thursday’s game just 45 points shy of Tyra Buss’s (2014-18) record of 2,364 points. Through her five seasons, the Gorham, Maine native has collected 2,320 points and is only the second player to score over 2,000 points in her IU career.

Senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil continues to be the Hoosiers’ floor general along with added scoring to begin conference play. The Greenfield, Tenn. native is averaging a team 12.2 points per game in Big Ten action while dishing out 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Moore-McNeil is generally tasked with guarding the opponent’s leading scorer and has picked up just 18 fouls in 370 minutes of action during league play (one foul every 20.5 minutes).

UP NEXT

The Hoosiers will host Purdue on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on B1G+.

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

(PURDUE RELEASE)

EDEY NAMED TO NAISMITH DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue’s Zach Edey has been named as one of 15 players to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.

The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is given to the nation’s top defensive player. A year ago, Edey was one of 10 finalists for the award.

Edey is one of three Big Ten players on the list, joining Penn State’s Ace Baldwin and Rutgers’ Cliff Omoruyi.

Edey has led a Purdue defense that ranks 15th in the country in defensive efficiency and 56th in field goal percentage defense. The Boilermakers’ defensive efficiency is their highest ranking since the 2019-20 season and the sixth-best efficiency ranking of the Matt Painter era.

Edey surpassed 200 career blocks in the win over Wisconsin, making him the third player in NCAA history with 2,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field, joining Navy’s David Robinson and Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing on that exclusive list. Edey has blocked at least one shot in 22 of 23 games this year, ranking in the top 15 in blocked shots per game and in the top five in rebounding.

Edey currently ranks third nationally in scoring (23.1 PPG), fourth in rebounds (11.7 RPG), 14th in field goal percentage (.631) and 14th in blocked shots per game (2.3 BPG). Just three players in NCAA history (2002-03 – Chris Kaman, Central Michigan; 1997-98 – Michael Olowokandi, Pacific; 1993-94 – Carlos Rogers, Tennessee State) have ever finished in the top 15 in all four categories.

Edey and the Boilermakers host Indiana on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, in Mackey Arena.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX

(ND RELEASE)

FIVE IRISH NAMED ILWOMEN PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – With the dawn of a new season approaching, ILWomen have named their 2024 Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans which features five members of the Blue and Gold squad. The honorees include three veterans for the Irish as well as two transfers in Kasey Choma (First Team), Jackie Wolak (First Team), Madison Ahern (Third Team), Arden Tierney (Third Team), and Olivia Dooley (Honorable Mention).

The 2023 attacking trio of Ahern, Choma and Wolak, all finished last season with numerous All-American accolades and were recently named to the All-ACC Preseason Team.

During the off season, the Irish added draw specialist and attacker Tierney from Richmond, and stand out defender Dooley to the roster. The duo bring to the team additional All-American and previous player of the year honors from their respective conferences.

All five women were also honored by USA Lacrosse Magazine as Preseason All-Americans along with teammates Kelly Denes and Lilly Callahan on January 17.

NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL

(ND RELEASE)

OFFENSE STALLS IN 71-53 LOSS AT #9/10 DUKE

DURHAM, N.C. – Wednesday night marked Notre Dame’s third straight road contest and to escape with a victory the Fighting Irish would have to take down the No. 9/10 Duke Blue Devils and the Cameron Crazies in a hostile environment. There were major portions of the contest in which the Fighting Irish (7-16, 2-10) went toe-to-toe with the Blue Devils (17-5, 8-3), but the game was ultimately decided by two key Duke scoring runs, one in each half, resulting in a 71-53 defeat.

Duke delivered a 17-0 scoring blow in the first half as Notre Dame fought back to cut its deficit to single digits (25-33) by halftime. Then another turnover spree in the second half keyed a 15-5 run by the home squad.

Markus Burton scored 12 points in the second half, marking the ninth time this season in which he’s scored double figures in the second. The freshman guard finished with 19 points , marking his third consecutive game with at least 17 points. He has now scored in double figures in 16 consecutive games.

Braeden Shrewsberry recorded his seventh game in double figures over the last nine games with 13 points. He was 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, marking his ninth straight game with multiple three-pointers. In fact, he’s knocked down 13 in the last four games.

Duke out-rebounded Notre Dame 43-35 and took advantage of those second chance points, out-scoring the Irish 21-2 in that category. The Blue Devils also tallied 38 of their points in the paint. Notre Dame finished 20-of-59 (.339) from the field compared to Duke’s 26-of-60 (.433).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Shrewsberry and Burton each got a bucket early to get the Irish up 5-3, but then a lengthy offensive cold spell settled in. The Irish recorded an 0-for-12 shooting stretch from the field, coupled with five turnovers, resulting in an eight-minute scoring drought. In the meantime, Duke recorded a 17-0 run, tying Marquette for most consecutive points dropped on the Irish this season.

Next, a trio of Irish freshmen would give the Irish a boost starting with back-to-back three-pointers from Shrewsberry and Burton. Later, a Carey Booth offensive board and putback slam marked 10 straight Irish points scored by freshmen with Notre Dame now trailing 17-26 at the 3:36 media.

Shrewsberry would tack on two more points from the free throw line in the final second of the half to pull the Irish back within single digits at 25-33. Thus, after Duke’s scoring run, Notre Dame ended the half out-scoring the Blue Devils 20-13.

The Blue Devils scored the first five points of the second half to push their lead back to double digits. Shrewsberry and Burton each drained a three soon after to not only push their point totals to double figures, but also bring the Irish back within nine at 33-42 with 16:19 on the clock.

Burton started the second half 3-for-5 as the freshman guard got into a rhythm to trade back-and-forth blows with Duke. However, right after, Duke fired off a 15-5 scoring spree to mark their largest lead of the game up 44-63. Notre Dame committed six turnovers during this stretch. Duke then settled in for the 71-53 final.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Irish finally get to return to Purcell Pavilion on Saturday, Feb. 10, when they host the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Please note the new tip time of 6 p.m. ET on the CW.

BUTLER WOMEN’S LAX

(BUTLER RELEASE)

BUTLERWLACROSSE PREVIEW SERIES: DEFENDERS AND GOALIES

Head Coach Maggie Zentgraf enters her second season leading the Butler Women’s Lacrosse program. Zentgraf, former member of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team, finished her first season with Bulldogs with a 5-10 record overall.

Heading into the 2024 season, Zentgraf has prepared some critical goals that the team must strive towards in toward to have a successful season. She intends focus on ground balls and calling turnovers, while fighting for a 50/50 ground ball.

Quote

“This year’s defensive unit is a brand-new squad, pulling players who traditionally played attack in years past, Sloan Trapp and Tessa Fackrell and adding veteran defender, Kiersten Farley to the mix. This group has already established strong communication and collaboration skills, they are flexible- having the ability to rotate between man and zone and have a strong sense of pride in pushing the tempo in the clear.” Coach Zentgraf states.

Returners

This year Coach Zentgraf returns a veteran crew of Bulldogs to her defender group. Coach Zentgraf’s true defending lineup is set to be Grace Hensley, Savannah Behn, and Peyton Moroney. Throughout the practice season thus far, Coach Zentgraf emphasizes Behn stepping into the defensive role and pushing the tempo in practices. Behn is invested in challenging the team and is fitting right in with the elite group of defenders Coach Zentgraf has. Moroney, a former midfielder is anticipated to step into the defender goal in her junior season with the program.

On the goalie side of the team, Aleigh Monroe and Caroline Smith serve as top goalies for the program. Smith, who was the main goalie for the Bulldogs last season recorded 100 saves in a season, totaling up to 40% saves for the year.

New Additions

Freshman, Ireland Costigan joins the program from Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. Costigan is set to step into the defender role for the Bulldogs, but also is a dual midfielder.

Team Leadership

Behn, a senior defender for the Bulldogs, is the vocal huddle leader of the program and displays leadership qualities in practice that Coach Zentgraf and teammates see day in and day out.

Season Opener

The Butler women’s lacrosse team will open up their season on Friday, February 9th, where the Bulldogs will take on Central Michigan at Varsity Field.

Social Updates

For additional social updates and game information, follow Butler women’s lacrosse on Twitter @ButlerWLacrosse.

BUTLER FOOTBALL

(BUTLER RELEASE)

BUTLER FOOTBALL BOLSTERS ROSTER WITH 2024 RECRUITING CLASS

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler football coaching staff brought in 33 student-athletes on National Signing Day as part of the 2024 Recruiting Class. Head Coach Mike Uremovich added a mix of transfers and first-year players to the program in preparation for the 2024 season.

“Our staff has worked very hard and has done a great job with the 2024 class.” Uremovich added. “We always start with Indiana high school football players in the evaluation process and this year was no different. We were able to sign 12 kids from the state of Indiana from great high school programs. We also have incoming players from 13 different states in this class. It is a great mix of local talent with kids from across the country that will help us to continue to build the program. I can’t wait to watch these guys develop on and off the field over the next four to five years at Butler.”

BU added student-athletes from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin, Florida, California, Texas, Missouri, Virginia, and Massachusetts with this class. Of the 33 newcomers, 19 will play on the offensive side of the ball.

“We are very excited about the players we have signed in the 2024 class on the offensive side of the ball,” Offensive Coordinator Alex Barr explained. “It is a group of very talented young men that have bright futures here at Butler. We are looking forward to getting them on campus and watching them compete in August.”

On the other side of the ball, BU added four defensive linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs. Defensive Coordinator Adam Siwicki will combine these newcomers with a talented group of returners that helped BU rank in the top-ten of all FCS programs in scoring defense and red zone defense.

“We are excited about our incoming class,” Siwicki stated. “We have addressed our loses from graduation and believe this is a group on defense that defines what it means to be a Butler student-athlete. We believe they embody what it means to be a Bulldog.”

With the departure of Luka Zurak, BU also addressed the kicker/punter position with Beck Janki joining the program.

“I am really excited and optimistic about the class of new Bulldogs that we have brought in,” Special Teams Coordinator Joe Cheshire said. “They all fit our culture academically, athletically, and socially. I know with the quality and character of these incoming players we will see an impact in the competitiveness of our special team units across the board.”

The Pioneer Football League announced the conference schedule yesterday. Butler will host Morehead State, Dayton, Stetson, and St. Thomas in 2024. Road games for the Bulldogs include trips to Drake, Davidson, Valparaiso, and Presbyterian.

Each member of the 2024 recruiting class is listed below in alphabetical order.

Tommie Aberle
LB
6-2, 180
Lake Forest, Ill.
Lake Forest H.S.

Aberle was a two-time all-conference selection at Lake Forest that earned Team MVP honors. He earned academic all-conference honors while also competing in basketball and baseball.

Why Aberle Chose Butler
“The coaching staff, campus and players all fit with what I was looking for. Academically, I also think I will be challenged here.”

Braydon Alford
WR
5-8, 185
Dublin, Ohio
Dublin Jerome H.S.

Alford set his school’s single-season receptions record with 90 catches during his senior year. He had 1,487 all-purpose yards that year and scored 10 touchdowns. As a senior, Alford was named First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District and Third-Team All-State. He played as a team captain and had an outstanding game against Hilliard Bradley in Week 5 which included 14 catches for 195 yards and three touchdowns.

Why Alford Chose Butler
“I wanted to play college football for a staff where I am wanted. I believe I can get a great education and be part of an amazing football program. Meeting the coaches and players helped me with my decision. They are all extremely kind. Being around the team felt natural to me.”

Jarrin Alley
QB
6-2, 195
Bloomington, Ind.
Bloomington South H.S.

Alley was named All-State and All-Conference before being recognized as a Region 10 All-Star. The Bloomington South Offensive MVP threw for 2,738 yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior. He completed 66 percent of his pass attempts (180/273) and added seven rushing touchdowns to give him 45 total TD’s on the year. Bloomington South won a conference, sectional and regional championship with Alley under center. The team also set the school record for most 40-point games in a single-season. Alley set the school record for TD passes in a single-game with six in the sectional semi-final game vs. Bloomington North. He ended his career ranked second all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns finishing behind former NFL QB Rex Grossman. In a win over Columbus North, Alley threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns. He was in the box score with 220 yards and six touchdowns in the sectional semi-final win over Bloomington North. Alley also threw for 267 yards and five touchdowns in the sectional championship win over Seymour. Off the gridiron, Alley is an Academic All-State selection with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Why Alley Chose Butler
“Butler gives me the chance to play football for a competitive team that wants to win as badly as I do, while playing in my home state. It is also a fantastic academic school that will grant me the opportunity to earn a great degree.”

Trey Alsbrooks
DL
6-2, 230
Charlotte, N.C.
Weddington H.S. (Elon Transfer)

Alsbrooks played at Elon for three seasons before transferring to Butler. In 2023, Alsbrooks returned from an injury to play in all 11 games. He posted 16 tackles as a redshirt-sophomore (8 solo) to go with two tackles for loss and a sack. His best game was a five-tackle performance in the final game of the season against Hampton. Alsbrooks missed the 2022 campaign but started in all 11 games during the 2021 season. He was fifth on the team with 51 tackles and added 2.5 sacks. Before attending Elon, Alsbrooks was a three-time 3AA football state champion, earning all-conference nods as a sophomore, junior, and senior. He was also named all-county as a junior. Alsbrooks finished his high school career with 340 tackles, 30 sacks, 32 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, five touchdowns, and three blocked punts

Why Alsbrooks Chose Butler
“Butler allows me to reach my full potential in the classroom and on the football field.”

Justin Anagonye-Bahn
DT
6-3, 280
Southfield, Mich.
Berkley H.S. (Brown Transfer)

Anagonye-Bahn appeared in 29 games at Brown over the last three seasons. He recorded 20 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss. Before his career at Brown, Anagonye-Bahn was a two-time OAA All-League selection in football and wrestling.

Why Anagonye-Bahn Chose Butler
“Butler is an amazing place to advance academically while still playing college football at a high level.”

Kameron Armstrong
DB
5-10, 170
Muskegon, Mich.
Lawrence North H.S.

Armstrong was part of a sectional championship team at Lawrence North. He had 60 tackles, eight pass breakups and a sack during his senior season. As a junior, Armstrong posted 60 tackles, and broke up 19 passes. A two-time All-MIC selection, Armstrong played as a team captain and was also tabbed All-County. He had a great game against Pike with seven tackles, a sack and two pass breakups. Armstrong also had seven tackles and three pass breakups vs. Lawrence Central.

Why Armstrong Chose Butler
“The staff made me feel at home. I can’t wait to play for Coach Uremovich.”

Cameron Beiswenger
OL
6-4, 270
Shaker Heights, Ohio
University H.S.

Beiswenger was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter on the offensive line at University School. He was a Northeast Ohio All-District honorable mention selection in 2022 and 2023.

Why Beiswenger Chose Butler
“I can see myself succeeding and being challenged at Butler both academically and through athletics.”

Ben Brandenburg
LB
6-1, 200
Indianapolis, Ind.
Roncalli H.S.

Brandenburg was an all-state and all-conference selection at Roncalli while winning two sectional championships (2021, 2022) and a regional championship (2022). A three-year starter, Brandenburg was a team captain, team MVP and selected to the all-star team after the completion of the 2023 season.

Why Brandenburg Chose Butler
“I like the people here and I think everyone at Butler cares about my development as a person just as much as my development as a football player.”

Tre Brown
WR
6-2, 190
Brownsburg, Ind.
Brownsburg H.S.

Brown was part of a 9-1 Brownsburg team that went undefeated in conference action (7-0) to win a conference championship. He was a team captain and Academic All-State selection.

Why Brown Chose Butler
“Butler feels like home.”

Justin Dungy
DB
5-10, 155
Tampa, Fla.
Carrollwood Day H.S.

Dungy helped Carrollwood Day post an 8-2 record in 2023. He broke up seven passes over those 10 games and had an interception. As a junior, Dungy had a two-interception game to lead the defense.

Why Dungy Chose Butler
“I want to help Butler become a football powerhouse.”

Graham Gilmartin
DL
6-1, 240
Northville, Mich.
Northville H.S.

Gilmartin was a three-year starter at Northville that helped his team win a 2023 conference and district championship. He had 51 tackles as a senior including seven sacks and 21 tackles for loss. Gilmartin was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection and All-Region pick. He was also tabbed First Team All-State after the 2023 season. Top individual performances for Gilmartin included a two-sack, seven-tackle for loss game against rival Novi and a strip sack in the district championship game against Detroit Catholic Central. Gilmartin recovered the fumble to set up the game-winning drive. The play helped Northville win their first district title in 23 years!

Why Gilmartin Chose Butler
“Butler offers a phenomenal college experience. I can get a world class education and play high level football. It’s the best place for me to call home.”

Gage Goralski
TE
6-3, 240
Granger, Ind.
Penn H.S.

Goralski was a three-year starter at Penn H.S. that played as a team captain. An Academic All-State selection, Goralski was also tabbed all-conference. Penn went 10-2 overall and 5-0 in conference action during his senior season. Goralski had 282 yards and three touchdowns that year.

Why Goralski Chose Butler
“It’s a great opportunity. I have heard nothing but good things about the school and can’t wait to spend four years here.”

Jackson Griffith
LB
6-0, 200
Toronto, Ontario
Penn H.S.

Griffith helped Penn win three Northern Indiana Conference Championships and two sectional titles. He recorded 81 tackles as a senior (58 solo) while adding eight tackles for loss and three pass breakups. In 2022, Griffith was credited with 59 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. He led the team in total tackles as a senior and was a two-time all-conference selection. The talented linebacker had a team-high 13 tackles in a game against Mishawaka and later that season sealed a win with a red zone interception.

Why Griffith Chose Butler
” Butler is a perfect fit for me. It has a reputable business program and gives me the opportunity to play football at a high level.”

Nick Howard
QB
6-2, 230
Green Bay, Wis.
Green Bay Southwest H.S. (Dartmouth Transfer)

Howard played quarterback for the Big Green in 2023 to help Dartmouth win an Ivy League Title. Their 6-4 overall record included a 5-2 mark in league action. They shared the conference championship with Yale after being picked sixth in the preseason poll. A two-time team captain, Howard was an honorable mention Ivy League selection that led the team with 613 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a First Team All-Ivy League pick after the completion of the 2021 season. As a junior in 2021, Howard was the conference’s third-leading rusher and ranked sixth nationally in rushing touchdowns (15), which tied a Dartmouth school record that had stood for over 90 years. He earned the team’s Jake Crouthamel Award (offensive underclassman who contributed most to the success of the team) and led the Big Green in rushing yards with 787. Howard averaged a league-best 6.3 yards per carry, the third-highest average in Dartmouth history and 14th that season in the NCAA.

Why Howard Chose Butler
“To win.”

Beck Janki
K
5-9, 160
Atlanta, Ga.
Marist H.S.

Janki was team captain at Marist School in Atlanta during his senior season and helped the War Eagles post a 12-2 overall record. He was responsible for 70 points as a senior and led the team in kickoff average as a junior and senior. Janki’s career long field goal was converted from 45 yards and he hit a 40-yarder against #1 Gainesville. Marist School never lost a conference game over three seasons with Janki playing varsity ball. They won three regional championships and were state semifinalists in 2023 (6A).

Why Janki Chose Butler
“Butler gives me an opportunity to further develop myself as a well-rounded individual through experimental learning in the classroom and by competing at a high level in athletics.”

Oscar Kirch
LB
5-10, 210
Indianapolis, Ind.
Cathedral H.S.

Kirch helped Cathedral win two sectional championships (2022, 2023), a regional title (2022) and a 5A State Championship in 2021. He had 101 tackles (15 TFL) and five sacks as a senior. The year prior, Kirch was responsible for 87 tackles (8.5 TFL) and two sacks. He was Cathedral’s Defensive Player of the Year and doubled as a team captain. After his senior season, Kirch was named All-State, All-City and a Region 7 All-Star. His top performances included a 15-tackle game (3.0 TFL) against Brownsburg and a 14-tackle game against Ben Davis.

Why Kirch Chose Butler
“Butler is a tight knit community that feels like one big family.”

Andrew Lieske
S
6-0, 190
Westfield, Ind.
Westfield H.S.

Lieske was a first team all-conference selection at nearby Westfield High School that helped the Rocks win four sectional championships, three regional championships and two conference championships. Westfield finished the year as state-runner up two times during Lieske’s three years as a starter. Lieske was an academic all-state selection that also played football as a team captain.

Why Lieske Chose Butler
“When I took my visit I felt welcomed and loved the culture and atmosphere.”

Keith Long Jr.
TE
6-2, 210
Indianapolis, Ind.
Cathedral H.S.

Long was part of two state championship teams while playing at Cathedral. As a senior, he caught 51 passes to gain 592 yards and score six touchdowns. His top individual performance came against Brownsburg when he caught eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Why Long Chose Butler
“I liked Butler’s atmosphere with the coaches and players. I think I can fit right in with the university and the football program and play a major role being successful with both.”

Blake Mazone
OL
6-3, 260
San Diego, Calif.
La Costa Canyon H.S.

Mazone was a two-year starter for La Costa Canyon H.S. that was credited with 44 pancake blocks. He was tabbed Second Team All-CIF after helping his team post an 8-4 record.

Why Mazon Chose Butler
“I picked Butler for the coaching staff and the great players on the team. The facilities are beautiful and I think the school is perfect for me.”

Michael Mclaughlin
OL
6-4, 290
Peoria, Ill.
Peoria Notre Dame H.S.

Mclaughlin was a unanimous all-conference selection at Peoria Notre Dame that earned all-state honors. A three-year starter and team captain, Mclaughlin was the lineman of the year for his team and helped the Irish win a city championship. He is a member of the national honor society and was an academic all-state selection.

Why Mclaughlin Chose Butler
“Butler felt like home.”

Alexander McPhee
OL
6-4, 305
Rockford, Mich.
Rockford H.S.

McPhee was part of two conference championships, two district championships and one regional title while playing at Rockford. The All-State honoree was named all-conference as a junior and senior. The Rams went 14-0 in their conference and 21-2 overall with McPhee as a starter.

Why McPhee Chose Butler
“I believe that Butler was my best option due to the combination of academics and athletics.”

Colin Murphy
DL
6-2, 255
Easton, Mass.
Catholic Memorial H.S.

Murphy helped his team win two state championships and four conference titles during his career at Catholic Memorial. A Catholic Conference All-Star, Murphy had 60 tackles and 6.5 sacks as a senior. The year prior he was credited with 30 tackles and a sack. His top high school performance included an eight-tackle game with six of those eight stops coming behind the line of scrimmage. He added a sack and a pick to his stat line that night.

Why Murphy Chose Butler
“Butler has a rich history of athletics and academics. I want to better myself as an athlete, a student and as a young man. The Lacy School of Business sold the deal for me. I fell in love with the business aspect of Butler and feel that I can leave campus with a solid job and outstanding relationships.”

Gabe Passini
QB
6-4, 195
Middleton, Wis.
Middleton H.S.

Passini was a three-time All-State, All-Region and All-Conference selection that played at Middleton as a team captain. He threw for 1,046, 1,221 and 1,650 yards in consecutive seasons. Passini was responsible for 18 touchdowns as a junior and 23 as a senior.

Why Passini Chose Butler
“Great atmosphere, great people and great buildings.”

Luke Pedersen
OL
6-4, 270
Park Ridge, Ill.
Maine South H.S.

Pedersen helped Maine South post a 10-2 record during his senior year. The Hawks went 6-0 in conference action helped Pedersen be recognized as a all-conference selection and an honorable mention all-area pick. Pedersen only allowed one sack all season.

Why Pedersen Chose Butler
“I love everything about Butler.”

Jerel Rhodes II
RB
5-8, 185
Roanoke, Va.
North Cross H.S.

Rhodes was a two-time VISAA Football State Champion (2022, 2023) that played as a team captain as a junior and a senior. He rushed for 950 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior and 1,012 yards and 14 TD’s as a senior. Rhodes is a First Team All-State Running Back that was also tabbed Second Team All-State as a kick returner. He was recognized as a First Team All-Conference selection at each position.

Why Rhodes Chose Butler
“Butler felt like home. I love the environment and the success the school has to offer. I built a relationship with the coaches and saw how Coach U was able to turn the program around after just two seasons.”

Elijah Romeus
DB
6-0, 190
Oak Park, Ill.
Fenwich H.S.

Romeus was part of Fenwick’s first football State Championship team (5A). He played as a team captain and was the special teams MVP.

Why Romeus Chose Butler
“Great academics and athletics.”

Barrett Schmidlkofer
TE
6-2, 235
Senoia, Ga.
Starr’s Mill H.S. (Mercer Transfer)

Schmidlkofer was a three-time First Team All-County and First Team All-Region selection at Starr’s Mill High School that helped the team make a final four appearance in 2020. A three-year starter, Schmidlkofer was honorable mention all-state as a senior.

Why Schmidlkofer Chose Butler
“I chose Butler for the academic prestige of the University and for the relationships I was able to build with the coaching staff.”

Griffin Simpson
DB
6-3, 187
Brownsburg, Ind.
Brownsburg H.S.

Simpson helped Brownsburg win a conference and sectional championship as a two-year starter and three-year letterwinner. As a senior, Simpson played as a team captain and recorded 31 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble. He came up with 51 tackles, six pass deflections and an interception as a junior. An Academic All-State selection, Simpson opened his senior year with five tackles, three pass breakups and a pick in Week 1 of the season.

Why Simpson Chose Butler
“I knew I wanted to be a part of the Butler family from the first time I stepped foot on campus.”

Michael Wells
OL
6-2, 285
Rockwall, Texas
Rockwall H.S.

Wells was a two-year starter at Rockwall that helped his team post a 21-4 overall record and an undefeated 12-0 conference record. He was a team captain and a First Team All-District honoree. A two-sport athlete, Wells was a two-time Junior Olympics All-American in the shot put. He was also a Second Team Academic All-State selection.

Why Wells Chose Butler
“Butler had everything I was looking for. I have the ability to play football at the collegiate level while also being able to earn a degree from a prestigious university.”

Jack Weybright
WR
5-10, 180
Fishers, Ind.
Bishop Chatard H.S.

Weybright is a speed receiver with a track background. While at Bishop Chatard High School, Webright recorded 673 rushing yards, 473 receiving yards and scored 13 touchdowns. He won two state championships in football and one in track and field.

Why Weybright Chose Butler
“I’ve been on Butler’s campus all my life and it felt like a great fit with the players, coaches and business school.”

DT Williams
WR
6-2, 183
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Wayne H.S.

Williams was consistent over his final two years at Wayne H.S. He had 30 catches to cover 300 yards in seven games as a junior and 29 catches for 400 yards in 10 games as a senior. His best individual effort while at Wayne was an 11-catch game.

Why Williams Chose Butler
“I felt welcomed at Butler and have the opportunity to get a great education. Butler comes with a great brotherhood and gives me the ability to be very successful after graduation.”

Zac Willingham-Davis
RB
6-1, 240
Liberty, Mo.
Liberty North (SIU Transfer)

Willingham-Davis attended Southern Illinois after a stellar high school career at Liberty North. A First Team All-State selection as a senior and second team honoree as a junior, Willingham-Davis ran for 2,387 yards and 31 touchdowns during his prep career averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He rushed for 1,447 yards as a senior averaging 7.7 yards per carry and 121 yards per game.

Why Willingham-Davis Chose Butler
“Butler has a great football atmosphere with nice facilities and a great coaching staff that cares about you. It’s also a great academic school that will prepare me for medical school.”

Chet Yardley
WR
6-2, 185
Raleigh, N.C.
Cardinal Gibbons H.S.

Yardley helped Cardinal Gibbons win two conference championships. He was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection that had 57 receptions and 1,086 receiving yards as a senior and 39 receptions for 680 yards as a junior. As a two-year starter, Yardley was responsible for scoring 20 touchdowns. He was a Team MVP that doubled as an honor roll student. His best came included a 10-catch, 200-yard game in the state playoffs against Rolesville.

Why Yardley Chose Butler
“Butler is a great school, with a great football program.”

IUPUI SOFTBALL

(JAGS RELEASE)

SOFTBALL VOTED SIXTH IN HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI softball team was voted to finish sixth in the Horizon League preseason poll as announced by the league office today. The Jaguars finished fourth in the conference last year with a 12-10 record but fell in the first round of the tournament.

Head coach Elizabeth Beirne returns much of her team with four All-League players on the 2024 roster. Kendal Calvert and Kayla Frieberg who both made All-League Second Team and Kennedy Cowan (All-Freshman Team) highlight the returning group. Madison Bryant, the fourth All-League honoree will miss the 2024 season due to personal reasons.

Graduate students and seniors leading the returning class are Maicey Bedrick, Abbey Haas, Rachael Gregory, Victoria Sivert, Kasie Keyes and Jordan Barnes. Other upper classmen returning from injury this season are Kelli Riordan, Jasmin Speth and Morgan Gilbert. Other returners for the Jags are Kinsey Pfieffer and Kennedy Warbritton.

Alexa Holman, Isabelle Waggner and Carly Metcalf highlight the returning bullpen while freshman Kaylen Garland joins the pitching staff.

Coach Beirne also brought in catcher Kalee Roberts, infielders Emily Nadeau and Emma Wheatley and outfielder Paige McPhearson.

The Jaguars recorded a 12-10 record in conference with a 16-31 overall record during the 2023 season. They begin the 2024 season this weekend when they travel to Starkville, Mississippi for the Mississippi State Tournament.

BALL STATE BASEBALL

(CARDS RELEASE)

SCHEFFLER PLAYER OF THE YEAR; JOHNSON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR IN D1BASEBALL.COM MAC SEASON PREVIEW

Ball State baseball senior Decker Scheffler was named the Mid-American Conference Preseason Player of the Year and lefthanded pitcher Keegan Johnson the MAC Preseason Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball.com.

Scheffler, a 2023 First Team All-MAC and Second Team All-Region outfielder out of Sanborn, Minn., was also ranked as the No. 65 outfielder nationally by the online publication after leading the Cardinals in batting average (.378), on base percentage (.453) and OPS (1.050) while collecting 13 doubles, eight home runs and three triples among his 74 hits. Scheffler tallied 49 RBI, 46 runs scored and five stolen bases last season.

The Cardinals feature 3 of the Top 10 MAC prospects in the 2024 MLB Draft class, including juniors Hunter Dobbins (No. 1), Jacob Hartlaub (No. 6) and Merritt Beeker (No. 7). Junior Michael Hallquist was named the No. 18 MAC prospect.

Dobbins, a local product from Indianapolis, was named to the All-MAC Defensive Team as a sophomore after a breakout freshman season at the plate when he slashed .339/.395/.625 with eight home runs, 26 RBI and 29 runs scored.

Hartlaub, a righthanded pitcher out of Milwaukee, got the final eight outs in the 2023 MAC Championship game against Kent State to earn the win. Beeker and Hallquist transfer in from East Carolina and Minnesota-Crookston, respectively.

Sophomores Blake Bevis (No. 2) and Dylan Grego (No. 10) are considered top prospects for the 2025 draft. Bevis (Brentwood, Tenn.) went for 11 homers, 14 doubles and 39 RBI while scoring 34 runs and posting an .869 OPS in 2023. Grego (Kansas City, Mo.) hit .294 during his rookie campaign.

Johnson and fellow pitcher Zach Kwasny are the projected No. 1 and No. 2 impact freshmen, respectively, in the conference. Johnson’s hometown is Frederick, Md., while Kwasny hails from Mokena, Ill.

BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(BSU RELEASE)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKING OT LOSS AT NIU

DEKALB, Ill. – The Cardinals like taking it down to the wire when playing the Huskies at the Convocation Center and tonight’s contest was no different. The only difference was that Ball State found itself in the loss column for the first time in 14 games.

Unfortunately, for Ball State (20-3, 10-1 MAC) its success this season has put quite the target on the Cardinal’s back and the win went to the Huskies (9-11, 3-6 MAC) as NIU won in overtime, 76-71, Wednesday evening in DeKalb.

The Cardinals struggled offensively from start to finish tonight. BSU had to play catch up the entirety of tonight’s contest including in the fourth quarter of play.

Marie Kiefer along with Nyla Hampton helped the Cardinals to a late surge and a 64-63 lead with 16 seconds on the clock. Kiefer then fouled on the ensuing possession sending the Huskies’ Laura Nickel to the line. Nickel only made one and the Cardinals were unable to score in their last second possession which sent the game into OT.

In the extra period, Ball State took advantage early, but the Huskies came back to go back on top of the Cardinals. NIU continued to control the tempo of overtime and even though the BSU got some nice looks at the basket, they couldn’t get them to fall.

It was uncharacteristic but the Cardinals found themselves trailing the Huskies 10-3 at the 6:17 mark of the opening quarter of play. Kiefer’s layup with 5:50 on the clock sparked a 13-4 run by Ball State which was capped off by another layup from teammate Alex Richard. That scoring spree would give the Cardinals’ a 16-14 first quarter lead over the Huskies.

The second quarter was an up-and-down affair as both teams struggled causing both squads to make some unforeseen errors. NIU took the lead at the 3:34 mark and never looked back eventually taking a five-point (39-34) advantage over BSU at intermission.

After the break, both teams went scoreless for the first two minutes until Sidney McCrea drained a 3-pointer for NIU and Ally Becki answered back with a layup. The Cardinals continued to struggle offensively and suffered greatly from the 3-point line. Despite the lack of scoring, Ball State remained within reach of Northern Illinois. Estel Puiggros came off the bench and gave BSU life again with back-to-back baskets including a buzzer beater 3-pointer to knot the game 50-50 to end the third period.

For the contest, Madelyn Bischoff led the Cardinals with 14 points while teammate Hampton had 13 points and eight steals, tying her season high. Annie Rauch ended the night with 12 points and Kiefer rounded out the double figure scoring with 10.

The Ball State women’s basketball team will take a break from Mid-American Conference action when it hosts James Madison in the second game of the MAC-Sun Belt Conference Challenge on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 pm ET in Worthen Arena. The game will be aired live on the CBS Sports Network.

INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL

(ISU RELEASE)

INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL KICKS OFF 2024 SEASON IN HOUSTON

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State Softball will travel to Houston, Texas to open their 2024 season and compete in the Houston Invite, where play begins on Friday, February 9.

The Sycamores will play five games throughout the weekend, beginning with a matchup at 5 p.m. ET against Houston and to wrap up Friday’s play the Sycamores will take on Rutgers at 7:30 p.m. ET. On Saturday, ISU will play twice again, first taking on Colgate at 11 a.m. ET and then turning around to play Houston again at 1:30 p.m. ET. ISU will wrap up their weekend Sunday morning with another matchup against Colgate at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Each game throughout the tournament will have live stats available with the pair of games against Houston being streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Get to Know the ’24 Trees

After a record-breaking season, Mike Perniciaro enters his seventh season as head coach of the Sycamores. Assistant coaches for ISU include Brittany Gray-Cardenas and Rachel O’Malley who are both entering their third season on Perniciaro’s staff. In 2023, the Sycamores shutout the No. 1 seed to make it to the MVC Championship where they fell to Southern Illinois. The Sycamores set a program record for most wins in a season (32) and most Valley wins in a season (17).

The Sycamores return 13 players from last year’s roster while adding 8 freshmen, junior transfer Ana Macha (OF) from Lee University, and sophomore transfer Megan Asher (P) from Depauw.

Isabella Henning (1B) was ranked No.15 in the D1Softball rankings for first basemen as well as First Team All-MVC for the third straight year after hitting a team-high .378 last season with 65 hits including 12 doubles and 10 home runs. She is tied for the team-lead with 37 RBI and led the team with 42 runs scored. Henning is currently ranked tied for third at ISU with 25 career home runs and ranks fifth all-time with 101 career RBI.

Two time MVC All Defensive Team selection, senior Abi Chipps (UT) recorded 29 hits and scored 22 runs in her 2023 season. Chipps went a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts and tied a single-game ISU record with four hits against Murray State on May 11. She finished first in NCAA for toughest to strikeout with just one strikeout in 112 at-bats.

Danielle Henning (UT) played and started in all 57 games where she hit .283 with 52 hits including nine doubles, a triple and a home run. She drove in 23 runs while scoring 27 runs and drew 12 walks and stole two bases. Henning earned All-MVC First Team honors and was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team and a CSC Academic All-District honoree.

Kennedy Shade (SS) appeared and started in 51 games and batted .318 with 55 hits including 10 doubles and four home runs. She recorded 29 RBI with 26 runs scored while stealing five bases. Shade tied a Sycamore single-game record for doubles with three against UIC on March 20.

The Sycamores also get back three pitchers who all appeared in multiple games last season. Lauren Sackett made 32 appearances where she went 8-8 with a 2.92 ERA in 100.2 innings. Sackett led the pitching staff with 129 strikeouts and five saves. She recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts twice last season and threw a no-hitter in first collegiate start against Maine on February 18 while striking out eight hitters. Cassi Newbanks made 32 appearances where she finished with a 6-5 record with one save and a 2.52 ERA. Newbanks logged 89 innings while striking out 46 hitters. Hailey Griffin made 21 appearances, recording a 3-2 record with a 3.82 ERA in 44 innings of work. Griffin recorded three saves and struck out 25 hitters and set a new career-high for strikeouts in a game with six.

Two returning catchers for the Sycamores include junior Randi Jo Pryor and sophomore Luci Kapelka who will look to make an increased impact this season. Pryor appeared in 19 games where she had five hits and drove in a pair of runs. Kapelka appeared in four games, where she recorded first career hit on February 25 against Kennesaw State and drove in two runs on May 7 against Valparaiso.

Additional Sycamores that look to fill bigger roles this season include Morgan Goodrich (OF) who made 32 appearances in the 2023 season and scored nine runs and recorded first career hit on April 7 against UNI. Hannah Welch (SS) appeared in 40 games, and scored 20 runs while being third on the team with seven stolen bases. Livi Colip (IF) appeared in 20 games and recorded first collegiate RBI on February 25 against Kennesaw State. Sophomore Isabelle Saylor (SS) will return for the Sycamores after redshirting last season due to injury.

The Opponents

Indiana State will face the University of Houston and Colgate University for the first time over the weekend, playing 2 games against both opponents.

Houston is coached by Kristen Vesely who is entering her ninth season as head coach of the Cougars. The Cougars finished 20-30 last season and returning for the Cougars is junior Turiya Coleman who was recently named to the preseason All Big-12 team after recording a .397 batting average with 56 hits, 33 runs, and 8 home runs last season.

Colgate is coached by Marissa Lamison-Myers who is heading into her seventh season as the Raiders head coach. Colgate finished 17-31 last season and returning for the Raiders is senior first baseman Kara Fusco who was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League team. Fusco finished top-10 in the Patriot League in home runs (6), slugging percentage (.503), and OPS (.846) in 2023.

ISU will also face Rutgers in the Houston Invite this weekend which will be the first matchup between these two teams since 1999. The Scarlet Knights are coached by Kristen Butler who is going into her eighth season as Rutgers head coach. This team finished 32-25 last season and returning for Rutgers is senior Kyleigh Sand who was ranked at No. 11 on D1Softball’s 2024 Preseason Power Rankings at shortstop. Sand led RU batting .374 with a .442 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases. She totaled 71 hits leading to 13 doubles and a team-leading three triples.

Up Next

The Sycamores will travel to Nashville, Tenn. to compete in the Roar City Invitational hosted by Tennessee State University on Feb 16-18. ISU will face Western Michigan, Tennessee State, UT Martin, and Saint Louis University.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE SOFTBALL

(PFW RELEASE)

MASTODON SOFTBALL OPENS 2024 SEASON AT ALABAMA STATE’S STINGER CLASSIC

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne softball opens the 2024 season with a road trip to Montgomery, Alabama, to play in Alabama State’s Stinger Classic event.

Stinger Classic Information

Host: Alabama State

When: Friday, Feb. 9 – Saturday, Feb. 10

Where: Montgomery, Ala.

Live Stats: Link

Watch: None

Tournament Schedule

Friday, Feb. 9

6 PM ET – Purdue Fort Wayne vs. Houston Christian

8 PM ET – Purdue Fort Wayne vs. Mississippi Valley State

Saturday, Feb. 10

4 PM ET – Purdue Fort Wayne at Alabama State

8 PM ET – Purdue Fort Wayne vs. Austin Peay

Series History

Houston Christian: First Meeting

Mississippi Valley State: First Meeting

Alabama State: Alabama State leads 3-2. Last meeting: 2/11/2022, L, 7-0

Austin Peay: Austin Peay leads 0-3. Last meeting: 2/11/2022, L, 14-0

Know Your Foes

• Houston Christian was 20-33 last year and 9-15 in their Southland Conference games. The Huskies are returning their best two hitters from last season: AB Garcia and Haylie Savage. Their best pitcher, Ronni Grofman, is returning for her senior season after a 5-6 season last year.

• Mississippi Valley State was 2-38 last season and 1-22 in SWAC games. They lost to SWAC foe, Alabama State, six times last year, who is also in the field. The Devilettes are returning one of their best hitters from last season, Kaitlyn Harper. Their best pitcher, Morgan Gutierrez, is returning for her junior season.

• Alabama State was 30-21 in 2023 and 17-7 in SWAC games. The Hornets highlighted last season with a win against Georgia Tech. They won their six matchups against SWAC opponent Mississippi Valley State, last year. Alabama State is returning two of their three best hitters from 2023: Kindall DeRamus and Jaeda Gardner. The Hornets are returning one of their best pitchers, Olivia Brown, after a 5-3 season.

• Austin Peay was 27-24 last year and 12-12 in Atlantic Sun Conference games. The Governors beat Evansville twice last season, who Purdue Fort Wayne lost to twice last season. Austin Peay is returning two of their three best hitters from 2023: Kylie Campbell and Megan Hodum. Their best pitcher, Jordan Benefiel, sister of former Mastodon pitcher Bailey, is returning for her senior season after a 18-12 season last year.

Fresh Faces

The Purdue Fort Wayne softball team welcomes four freshmen to the 2024 roster, including Gwen McMenemy, Aglaia Rudd, Kayla Roberts and McKenna Minton.

Still Awards SZN

Tori Countryman and Bailey Manos were awarded All-Horizon League Second Team honors last season. Countryman was awarded with All-Horizon League Freshman Team, along with Grace Hollopeter and Alanah Jones. Countryman and Hollopeter were also awarded three Horizon League Player of the Week awards last year, two from Hollopeter and one from Countryman.

Up Next

Purdue Fort Wayne will head south to take part in the UTEP Invitational on Feb. 16-18 in El Paso, Texas.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

(PFW RELEASE)

ONE-POSSESSION GAME GOES TO CLEVELAND STATE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne fell 75-72 to Cleveland State in a Horizon League men’s basketball contest on Wednesday (Feb. 7). The Mastodons led for more than 28 minutes in the contest, but were unable to hold off a late surge from Cleveland State.

Rasheed Bello and Jalen Jackson each scored more than 20 points for Purdue Fort Wayne and each shot better than 50 percent from the field. Bello finished with a team-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Jackson had 21 on 8-of-12 shooting.

The ‘Dons led for more than 14 minutes in the first half. Jackson scored 10 of his points in the first 20 minutes as the ‘Dons led 38-31 at the break. The two teams went shot-for-shot to start the second half as each scored 20 points in the first 11 minutes. But Drew Lowder scored 14 points in the next eight minutes to help the Vikings take a 71-68 lead with 1:42 to play.

It was a four-point game after a pair of CSU free throws with 13 seconds left. Bello quickly found Quinton Morton-Robertson on the other end, who hit a three to make it a one point lead with five seconds remaining.

After Cleveland State made two free throws, the ‘Dons sprinted up court and got Bello a look at the game-tying three, but his shot was just short to deny overtime.

Tristan Enaruna led Cleveland State with 24 points.

The ‘Dons shot 50.0 percent in the contest (26-of-52). CSU was at 50.9 percent (28-of-55).

Cleveland State is now to 15-10 (8-6 Horizon League) while the ‘Dons drop to 15-9 (6-7 Horizon League). Purdue Fort Wayne is at in-state rival IUPUI on Saturday (Feb. 10) in a noon start.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(ISU RELEASE)

EAGLES WELCOME EIU THURSDAY IN PLAY4KAY GAME, HOST SIUE SATURDAY FOR HOMECOMING

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball returns home to Screaming Eagles Arena this week when USI takes on Eastern Illinois University on Thursday and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday. Both games are set for 5 p.m.

Both matchups can be seen live with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com). Saturday’s game against SIUE can also be heard on 97.7FM WREF.

USI Women’s Basketball will host the annual Play4Kay Cancer Awareness game on Thursday. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to pink out Screaming Eagles Arena. Saturday against SIUE will be Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night.

Southern Indiana (14-6, 9-1) will be playing two of its three February home games this week, as six of nine games this month are away from Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles, who enter Thursday in first place by 2.5 games in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, split their two road games down in Tennessee last week. USI captured a nine-point win, 81-72, last Thursday at Tennessee Tech University but will be looking to rebound after a seven-point loss, 65-58, on Saturday at Tennessee State University. The Tigers protected their home court in Nashville by snapping Southern Indiana’s 10-game winning streak and handing the Eagles their first setback of the OVC season.

In the game at Tennessee State, each side struggled to find an early rhythm in a defensive track meet in the first half. The Tigers’ pressuring defense made things difficult, but USI still shot nearly 46 percent for the game. Southern Indiana was also 12-13 at the free-throw line. The Screaming Eagles’ defense held Tennessee State to below 40 percent shooting, but the Tigers converted a few more threes and chances at the foul stripe. Individually, junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) paced USI with 15 points, scoring 10 or more for the 18th consecutive game, while freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) added 10 points. Shafford averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two games last week.

On the season, Shafford leads Southern Indiana at 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, which both rank among the top 10 in the OVC. Senior forwards Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) are second and third on the team in scoring with 12.1 and 10.8 points per game, respectively.

As a team, USI averages 70.3 points on 43.7 percent shooting. Southern Indiana is top three in the league in scoring offense (70.3), scoring defense (63.7), field goal percentage (43.7), opposing field goal percentage (36.8), three-point percentage (33.4), and opposing three-point percentage (29.3). USI is also top three with 39.9 rebounds per game.

Eastern Illinois is 9-14 and 6-4 in OVC play. The Panthers dropped both of their games last week against the University of Tennessee at Martin, 80-65, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock, 55-48. Preceding last week’s two defeats, Eastern Illinois had won four in a row. The Panthers average 64.2 points per contest on 41.1 percent shooting and are led in scoring and rebounding by junior forward Macy McGlone. McGlone is averaging a double-double of 17.7 points and 11.9 boards per outing.

SIUE (4-19, 1-9) earned a home split last week in its two games against Little Rock and UT Martin. The Cougars bested the Trojans, 67-61, for SIUE’s only OVC win this season before falling to UT Martin, 75-46. The Cougars are averaging 69.4 points while shooting 39.6 percent from the field this season. SIUE is actively led in scoring by junior guard Sofie Lowis with 11.1 points per game, and sophomore guard Macy Silvey is also averaging double figures. The Cougars have been without one of their top players and Preseason All-OVC selection in graduate guard KK Rodriguez since early December.

Thursday is the only regular season meeting between Eastern Illinois and Southern Indiana, as USI will look to claim its first win in the all-time series history. The Panthers have won all four previous meetings, including an 11-point win in Charleston, Illinois, and a five-point overtime win at USI in 2022-23. Between those two meetings last season, Shafford tallied 36 combined points for USI.

SIUE and USI are renewing their longtime rivalry for the 54th time on Saturday. Southern Indiana leads the series history, 28-25, after recording an 87-64 win in Edwardsville, Illinois, on January 11. In that contest, Webb posted a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds alongside Raley’s double-double of 13 points and 11 boards for USI. The two sides split their matchups in 2022-23. The all-time series dates to the 1981-82 season.

(VALPO RELEASE)

LOVE VALPO WEEKEND BEGINS FRIDAY AS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FACES INDIANA STATE

Valparaiso (4-15, 3-7 MVC)

Game #19 – February 4, 2024 – 1 p.m.

Indiana State (7-13, 3-7 MVC)

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

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: Winners of back-to-back games, the Valpo women’s basketball team opens up the second half of Valley play at the ARC Friday evening when the Beacons face off against Indiana State for the second time this season. Free pom poms and Love Valpo posters will be available for fans, and the first 500 fans will receive a free Valpo shoe charm.

Previously: A dramatic fourth quarter full of twists and turns Sunday in Chicago between Valpo and UIC was bound to come right down to the wire, and it took all the way until the final buzzer to determine the victor, as Beacon senior Leah Earnest got open for a buzzer-beating layup to deliver the 71-70 victory to Valpo.

While the winning basket was a two-point field goal, the Beacons used a season-best effort from behind the 3-point line to be in position to earn the win — six of which came in the fourth quarter. Nevaeh Jackson matched the program’s freshman record for 3-pointers in a game, knocking down six triples, while Olivia Brown hit four 3-pointers on as many attempts.

Following Valpo Basketball: Streaming Video: ESPN+

Radio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso)

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her sixth year at the helm of the program in 2023-24 and owns a record of 59-106. Evans has made an impact on the program in her first five years, raising the team’s level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. The 2022-23 season saw Evans lead Valpo to the first win in program history over perennial MVC power Missouri State. The Beacons also won three consecutive road games in Valley play, the first time the program accomplished that feat against three different opponents since 2007.

Series Notes: Indiana State leads the all-time series with Valpo, 11-7, and the Sycamores took the first meeting of the season in Terre Haute just two weekends ago, 70-49. The Beacons led that game at intermission, 32-28, before ISU outscored Valpo 42-17 in the second half. Leah Earnest scored a game-high 18 points and also paced the Beacons with six rebounds in that meeting.

UINDY FOOTBALL

(UINDY RELEASE)

UINDY FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 2024 RECRUITING CLASS

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s National Signing Day and the UIndy football team is joining programs all over the country in proudly announcing its newest additions. With the help of his assistants, Head Coach Chris Keevers welcomed his newest recruiting class on Wednesday, with 37 newcomers joining the program this fall. Find a list of the names below, with complete signing day coverage – including bio info, highlights and coach’s thoughts – available here.

2024 UINDY FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS

FIRST	LAST	POS.	HT		WT	YR	HOMETOWN	HIGH SCHOOL
Ariyan	Ballance	LB	6	0	195	Fr.	Brownsburg, IN	Brownsburg
Anthony	Beacom	P	5	10	195	R-Sr.	Roselle, IL	Lake Park
Raesean	Betton	OL	6	0	280	Fr.	Columbus, OH	Saint Francis DeSales
Charlie	Brooks	DL	6	1	265	R-Sr.	Hazel Crest, IL	Homewood Flossmoor
Ian	Burr	K	5	11	185	R-Sr.	Franklin, TN	Franklin
Rashawn	Carpenter	DB	5	9	170	Fr.	Fort Wayne, IN	North Side
Alvin	Contreras	NIC	5	10	209	Fr.	Indianapolis, IN	Ben Davis
Atley	Cowan	QB	6	2	185	Fr.	Wheeling, WV	The Linsly School
Key	Crowell	DB	5	11	165	Fr.	Lebanon, TN	Lebanon
Julian	Dandridge	DL	6	3	239	Fr.	Columbus, OH	Hilliard Bradley
Best	Dare	LB	6	0	195	Fr.	Brownsburg, IN	Brownsburg
Connor	Dutton	DL	6	3	235	Fr.	Delaware, OH	Delaware Hayes
Juseters	Fataki	RB	5	10	195	Fr.	Hamilton, OH	Fairfield
Grey	Hostetler	DL	6	4	245	Fr.	Bloomington, IN	Bloomington North
Garron	Kamarata	QB	6	3	185	Fr.	Mt. Juliet, TN	Green Hill
Caleb	Lacefield	OL	6	4	295	Fr.	Gary, IN	Bishop Noll
Taurean	Langston	OL	6	5	300	Fr.	Indianapolis, IN	Lutheran
Eli	Liapis	DB	5	11	175	Fr.	Plainfield, IL	Plainfield North
Memphis	Louden	QB	6	0	207	Fr.	Bedford, IN	Bedford North Lawrence
Brayden	Mayfield	OL	6	4	285	Fr.	Jeffersonville, IN	Jeffersonville
Darreon	Newson	DB	6	1	170	Fr.	Granger, IN	Elkhart
Cayden	Olinger	WR	5	11	180	Fr.	Brownsburg, IN	Brownsburg
Stephon	Opoku	DB	5	10	170	Fr.	Bloomington, IN	Bloomington North
Abraham	Ramirez-Zarate	OL	6	4	325	Fr.	Carmel, IN	Carmel
Noah	Schneider	OL	6	3	295	Fr.	Lawrenceburg, IN	East Central
Garrett	Sherrell	RB	5	7	184	Fr.	Indianapolis, IN	Brownsburg
Trey	Stephens	LB	6	0	205	Fr.	Gary, IN	Merrillville
Chris	Stewart	OL	6	4	277	Fr.	Wilmington, OH	Wilimington
Bailey	Thacker	QB	6	3	192	Fr.	Ironton, OH	Ironton
Jake	Walter	K/P	5	9	185	Fr.	Hilliard, OH	Hilliard Bradley
Davon	Watson	DL	6	3	310	Fr.	Chicago, IL	Marist (IL)
Jordan	Wheeler	DB	5	11	174	Fr.	Westerville, OH	Westerville South
Bishop	Williams	WR	6	3	205	Fr.	Elkhart, IN	Jimtown
DJ	Williams	DL	6	3	230	Fr.	Flossmoor, IL	Mt. Carmel
Mario	Williams	DB	5	11	165	Fr.	Columbus, OH	Westerville Central
Noah	Willig	WR	6	1	165	Fr.	Norton, OH	Norton
David	Wuske	DL	6	1	226	Fr.	Frankfort, IL	Lincoln Way East

UINDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(UINDY RELEASE)

GREYHOUNDS HOSTS UPPER IOWA, TRUMAN IN WEEKEND HOMESTAND

vs. Upper Iowa Peacocks (6-15, 3-10 GLVC)

Thursday | February 8 | 5 p.m.

vs. Truman (11-8, 8-5 GLVC)

Saturday | February 10 | 12:30 p.m.

The UIndy women’s basketball team enters their second to last weekend in Nicoson Hall. This will only be the second time that UIndy and Upper Iowa will face each other, the first time at Nicoson Hall. Saturday’s contest against Truman is highlighted by UIndy’s newest class of the university’s Hall of Fame being honored.

LAST TIME OUT

The Greyhounds enter the weekend on a two-game win streak. The Hounds last defeated the Maryville Saints, 80-55, in St. Louis. Elana Wells was a star on the court for the Hounds during the contest. Wells finished with 26 points. The junior was 100 percent from beyond the arc, going 3-for-3, and 9-of-11 overall on the night.

The Greyhounds dominated in the second quarter, outscoring the Saints 28-12. The quarter included a 19-2 run by the Hounds. Jodi Mullins, Liv Becker, and Elana Wells all had five points each. As a team, UIndy was 7-for-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond that arc in that run. This momentum led the Greyhounds the rest of the way securing UIndy’s win.

UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

(UINDY RELEASE)

RETURN TO NICOSON HIGHLIGHTED BY FIRST-EVER MEETING WITH UPPER IOWA

vs. Upper Iowa Peacocks (14-6, 9-3 GLVC)

Thursday | February 8 | 7:30 p.m.

vs. Truman (9-11, 6-6 GLVC)

Saturday | February 10 | 3 p.m.

The UIndy men’s basketball team returns home to Nicoson Hall this weekend, hosting Upper Iowa in the programs’ first-ever meeting in a battle of the top two teams in the GLVC on Thursday. The Greyhounds then welcome Truman to the Circle City on Saturday afternoon, as the university celebrates the newest class to the UIndy Athletics Hall of Fame.

LAST TIME OUT

The Greyhounds clawed their way back into the win column last weekend with a pair of tough road victories. UIndy outlasted Missouri S&T in overtime last Thursday, limiting the league’s third-best scoring offense to just 68 points, with a 3-pointer from Zac Szul with a minute remaining lifted the Hounds to their 17th consecutive victory over the Miners.

UIndy did not let a slow start plague its chances two days later at Maryville, as the Crimson and Grey sprinted past the Saints in the second half for a 64-51 win in St. Louis. Paul Zilinskas led all players with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four steals.

MARIAN FOOTBALL

(MARIAN RELEASE)

MARIAN FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 2024 SIGNING CLASS ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian University football coaching staff and head coach Ted Karras Jr. have announced their 2024 Signing Class on Wednesday, February 7, on National Signing Day. Marian has added 35 new Knights in their 2024 class, featuring six enrollees at the semester break and 29 members who will join the program in the fall.

“The 2024 Freakshow has begun,” exclaimed head coach Ted Karras Jr. on his 2024 signing class. “Our stellar 2024 class is composed of some unique transfers and high school seniors from across Indiana and beyond. Our staff did an excellent job of identifying our kind of players who are hungry to compete in our tough sport and equally hungry to earn their degree. We are excited to coach, mentor and develop our newest members of the Marian Knight Nation!”

Below is a breakdown on the class by position, state, and transfers. Players below are listed alphabetically by last name.

2024 Class By State
Indiana: 27 … Ohio: 4 … California: 1 … Maryland: 1 … Kentucky: 1 … Colorado: 1

2024 Class By Position
QB: 3 … RB: 1 … WR: 5 … OL: 5 … TE: 2
DL: 7 … LB: 2 … DB: 7
K/P: 2 … ATH: 1

Transfers By Position
DL: 4 … TE: 1

Transfers and Early Enrollees

Larry Edwards | DL | 6’3 | 320 | Clarksburg, Md. | Clarksburg HS / Friends University
Cameron Evans | TE | 6’6 | 245 | Dayton, Ohio | Northridge HS / Ohio Dominican
PJ Huff | DL | DL | 6’8 | 285 | Fairfield, Calif. | John Swett HS / American River CC / University of Nevada
Jesse Stevens | DL | 6’2 | 255 | Elyria, Ohio | Elyria HS / Walsh University
Jayden Scruggs | DL | 6’2 | 260 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Cathedral HS / Purdue University (enrolling in fall 2024)
Auden Jones | OL | 6’3 | 305 | South Bend, Ind. | Penn HS
Evan LaPoure | K/P | 6’0 | 180 | Colorado Springs, Colo. | The Classical Academy

Fall 2024 Enrollees

Coryon Alston | WR | 6’1 | 170 | Louisville, Ky. | Dupont Manuel HS
Dominic Bonner | DB | 6’3 | 185 | Elkhart, Ind. | Penn HS
Leo Boyd | DB | 6’0 | 170 | Muncie, Ind. | Muncie Central HS
Eli Bridges | OL | 6’3 | 305 | Lebanon, Ind. | Lebanon HS
Kyle Cottee | QB | 6’4 | 200 | Terre Haute, Ind. | Northview HS
Drew Crum-Hieftje | 6’1 | 185 | Bloomington, Ind. | Bloomington South HS
Jacob Dunn | QB | 6’3 | 180 | Brownsburg, Ind. | Brownsburg HS
Ethan Elzey | DL | 6’2 | 250 | Lizton, Ind. | Tri-West HS
Collin Foy | DL | 6’4 | 290 | Cedar Lake, Ind. | Hanover Central HS
Yassine Falke | DB | 6’2 | 170 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Ben Davis HS
Avery Garlock | ATH | 6’1 | 205 | Westerville, Ohio | Saint Francis De Sales HS
Jakob Gump | K/P | 6’3 | 205 | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Fort Wayne Northrop HS
Dontell Harris Jr. | RB | 5’10 | 180 | Hammond, Ind. | Hammond Morton HS
Dylan Henry | DB | 6’3 | 185 | Franklin, Ind. | Roncalli HS
Cole Jenkins | WR | 6’2 | 170 | Crown Point, Ind. | Andrean HS
Kyler Johnson | TE | 6’6 | 240 | Akron, Ind. | Tippecanoe Valley HS
Ben Knoop | OL | 6’2 | 300 | Harrison, Ohio | LaSalle HS
Zackery Leighty | OL | 6’3 | 280 | Kendallville, Ind. | East Noble HS
Calvin Miller | LB | 6’3 | 215 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Southport HS
Isaiah Miller | WR | 6’4 | 200 | Plainfield, Ind. | Plainfield HS
Hunter Newell | QB | 6’3 | 200 | Plainfield, Ind. | Plainfield HS
Sean Pennington | DB | 5’9 | 165 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Warren Central HS
Ashton Pesetski | DL | 6’2 | 230 | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Fort Wayne Carroll HS
Donovan Rhodes | DB | 6’0 | 165 | Fishers, Ind. | Hamilton Southeastern HS
Zane Skibinski | WR | 6’3 | 175 | Avon, Ind. | Ben Davis HS
Demario Spence | WR | 6’2 | 180 | Hammond, Ind. | Hammond Morton HS
Aiden Waller | OL | 6’3 | 270 | Evansville, Ind. | Evansville Reitz Memorial HS
Wyatt Woodall | LB | 6’0 | 215 | Crawfordsville, Ind. | Southmont HS

The Knights will begin spring football practice on March 12, and will play their annual spring football game on April 13. The Knights 2024 regular season schedule will be formally released next week.

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

NBA STANDINGS

https://www.foxsports.com/nba/standings

NHL STANDINGS

https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/standings

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/standings/

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS

https://www.ncaa.com/standings/basketball-women/d1

FOOTBALL HISTORY

Football History Headlines

February 8, 1936 – First ever NFL Draft took place as Jay Berwanger from University of Chicago was the first pick by Philadelphia Eagles. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website, before this inaugural draft players could sign with any team they so desired, but this practice caused a great disparity in the NFL, in fact in many sports. Franchises such as the Bears and Giants held somewhat of a monopoly on the good players and thus they were perennial contenders. That is when the owner of the Eagles and future NFL Commissioner, Bert Bell introduced a proposal of the draft to help bring parity to the League. OF course the bigger market teams were against this but Bell and company convinced them that it was essential for the League’s survival. On May 19, 1935 the plan that called for teams to select players in inverse order of their finish the previous season was passed and then used in the 1936 draft.

February 8, 1960 – Oakland Raiders Co-owner Y.C. “Chet” Soda was named franchise’s first general manager per the Raiders.com website.

February 8, 1963 – AFL’s Dallas Texans moved out of the state of Texas and relocated in Missouri to become the Kansas City Chiefs.

February 8, 1996 – The NFL and the City of Cleveland allowed Art Modell to relocate his NFL franchise to Baltimore, Maryland but the Browns’ nickname was separated from that Modell owned franchise and had to stay in Cleveland.

February 8, 2004 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – Mark Bulger the St. Louis Rams quarterback won the Most Valuable Player Award for the NFL Pro Bowl as his NFC teammates outscored the AFC by the amazing final score of 55-52!

February 8, 2009 – The 2008 season’s NFL Pro Bowl was also played at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii. The National Conference again defeated the American Conference this time by the score of 30-21. The MVP of the game of the season’s top players was Arizona Cardinals terrific Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

HOF Birthdays

February 8, 1920 – Fairbault, Minnesota – Minnesota Golden Gopher Halfback Bruce “Boo” Smith was born per the NFF. Boo was famous for helping to grasp victory from the depths of an apparent defeat, doing it with long-runs at dramatic moments and leading Minnesota to national titles in 1940 and 1941. In pacing the Gophers to the first of their back-to-back 8-0-0 campaigns, Smith was the man the team leaned on in 1940. Smith had a knack for producing scoring come-from-behind touchdowns that brought the crowds out of seats and escape threats by the likes of Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan. The more Boo played the better he got. In 1941 he ran through the competition and won the Heisman Trophy. After graduation Boo was the MVP in the 1942 Chicago College All Star Game against the NFL’s Chicago Bears. .Boo Smith was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972 after the National Football Foundation tallied their votes.

February 8, 1925 – The University of California’s great guard Rod Franz garnered his born on date. The NFF reminds us that Rod helped turn around a sub par Cal program into contenders. Franz was an honorable mention All-America listing as a freshman, but then Franz became only the second Pacific Coast player to become a three-time All-America. The National Football Foundation selected Rod Franz for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

February 8, 1942 – Mount Prospect, Illinois – George Bork the fantastic quarterback from Northern Illinois arrived into this life. George was a four year football letterman at NI but only played quarterback in his final 3 seasons according to the footballfoundation.org. Bork led the nation in total offense and passing in 1962 after his coaching staff installed the Shotgun Spread formation. George thrived in the system as he completed 232 passes for 2,506 yards. He repeated in 1963, with 244 completions for 3,077 yards. The school retired his jersey No.11 at the end of his Husky playing days. George Bork received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

February 8, 1948 – Northampton, Pennsylvania – The stud Penn State University Linebacker Dennis Onkotz was born. Dennis had a nose for finding the man with the ball and dropping him to the dirt as he earned All-America honors at linebacker in 1968 and 1969. According to the National Football Foundation Onkotz intercepted 11 passes and scored on picks sixes with three of them. He was also an outstanding and electric punt returner. In his three seasons he held an average of 13.2 yards per punt return. His talent extended beyond that too as he also led the Nittany Lions in tackles and was named as an Academic All-American. The National Football Foundation selected Dennis Onkotz for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1901 Rumors of the Phillies’ star second baseman Napoleon Lajoie jumping to the Athletics, the Philadelphia franchise in the new American League, prove true. The National League’s leading hitter, clearly in violation of the reserve clause, switches to the Junior Circuit, winning the Triple Crown, leading the league with a .426 batting average, 14 homers, and 125 RBIs.

1942 At the Folsom Correctional facility in California, the annual game between big leaguers and the prison inmates occurs after a delay when the guards need to search for two convicts attempting an escape. The contest does not resume after escapees are apprehended, with the visiting team ahead 24-5 at the end of seven innings.

1956 In Philadelphia, former A’s manager and owner Connie Mack, 93, dies of “old age and complications from his hip surgery.” The ‘Tall Tactician’ set records for major league wins (3,731) and losses (3,948), compiling a .486 managerial mark during his 54 years as a skipper, including his three seasons with the Pirates before the turn of the century.

1972 The nine-man Negro Baseball Leagues Hall of Fame Committee selects Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard for enshrinement, making them the second and third Negro League players, behind Satchel Paige the year before. During his playing days, Josh Gibson, a power-hitting catcher, was called the “black Babe Ruth,” and Leonard, a teammate of Gibson on the Homestead Grays, who once turned down an MLB contract believing he was too old to compete at that level, was ranked #47 on a 1999 Sporting News poll of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

1973 The owners announce ‘Early Bird’ spring training, scheduled to begin next week, will not occur until they complete negotiations with the Players’ Association. The 23-day lockout caused by a disagreement over salary arbitration will not affect the start of the regular season.

1982 The Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the A’s for minor leaguer Lance Hudson, a middle infielder who will never appear in a major league game, marking the end of the longest-running infield in baseball history. The 36-year-old former LA second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell since 1974.

2006 After rejecting an earlier proposal by an 8-5 margin a few hours ago, the District of Columbia Council reverses its decision, approving a revised lease for a new Washington (DC) ballpark. At the urging of Mayor Anthony A. Williams, the council reconvenes and votes 9-4 to approve the deal after attaching legislation capping the district’s total cost at a bit less than $611 million.

2006 Wayne Krivsky, a leading candidate for the job in 2004, is finally selected as the Reds’ general manager. The 51-year-old former Twins executive replaces Dan O’Brien, who Bob Castellini dismissed due to the new owner’s desire to choose his baseball people.

2006 Johnny Damon, the former beloved Red Sox outfielder who signed as a free agent with the hated Yankees, takes out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe, thanking fans for their loyalty and support. As one of the most popular players in franchise history, the long-hair self-proclaimed ‘idiot’ incurred the wrath of the Fenway Faithful when he agreed to a $52 million, four-year deal to play in the Bronx.

2008 In a long and drawn-out 5-for-1 deal, the Mariners finally land Erik Bedard (13-5, 3.16) from the Orioles. In exchange for their Opening Day pitcher last season, Baltimore receives center fielder Adam Jones, veteran southpaw reliever George Sherrill, and pitching prospects Chris Tillman, Tony Butler, and Kam Mickolio from the Emerald City.

2008 The Brewers exercise Ned Yost’s 2009 option after the 53-year-old skipper led Milwaukee to its first winning season since 1992, finishing second in the NL Central with an 83-79 won-loss record. The skipper will never manage a game in his extended contracted year after being dismissed with 12 games remaining this season, taking the blame for the under-achieving team’s swoon in August and September.

2009 In the softball championship game of the Leadoff Classic, Kylie Reynolds of Kent State strikes out 18 Stetson batters en route to throwing a nine-inning no-hitter. The Golden Flashes’ junior sets a new school record for strikeouts in her 1-0 masterpiece at Patricia Wilson Field.

2010 As a tribute to his fellow countryman, Omar Vizquel will wear the number 11 this season to honor Luis Aparicio. The White Sox will temporarily “unretire” the Hall of Famer’s number for the Venezuelan shortstop, recently acquired by the team as a free agent.

2010 The Brewers announce the club plans to erect a seven-foot statue of former owner Bud Selig, with the sculpture unveiling scheduled during a pregame ceremony at Miller Park in August. Selig, the current baseball commissioner, led a group of investors that moved the bankrupt Seattle Pilots to Milwaukee in 1970.

2011 Tony Malinosky, the oldest living major leaguer, dies at 101 in Oxnard, California. In 1937, the Brooklyn infielder, a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge, played 35 games for the team before being honored on his 100th birthday in 2009.

BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1906 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)

Off the field…

More than five-hundred people were killed during the great San Francisco earthquake, which struck the “City by the Bay” on the morning of April 18 at 5:15 AM. Modern analysis estimated the tremors to register at an 8.25 on the Richter scale (By comparison, the quake that hit San Francisco on October 17, 1989 registered 6.7). The greatest destruction came from the fires that were ignited and the ensuing inferno ravaged the city for three days before burning out. In the end, the maelstrom destroyed four-hundred ninety city blocks, a total of 25,000 buildings and rendered over 250,000 residents homeless. Damage estimates topped $350,000,000.

In the American League…

The New York ban on Sunday baseball was temporarily lifted on April 29^th as the Highlanders and Philadelphia Athletics played a benefit game for the victims of the San Francisco earthquake, raising $5,600.

St. Louis Browns first baseman Tom Jones recorded an American League record twenty-two putouts on May 11^th against the Boston Red Sox. New York Highlander Hal Chase tied the record four months later (September 21), but would not be matched himself until Yankee captain Don Mattingly duplicated the effort during a 7-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on July 20, 1987.

In August, the Boston Americans set an unwanted Major League record after suffering four straight shutout losses (0-3 on August 2; 0-4 on August 3; 0-1 on August 4 and 0-4 on August 6).

In the National League…

On April 12^th, Boston Braves outfielder Johnny Bates became the first modern player to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat. The inaugural round tripper came courtesy of Dodger Harry McIntire who lost twenty games or more in three seasons with Brooklyn’s miserable turn-of-the-century teams.

New York Giants pitcher Hooks Wilste became the first pitcher of the modern era to strike out four batters in a single inning (after a third-strike error) en route to a twelve-K, 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. He also fanned the side in the fourth inning for a total of seven batters struck out in just two innings for the first and only time in Major League history.

On October 4^th, the Cubs recorded their one-hundred sixteenth victory of the year. The 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates gave Chicago a 60-15-road record with a .800 percentage mark that has never been equaled. They also became the first team to finish with fewer than two-hundred errors and their pitching staff combined for a league-leading 1.76 ERA.

Around the League…

In an effort to curb accusations and/or suspicions of tampering, a new rule was set putting the umpire in sole charge of all game balls. (The home team manager previously had some say as to when a new ball was introduced).

Harry Pulliam was unanimously re-elected president of the National League with an increased salary of $10,000. The American League increased Ban Johnson’s salary to $15,000 for the remaining four years of his contract.

Hank O’Day, a National League umpire unsuccessfully proposed that the batter’s box be outlined with white rubber strips (rather than chalk) to prevent batters from erasing them with their spikes.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

7 – 15 – 99 – 33

February 8, 1963 – It became official on this day that the American Football League franchise formerly called the Dallas Texans were now relocated to Missouri to be named the Kansas City Chiefs.

February 8, 1975 – “Pistol” Pete Maravich , wearing Number 7, scored 47 points as the New Orleans Jazz end a 28 game NBA road losing streak with a 106-102 win over the Hawks in Atlanta. If you go to our Sports Jersey Dispatch podcast titled Dodger Blue you can hear our friend Rick Loayza speak about Maravich.

February 8, 1982 – Los Angeles Dodgers traded 2B Davey Lopes, Number 15 to the Oakland A’s, breaking up MLB’s longest-playing infield playing together for nine seasons consisting of Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes and, Steve Garvey. In exchange the Dodgers received lance Hudson a minor league prospect at short stop.

February 8, 1983 – Wayne Gretzky, Number 99 for the Edmonton Oilers set an NHL All-Star game record of 4 goals in just 1 period!

February 8, 1985 – Bruce Morris, Number 33 of Marshall University, made a 92′ 5½” basketball shot against Appalachian State. This made field goal proved to be the longest in collegiate basketball history according to Guiness Book of World Records.

TV SPORTS THURSDAY

BOXING

10:30 p.m.

ESPN — Top Rank Main Card: Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz (Super-Lightweights), Las Vegas

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

BTN — Iowa at Penn St.

ESPN2 — Memphis at Tulane

ESPNU — Samford at UNC-Greensboro

8 p.m.

CBSSN — NC A&T at Coll. of Charleston

FS1 — Arizona St. at Colorado

PAC-12N — Arizona at Utah

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — FAU at UAB

ESPNU — SIU-Edwardsville at Morehead St.

10 p.m.

FS1 — Washington at Oregon

PAC-12N — Washington St. at Oregon St.

11 p.m.

ESPNU — San Francisco at Pepperdine

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

ACCN — Virginia at Boston College

ESPN — Notre Dame at Louisville

7 p.m.

PEACOCK — Michigan St. at Indiana

SECN — Missouri at South Carolina

8 p.m.

ACCN — Virginia Tech at NC State

9 p.m.

BTN — Penn St. at Iowa

PEACOCK — Ohio St. at Minnesota

SECN — LSU at Vanderbilt

GOLF

4 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, First Round, Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar

4 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The WM Phoenix Open, First Round, TPC Scottsdale – Stadium Course, Scottsdale, Ariz.

4 a.m. (Friday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, Second Round, Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

TNT — Dallas at New York

10 p.m.

TNT — Denver at LA Lakers

NFL FOOTBALL

9 p.m.

CBS — The 13th Annual NFL Honors: From Las Vegas

NHL HOCKEY

8 p.m.

ESPN — Tampa Bay at NY Islanders

SOCCER (MEN’S)

2:45 p.m.

FS2 — CONMEBOL U-23 Olympic Qualifier 2024 Final Stage: Argentina vs. Paraguay, Caracas, Venezuela

5:45 p.m.

FS2 — CONMEBOL U-23 Olympic Qualifier 2024 Final Stage: Venezuela vs. Brazil, Caracas, Venezuela

TENNIS

4 a.m.

TENNIS — Marseille-ATP, Cordoba-ATP, Abu Dhabi-WTA, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Early Rounds

6 a.m.

TENNIS — Marseille-ATP, Cordoba-ATP, Dallas-ATP, Abu Dhabi-WTA, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Early Rounds

4 a.m. (Friday)

TENNIS — Marseille-ATP, Cordoba-ATP, Abu Dhabi-WTA, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Quarterfinals

6 a.m. (Friday) TENNIS — Marseille-ATP, Cordoba-ATP, Dallas-ATP, Abu Dhabi-WTA, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Quarterfinals