INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMI-STATE
NORTH
CLASS 4A
AT ELKHART
CROWN POINT (20-5) VS. FISHERS (26-1), 10 A.M.
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (22-3) VS. MISHAWAKA (20-7), 11:45 A.M.
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
CLASS 3A
AT LOGANSPORT
PERU (16-10) VS. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (18-9), 10 A.M.
DELTA (22-6) VS. FAIRFIELD (20-6), NOON
CHAMPIONSHIP, 8 P.M.
CLASS 2A
AT LAFAYETTE JEFF
NORTH JUDSON (16-9) VS. WAPAHANI (24-2), 10:30 A.M.
WABASH (21-5) VS. FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN (21-6), 12:30 P.M.
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
CLASS A
AT MICHIGAN CITY
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN (17-9) VS. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (12-15), 10 A.M.
ELKHART CHRISTIAN (17-9) VS. FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY (16-9), NOON
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
#20 BYU 87 CENTRAL FLORIDA 73
CINCINNATI 72 #16 KANSAS 52
ELSEWHERE:
FLORIDA STATE 86 VIRGINIA TECH 76
WICHITA STATE 88 RICE 81
FRESNO STATE 77 WYOMING 73
VCU 69 FORDHAM 62
WAKE FOREST 72 NOTRE DAME 59
USC 80 WASHINGTON 74
TCU 77 OKLAHOMA 70
TEMPLE 64 TEXAS SAN ANTONIO 61
XAVIER 76 BUTLER 72
COLORADO STATE 72 SAN JOSE STATE 62
ST. BONAVENTURE 75 LASALLE 73
UCLA 67 OREGON STATE 57
PROVIDENCE 74 GEORGETOWN 56
MARYLAND 65 RUTGERS 51
ARKANSAS 90 VANDERBILT 85 OT
KANSAS STATE 78 TEXAS 74
NEW MEXICO 82 AIR FORCE 56
NORTH CAROLINA STATE 83 SYRACUSE 65
VILLANOVA 58 DEPAUL 57
STANFORD 87 CALIFORNIA 76 OT
PENN STATE 66 MICHIGAN 57
GEORGIA 64 MISSOURI 59
BOSTON COLLEGE 76 CLEMSON 55
UTAH 90 ARIZONA STATE 57
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 87 SANTA BARBARA 84 OT
MONTANA STATE 85 MONTANA 70
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCORES
#25 FAIRFIELD 57 RIDER 51
#21 UNLV 66 SAN DIEGO STATE 49
TOLEDO 72 WESTERN MICHIGAN 61
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 78 UTEP 50
BUFFALO 70 BOWLING GREEN 64
LIBERTY 62 WESTERN KENTUCKY 59
UC DAVIS 81 CAL STATE FULLERTON 56
TEXAS ARLINGTON 67 SOUTHERN UTAH 53
BALL STATE 77 OHIO 53
NORTHEASTERN 66 NC WILMINGTON 60
EASTERN WASHINGTON 73 NORTHERN ARIZONA 64
LONG BEACH STATE 90 C SANTA BARBARA 75
KENT STATE 63 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 60
RICE 61 E. CAROLINA 41
NBA SCOREBOARD
ORLANDO 114 BROOKLYN 106
DETROIT 113 TORONTO 104
DENVER 100 MIAMI 88
CHICAGO 132 INDIANA 129 OT
CLEVELAND 116 NEW ORLEANS 95
CHARLOTTE 110 MEMPHIS 98
DALLAS 109 GOLDEN STATE 99
SACRAMENTO 120 LA LAKERS 107
PORTLAND 106 ATLANTA 102
NHL SCOREBOARD
ST. LOUIS 3 LOS ANGELES 1
NASHVILLE 4 WINNIPEG 2
EDMONTON 7 WASHINGTON 2
COLORADO 4 VANCOUVER 3 OT
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
BOSTON 9 NY YANKEES 4
PHILADELPHIA 4 DETROIT 1
TAMPA BAY 4 MINNESOTA 3
ST. LOUIS 1 MINNESOTA 1
TORONTO 10 PITTSBURGH 3
WASHINGTON 2 MIAMI 1
CHICAGO CUBS 8 CLEVELAND 3
CINCINNATI 19 SAN FRANCISCO 11
KANSAS CITY 3 LA ANGELS 2
SEATTLE 8 LA DODGERS 1
SAN DIEGO 12 OAKLAND 11
COLORADO 7 ARIZONA 5
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 15 MILWAUKEE 4
ATLANTA 7 BALTIMORE 5
NY METS 6 HOUSTON 5
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
NORTH CAROLINA 9 RUTGERS 8
WICHITA STATE 9 NEBRASKA 3
NOTRE DAME 11 RADFORD 6
MINNESOTA 5 ST. OLAF 1
PURDUE 11 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 1
ILLINOIS STATE 16 INDIANA 6
OHIO STATE 13 CAL STATE FULLERTON 10
WRIGHT STATE 22 TOLEDO 9
DAYTON 14 BOWLING GREEN 4
EVANSVILLE 6 SE. MISSOURI STATE 5 (10)
COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES
MISSOURI 10 ILLINOIS 2
INDIANA 4 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 1
ST. MARY’S 5 IOWA 2
OHIO STATE 7 AUSTIN PEAY 5
RUTGERS 5 CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 0
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
49ERS ACQUIRE MALIEK COLLINS FROM TEXANS FOR LATE-ROUND PICK, AP SOURCE SAYS
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have added more help to their defensive line, agreeing to acquire defensive tackle Maliek Collins in a trade from Houston for a seventh-round draft pick.
A person familiar with the trade said the Niners will acquire Collins pending a physical. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been announced by either team.
ESPN first reported the deal.
Collins is the latest addition made by the 49ers to their revamped defensive line after San Francisco had previously agreed to deals with free agent defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos, and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, according to several sources speaking on condition of anonymity because those deals hadn’t been signed.
San Francisco needed reinforcements on the line with Chase Young, Clelin Ferrell, Javon Kinlaw and Randy Gregory all hitting free agency and Arik Armstead set to be released this week in a cost-cutting move.
Collins, who turns 29 next month, is owed base salaries of $8 million and $9.5 million the next two seasons. Houston will take a $10 million dead cap hit for the trade to account for a signing bonus paid when he got an extension last year.
REPORT: RIDLEY JOINING TITANS ON 4-YEAR, $92M DEAL
The Tennessee Titans are signing former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92-million contract that contains $50 million fully guaranteed, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The New England Patriots and Jaguars were reportedly the top suitors for the star wide receiver.
Ridley’s addition gives second-year quarterback Will Levis another top receiver alongside DeAndre Hopkins. The 29-year-old is the second skill-position free agent Tennessee recruited this week, joining former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard.
Ridley caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in his only season with the Jaguars last year. Jacksonville acquired him from the Atlanta Falcons in November 2022 while he was serving a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.
The Falcons will receive a 2024 third-round pick from the Jaguars as part of the trade conditions. Jacksonville would’ve had to send a second-round selection if it re-signed the wideout before 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
JETS ACQUIRING OFFENSIVE TACKLE MORGAN MOSES FROM RAVENS IN DEAL THAT INCLUDES PICKS, AP SOURCE SAYS
The New York Jets are acquiring offensive tackle Morgan Moses from the Baltimore Ravens in a trade that includes draft picks for both teams, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
The move Wednesday reunites Moses with the Jets after he spent the 2021 season with New York.
The Jets will also receive the Ravens’ fourth-round pick (No. 134 overall) and New York will send its fourth-rounder (No. 112) and a sixth-rounder to Baltimore, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because trades and free agent signings aren’t official until the new league year begins at 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
ESPN first reported the deal between the Jets and Ravens.
The 33-year-old Moses helps bolster a revamped offensive line for New York, which struggled with consistency and production up front last season.
Moses is likely to take over as the starter at right tackle, joining center Joe Tippmann and guards Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson — a former Ravens teammate who agreed to terms on a two-year deal with the Jets on Monday night.
CHARGERS RELEASE MIKE WILLIAMS, REPORTEDLY RESTRUCTURE MACK
The Los Angeles Chargers have released wide receiver Mike Williams, the team announced Wednesday.
The move will free up $20 million in cap space for Los Angeles. Williams was scheduled to have a $32.4-million cap hit in 2024, according to Over The Cap. He signed a three-year, $60-million contract extension in March 2022.
Edge rusher Khalil Mack is restructuring his contract to free up cap space and remain with the team, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Chargers needed to shed salary to become cap-compliant before the new league year opens at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Williams had been with the Chargers since they selected him seventh overall in 2017. He’s produced two 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in seven years and led the league in yards per reception in 2019.
The 29-year-old has battled multiple injuries over the last two years, slowing down his production. He dealt with ankle ailments in 2022 that forced him to miss four contests, and he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3 last year.
Williams has 309 catches for 4,806 yards with 31 touchdowns in 88 career games.
REPORT: RAIDERS EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY PART WITH QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO
The Las Vegas Raiders have moved on from veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after one season and likely are to release him “The Athletic” reported.
Garoppolo, 32, signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract, with $45 million of it guaranteed, last March.
In February, he was suspended two games by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy, reportedly for using a prescribed medication without having a valid therapeutic use exemption from the NFL. The suspension voided $11.25 million in guaranteed salary, per Spotrac.
Before the suspension, the Raiders already had all but decided to part with Garoppolo.
Garoppolo was benched after Josh McDaniels was fired as the Raiders’ head coach on Nov. 1, save for a spot appearance in which he had one incomplete pass and a sack in the team’s season finale against the Denver Broncos on Jan. 7.
Garoppolo completed 65.1 percent of his throws for 1,205 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions in seven games in 2023.
In the new season, the Raiders will go with second-year QB Aidan O’Connell, who replaced Garoppolo and started 10 games, or veteran Gardner Minshew, who has agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal with $15 million fully guaranteed, per reports. They also have Anthony Brown, signed to a non-guaranteed reserve/future contract, in the quarterbacks room.
The Athletic said teams have expressed interest in Garoppolo, who will have to serve the two-game suspension before playing a regular-season game with a new team.
Garoppolo won two Super Bowls as Tom Brady’s backup in New England (2014-16) and also played with the San Francisco 49ers (2017-22) before the Raiders. He has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 15,494 yards with 94 TDs and 51 interceptions. In 63 starts (81 total career games), Garoppolo has a 43-20 record.
REPORT: 49ERS TO SIGN LB ERIC KENDRICKS
The San Francisco 49ers are signing former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year contract, ESPN reported on Wednesday morning.
Financial terms were not disclosed for Kendricks, who recorded 117 tackles in 15 games (14 starts) last season before being released by the Chargers on March 5. Los Angeles saved $6.5 million with the release of Kendricks, who signed a two-year, $13.25 million contract prior to the 2023 season.
The addition of Kendricks will help the 49ers address the position after linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles during the team’s 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11.
Kendricks, who turned 32 on Feb. 29, was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. He has 1,036 tackles, 18.5 sacks, nine interceptions, six fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles in 132 career games (127 starts) with the Vikings and Chargers.
Greenlaw completed his fifth season with the 49ers in 2023 and had 120 tackles, the second-highest output of his career.
EAGLES DENY VIOLATING TAMPERING RULE WITH BARKLEY
The Philadelphia Eagles denied on Wednesday impermissible contact between their general manager, Howie Roseman, and running back Saquon Barkley during the NFL’s negotiating window before the start of free agency, according to ESPN’s Tim McManus.
Barkley, who spent the last six seasons with the New York Giants, agreed to join the Eagles on a three-year, $37.7-million contract on Monday. James Franklin – the tailback’s former coach at Penn State – then suggested that Roseman spoke directly to Barkley during the league’s legal tampering period. NFL teams aren’t allowed to contact players directly in that period unless the player doesn’t have an agent and represents himself.
“For him now to come back and be able to play within the state, in Philadelphia, he said that was one of the first things that Howie said to him on the phone as part of his sales pitch to him was not only the Philadelphia Eagles and that but obviously the connection with Penn State and the fan base as well,” Franklin recently said, according to McManus.
However, an Eagles spokesperson said that all recruiting done by the team is facilitated through the agent. Free agency officially kicked off on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, and Philly officially announced Barkley minutes later.
The New York Giants haven’t contacted the NFL, a source told McManus, who added that the league declined to comment on whether it plans to investigate the situation.
Barkley, 27, recorded 7,311 scrimmage yards and 47 total touchdowns in 74 appearances with the Giants after being drafted second overall in 2018. He played under a one-year contract in 2023 after being franchise tagged and reportedly didn’t receive any contract offers from New York this offseason.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WEST VIRGINIA STARTS SEARCH FOR A NEW MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH AFTER 9-23 SEASON
West Virginia opened a search for a new men’s basketball coach Wednesday as it tries to put behind one of the worst seasons in school history.
Interim coach Josh Eilert led the Mountaineers to a 9-23 mark, including a loss to Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday. West Virginia set a school record for losses while finishing with its fewest wins since the 2001-02 team went 8-20 in Gale Catlett’s final season.
In a statement, West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker said he informed Eilert, his staff and the team upon their return to Morgantown, West Virginia, that “we are moving forward with our search plans.”
“All of Mountaineer Nation owes a debt of gratitude to Coach Eilert for his leadership during a challenging season, as he and his staff faced all obstacles with class and professionalism,” Baker said.
Baker’s statement didn’t include a specific timeline for hiring a coach. He’ll have to contend with the attention that candidates will receive for other job openings such as at Louisville, which fired Kenny Payne on Wednesday, and at Washington, which informed Mike Hopkins last week that he won’t return after seven seasons. DePaul fired Tony Stubblefield in January and Ohio State parted ways with Chris Holtmann last month.
“We are now focused on our collective future, and I am excited about what comes next,” Baker said. “I am confident we will engage a strong pool of candidates and identify the right leader for our program. As I shared with our student-athletes, we will move deliberately but as swiftly as we can in the days ahead.”
LOUISVILLE FIRES PAYNE AFTER GOING 12-52 IN TWO SEASONS, SAYING ‘CHANGE IS NEEDED’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville fired coach Kenny Payne on Wednesday after going 12-52 in two seasons that marked the worst consecutive finishes in the storied program’s history, saying “a change is needed” to reach expectations.
The move came a day after the Cardinals’ 94-85 first-round loss to North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, their eighth consecutive defeat.
“When we brought Kenny home in 2022, no one had a stronger belief than me in his potential success,” athletic director Josh Heird said a statement, “but it’s become clear that a change is needed to help this program achieve what is expected and attainable. While it is always difficult to make a coaching transition, this is the right one for our program.”
Payne, 57, is set to receive an $8 million buyout under terms of a six-year contract through 2028. That deal paid a base annual salary of $3.35 million plus incentives.
Louisville finished 8-24 (3-17 ACC) in a season that was expected to be the start of a climb back after a 4-28 campaign. The loss total was a program record. Louisville’s January win at Miami was its lone ACC victory in two seasons under the homegrown Payne, who scored 1,083 points from 1985-89 and won the 1986 NCAA national championship while playing under Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum.
CINCINNATI BOUNCES NO. 16 KANSAS FROM BIG 12 TOURNEY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dan Skillings scored a game-high 25 points as Cincinnati defeated Kansas 72-52 in the final game of the Big 12 Championship second round Wednesday night.
The 11th-seeded Bearcats (20-13) advanced to the quarterfinal, where they will face No. 3 seed Baylor on Thursday night.
Sixth-seeded and 16th-ranked Kansas (22-10) played without leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr., who has missed five full games and parts of several others with a bone bruise on his left knee, and second-leading scorer Hunter Dickinson, who separated his right shoulder in the last game.
Kansas coach Bill Self is confident that both will return for next week’s NCAA Tournament, but they were obviously missed against the Bearcats.
Cincinnati also got 12 points from John Newman, 11 from Jizzle James and 10 from Simas Lukosius.
KJ Adams Jr. had 22 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 33.9 percent (21 of 62) from the field for the game.
After trailing 38-25 at the half, Kansas got back into the game with a 7-0 run to start the second half — including the Jayhawks’ first 3-pointer of the game. Kansas got as close as 40-38 at the 13:29 mark, but they were not able to tie the game.
When Lukosius hit a 3-pointer with 8:02 left, the Bearcats once again led by double digits, 53-42. Kansas never got closer than nine the rest of the way.
Cincinnati took control early as Kansas appeared disinterested. The Bearcats led 12-11 before they went on a 7-0 run. They eventually led by 17 points (36-19) before heading into the locker room with the 13-point lead.
Kansas couldn’t find the basket in the first half, shooting just 10 of 29 (34.5 percent. They missed all eight of their 3-point attempts in the first half. Adams led the Jayhawks with 10 points, but none of his teammates had more than five.
Skillings led a balanced scoring attack for Cincinnati with 10 points in the opening frame. Three other players had at least six as the Bearcats were 5-for-12 from 3-point range — a better percentage than they shot from inside the arc. The Bearcats also outrebounded the Jayhawks 24-18 in the half.
NO. 20 BYU CRUISES PAST UCF IN WIRE-TO-WIRE VICTORY
Fousseyni Traore tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 20 BYU to an 87-73 victory over UCF in the second round of the Big 12 tournament on Wednesday.
Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall scored 13 points apiece for the fifth-seeded Cougars. Trevin Knell chipped in 12 points.
BYU (23-9) advances to face fourth seed Texas Tech in the Big 12 quarterfinals on Thursday after going 14-for-30 from 3-point range. Five players made two or more 3-pointers for the Cougars.
Darius Johnson led UCF with a career-high 32 points, including six 3-pointers. Antwann Jones scored 13 points and Jaylin Sellers chipped in 12 for the Knights. UCF (17-15) trailed wire-to-wire after a sluggish start on offense and lost to the Cougars for the third time this season.
BYU blindsided 12th-seeded UCF early with stifling defense and explosive perimeter shooting.
The Cougars did not allow a field goal over the first 4 1/2 minutes while racing out to a 21-3 lead. Four different players made a 3-pointer for BYU in the first five minutes. Aly Khalifa led the way with a pair of outside baskets.
UCF, on the other hand, missed 17 of its first 20 shots.
BYU scored only two baskets over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half, opening the door for the Knights to rally. Johnson made back-to-back 3-pointers to trim the deficit to 47-38 going into halftime.
It set the stage for a bigger UCF rally early in the second half.
Knell made back-to-back baskets and Noah Waterman followed with a layup to extend BYU’s lead to 57-46. Johnson countered with three baskets in a 10-2 Knights’ run, cutting the deficit to 59-56.
UCF did not draw any closer. Three straight baskets from Waterman, Saunders, and Hall fueled a 12-0 run that put the Cougars up 71-56.
MARYLAND PUTS AWAY RUTGERS TO OPEN BIG TEN TOURNEY
Donta Scott scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, and No. 12 seed Maryland cruised to a 65-51 win over No. 13 seed Rutgers in the first round of the Big Ten tournament Wednesday evening in Minneapolis.
Maryland (16-16) advanced to play No. 5 seed Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon.
Julian Reese finished with 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and also grabbed six rebounds for the Terrapins. Jamie Kaiser Jr. and Jahmir Young added 11 points apiece.
Gavin Griffiths scored 16 points to lead Rutgers (15-17), which lost its fourth game in a row. Aundre Hyatt contributed 13 points off the bench for the Scarlet Knights.
Maryland shot 43.1 percent from the field (22 of 51) and 35 percent from beyond the arc (7 of 20). Rutgers shot only 31.1 percent overall (19 of 61) and 23.8 percent from long range (5 of 21).
The Terrapins opened the second half with five straight points to grab a 41-22 lead. Reese made a jump shot to start the second-half scoring fed Scott for a 3-pointer.
Maryland increased its lead to as many as 26 points in the second half. Scott made a jump shot to put the Terrapins ahead 62-36 with 8:28 remaining.
Rutgers never made a serious challenge the rest of the way. They closed the game on an 11-0 run.
Maryland led 36-22 at the half.
The Terrapins set the tone with a dominant start to the game. They raced to a 17-3 lead in the first five minutes.
Scott, Kaiser and DeShawn Harris-Smith made three straight 3-pointers to open the scoring for Maryland. Reese followed with a dunk to make it 11-0 before Rutgers got its first basket on a 3-pointer by Griffiths 2:58 into the game.
The Terrapins pulled ahead 32-14 on a jump shot by Kaiser Jr. with 3:50 left in the half.
Rutgers scored eight of the final 12 points of the first half to pull back within 14.
PENN STATE ROLLS MICHIGAN IN BIG TEN TOURNEY OPENER
Zach Hicks led all scorers with a season-high 20 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. added 17 points to boost Penn State to a 66-57 win against Michigan in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Hicks drilled six 3-pointers as the 11th-seeded Nittany Lions (16-16) advanced to face sixth-seeded Indiana on Thursday. Penn State swept the regular-season series from the Hoosiers, prevailing by 14 on the road and nine at home, with both meetings coming in February.
Wednesday’s game wasn’t as close as the January matchup between Penn State and Michigan at the Palestra in Philadelphia, a six-point Penn State victory. The 14th-seeded Wolverines (8-24) trailed by as many as 15 points. Michigan led just once, at 3-2 on a Nimari Burnett trey less than two minutes into the game.
The Wolverines closed the season on a nine-game losing streak.
Dug McDaniel’s fast-break layup brought Michigan to within 50-46 with 9:53 to go, but Penn State allowed the Wolverines to come no closer. Baldwin Jr. swished a pair of free throws on the Nittany Lions’ next possession, part of the team’s 23-for-29 night from the line.
Terrance Williams II led Michigan with 15 points while Tarris Reed Jr. had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds before fouling out. Burnett chipped in 11 points.
Qudus Wahab contributed 13 points and eight rebounds for Penn State, which forced 15 turnovers. Baldwin dished six assists.
The Nittany Lions held Michigan to 34.5 percent shooting, but the Wolverines finished plus-10 on the glass.
Penn State capitalized on Michigan’s shooting woes late in the first half to take a 33-22 lead into intermission.
Fueled by three treys from Hicks, the Nittany Lions closed the half on a 13-2 run. The Wolverines’ Jaelin Llewellyn missed a jumper at the buzzer as Michigan missed its final six attempts from the floor before the break while going without a field goal for the last 5:30 of the half.
CONFERENCE FINALS ROUNDUP: MCNEESE, COLGATE SEAL NCAA BIDS
Shahada Wells poured in 27 points and dished out six assists to lead McNeese to a 92-76 win over Nicholls on Wednesday in the Southland Conference final at Lake Charles, La.
The Cowboys (30-3) are headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. The Colonels (20-14) were aiming for their first NCAA appearance since 1998.
Javohn Garcia scored 19 points and DJ Richards Jr. had 16 off the bench for McNeese, which shot 61.4 percent from the floor and hit 11 of 20 shots from 3-point range. Richards was 4-for-6 from long distance.
Diante Smith made five treys and scored 33 points to pace Nicholls. Robert Brown III added 13 points, and Jamal West Jr. had 11.
Colgate 74, Lehigh 55
The Raiders led for all but 25 seconds while cruising to a victory over the Mountain Hawks in the Patriot League final at Hamilton, N.Y.
Brady Cummins shot 8-for-9 from the floor and scored 19 points for Colgate (25-9), who are set to make their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Raiders have lost all six of their NCAA games, dating back to 1995.
Braeden Smith logged 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Raiders, and Jeff Woodward added 11 points. Nasir Whitlock paced Lehigh (14-18) with 17 points.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: KINGS HANG ON TO TAKE DOWN LAKERS
Harrison Barnes tied a season high with seven 3-pointers en route to a team-high 23 points, Domantas Sabonis put up a triple-double and the Sacramento Kings survived a late surge by LeBron James to beat the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 120-107 on Wednesday night.
All five Kings starters scored in double figures, including Sabonis, who had 17 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 23rd triple-double.
Sacramento moved three games ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference playoff race and also completed a 4-0 season-series sweep.
James finished with 18 points, nine in the fourth quarter, and led the Lakers with 13 rebounds, but missed a 111th career triple-double by one assist. Austin Reaves led the team with 28 points, hitting seven of his team’s 14 3-pointers. Anthony Davis added 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Cavaliers 116, Pelicans 95
Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen had double-doubles and Cleveland caught fire from beyond the arc to cool off host New Orleans.
Garland finished with 27 points and 11 assists and Allen finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Georges Niang scored 16 points, Sam Merrill had 15 and Donovan Mitchell, returning from a seven-game absence due to a knee injury, added 14, as did Damian Jones.
Zion Williamson scored 33 points, Brandon Ingram had 20 and Trey Murphy III added 11 to lead New Orleans, which saw its four-game winning streak end.
Magic 114, Nets 106
Paolo Banchero scored 21 points as Orlando bounced back from a pair of disappointing losses and recorded a wire-to-wire victory over visiting Brooklyn.
The Magic avoided their first three-game losing streak since Jan. 9-13. Orlando also turned in a more cohesive showing than in a 98-74 loss to the host New York Knicks on Friday and a 111-97 home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, when the Magic were dominated in the second half.
Cam Thomas paced the Nets with 21 points and eight rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 17 points. Dennis Schroder and Cameron Johnson finished with 13 apiece for Brooklyn, which shot 46.9 percent overall but 26.9 percent (7-for-26) from behind the arc.
Bulls 132, Pacers 129 (OT)
DeMar DeRozan scored two of his season-high 46 points on an overtime-forcing jumper with 0.3 seconds left in regulation, and he added nine in the extra frame as Chicago knocked off Indiana in Indianapolis.
DeRozan scored the final three points of regulation after Indiana sent him to the free-throw line with 3.8 seconds remaining. He made the first, then the Pacers knocked the ensuing intentional miss out of bounds, setting up DeRozan’s game-tying bucket from the baseline.
Pascal Siakam finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Aaron Nesmith added 13 points. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 17 points and 14 assists. He had a contested look at a would-be, game-tying 3-point attempt at the end of overtime, but it was no good.
Nuggets 100, Heat 88
Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 25 points to lead visiting Denver past Miami.
Nikola Jokic, a two-time NBA MVP, posted 12 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who have won four straight games and 10 of their past 11.
The Heat, who have lost four straight games, were led by Bam Adebayo, who had a double-double: 17 points and 13 rebounds. He scored nine points in Miami’s resurgent third quarter.
Hornets 110, Grizzlies 98
Miles Bridges poured in 27 points and rookie Vasilije Micic posted a career-best 25 points as Charlotte earned a rare road win at the expense of Memphis.
The Hornets won for just the second time in their last nine games and snapped a five-game road skid, improving to 8-26 in away games. Micic, who delivered eight assists, shot 9-for-10 from the field with five 3-pointers. Grant Williams tacked on 18 points off the bench.
GG Jackson led the Grizzlies, who had won three of their previous five games, with 26 points, including six 3-point baskets. Luke Kennard provided 17 points.
Mavericks 109, Warriors 99
Luka Doncic’s run of seven straight games with a triple-double ended, but host Dallas turned to the shot-blocking of big men Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II to outlast short-handed Golden State.
Gafford and Lively combined for 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine blocks, allowing the Mavericks to win for just the second time this season when scoring fewer than 112 points. They also won their fourth straight overall.
Jonathan Kuminga went for a game-high 27 points for the Warriors, who were missing Stephen Curry for their third straight game because of a sprained right ankle. Golden State was also without Draymond Green, who was a late scratch with a sore lower back.
Pistons 113, Raptors 104
Jalen Duren had 24 points and a career-high 23 rebounds to lead suddenly hot host Detroit past visiting Toronto.
Duren recorded his third 20-20 game of the season while Cade Cunningham had 19 points and six assists for the Pistons, who are 3-1 four games into a six-game homestand after winning just nine of their first 61 games.
Immanuel Quickley led the Raptors with 25 points and eight assists. Kelly Olynyk supplied 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but that couldn’t keep Toronto from its fifth straight loss.
Trail Blazers 106, Hawks 102
Anfernee Simons recorded 36 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to help Portland beat visiting Atlanta.
Deandre Ayton scored a season-high 33 points on 15-of-20 shooting and collected 19 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double for Portland. The Trail Blazers won for just the second time in their past 12 home games.
Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray scored 40 points for his second 40-point effort in three games. He matched his career high of 41 points in Friday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: AVALANCHE RALLY FOR OT WIN OVER CANUCKS
Valeri Nichushkin scored a power-play goal 30 seconds into overtime as the Colorado Avalanche rallied from a three-goal, second-period deficit to defeat the host Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, and move into a tie for first place in the Central Division on Wednesday night.
It was the 21st comeback win of the season for Colorado. The Avalanche moved into a tie for first place with the Dallas Stars in the Central with their fifth straight victory.
Colorado began the overtime period with a power play after Vancouver defenseman Carson Soucy picked up a delay-of-game penalty with nine seconds left in regulation for firing the puck over the glass and into the crowd. Nathan MacKinnon blasted a one-timer from the top of the left circle that deflected off Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen and then hit the visor of Nichushkin and caromed into the net for the game-winner.
MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist and Ross Colton also scored for Colorado. Alexandar Georgiev finished with 18 saves.
Oilers 7, Capitals 2
Zach Hyman had a natural hat trick and the Leon Draisaitl tallied four points as the Oilers beat the visiting Capitals.
Draisaitl provided a goal and three assists for the Oilers, who are 20-4-1 in their past 25 home games. Connor McDavid added a goal and two assists, and Stuart Skinner made 23 saves for his 30th win of the season.
Ivan Miroshnichenko and Connor McMichael scored for the Capitals, who are 0-2 to start their five-game Western road trip. Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves.
Predators 4, Jets 2
Gustav Nyquist had a goal and an assist as Nashville extended its point streak to 13 games, defeating host Winnipeg.
Kiefer Sherwood, Filip Forsberg and Jason Zucker also scored for the Predators. Roman Josi had two assists, while Juuse Saros, Cole Smith, Colton Sissons and Ryan McDonagh also picked up helpers. Saros stopped 27 shots in the win.
Alex Iafallo and Mason Appleton provided the Jets’ offense, while Brenden Dillon, Vladislav Namestnikov, Dylan Samberg and Colin Miller, who had his first point with the Jets, got assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 34 saves.
Blues 3, Kings 1
Jordan Binnington made 40 and host St. Louis beat Los Angeles as the Blues continue their late push toward a playoff spot.
Alexey Toropchenko, Jake Neighbours and Brandon Saad scored for the Blues, who won their second straight game and moved within six points of the second Western Conference wild-card spot.
Adrian Kempe scored and Cam Talbot made 27 saves for the Kings, who suffered just their second regulation loss in their last seven games.
BASEBALL NEWS
REPORT: COLE OUT AT LEAST 1-2 MONTHS WITH ELBOW INJURY
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, will miss at least one-to-two months due to an elbow injury, Jon Heyman and Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post report.
Cole has reportedly traveled to Los Angeles for an appointment with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
There is some level of optimism regarding Cole’s injury, as none of his tests this week showed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, according to Heyman and Sanchez. The MRI did show some elbow inflammation, however, leading Cole to request the in-person consultation with Dr. ElAttrache, a source told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
The Yankees reportedly still hope Cole can make it back by late May or early June, per Heyman and Sanchez. However, the team still doesn’t have any official diagnosis beyond the inflammation or a firm timetable for his return, according to Newsday’s Erik Boland.
Cole was shut down and sent for an initial MRI on Monday after he apparently wasn’t recovering as quickly as usual following his throwing. In his lone Grapefruit League appearance this spring, he surrendered three earned runs with one strikeout in two innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 33-year-old was the unanimous choice for last year’s AL Cy Young after leading the Junior Circuit in ERA (2.63), WHIP (0.98), and innings (209) while also tallying 222 strikeouts and two shutouts.
This is the first major arm injury for Cole, who’s been regarded as a workhorse for his entire career and has thrown at least 200 innings in five of the last seven seasons, including 209 last year. His most recent stint on the injured list came in August 2016, when he lost about 15 days due to elbow inflammation while with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cole’s absence leaves a glaring hole in New York’s rotation to start the year. The Yankees have yet to name a replacement starter for Opening Day on March 28.
SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: NEW FACES POWER JAYS IN WIN OVER PIRATES
Toronto newcomers Justin Turner and Eduardo Escobar each clubbed a three-run homer on Wednesday as the host Blue Jays pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-3 in Dunedin, Fla.
Turner, who spent last season with the Boston Red Sox, went deep in the first, while Escobar, coming off a season in which he split time between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels, left the yard in the seventh.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-1) was the beneficiary of Toronto’s offensive showcase, earning the win after allowing one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine.
Oneil Cruz ripped a solo shot for Pittsburgh, which had nine hits but went just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Pirates starter Roansy Contreras (0-2) struggled with his control, walking six in four innings. He gave up four runs and two hits while fanning three.
Twins 1, Cardinals 1
Christian Vazquez sent an RBI single to right in the bottom of the seventh to allow a Minnesota split squad to post a tie against visiting St. Louis in Fort Myers, Fla.
Dylan Carlson had put the Cardinals ahead with a solo home run in the top half of the frame.
Both starters went four innings in what ended up being a pitchers’ duel. The Twins’ Louie Varland surrendered just one hit and recorded four strikeouts, while St. Louis’ Zack Thompson struck out five and walked one without giving up a hit.
Rays 4, Twins 3
Jacob Lopez allowed just one hit across three strong innings of relief, helping host Tampa Bay beat Minnesota’s split squad in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Lopez (2-0) kept the Twins off the scoreboard, issued one walk and fanned five to collect the win. With the Rays trailing 3-2, Jonathan Aranda smacked a two-run blast in the fifth to drive in what ended up being the winning run.
All of Minnesota’s runs came via home runs — Matt Wallner’s two-run homer and Michael Helman’s solo shot.
Phillies 4, Tigers 1
Philadelphia struck for a three-run eighth to dispatch visiting Detroit in Clearwater, Fla.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, when Whit Merrifield went deep to tie things up. Kody Clemens scored on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run when the eighth rolled around.
Matt Vierling cranked a solo shot against his former team to provide Detroit with its lone run. Phillies starter Aaron Nola kept the Tigers at bay, giving up just one run on two hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Red Sox 9, Yankees 4
Triston Casas blasted a 421-foot home run to highlight Boston’s victory over host New York in Tampa, Fla.
Enmanuel Valdez also homered and Tyler McDonough added a two-run double for the Red Sox, who had five relievers combine to surrender just one run across six innings. One of those relievers, Justin Hagenman (1-0), got the win.
Despite the loss, the Yankees got four innings of one-run ball from starter Carlos Rodon. Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-3 and Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-3, but fellow New York star Juan Soto was held hitless in three at-bats.
Nationals 2, Marlins 1
Jake Irvin settled for a no-decision despite posting five shutout innings, but visiting Washington still came away with a win against Miami in Jupiter, Fla.
Irvin allowed just one hit and struck out five before turning things over to the bullpen. Derek Law (2-0) ended up getting the win, and Robert Gsellman notched the save.
Luis Garcia Jr.’s fielder’s choice brought the winning run across the plate in the eighth for the Nationals. Josh Bell had an RBI double, one of four hits for the Marlins. Miami starter Eury Perez retired just one batter and left due to a finger injury.
REPORTS: WHITE SOX TRADE RHP DYLAN CEASE TO PADRES FOR PROSPECTS
The Chicago White Sox traded right-hander Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres, according to multiple reports on Wednesday night.
Cease was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2022 when he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 184 innings.
According to reports, the White Sox will receive minor league right-handers Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte in the deal. Thorpe was acquired by San Diego in the offseason deal that sent slugger Juan Soto to the New York Yankees.
Cease will earn $8 million this season, making the salary a fit for the Padres, who watched starting pitchers Blake Snell (2023 National League Cy Young winner), Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha depart as free agents after last season.
Last season, Cease went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA but still struck out 214 in 177 innings. It marked his third straight season of at least 200 strikeouts.
Overall, Cease is 43-35 with a 3.83 ERA in 123 starts over five seasons with the White Sox.
According to MLB Pipeline, Thorpe was San Diego’s No. 5 prospect and Iriarte was No. 8.
Thorpe, 23, had a 14-2 record and 2.52 ERA in 23 starts last season between Class A and Double-A in the Yankees’ system.
Iriarte, 22, went 3-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 27 appearances (21 starts) between Class A and Double-A last season.
FORMER BIG RED MACHINE BACKUP C BILL PLUMMER DIES
Bill Plummer, who earned two World Series rings while backing up Johnny Bench, has died. He was 76.
Plummer died Tuesday. The former Cincinnati Reds catcher had a heart attack last Thursday at his home in Redding, Calif, according to Redding Colt 45’s general manager Rick Bosetti. Plummer was a Redding assistant coach from 2018-23.
Plummer only batted .188 with 14 homers in 367 games over parts of 10 seasons, eight coming with the Cincinnati Reds from 1970-77.
His high for at-bats was 159 in 1975 as he backed up Bench, the Hall of Famer who was one of the stars of the franchise’s “Big Red Machine” era.
Plummer was the No. 2 catcher on the 1975 and 1976 teams that won the World Series. He set highs for batting average (.248) and homers (four) while playing 56 regular-season games in 1976.
“Loved Bill for the person he was and the competitor he showed us on the field,” Bench said on social media. “He was always ready to play.”
Plummer played in two games for the Chicago Cubs in 1968 before being traded to the Reds’ organization prior to the 1969 season. He finished his career in 1978 with the Seattle Mariners.
MEN’S GOLF NEWS
2024 THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW, PROPS, BEST BETS
The 50th edition of The Players Championship begins Thursday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Often called “the fifth major,” the 144-player field is arguably the strongest of the year outside of the four majors, even minus those who left for LIV Golf. Our golf experts preview the event and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., March 14-17
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Par 72, 7,275 yards)
Purse: $25M (Winner: $4.5M)
Defending Champion: Scheffler
FedEx Cup Leader: Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-7 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @ThePlayers
PROP PICKS
–Brian Harman to Beat Tony Finau (+100 at DraftKings): Harman is coming off a solid T12 at Bay Hill following a string of five starts with no finishes better than a T44. T44 is exactly where he finished in The Players last year before going on to win The Open. Finau finished T19 last year and should be well rested after skipping the Arnold Palmer Invitational. We still like Harman’s ball-striking around the challenging TPC Sawgrass — especially at these odds.
–Wyndham Clark Top 20 (+150 at BetMGM): The reigning U.S. Open champion is coming off a runner-up at Bay Hill and won at Pebble Beach earlier this year — both against strong signature event fields. Clark still isn’t getting the love from oddsmakers, but the world’s No. 5-ranked player is back in top form.
–Hole In One on Hole 17 (+250 at DraftKings): One of the most famous holes in golf, “the watery grave” always makes for some entertaining prop action. There have only been 13 aces at the 17th hole since The Players moved to TPC Sawgrass in 1982. Three of those came last year and Shane Lowry carded one in 2022. Keep an eye on that front left pin placement — we’re banking on at least one player zipping a short iron back into the cup.
2024 Prop Picks Record: 13-16-1
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+550 at BetMGM) is coming off a five-shot victory at Bay Hill and also won The Players by five shots last year. His seven PGA Tour wins since 2021-22 are the most of anyone during that span. Scheffler opened the week at +650 but has seen his odds shorten while drawing the most total winning bets (15.4 percent) and money (23.7 percent), making him the book’s biggest liability this week. Scheffler has the same odds at DraftKings, where he has been backed by lopsided action at 28 and 35 percent, respectively.
–Rory McIlroy (+1600) missed the cut last year and has an average finish of 34th over his past four appearances. However, he did win in 2019 and was in contention last week until a 76 on Sunday. The world’s No. 2-ranked player opened at +1400 but has seen his odds lengthen slightly despite being second in the field with 6.9 percent of the bets and 8.0 percent of the money.
–Justin Thomas (+2300) finished T12 at Bay Hill after going 72-73 over the weekend. The 2021 Players champion has only one finish worse than T12 in his past nine worldwide starts. Thomas is BetMGM’s second-biggest liability this week, having drawn 6.8 and 7.4 percent of the action, respectively.
–Will Zalatoris (+2500) spent time atop the leaderboard last week before settling for a T4 after going 72-72 over the weekend. With a T2 in his previous start at the Genesis, it’s clear Zalatoris’ game is rounding back into shape, and he’s the book’s third-biggest liability this week. Zalatoris has longer odds at DraftKings, where he has drawn the second most money with 6 percent at +3000.
–Viktor Hovland (+2500) is a darkhorse as he works his way through some swing changes. The reigning FedEx Cup champion has admittedly been frustrated with a lone top-20 in four 2024 starts, and he returned home for a spell to focus on his game. However, the young Norwegian is always a threat and finished T3 last year. He’s fourth in the field with 4 percent of the money backing him to win at +2200 at DraftKings.
–Clark (+3400) is a career-best fifth in the world rankings following his runner-up last week. The defending U.S. Open champion also won at Pebble Beach last month. Clark has significantly longer +5000 odds at DraftKings, which has led to 3 percent of the total money backing him to win.
–Shane Lowry (+3400) has finished T4 and third the past two weeks.
–Tom Hoge (+7100) set the course record with a third-round 62 en route to finishing T3 last year.
NOTES
–This is the 50th playing of the event, which began in 1974, and the 42nd edition at TPC Sawgrass, which became the venue in 1982.
–Scheffler is the first defending champion to arrive at The Players ranked No. 1 in the world since McIlroy in 2020. McIlroy won in 2019 and the event was ultimately canceled the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
–There are 22 players in the field making their event debuts this week, including Sweden’s 10th-ranked Ludvig Aberg and Nick Dunlap, who turned pro after winning the American Express in January.
–Tiger Woods, the 2001 and 2013 champion, is not in the field.
–Each of the past four winners of The Players entered the week ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
–The three hole-in-ones at the signature 17th hole last year marked the first time there were multiple aces on that hole.
–LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman holds the tournament scoring record of 24-under 264 set in 1994.
INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES/NEWS
COLTS FOOTBALL
REPORT: JOE FLACCO TO JOIN COLTS ON 1-YEAR DEAL
The Indianapolis Colts and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth up to $8.7 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The contract reportedly includes $4.5 million in guaranteed money.
Flacco joins Indy after a standout five-game stint with the Cleveland Browns last year. The 39-year-old began the 2023 season unsigned and didn’t join the AFC North club until late November after a series of injuries sidelined other Browns quarterbacks. Flacco provided Cleveland’s offense with a spark, averaging over 300 yards per game and passing for 13 touchdowns while going 4-1 in five regular-season starts.
He helped Cleveland and its top-ranked defense reach the playoffs before falling short against the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
Flacco, who was named Super Bowl XLVII MVP as a member of the Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season, took home the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year award.
The Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints also showed interest in signing Flacco before he chose to join Indianapolis, according to Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press.
The 2008 first-round pick is expected to join the Colts as a backup behind 2023 first-round passer Anthony Richardson. Gardner Minshew replaced an injured Richardson for most of the last season and recently signed a two-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Indianapolis’ quarterback depth chart also features Sam Ehlinger.
Flacco, who turned 39 in January, is older than Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who will be 39 in May.
INDIANA PACERS
GAME REWIND: PACERS 129, BULLS 132 (OT)
The Pacers appeared on their way to a third straight win on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but DeMar DeRozan had other ideas.
The Bulls’ star guard improbably forced overtime with three points in the final 3.8 seconds of regulation, then scored Chicago’s first eight points in the extra session to lift the visitors to a 132-129 win.
DeRozan scored a season-high 46 points for the Bulls (32-34) in the win, going 15-for-24 from the field and 15-for-17 from the free throw line.
That was just enough to deny Indiana (37-30) a third straight win and spoiled a spectacular crunch-time shooting performance by Pacers center Myles Turner, who hit four threes that either tied the game or put Indiana in front in the final 1:20 of regulation and overtime.
Turner finished with a team-high 27 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers in the loss, going 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-8 from 3-point range.
After forcing overtime with a baseline jumper with 0.3 seconds left in regulation, DeRozan knocked down another jumper on the opening possession of the extra session.
Turner’s 3-pointer with 3:53 remaining put Indiana back in front, but DeRozan converted a three-point play at 2:57 as the Bulls retook the lead. Turner hit another clutch three 11 seconds later, only for DeRozan to answer with a trey of his own despite 6-foot-8 Pascal Siakam being right in his face with 2:17 remaining.
After Andrew Nembhard missed a three, Nikola Vucevic converted a runner with 1:22 remaining to make it a two-possession game. Tyrese Haliburton’s layup with 1:02 to play cut the deficit back to two, but Ayo Dosunmu got to the rim for a bucket of his own with 44.2 seconds left.
The Pacers answered quickly after a timeout, with Siakam converting a layup with 40.8 seconds remaining. But on the other end, Alex Caruso found former Pacer Torrey Craig under the basket with 24.2 seconds to play.
After Haliburton drew a foul and hit two free throws with 13.1 seconds left, the Pacers were forced to play the foul game and sent DeRozan to the line. The 34-year-old had missed just one of his first 15 free throws, but left the door open for Indiana by making his first but missing his second.
Turner corralled the rebound and the Pacers raced down the court and Haliburton had a look from the right wing at a three to force double overtime, but his attempt came up short as Chicago survived.
“Our defense just wasn’t good enough,” Turner said. “Obviously, DeRozan hit some big shots and is a special player. But as a whole, I don’t think we were there just that last part.
“These are tough nights with back-to-backs, but this time of year it’s no excuses. We’ve just got to find a way to get it done, give ourselves a fighting chance. And we came up short.”
Haliburton had 17 points and 14 assists for Indiana in the loss, while Siakam added 17 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
Caruso finished with 23 points, seven boards, and seven assists for Chicago, going 9-for-13 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range. Dosunmu added 20 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
After Indiana opened the fourth quarter with an 11-1 run to turn an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead, the Pacers and Bulls traded the lead nine times over a five-minute span.
Aaron Nesmith’s 3-pointer put Indiana in front 107-105 with 4:26 remaining, but Craig answered with a corner three just before the shot clock expired as Chicago retook the lead with 3:57 to play.
After both teams failed to score on their next two possessions, Coby White intercepted a cross-court pass from Obi Toppin and raced ahead for a layup that pushed the Bulls’ lead to three with 2:14 remaining.
Haliburton drew a foul on White on the other end and knocked down both free throws at 1:50, but Dosunmu answered by converting a fadeaway runner over Siakam with 1:33 to play.
That’s when Turner took over. The Pacers center knocked down a three from the left wing with 1:20 remaining to knot the game at 112. After Dosunmu missed a trey on the other end, Haliburton found Turner spotting up at the top of the arc for the go-ahead triple with 55.1 seconds left in the game.
After a timeout, DeRozan got to the rim for a layup to make it a one-point game with 47.1 seconds remaining. After Indiana ran down the shot clock, Nembhard missed a three, but the rebound was deflected out of bounds by Chicago with 23.5 seconds to play.
After a Pacers timeout, Nembhard had another open look, but couldn’t get it to fall. Turner tried to tap the rebound back out to Haliburton, but White corralled it and seemed destined for a go-ahead layup in the final seconds. But Siakam hustled back and somehow swatted White’s shot toward the Indiana bench.
White was injured on the play and remained down for a good minute before being helped to the visiting locker room. He did not return.
Nembhard scooped up the rebound and threw it ahead to Nesmith, who was fouled and hit both free throws with 5.5 seconds remaining.
Up three, Indiana elected to foul DeRozan with 3.8 seconds to play. He made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second. Pacers forward Obi Toppin got a hand on the rebound, but knocked it out of bounds with 2.4 seconds left.
Inbounding from the right sideline, Caruso passed to DeRozan on the near baseline. The six-time All-Star hoisted a fadeaway jumper over two defenders and swished it to force overtime.
His heroics continued in the extra session as the Bulls ultimately prevailed.
“We were one rebound away,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. “Then they got a chance at the end and DeRozan made a shot and we’re in overtime.
“Disappointing. It’s a gut punch. Unfortunately, this is all part of (playing) meaningful games. When you make minor mistakes at the wrong times, it can really bite you. And there were a lot of them, myself included. We’ve got to learn from it and get ready for Saturday (against Brooklyn).”
With the loss, the Pacers drop back into seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings with 15 games remaining. The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs, while the teams in seventh through 10th place must compete in the Play-In Tournament for the conference’s final two playoff berths.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Latest Standings, Potential Matchups, and More >>
Chicago used an early 11-2 run to build a lead they maintained for most of the opening frame on Wednesday, taking a 30-28 lead into the second quarter.
The Blue & Gold surged ahead early in the ensuing frame thanks to a 15-1 run. Rookie forward Jarace Walker played a key role in the stretch, scoring seven points.
The Pacers pushed the margin to as high as 11 points, but the Bulls closed the half with a 9-2 run — capped by Caruso’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer — to make it a four-point game at the break.
Caruso’s shooting stroke carried over after the intermission. The seven-year veteran knocked down three more threes in the first six minutes of the third quarter then added a layup at the 5:19 mark as Chicago outscored Indiana 22-11 to open the second half and move back in front.
Carlisle took a timeout following Caruso’s layup and the Pacers in an 80-73 hole. T.J. McConnell hit a three after the stoppage to trim the deficit back to four, but Caruso answered immediately with his fourth triple of the quarter.
The visitors stretched their lead as high as 10 points, though the Pacers chipped away in an eventful close to the third quarter. With Indiana trailing 91-81, Jalen Smith drew a foul on Andre Drummond with 11 seconds left in the frame. He hit both free throws, then McConnell stole the inbounds pass. He missed a layup off the steal, but Smith was there to clean it up and make it 91-85 with 5.7 seconds remaining in the quarter.
But the Bulls raced back down the court and rookie forward Onuralp Bitim banked in a runner just ahead of the buzzer to push Chicago’s lead back to eight entering the fourth quarter.
But that short spurt from the Blue & Gold was a portent of what was to come at the start of the fourth quarter. Indiana dominated the opening minutes of the frame, outscoring the Bulls 11-1 over the first 2:15.
On the defensive end, the Pacers were flying around, forcing turnovers and missed shots. On the other end, they capitalized on Chicago’s drought.
Siakam found Smith in front of the Indiana bench for a game-tying three at 10:29, then scored the go-ahead layup at 9:45, forcing a timeout from Chicago head coach Billy Donovan.
After the timeout, White’s three at 9:27 put the Bulls back in front. The two teams would go back and forth for the next several minutes, setting the stage for a memorable ending.
Eight Pacers reached double figures on the night for Indiana. McConnell had 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals off the bench, while fellow reserves Smith (15 points and six boards) and Walker (10 points and four rebounds) also topped double figures.
Nesmith added 13 points on 3-of-7 3-point shooting but picked up his sixth foul sending DeRozan to the line at the end of regulation and was unavailable in overtime.
White had 15 points, four rebounds, and two steals for Chicago before his injury late in regulation. Vucevic recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Craig tallied 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.
After a couple days off, the Pacers will be back in action on Saturday night against Brooklyn before wrapping up a three-game homestand on Monday against Cleveland.
Inside the Numbers
Turner surpassed 20 points for the 24th time this season and the third time in his last five contests.
Haliburton recorded his team-leading 38th double-double of the year. He is tied with Vucevic for the second-most double-doubles in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (50).
Smith scored in double figures off the bench for the third time in his last four games.
Walker, the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, reached double figures for the third time in his young career.
The Pacers’ bench outscored Chicago’s reserves, 47-16.
DeRozan’s 46 points tied for the fourth-highest output of his career.
Caruso’s 23 points were a new season high. His previous best this season was 19 on Nov. 8 against Phoenix.
You Can Quote Me On That
“A lot of things were very positive. Myles getting open for those two threes that got us a three-point lead, those were huge plays. And those were plays playing off of our best players.” -Carlisle on his takeaways from crunch time
“Me and Ty obviously made some good plays, just high pick-and-pop and roll. It’s been a good combination for us all year. I hit some big shots. But it just wasn’t enough.” -Turner on his shotmaking late in regulation and in overtime
“I think we executed right. DeMar DeRozan is DeMar DeRozan. A mid-range killer, a future Hall of Famer. You’ve got to give props sometimes. Sometimes it’s like they say — great defense, better offense. Can’t blame it on a single person. He’s just a great player.” -Smith on late-game execution
“We had to commit two to him on a lot of those plays. When we didn’t, he was scoring or getting fouled. Players like that put you in a bind.” -Carlisle on defending DeRozan in overtime
“I thought our second unit really played at a high level. We didn’t have a great start, they got us the lead in the second quarter. And then we were down going into the fourth and they got us the lead there. It was a rollercoaster.” -Carlisle on the bench’s contributions
“We did our job…Everybody played their part. We hit shots, we got stops. Just keeping that energy up and keeping everybody in the game.” -Smith on the second unit
“I thought he played well. He played well last night. Tonight there were more minutes. I thought he earned the minutes in the second half and then the minutes later in the game and in overtime. He’s going to be a tremendous player for us.” -Carlisle on Walker
“I’m still working towards it…I’m starting to get into just always having a defensive mentality first — being physical, fighting over screens rebounding, and just kind of letting offense take care of itself.” -Walker on feeling more comfortable on the court than he did earlier in his rookie season
Stat of the Night
DeRozan went 13-for-14 from the free throw line in regulation, with his one miss being arguably his biggest play of the night as it created an opportunity for his shot that forced overtime.
Noteworthy
With Wednesday’s loss, the Pacers are now 2-10 on the season when playing on the second night of a back-to-back. They have one more back-to-back remaining, games against the Lakers and Clippers in Los Angeles on March 24 and 25.
The Bull have a 2-1 lead over Indiana this season, with the road team winning all three games. The two teams will meet once more in Chicago on March 27.
With six rebounds on Wednesday, Smith now has 1,000 for his career.
Turner blocked one shot against Chicago and now has 1,240 career blocks, five shy of Jermaine O’Neal’s franchise record.
Up Next
The Pacers continue their homestand by hosting Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, March 16 at 7:00 PM ET.
INDY FUEL
FUEL WELCOME OILERS TO INDIANA
GAME DAY TIMING:
6:00 P.M.: Doors open
7:00 P.M.: Puck drop
FAITH & FAMILY, USAC RACING, AND ALL YOU CAN EAT NIGHT:
Come out to Indiana Farmers Coliseum to celebrate Indy Fuel hockey, family, faith, and fellowship sponsored by Citizens Energy Group! Also, START YOUR ENGINES! It’s USAC Racing Night too. Check out a real car from USAC Racing and meet drivers!
Stick around after the game for postgame autographs in the lobby with select players!
PARKING: Parking at Indiana State Fairgrounds is $10. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to park due to anticipated large crowds at the Fairgrounds.
TICKETS: Tickets for today’s game can be purchased at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Box Office or online HERE. Kids two and under do not need a ticket as long as they sit on the lap of a ticketed patron.
BAG POLICY: The Indy Fuel now follow the same bag policy as all Indiana State Fairgrounds events. All bags are subject to search upon entering the arena. All bags larger than 14” x 14” x 6” (backpacks, suitcases, duffel bags, etc.) are prohibited. Please plan accordingly to help facilitate a quick and efficient entry process. Please report suspicious bags to an Indiana Farmers Coliseum team member.
You can view the entire Game Day Guide with everything you’ll need to know by clicking HERE.
ABOUT THE HOCKEY:
INDIANAPOLIS- The Fuel welcome in the Tulsa Oilers for the first of two games at home against them this weekend. This will be the first matchup between the two franchises since April 2022.
LAST TIME OUT
Taking it back to April 12, 2022, the Fuel came out on top against the Oilers 4-1 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Kale Howarth opened the scoring with the first two goals of the game. Tulsa responded early in the third period but a subsequent goal from Chase Lang and an empty netter from Seamus Malone sealed the deal to give the Fuel their third win that season over the Oilers.
KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE
While these two teams don’t see each other often, the Fuel have had the Oilers’ number. Indy has won the last nine matchups against Tulsa, dating back to December 2018. In 16 games total between these two teams, the Fuel have a 13-3 record with two of those three losses coming at home.
ABOUT THE INDY FUEL:
The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, have returned to Indiana Farmers Coliseum for their tenth season. Check out all the Fuel’s promotions, theme nights and get your tickets now HERE.
Don’t forget to follow the Fuel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube for news, updates, contests and much more.
IU MEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – GAME 32 VS. PENN STATE
Opening Tip
• Indiana University will open play in the 2024 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 14, against the 11-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions. Tip is tentatively set for 8 p.m. CT from the Target Center in Minneapolis. The game will carry a BTN broadcast.
• Indiana head coach Mike Woodson has led the Hoosiers to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament in each of his first two trips to the postseason event. Woodson holds a record of 3-2 in the Big Ten Tournament.
Game Information
Thursday, March 14, 2024 • 8 p.m. CT
Target Center (17,222) • Minneapolis
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, Andy Katz)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 42-17
Last Meeting: PSU 83, IU 74 on Feb. 24, 2024, in University Park
Series History
• Indiana holds a 42-17 series lead over Penn State. The two sides met in the semifinals round of the 2023 Big Ten Championship. PSU advanced on the strength of a 77-73 result.
• The Nittany Lions, led by head coach Mike Rhoades, swept the season series with an 85-71 victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington on Feb. 3, and an 83-74 result at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park on Feb. 24.
• PSU guard Ace Baldwin Jr. averaged 22.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 3.0 steals in the two games. The sophomore tandem up front of Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware averaged 42.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and shot 63.8% (30-of-47) from the floor.
Last Time Out
• The Hoosiers jumped out to a commanding 20-5 lead on Michigan State in the first seven minutes before holding on for a 65-64 to close the regular season on a four-game winning streak on March 10.
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware racked up his second 25-point, 10-rebound game in as many outings with a team-high 28 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocked shots. He hit the go-ahead free throw with 17 seconds left.
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau (16 points) and freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako (13) combined to tally 29 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.
Big Man Transformation
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has upped his scoring (from 6.6 points to 16.1), rebounds (4.1 to 9.8), assists (0.5 to 1.5), and field goal percentage (45.7% to 59.9%) in his second season. He leads the Hoosiers in points, rebounds, and blocks in 32 minutes per game.
• The North Little Rock, Ark., native was voted All-Big Ten Second Team by the conference media, All-Big Ten Third Team by the coaches, and selected to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team.
• Ware has scored at least 10 points in 23 games this year after producing just eight such games as a rookie. The 7-footer has ripped down at least 10 boards 15 times this season, including four games over 15 boards.
• In 18 conference games, Ware is averaging a team-best 16.9 points on 63.2% (127-of-201) shooting from the floor and 50.0% (12-of-24) from the 3-point line. He is also averaging 10.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per night. He finished the season as one of two players (Zach Edey, Purdue) to average a double-double in B1G play.
• Against Northwestern, Ware posted 22 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocked shots. He is one of seven players across Division I hoops this season to produce a line with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks.
• Ware tallied 27 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high five blocked shots against Wisconsin on Feb. 27 to become just the second Division I player to post a 25-point, 10-rebound, 5-block game this season. He made 11-of-12 shots in the contest.
Mack Attack
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako, the Co-Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten, has made a team-high 49 3-pointers on 34.3% shooting this season. Over the last seven games he is averaging 16.4 points on .459/.409/.704 shooting splits.
• The consensus top-10 recruit is averaging 13.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in Big Ten play, both figures rank third on the Hoosiers. He has reached double figures in the scoring column in 22 of the last 25 games and scored at least 20 points in three of his last seven starts.
• The Roselle Catholic graduate scored 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor against Northwestern (Feb. 18). Three days later against Nebraska (Feb. 21), Mgbako posted 22 points to go along with seven rebounds. He posted his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds at No. 10/11 Illinois (Jan. 27). Mgbako added a career-best 24 points at Maryland (March 3) on 4-of-8 shooting from the 3-point line.
• Among freshmen in the Big Ten, Mgbako closed the regular season first in total points (377), points per game (12.2), 20-point games (3), and free throws made (82), second in made 3-pointers (49), and third in total rebounds (123).
Follow the Gallo-Way
• Senior guard Trey Galloway finished the regular season as one of seven players in the Big Ten to average at least 10.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.0 steal per game. He joins A.J. Hoggard (Michigan State), Braden Smith (Purdue), Boo Buie (Northwestern), Ace Baldwin Jr. (Penn State), Tony Perkins (Iowa), and Dug McDaniel (Michigan) on the exclusive list.
• Galloway has dished out 105 total assists (5.3 per game) in Big Ten play to go against just 44 turnovers (2.39 assist-to-turnover ratio). He tied for second (Bobby Wilkerson, 1975-76) on the IU single-season Big Ten assists list with 105, and finished behind only Quinn Buckner (106) from the 1974-75 season.
• He handed out a career-high 12 helpers against Northwestern (Feb. 18) and Wisconsin (Feb. 27) to become the first Hoosier since Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas (1980-81) to dish out 12-plus assists in multiple games in a single season. For his career, the Hoosiers are 15-6 in the 21 games ‘Gallo’ has handed out at least five dimes.
• He is averaging a career-best 10.6 points per game, including a career-high 28 points against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16). He converted 12-of-17 shots in the contest. He scored a Big Ten career-high 25 points (19 in the second half) at Ohio State (Feb. 6) while leading IU to an 18-point comeback victory.
• Galloway announced his intentions to utilize his COVID season and return to the Indiana basketball program during his Senior Night speech to Hoosier Nation.
Sophomore Jump for Reneau
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau has posted double digits in the scoring column in 25 games this season, including 17 efforts of at least 15 points and seven 20-point nights. He notched a career-high 34 points against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29) and a Big Ten career-high of 28 points at No. 11/8 Wisconsin (Jan. 19).
• Reneau is averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 29 minutes per game. He is shooting 57.0% (191-of-335) from the floor and 66.9% (91-of-136) from the free throw line.
• He was named to the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Team by both the coaches and the voting media members of the conference.
• The Miami native has posted double figure scoring outputs in 12-of-14 games played away from Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this season.
The Leal Deal
• Senior guard Anthony Leal provided his best game as a Hoosier in Indiana’s 74-68 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 30 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. He set or matched career highs in points (13), rebounds (7), blocks (1), made field goals (4), made 3-pointers (3), and made free throws (2).
• Leal stole the spotlight at Ohio State on Feb. 6 when he scored the final five points of the game in IU’s 76-73 victory. He drilled a baseline triple with 22 seconds left to give the Hoosiers a one-point lead before knocking down two game-sealing free throws with 2 seconds left.
• Like Galloway, Leal announced his intentions to utilize his COVID season and return to the Indiana basketball program during his Senior Night speech to Hoosier Nation.
Return of the X-Factor
• Sixth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson returned to the lineup to play 15 minutes off the bench against Wisconsin on Feb. 27. The 24-year old missed the previous six games with an elbow injury. He missed the final 24 games of the 2022-23 season with a foot injury.
• The Hoosiers hold a record of 8-2 when Johnson scores at least five points and plays 15-plus minutes this season. IU has won five-straight games with ‘X’ in the lineup.
Ware Dominates in Season Finale
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware posted his second-straight 25-point, 10-rebound game in a 65-64 Senior Night victory over Michigan State on March 10. The Oregon transfer finished with team highs in points (28), rebounds (11), and blocks (2).
• The Hoosier defense held the Spartans to 25-of-65 (38.5%) shooting from the floor and 8-of-25 (32.0%) shooting from behind the arc. IU also out-rebounded MSU 39-33.
Double-Doubles Carry IU in the Twin Cities
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware (26 points, 11 rebounds) and senior guard Trey Galloway (13 points, 11 assists) each produced double-doubles in IU’s 70-58 victory over Minnesota on March 6.
• The Hoosiers handed out 28 assists on 30 made field goals. The assist total marked the most by a Hoosier team on the road since posting 29 at Western Illinois on Nov. 26, 2005. The last B1G program to chart at least 28 assists in a road conference game was Purdue at Ohio State on Feb. 7, 1998.
Double Double, Double Double (CAREER)
Payton Sparks: 22; last vs. Toledo, 3/3/23
Kel’el Ware: 14; last vs. Michigan State, 3/10/24
Xavier Johnson: 4; last vs. Arizona, 12/10/22
Anthony Walker: 4; last at Clemson, 2/27/21
Malik Reneau: 2; last at Ohio State, 2/7/24
Mackenzie Mgbako: 1; at Illinois, 1/27/24
Trey Galloway: 1; at Minnesota, 3/6/24
Twenty Piece (CAREER)
Xavier Johnson: 21; last vs. North Carolina, 11/30/22
Kel’el Ware: 10; last vs. Michigan State, 3/10/24
Payton Sparks: 9; last vs. Ohio, 3/9/23
Malik Reneau: 7; last at Penn State, 2/24/24
Trey Galloway: 3; last at Ohio State, 2/7/24
Mackenzie Mgbako: 3; last at Maryland, 3/3/24
INDIANA SWIMMING
TWELVE MEN’S SWIMMERS ADVANCE TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN INDIANAPOLIS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten Champion three years running, Indiana men’s swimming and diving will send 12 swimmers to the 2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships following the NCAA’s announcement of invitations to the national meet on Wednesday (March 13).
The Indiana men will compete in their backyard as the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis will play host to the competition. The meet will run over four days, March 27-30. Fans can purchase tickets here.
Indiana can add more qualifiers via the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships this week in Louisville, Kentucky. Hoosiers with NCAA zone qualifying marks during the season will compete to advance from the regional meet.
Including the five relays, Indiana will have competitors in 18 events. IU is well-represented in the two breaststroke events, with four Hoosiers qualified for each. Indiana will also have three swimmers each in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard butterfly.
INDIANA MEN’S SWIMMING QUALIFIERS
2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
Toby Barnett – 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Luke Barr – 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 IM
Finn Brooks – 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly
Brendan Burns – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 200 butterfly
Tristan DeWitt – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle
Tomer Frankel – 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Rafael Miroslaw – 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle
Josh Matheny – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Maxwell Reich – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Armando Vegas – 200 butterfly
Kai van Westering – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
Jassen Yep – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
200-yard freestyle relay
400-yard freestyle relay
800-yard freestyle relay
200-yard medley relay
400-yard medley relay
INDIANA SOFTBALL
INDIANA TOPS FAU FOR WEDNESDAY WIN
BOCA RATON, Fla. –––– After battling throughout most of the game in a scoreless tie, Indiana Softball broke through for a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night at Florida Atlantic.
The win marked Indiana’s tenth in a row and improves their season record to 20-4.
INDIANA 4, FAU 1
KEY MOMENTS
• Indiana got the bats rolling in the top of the third inning, recording its first three hits of the game in the inning, but could not get a runner across home.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Florida Atlantic was threatening with two baserunners on. Junior Brianna Copeland threw a clutch strikeout to get out of the inning and prevent any runs from scoring.
• Through four innings, the score remained tied at 0-0.
• Indiana finally broke through and scored in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Brooke Benson placed a perfect bunt in front of home for a single and to load the bases.
• Copeland would follow up on the bases loaded setup with a single up the middle that would score two and give Indiana the lead.
• Florida Atlantic tacked on one run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 2-1 game.
• Redshirt senior Cora Bassett and junior Taylor Minnick hit for an RBI single and RBI double, respectively, to give Indiana some insurance runs and a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning.
NOTABLES
• Bassett’s hit was the 200th of her career. It occurred on the same field that she recorded her first one when she began her college career in 2020.
• With the win, Brianna Copeland’s season record in the circle is now 11-3.
• Taylor Minnick’s double was her fourth of the season.
• Copeland recorded two RBI while Minnick and Bassett each had one.
• In her two innings of work, Sophie Kleiman only allowed one hit and did not allow any runs to protect Indiana’s lead and secure the win.
• The Hoosiers are 4-0 all-time against FAU in program history.
UP NEXT
Indiana will stay in the Sunshine State for the Florida Tournament at the University of Florida from Friday to Sunday. The Hoosiers will play two games against host Florida and Mercer over the course of the weekend.
INDIANA WRESTLING
NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS SEEDING REVEALED
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– The NCAA announced the seeding list and bracket placement at each of the ten weight classes for the 2024 NCAA Championships on Wednesday night.
Indiana has six wrestlers who are in the tournament field. Cayden Rooks (133), Dan Fongaro (141), Graham Rooks (149), Brayton Lee (157), Tyler Lillard (165) and Nick Willham (285) all clinched automatic bids at the Big Ten Championships last weekend.
The six NCAA qualifiers is the most Indiana has had in one season since 2009-10.
Indiana’s Brayton Lee got the highest seed of Indiana’s entrants with the No. 11 spot at 157 lbs. Graham Rooks and Tyler Lillard each were seeded at No. 17 at 149 and 165 lbs., respectively.
Graduate student Dan Fongaro got the No. 23 seed at 141 lbs. Both Cayden Rooks (133) and Nick Willham (285) got the No. 32 seed at their weight and will wrestle in a pigtail match to start the tournament.
Opening Matches:
133: No. 32 Cayden Rooks (IU) (11-11) vs. No. 33 Dyson Dunham (VMI) (20-13)
141: No. 23 Dan Fongaro (IU) (21-7) vs. No. 10 Tagen Jamison (OK St.) (21-8)
149: No. 17 Graham Rooks (IU) (19-10) vs. No. 16 Kelvin Griffin (Lehigh) (26-10)
157: No. 11 Brayton Lee (IU) (11-2) vs. No. 22 DJ McGee (George Mason) (24-5)
165: No. 17 Tyler Lillard (IU) (21-7) vs. No. 16 Will Miller (App State) (22-6)
285: No. 32 Nick Willham (IU) (12-10) vs. No. 33 Jordan Greer (Ohio) (14-8)
The 2024 NCAA Championships will take place from March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
INDIANA BASEBALL
INDIANA FALLS BEHIND EARLY IN MIDWEEK DEFEAT
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A fifth game in as many days left the bullpen depleted for the Indiana Baseball team (9-8) on Wednesday (March 13) night at Bart Kaufman Field. Sixth-year senior Ty Rybarczyk (L, 0-1) allowed one run in his scheduled inning of work to open the contest but the Hoosiers struggled mightily in the second and third frames, conceding 13 runs, as Illinois State rolled to a 16-6 victory in a seven-inning shortened game.
Freshman pitcher Seth Benes failed to record an out and was pulled after facing three batters. Sophomore reliever Evan Whiteaker threw the next innings and gave up 11 runs (eight earned) on nine runs as the Redbirds took a 14-0 lead after the third inning.
The Hoosiers began a rally in the fifth inning as four-consecutive hitters recorded RBIs but Illinois State’s lead proved to be insurmountable. A run for the visitors in the top of the seventh extended the lead back to 10, bringing the 10-run rule into effect after just seven innings of play.
Junior infielder Brock Tibbitts and sophomore outfielder Devin Taylor combined to go 4-8 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs. Eight of nine starters tallied a hit including redshirt junior Jake Stadler who reached base twice with a pair of base knocks.
IU welcomes Belmont to the confines of Bart Kaufman Field this weekend with a scheduled three-game set beginning Friday evening (5:00 PM and continuing Saturday (2:00 PM) and Sunday (1:00 PM) afternoon.
Scoring Recap
Top First
The Redbirds struck early as the five-hole hitter Judah Morris laced a single through the left side, bringing around Luke Lawrence to score. Morris advanced to second on an error in left field but was stranded at the end of the half inning.
Illinois State 1, Indiana 0
Top Second
Indiana fell victim to another massive inning from an opponent as Illinois State hung nine runs on the board in the fourth inning. Auggie Rasmussen drilled a two-run home run over the wall in right field. Shaydon Kubo and Luke Cheng followed that up with an RBI-single and RBI-double respectively. Daniel Pacella, the cleanup hitter, homered to right center off reliever Evan Whiteaker to extend the lead to seven. After going yard earlier in the inning, Rasmussen hit a three-run home run to break the floodgates open for the Redbirds.
Illinois State 10, Indiana 0
Top Third
The Hoosiers couldn’t limit the damage as the Redbirds once again struck in the third. Morris cleared the bases with a double into the left-center field gap. After a miscommunication on a wild pitch, he would come all the way around from second to score.
Illinois State 14, Indiana 0
Top Fourth
Illinois State wasn’t done yet as J.T. Sokolove hit a solo home run into the left field bullpen to go up 15 runs in the fourth.
Indiana 15, Illinois State 0
Bottom Fifth
IU cracked the scoreboard in the fifth for the first time. Devin Taylor laced a single up the middle, scoring Jake Stadler and advancing Nick Mitchell to second. Brock Tibbitts followed that with an RBI-single of his own before Carter Mathison doubled into the gap to score a pair. IU would add another as a throwing error from the third baseman allowed Mathison to score.
Illinois State 15, Indiana 5
Bottom Sixth
An errant throw by the shortstop to first base, on a ball hit by Taylor, allowed Stadler to score the sixth run of the game for the Hoosiers.
Illinois State 15, Indiana 6
Top Seventh
The 10-run rule came back into effect in the seventh as Pacella drove in his third run of the game to extend the lead for the Redbirds.
Illinois State 16, Indiana 6
Notes to Know
• Junior infielder Brock Tibbitts is riding a six-game hitting streak, recording at least two hits in four of those contests. Over his past six games, he’s 12-26 at the plate. He’s also got eight multi-hit games on the season.
• Sophomore outfielder Devin Taylor recorded his ninth-multi hit game of the season. He’s got 27 hits on the season which is tied for the most in the Big Ten.
• Sixth-year senior Ty Rybarczyk made his first appearance on the mound since Feb. 18, 2023. It was also his career debut for the Hoosiers. He pitched just once last season at Illinois before suffering a season-ending injury.
Top Hoosier Performers
#9 Tibbitts, Brock
2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
#5 Taylor, Devin
2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI
Up Next
IU begins a three-game set with Belmont this weekend at Bart Kaufman Field. All three contests will be streamed on BTN+ or can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EDEY REPEATS AS SPORTING NEWS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – One day after earning back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year honors, Zach Edey was chosen as the Sporting News’ National Player of the Year for the second straight season, the organization announced Wednesday morning.
Handed out beginning in 1943, Edey becomes the eighth repeat winner of the Sporting News’ National Player of the Year, joining Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, Bill Bradley, Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Michael Jordan and Luka Garza as recipients that have won the award twice.
Dating to last year, Edey has now won all seven major National Player of the Year accolades that have been handed out as he has a chance to become the first unanimous (winning all of them) back-to-back National Player of the Year honoree since Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973. The five remaining National Player of the Year awards come from the Associated Press, the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Edey has dominated all season long, currently averaging 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game in all games played, but increasing his numbers to 25.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game in Big Ten play. On Monday, he set a Big Ten record with 12 Big Ten Player of the Week honors during his career.
Edey is the only player in Big Ten history to record at least 700 points and 350 rebounds in a season, doing so both this year and last year, and needs 26 rebounds to become the fifth player in NCAA history with two seasons of at least 750 points and 400 rebounds (Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry, Jerry West).
Edey has produced against the nation’s best teams, averaging a combined 40.2 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition, currently the first player in at least the last 15 years to average a combined 40 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition. Edey Leads the country in 30-10 games with seven (next closest is 3) and 20-10 games with 18 )next closest is 16).
Edey has moved into second place on Purdue’s career scoring chart, now with 2,282 points and needing 41 points to tie Rick Mount for the school’s career scoring record. He has also moved into the top 10 on the Big Ten’s all-time scoring list.
Should Edey becomes the school’s all-time leading scorer, he will become Purdue’s all-time leader in points, rebounds and double-doubles.
Edey’s seven career 30-15 games are the most for a high-major player in the last 15 years (Marvin Bagley, Blake Griffin – 4) by three games. His 10 career games of at least 25 points and 15 rebounds are also the most nationally in that span (Blake Griffin – 9) and his 15 career 30-10 games are the second most for any player in the last 15 years (South Dakota State’s Mike Daum – 21).
Edey is the first player in Big Ten history with 2,200 career points and 1,200 career rebounds, and has joined David Robinson (Navy, 1984-87) as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot over 60.0 percent from the field.
Edey and the Boilermakers are the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, starting play Friday at noon ET in Minneapolis.
EDEY A SEMIFINALIST FOR NAISMITH DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior center Zach Edey has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Wednesday afternoon.
Edey is a semifinalist for the second straight year and is likely to be one of two players to be up for both the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards (Houston’s Jamal Shead).
Edey was recently also named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team and is the two-time recipient of Big Ten Player of the Year honors. He was also just named the Sporting News National Player of the Year on Wednesday morning.
Edey spearheads a defense that ranks 20th nationally in defensive efficiency, one of five teams nationally that rank in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
Edey has blocked 68 shots on the season and ranks 21st nationally in blocked shots per game, ranking third in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are one of the most-disciplined defensive teams in America, ranking 16th nationally in fewest fouls per game. Edey has blocked at least two shots in 22 of 31 games played this year. His 216 career blocks rank fourth in school history and his 68 blocked shots this season are just shy of the top 10 for blocks in a season.
Edey averages 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game in leading Purdue to a 28-3 overall record and a likely No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Edey and the Boilermakers will be the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, beginning action Friday at Noon ET against the winner of Michigan State and Minnesota.
#3 PURDUE LOOKS FOR BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TITLE REPEAT IN MINNEAPOLIS
GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 32 /// BIG TEN QUARTERFINALS
[3] Purdue (28-3) vs. Michigan State (18-13) OR Minnesota (18-13)
Friday, March 15, 2024
12 p.m. ET | Minneapolis, Minnesota
Target Center (20,000)
TELEVISION: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Stephen Bardo, Rick Pizzo)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• The No. 3-ranked Purdue Boilermakers aim for their fourth Big Ten championship in the last two years when it descends on Minneapolis for the Big Ten Tournament, starting tournament play on Friday against the winner Thursday’s second-round game between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Boilermakers are the defending tournament champions and have won the regular-season title in each of the last two years.
• Purdue was well-represented on the All-Big Ten teams announced on Tuesday, with Zach Edey and Braden Smith earning first-team accolades. Edey was named the Player of the Year for the second straight season, while also earning a spot on the All-Defensive Team. Matt Painter was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career, while Mason Gillis was selected as the Sixth Man of the Year. Fletcher Loyer, Lance Jones and Gillis were all voted to the Honorable Mention squad.
• Purdue tied the Big Ten record (Indiana – 1977 and 1978) for most conference victories by a single class, when the group won its 59th league game in Sunday’s victory over Wisconsin. The group went 59-20 in its four years in Big Ten play.
• Purdue enters the tournament with 28 wins on the season, tied for the fourth most in the country. A tournament title would set Purdue’s school record for wins in a season (31) and the Boilermakers would enter the NCAA Tournament with the most wins in the country.
• Purdue has seen two non-conference opponents already punch tickets to the NCAA Tournament (Samford, Morehead State) with five more non-con opponents (Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, Arizona) likely earning spots in the field. Purdue’s opponents won the Southern Conference (Samford), the Ohio Valley (Morehead State), the Atlantic Sun (Eastern Kentucky), the SEC (Tennessee) and the PAC-12 (Arizona) this season. According to Mike DeCourcy’s latest projections, Purdue has currently played 15 games against teams in the NCAA field.
• Purdue has beaten teams ranked 4th (Arizona), 5th (Tennessee), 8th (Alabama), 13th (Marquette), 15th twice (Illinois), 17th (Gonzaga), 22nd twice (Wisconsin) and 24th (Michigan State) in the NCAA NET rankings. The Boilermakers are 10-0 against the NCAA NET top 25.
• Purdue ranks in the NCAA’s top 20 in off. efficiency (1st), 3-point percentage (2nd), rebound margin (2nd), wins (4th), assists per game (5th), scoring margin (9th), scoring offense (11th), field goal percentage (16th), assist / turnover ratio (16th) and fewest fouls per game (17th).
• Purdue is second in the country in quad-1 wins (11), but leads America in quad-1 and 2 wins combined (19). Purdue is 25-3 against the top-3 quads and have only played three games all season against quad-4 teams.
• Purdue was voted No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll on Monday. With its No. 3 ranking this week, Purdue has now been ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll for 35 straight weeks, the longest-active streak in America by 17 weeks (UConn – 18). It has been ranked in the top 3 in 29 of those weeks. The 35 weeks of being ranked in the top 5 is the third longest in confererence history (41 — Ohio State, 1960-63; 38 — Indiana, 1975-77).
• A win in Friday’s quarterfinal will give Purdue its 29th win of the season. Only Houston (28 wins entering the Big 12 Tournament) can join Purdue as teams to have at least 29 wins in each of the last three seasons.
• Purdue has won five of its last six games in the Big Ten Tournament. The lone loss came in the 2022 Finals vs. Iowa (75-66).
• Purdue is in the hunt for its second straight No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and its fifth overall. Purdue has never been the No. 1 overall seed.
• The Boilermakers have been to eight straight NCAA Tournaments, the fourth-longest streak in America (Kansas – 33; Michigan State – 25; Gonzaga – 24).
• Purdue has finished in the top three of the Big Ten standings in eight of the last 10 years.
• Purdue is one of five teams (Auburn, UConn, Houston, San Diego State) without a loss outside Quad-1.
• Purdue has a nation’s-best 20 victories over the NET top 100, including 10 over the top 25.
• Purdue owns nine straight wins over teams ranked in the AP Top 15. Florida Atlantic is next in line with three straight victories.
• Purdue is on pace to set school records in rebound margin (+11.0) and assist / turnover ratio (1.62). Purdue’s scoring average of 84.2 points per game is its highest average since 1994 (84.4 PPG).
• Purdue’s scoring margin in Big Ten games was +10.3 points per game, the highest margin since Michigan State in 2019 (+10.6).
• Purdue is averaging 84.2 points per game, an increase of 11.5 points per game from a year ago, the Boilermakers’ highest increase in scoring average since the 1992-93 to 1993-94 season (+13.5).
• Purdue has started the same starting five in all 31 games, the longest stretch to start a year in school history. Purdue has never had a season where it started the same five all season.
• Purdue has trailed by six or more points in 10 games this year, posting an 8-2 record in those games, including wins in three straight games over Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois.
• Zach Edey started his 100th career game on Sunday vs. Wisconsin. He is the 17th player in school history with 100 career starts, and owns an 84-16 record as a starter.
• A year ago, Purdue shot 32.2 percent from 3-point range, a number that ranked 281st nationally. This year, Purdue is at 41.1 percent, ranking second nationally. Purdue had one player (Braden Smith) shoot over 36.0 percent from deep a year ago. This year, Purdue has nine players over 36.0 percent.
• Zach Edey’s 25.4 points per game in Big Ten play were the second-highest total in the Big Ten since the turn of the century (2020 – Luka Garza; 26.2).
• Zach Edey is averaging 10.87 free throw attempts per game. Based on a 38-game season, he would shoot 413 free throw attempts, which would be the most since Pete Maravich in 1970 (436).
• Among players that made at least 20, 3-pointers in Big Ten play, Fletcher Loyer (33-68; .485) and Mason Gillis (36-75; .480) ranked one and three in 3-point percentage.
• Braden Smith became the first Purdue player since Tony Jones (1990) to lead the Big Ten in assists, averaging 7.6 assists per game in league play. Smith’s 151 assists in conference play were the second most in league games behind Michigan State’s Cassius Winston (157) in 2019.
PURDUE IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
• Purdue heads to Minneapolis in search of its third Big Ten Tournament title (2009, 2023) in school history, arriving in the Land of 10,000 Lakes as the No. 1 seed. It marks just the third time that Purdue has been the No. 1 seed, falling to Michigan in overtime in the 2017 quarterfinals in Washington, D.C., before winning the tournament title a year ago.
• Purdue is looking to become the first team since Michigan in 2017 and 2018 to repeat as Big Ten Tournament champions.
• The Boilermakers have reached the finals in four of the last six Big Ten Tournaments (2016, 2018, 2022, 2023). In years that Purdue didn’t reach the finals in that span, it lost in the quarterfinals.
• Purdue’s six title-game appearances are the fifth most in the Big Ten (Ohio State – 9; Wisconsin, Michigan State – 7; Illinois – 7).
• Purdue is looking to become the 11th No. 1 seed (Big Ten champion) to win the Big Ten Tournament in its 26th year.
• Purdue is 9-9 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals (8-7 as the higher seed), but owns a 6-3 record in the semifinals. The last time Purdue won a quarterfinal game and DID NOT advance to the championship game was in 2015, going 4-0 in the Boilermakers’ last four semifinal trips.
FINE HEADED TO PURDUE
Noblesville guard Aaron Fine will play college basketball at Purdue as a preferred walk-on. Fine led the Millers to the #2 ranking this season and lost to Fishers in the sectional title game 49-47.
PURDUE WRESTLING
NCAA RELEASES 2024 WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS
KANSAS CITY – The NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee announced the full brackets and seeding for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships during their selection show on Wednesday night. The five Boilermakers that are headed to the T-Mobile Center now know their seeds and first round opponents for the national tournament.
The group is led by 2023 All-American and NCAA finalist Matt Ramos, who earned the No. 4 seed for the second straight season. Head coach Tony Ersland’s dynamic true-freshman duo of Greyson Clark and Joey Blaze earned themselves No. 29 and No. 23 seeds. Team captain Stoney Buell took the No. 24 seed while Evansville native Brody Baumann will wrestle from the No. 32 line. It is the debut trip the national championships for Clark, Blaze, Buell, and Baumann.
Ramos will look to outdo a very successful trip to the 2023 tournament in Tulsa where he became the program’s 60th All-American and 9th runner-up. He is the first Purdue wrestler since Chris Fleeger in 2002-03 to be given a top-five seed in back-to-back years. All nine Boilermakers who have earned a top-five seeds at the NCAA tournament have wound up on the podium.
He will face yet another Big Ten opponent in the No. 29 seed Brendan McCrone of Ohio State in the first round. Ramos holds a 13-3 record against conference opponents, but has yet to face McCrone. He is 2-0 against Buckeye wrestlers in his career.
Clark and Blaze wrestled to the national tournament following phenomenal collegiate debut seasons, both securing auto-bids at last weekends Big Ten Championships. It is only the third time in program history that two true freshman qualified in the same season, happening in 2021 and 1947. Blaze’s No. 23 seed is the fourth highest ever for a Purdue true-freshman.
Clark will wrestle against No. 4 seed Ryan Jack of N.C. State in this opening match while Blaze faces No. 10 Jared Franek of Iowa. Both bouts are rematches.
The redshirt-sophomore Buell punched his ticket to Kansas City with a seventh place finish at Big Tens that was punctuated by a 15-7 major decision win over fellow qualifier Blaine Brenner of Minnesota. Buell finished his season strong as well, racking up a career best 17-11 record by winning six of his last nine matches. His first round matchup will be against West Virginia’s No. 9 Peyton Hall.
Indiana’s own Brody Baumann rounds up the qualifiers for the Boilers, claiming his No. 32 spot by earning a Big Ten placewinner’s medal in his first postseason appearance. Along with Clark and Blaze, his inclusion makes it the first time since 2008 that the Boilermakers have sent three freshman to the NCAA tournament. He takes on No. 33 Cael Valencia of Arizona State in the opening round pigtail.
For more information on the tournament, visit the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships home page.
Purdue Seeds & Match-Ups
125: #4 Matt Ramos (R-Junior)
First Round: No. 29 Brendan McCrone (Ohio State)
141: #29 Greyson Clark (Freshman)
First Round: No. 4 Ryan Jack (NC State)
157: #23 Joey Blaze (Freshman)
First Round: No. 10 Jared Franek (Iowa)
165: #24 Stoney Buell (R-Sophomore)
First Round: No. 9 Peyton Hall (West Virgina)
174: #32 Brody Baumann (R-Freshman)
First Round: No. 33 Cael Valencia (Arizona State)
PURDUE BASEBALL
3-4-5 ALL GO DEEP AS BASEBALL SCORES 10 UNANSWERED RUNS FOR 5TH TIME
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Luke Gaffney, Logan Sutter and Connor Caskenette all connected for a home run while representing Purdue Baseball’s 3-4-5 combination in the lineup, helping the Boilermakers score 10 unanswered runs for the fifth time this season in an 11-1 victory vs. Northern Illinois on a 70-degree Wednesday at Alexander Field.
Purdue (13-4) improved to 5-0 on its season-long 13-game homestand. Gaffney and Sutter accounted for the Boilermakers’ first set of back-to-back home runs since March 2022 and the program’s first at home since April 2021.
Purdue pounded out a season-high 16 hits while posting a double-figure run total for the third game in a row and ninth time this season. The Boilermakers have scored 56 runs in 37 innings at the plate during their homestand.
Ty Gill and Jo Stevens both went 3-for-4 from the bottom two spots in the lineup Wednesday.
Caskenette hit the first of the three long balls, a no-doubter to left field with a runner aboard in the fifth inning. It was the first home run at Alexander Field this season. Gaffney and Sutter went back-to-back in the following frame. While both blasts were also to left field, they looked vastly different. Gaffney’s was a line shot that cleared the fence between the videoboard and the bullpen. Sutter’s was a towering bomb that tight roped the line and stayed fair as it soared over the foul pole.
Sutter (20 RBI) joined Gaffney (23) and Caskenette (22) as Boilermakers to already reach the 20-RBI benchmark this season.
Couper Cornblum tripled for the third game in a row. He was one of seven Purdue hitters to extend a streak in the victory.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Connor Caskenette – 22-game on-base streak at Home (since 3/31/23); 7-game on-base streak in all games
• Couper Cornblum – 18-game on-base streak at Home (since 4/15/23); 6-game on-base streak in all games
• Logan Sutter – 17-game on-base streak (every game of 2024)
• Camden Gasser – 15-game on-base streak (every game he’s played in 2024); 8-game hit streak
• Keenan Spence – 7-game on-base streak
• Luke Gaffney – 5-game hit streak
• Ty Gill – 5-game on-base streak
In his first collegiate start, Cole Van Assen struck out five of the 15 batters he faced over 3 1/3 effective innings. For a third consecutive appearance, the opponent did not score while Van Assen was on the mound. The freshman struck out NIU’s cleanup hitter with the bases loaded to post a zero with the game still scoreless in the third inning.
Stevens scored Purdue’s first run, scampering home from second base despite the ball not leaving the infield on a two-out error in the bottom of the fourth. He was safe on a close play at the plate after an aggressive send when a chopper caromed off the glove of the third baseman on a short hop.
Stevens and shortstop Camden Gasser accounted for consecutive web gems in the top of the sixth inning. As the third baseman, Stevens made a basket catch on a foul pop up behind home plate for the first out. Gasser made a diving stop near the second base bag to retire the next batter.
Aaron Suval (2-0) rolled up an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play while facing the cleanup hitter with two aboard and one out in the fifth inning. Avery Cook and Carter Doorn both struck out a pair while working hitless innings to close out the victory.
Purdue’s homestand continues Friday with the opener of a four-game series vs. Samford. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. ET.
PURDUE SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL SET FOR HOME OPENER
HOME OPENER SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 14
vs. Omaha | 2 p.m. ET | B1G+
Friday, March 15
vs. Omaha | 2 p.m. ET | B1G+
Saturday, March 16
vs. Omaha | Noon ET | B1G+
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Head coach Magali Frezzotti and the Purdue softball team (11-11) are primed for their home opener on Thursday afternoon vs. Omaha (18-7). Purdue will host the Mavericks for a three-game series running Thursday through Saturday, serving as the first games of the year at Bittinger Stadium.
Admission is free for all Purdue home games. Fans can also watch on B1G+.
The three-game series during Purdue’s spring break prepares the team for similar formatting, with Big Ten play starting next week. During conference action, Purdue will play a single Big Ten opponent for three games over three days, with the exception of Indiana, which Purdue will play a midweek doubleheader on Big Ten Network.
THE NUMBERS VS. #12 FLORIDA STATE
• Purdue’s nine runs against FSU was the most in program history vs. a top-20 team.
• The Boilermakers’ six-run first inning was the most scored by Purdue in a single inning this season.
AMONG THE BIG TEN LEADERS: SAGE SCARMARDO
• Sage Scarmardo ranks #1 in the nation in hit by pitch per game (.62).
• The third baseman is the Big Ten leader and #9 in the nation in on-base % (.577).
• Meanwhile, Scarmardo’s .426 batting average ranks fifth-best in the Big Ten.
FRESHMAN MAKING HER MARK: MORIAH POLAR
• One of the fastest players in the Big Ten, freshman Moriah Polar is the conference leader in stolen bases (12 total, .55 per game).
• Polar has batted at the top of the lineup in all but one game.
• She also ranks 10th in the Big Ten in hits (24) and 9th in doubles (6).
• Registered two home runs in the 13-6 victory vs. SIU (2/25), tying the Purdue program record for home runs in a single game. She was the first Purdue freshman since 2015 to record two homers in a single game.
ALL ABOUT SPEED
• Purdue enters the week with 57 stolen bases, the most by the program in an entire season since 2016’s 80.
• The team’s 57 stolen bases are second-most in the Big Ten this season.
• The Boilermakers rank 7th in the nation in stolen bases per game (2.59) and total bases.
• The Boilermakers posted four stolen bases in each of the first two games of the season, a feat that has been accomplished just one other time by Purdue in the last six years.
• Overall, Purdue is more aggressive team on the bases compared to their opponents, with 57 stolen bases compared to 21.
PURDUE’S WEEK 5 LOOK-BACK: AT THE FGCU SPRING BREAK CLASSIC
• Purdue went 2-3 at the FGCU Spring Break Classic, picking up wins vs. Pitt (9-2) and Western Michigan (4-1).
• The Boilermakers held a 6-1 lead vs. #12 Florida State, which included a six-run opening frame.
• Freshman Ashlynn Campbell led the team with a .500 batting avg., four runs, five hits.
• Four Boilermakers averaged a .400 or better batting average: Campbell (.500), designated player Kate Claypool (.455), third baseman Sage Scarmardo (.429), first baseman Alivia Meeks (.400).
SCOUTING THE OMAHA MAVERICKS
• SERIES HISTORY: 0-1 | Last Meeting: L, 5-8 in Tucson, Arizona | 2/13/2016
• The team is riding a seven-game win streak and have shutout their opponent in the last four straight games.
• The Mavericks’ offense is led by Lynsey Tucker (23 runs, .346 batting avg., .590 slugging %) and Sydney Ross (21 runs, .403 batting avg., 26 RBI, .494 on-base %).
• Two pitchers have shared the majority of the team’s pitching: Kamryn Meyer and Sydney Nuismer. Meyer
owns the most wins in the circle with a 9-3 record and two shutouts. The grad student holds opponents to a .217 batting average and enters the weekend with a 2.89 ERA. Meanwhile, Nuismer follows with a 6-3 record, a 3.47 ERA, a .263 opponent batting avg and two shutouts.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
BAUMGARDT GRAND SLAM CEMENTS 11-6 WIN AT RADFORD
RADFORD, Va. – Notre Dame (11-5) secured the 11-6 win over Radford (5-10) Wednesday thanks to a seven-run eighth inning. INF Simon Baumgardt hit the first grand slam of his career, while OF T.J. Williams also homered.
Notre Dame batted through the lineup in the eighth inning, the second time in as many games that the Irish have brought nine or more batters to the plate in a single inning.
RHP Nate Hardman (1-1) earned the win for Notre Dame, his first winning decision in an Irish uniform.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After one out, OF David Glancy and INF Connor Hincks notched singles in the first inning, but a double play ended the Irish run and kept Notre Dame off the board. In the bottom of the inning, a one-out solo homer put Radford on the board first, before an INF Jack Penney- Hincks-INF Josh Hahn double play ended the inning.
Hahn delivered a one-out single in the second, but Notre Dame was held scoreless for a second time. RHP Hagan Ward entered to pitch the bottom half of the inning, striking out one as Radford went down in order.
Williams led off the third inning with a solo homer to get the Irish on the board, and the score was tied headed to the bottom of the inning. Radford responded, as a two out single got a runner on base. With the runner advancing to second on a wild pitch, the next batter walked. A subsequent single scored a run for Radford to regain the lead 2-1. With runners on first and second, Radford attempted a double steal, but quick thinking by Penney turned the ball back to C Tony Lindwedel at home to tag out the runner and end the inning.
Baumgardt led off the fourth with a walk, and after an out, OF Brady Gumpf singled to push Baumgardt to second. The second and third outs came before the Irish could score. In the bottom of the fourth, RHP Davd Lally entered to pitch, striking out two batters as Radford sat down in order.
Notre Dame went three up, three down in the fifth. RHP D.J. Helwig entered to pitch to begin the fifth, and struck out one, keeping Radford scoreless in the inning.
OF Tito Flores led off the sixth with a double that nearly left the park, and Baumgardt followed with a single. Hahn delivered a bunt to force an error and load the bases. Gumpf sent a sac fly to center field, scoring Flores to tie the game at 2-2. Lindwedel took a HBP to load the bases again, and on a wild pitch, all runners advanced, Baumgardt scoring to give the Irish the lead. Williams walked to re-load for the Irish, and Penney hit into a fielder’s choice to score Hahn. The Irish took the field up 4-2.
RHP Will Jacobsen entered to pitch for the Irish, and took care of two outs before RHP Ryan Lynch entered with a runner on third. Radford homered for two runs, evening the score at 4-4. A fly ball to Williams in center field ended the inning.
The Irish sat down in order in the seventh. Hardman took the mound for the Irish. Radford led off their half with a single, and the next batter reached on an error. A subsequent single scored one for Radford, taking the lead. A sac bunt put two runners in scoring position, and after an intentional walk, a sac fly scored another for the Highlanders. Notre Dame chose another intentional walk before a fly ball to Flores in right field ended the inning with Radford up two.
The Irish came alive in the eighth and batted all the way through the lineup, the second time with nine or more batters in a single inning over the past two games. INF Estevan Moreno took a leadoff HBP. After a popup for an out, OF DM Jefferson entered to pinch hit and sent a single to center field, pushing Moreno to second. Both took another base on a wild pitch, and after a strikeout, Penney walked to load the bases. Glancy singled to score Moreno, cutting the Radford lead to one run. Hincks drew a walk, scoring Jefferson to tie the game. Flores followed by forcing an error, scoring Penney to take the 7-6 lead.
Baumgardt then stepped to the plate with bases loaded and fired a grand slam to left field, putting the Irish up 11-6. Already batting through the lineup, Moreno made his second appearance at the plate that inning and grounded out to send the game to the bottom of the eighth.
Hardman again took the mound for the Irish, and held Radford off the board to preserve the lead. The Irish were unable to add to the lead in the ninth, and RHP Radek Birkholz entered to pitch the ninth for Notre Dame. Birkholz posted three strikeouts on four batters faced in the final stanza, and the Irish secured their 11th win of the season.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame travels to Tallahassee, Fla. for a three-game series against Florida State March 15-17. All three games will be broadcast on ACCNX.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX
IRISH REIGN VICTORIOUS AT #23 BROWN
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In a back-and-forth battle Wednesday night, the Irish women’s lacrosse team left Brown with the victory, 16-15, after MK Doherty scored the game-winner with just 36 seconds to play in regulation.
The Bears struck first Wednesday evening to take the 1-0 lead at 1:38 of the first quarter. The Irish defense locked down for the majority of the Bears’ opening possession but a last second shot beat Lilly Callahan in the cage and the Irish found themselves trailing early.
Jackie Wolak got the answer for the Irish five minutes later as the graduate evened the score 1-1 with 8:38 to play.
The graduate student scored her second of the day just 27 seconds later to give the Irish the 2-1 lead before Madison Ahern joined the scoring on the following possession to take the 3-1 lead. The three goals by the Irish attackers came just 42 seconds apart to take the commanding lead.
MK Doherty and Kasey Choma connected on a free position goal at 6:58 of the first quarter to extend their lead before the Bears got one back to cut the Irish score in half.
Awarded a free position shot at the top of the eight-meter, Wolak wasted no time in firing a shot into the back of the net to take the 5-2 lead.
Brown answered moments later to make it a 5-3 game before drawing within one on the power play late in the quarter to make it 5-4.
After making it a one-goal game, Lilly Callahan made a series of key saves in the final minute of the first quarter to keep the Irish ahead through 15 minutes played.
Wolak gave the Irish a bit of cushion with her fourth tally of the game to take the 6-4 lead and first goal of the second quarter.
Doherty won the following draw with a snag from the circle to maintain Irish possession but the Irish could not convert and Brown regained the ball and cut the lead to one once more.
The Irish reclaimed the two-goal lead with a bouncing shot from Doherty at 7:15 of the second to take the 7-5 lead.
Tierney extended the Irish lead just 15 seconds later with a pass from Doherty to make it 8-5 before Choma net her second of the day to give the visitors their biggest lead of the game at 9-5.
Brown got one back with 4:11 left in the half as both teams sat with a woman in the box for a pair of offensive fouls. The Bears scored again to bring the game within two, 9-7, late in the quarter.
Keelin Schlageter thought she had the answer moments later off a pass from Tierney but the ball wound up behind the cage and the officials huddled. Play was paused for a repair in the equipment as the net had a hole but the score was held and play went on.
The score would hold through the horn to mark the end of the first 30 minutes, as the Irish held onto the 9-7 lead heading into the half.
The second half started in the Irish defensive end as the Notre Dame squad looked to kill off the Brown power play. With just six seconds remaining on the Irish foul, the Bears took advantage to make it a 9-8 game.
Wolak matched her season-best five goals with her first of the second half to give the Irish the 10-8 lead at 2:04 of the third quarter.
With 10:22 to play in the third quarter the Bears tied it up at 10-10.
Choma’s third of the day gave the Irish back the lead but the Bears tied it up shortly after to make it an 11-11 game. The graduate would not quit there, scoring her fourth of the night and tying her season best to give Notre Dame the 12-11 lead.
Kathryn Morrissey scored her first of the day to extend the Irish lead before Doherty’s hat trick goal pushed the edge to 14-11 as the Irish sideline began their sideline celebration.
Brown answered with a goal at 2:26 of the fourth quarter, capitalizing on the free position to make it 14-12 partway through the fourth quarter.
The final media timeout of the game came with 6:36 left in the fourth quarter as the Irish clung to their two-goal lead and the ball in Brown’s possession.
A free position shot found its way past Callahan in the Notre Dame crease at the return from the break to make it 14-13 at 8:50 of the frame.
The Bears won the following draw and took advantage of the possession, knotting it up at 14-all with just over five minutes to play in regulation.
Ahern snapped the stalemate with under 4:30 to play but the Bears answered with a goal of their own with 1:53 left to make it a 15-15 game.
Kelly Denes won the important draw following the Bears’ goal and the Irish let time tick off the clock before setting up their game-winning play. With 36.1 seconds left in regulation, Doherty fired a shot on goal as she fell to the ground, beating the goalkeeper for the eventual game-winning tally.
The Bears got one last push in the Irish defensive end but an errant pass sailed out of bounds and the Irish took over the ball with 14 seconds to play to secure the win.
With the win, Callahan picked up her sixth of the season, owning all decisions for the Irish in 2024 and Notre Dame moved to 6-2 on the season.
KEY STATS
A staple at the circle and one of the nation’s leaders at draw controls, Kelly Denes led the team with nine draws on the night as the team held the edge, 20-12.
With five goals in the contest, Jackie Wolak led the team while registering seven total shots on goal. The graduate student also caused one turnover and picked up a single ground ball in the win Wednesday night.
Four individuals scored multiple goals in the contest in Wolak, Choma (4), Doherty (3) and Ahern (2), while Arden Tierney had three points off a goal and two assists.
MK Doherty led the team in points with three goals and three assists for six points. Her third goal proved to be the game-winner when she scored in the final minute of regulation to break the tie.
With two caused turnovers in the contest, Ali McHugh led the team while also registering three draw controls.
UP NEXT
The Irish continue their East Coast trip Saturday with an ACC battle with Boston College set for 12 p.m.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
IRISH SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE AFTER 72-59 LOSS TO WAKE FOREST
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Notre Dame men’s basketball team’s season came to a close on Wednesday in the Second Round of the ACC Tournament. The 12th-seeded Fighting Irish (13-20) fell to the 5th-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons (20-12), 72-59.
The first year under Glenn & Stacey Murphy Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry showed plenty of promise and plenty of growth with this young and hungry Irish squad. A team that started three freshmen and two sophomores for the majority of the season. A team that stuck together and won six of its last 10 games, including an ACC Tournament victory.
“Credit to Wake Forest. Just an old veteran team that was trying to get into the NCAA Tournament, and that’s what they looked like. That’s how they played. I thought they started the game with a little more juice than we did and got to a quick 8-0 run, and we just played from behind the whole game,” Glenn & Stacey Murphy Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry said.
“I’m proud of our guys for their fight, for their effort, not just today but this whole season. When I look at KenPom, I see No. 361 in the country in roster continuity, we’re No. 357 in the country in experience. You start three freshmen and two sophomores in the second round of the ACC Tournament game against a team that’s got a few fifth-year seniors and some older guys. Just proud of our effort, proud of our fight.”
Markus Burton scored a game-high 21 points, converting a career-best 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. The ACC Rookie of the Year recorded his 11th 20+ point game of the season and his sixth over the final seven games. Burton finished with 577 points on the year, further elevating the new Notre Dame freshman scoring record.
Tae Davis ended the season on a strong note with his career-best seventh consecutive game in double figures. Davis finished with 16 points today with a career-high tying 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Carey Booth also finished in double figures with 11 points – all in the first half. Booth finished with a team-high of six rebounds alongside Kebba Njie.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame absorbed several Wake Forest punches in the opening 10 minutes, courtesy of Hunter Sallis and Kevin Miller. The duo shot a combined 6-of-8 to start and scored 19 of the team’s first 23 points, building a 23-9 advantage.
The Irish bent but they didn’t break. As Wake Forest built a lead as large as 14 points in the half, the Irish stuck around thanks to Booth’s 11 first-half points, which included three treys. At 4:11, Julian Roper II kicked off an Irish 6-0 run which cut the deficit to just five at 31-36.
The Demon Deacons had an immediate response with back-to-back buckets to push the lead back to nine, prompting a Notre Dame timeout. The Irish kept driving and getting to the free throw line where they cut their deficit to six points at the half, down 34-40.
Wake Forest, who started the game 9-of-13, connected on just five of their next 16 from the field to finish 14-of-29 (.483) in the half. Notre Dame, who started 1-of-7, finished 9-of-24 (.375). The Irish were 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Lastly, the Demon Deacons scored half of their points in the paint.
Davis, who sat most of the first half with two fouls, scored the first seven points of the second half for the Irish. Five of said points came from the free throw line and Davis’ basket at 13:33 was the first Notre Dame made field goal since 4:11 in the first half.
Ultimately, a Wake Forest 6-0 run pushed the Demon Deacon lead back to 13 points at 39-52 with 14:51 remaining. At 9:51, a separate 7-0 Wake Forest run created their largest lead of the game at 43-59. Notre Dame never got closer than nine points after that.
Only Burton and Davis scored points in the second half, combining for 25 points. The team shot just 5-of-25 in the second half, including 0-for-6 from three-point range.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
BULLDOGS FALL TO XAVIER IN BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
Butler’s BIG EAST Tournament ended in the first round as the Bulldogs dropped a 76-72 decision to Xavier Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Butler, the No. 8 seed, put five players in double figures, but could not overcome the combined contributions of Desmond Claude, Dayvion McKnight and Quincy Olivari, who scored 65 of the Musketeers’ 76 points.
Xavier, the tournament’s No. 9 seed, is now 16-16 on the season and advances to play top-seeded Connecticut in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Butler falls to 18-14 and will wait to learn their postseason destination on Sunday.
HOW IT TRANSPIRED:
In a game that included 22 lead changes and eight ties, neither team could find a large advantage in the first half.
An 8-0 Xavier run pushed its lead to 22-15 with 9:30 remaining in the half. The seven-point lead was the largest of the half and matched the largest of the game.
Butler immediately countered with 11 straight to re-take the lead at 26-22.
Xavier held a slim 32-31 halftime advantage.
Butler’s last lead of the game came with 13:35 remaining and the Bulldogs ahead 50-49.
The last tie of the contest came at 54-54 with 11:36 to play.
A Posh Alexander bucket with 2:24 to play pulled Butler within a single point at 69-68, but Xavier would score the next six points to find a seven-point lead with 53 seconds remaining.
OF NOTE:
Claude led all scorers with 26 points.
McKnight scored 20, while Olivari added 19 points and nine rebounds.
Xavier went 0-for-8 from three-point range in the first half, but made six of their first seven attempts from behind the arc after halftime with the sixth one giving them a 54-50 advantage.
Butler put five players in double figures for the eighth time this season.
Pierre Brooks II led the Bulldogs with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting. It marked his seventh 20-point game of the season.
Butler matched a season-high with 18 turnovers, while forcing Xavier into 14.
Jalen Thomas and Posh Alexander each scored 14 for Butler. Thomas went 6-for-8 from the field, matching a career-high with two three-pointers, adding a team-high seven rebounds.
Alexander left the game late in the first half with a right knee injury. After being evaluated by Butler’s medical staff and warming up, he was able to play all 20 minutes of the second half.
Xavier shot 46 percent from the field, just ahead of Butler’s 45-percent mark.
BUTLER BASEBALL
BUTLER TO MEET BRADLEY IN WINTER HAVEN
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Bradley will play a three-game series in Winter Haven, Florida this week as part of their spring break trip. The Bulldogs won two of three last weekend in the Grind City Classic to improve their overall record to 6-7. Bradley heads into the matchup at 4-11.
Weekend Schedule
Thursday – 4 PM
Friday – 4:30 PM
Saturday – 10 AM
Scouting Bradley
The Braves traveled to Florida last weekend to play a four-game series at Stetson. The Hatters swept the series to move Bradley’s record to 3-11. The Braves snapped that streak with a midweek win over Rollins College on Tuesday, winning 12-3. The top four hitters in the Bradley lineup all ended the day with two hits. Lead-off man Ryan Vogel hit a home run to record a team-high four RBI. Tyrese Johnson leads the team with a .308 batting average and Timmy O’Brien has scored a team-high 10 runs.
On the mound, Travis Lutz, Noah Edders and Jack Stellano are scheduled to start for the Braves. Lutz is 1-2 on the season but has the best ERA of the trio at 3.92. Edders is 2-2 on the bump over four starts. He is also the team’s strikeout leader with 23. Stellano is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA. The Braves may to go Anthony Potthoff with the game on the line. He has the only save of the season for Bradley and is second on the team in appearances with five.
League Leaders
Butler leads the BIG EAST in home runs with 25. They average almost two per game and have eight players on the roster with at least two homers to their credit over the team’s 13 games. Overall, 12 Bulldogs have at least one home run this season. The team leaders are Jack Moroknek and Kade Lewis with four each.
Bulldog Bits
– Carter Dorighi has the fourth-highest batting average in the conference (.417)
– Dorighi leads the league with 25 hits and is on an eight-game hitting streak
– Dorighi has eight multi-hit games for the Bulldogs
– Dorighi is batting .520 as the lead-off man for BU (13 Hits in 25 AB / 5 Games)
– Butler has recorded 10+ hits in five of their last six games
– The Bulldogs have hit a double in six-straight games
– Xavier Carter and Kade Lewis have each reached base safely in 13-straight games
– Carter is batting .385 with runners in scoring position
– Lewis has recorded seven RBI with two outs in the inning
– Newcomers Zach Munton, Ryan Drumm and Kade Lewis are all slugging over .600
– That trio combines for 16 extra base hits
– Joey Urban leads the team with 16 RBI
– Ben Whiteside ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in appearances (7)
– Whiteside had a save and a win last week with a 0.00 ERA
– Grant Brooks recorded his first win of the season last week, throwing five innings vs. Presbyterian
– Tyler Banks had a quality start with six strikeouts over 5.2 innings vs. Jackson State
– Cole Graverson picked up his second save of the season at Memphis
– Bulldog arms have struck out 10+ batters in back-to-back games
– The Bulldogs are 2-0 in 1-run games
– Ian Choi hit two home runs last weekend and hit .364 with four RBI
BIG EAST Standings
Creighton 11-1
St. John’s 8-4
Georgetown 8-6
Seton Hall 8-6
Xavier 8-8
Butler 6-7
Villanova 5-8
UConn 3-9
Up Next
Butler will play at Miami (OH) on Tuesday, March 19. A home game will follow with BU hosting Ball State on the 20th. The 4 PM Wednesday tilt will stream on FloSports.com.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BUTLER SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH DARTMOUTH AND BELLARMINE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Butler softball team dropped a decision to Dartmouth but quickly rebounded for a victory over Bellarmine in a mid-week doubleheader. The Bulldogs (13-12, 2-1 BIG EAST) and the Big Green (1-4, 0-0 Ivy League) were tied, 3-3, after three innings, but Dartmouth produced the run it needed in the sixth for a 4-3 final. The Knights (8-13, 0-0 ASUN) jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning, but Butler scored in the second, third, fourth, and sixth to take a five-run lead into the seventh. Bellarmine threatened in their final at bat, but the Dawgs held on for a 9-5 win.
Game 1: Dartmouth 4, Butler 3 (7 innings)
Dartmouth scored one run in the first inning, but in the bottom half, Cate Lehner and Leigh Vande Hei each singled and eventually crossed the plate to give Butler a 2-1 lead after one complete.
In the second, the Big Green plated one more, but Lehner and Vande Hei answered again. With two outs already on the board, Lehner singled and stole second, and then Vande Hei doubled down the left-field line to put the Dawgs in front once again, 3-2.
Dartmouth tied the game at three in the third, and the score stayed knotted through five innings,
though Butler loaded the bases in both the fourth and fifth.
In the sixth, the Big Green used two singles and a double to jump in front by one, 4-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Dawgs put two runners on base but could not push anyone across.
Kayla Noerr (0-1) pitched a complete game for Butler and took the loss. In 7.0 innings, she allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and five walks while striking out one.
Game 2: Butler 9, Bellarmine 5 (7 innings)
Bellarmine scored three runs in the first inning on a pair of singles and a double.
In the top of the second, Paige Dorsett hit a lead-off home run. Later, Leigh Vande Hei scored from second base, as her steal attempt led to an error that allowed her to continue home. Butler trailed, 3-2, after two innings.
In the third, Cate Lehner singled and was able to later score, after stealing both second base and home. The game was tied, 3-3, after three complete.
In the fourth, with Sydney Carter on third and Hailey Conger on second, Lehner hit a ball to the pitcher. An errant throw allowed both Carter and Conger to score and Lehner to advance to third. Ella White then laid down a squeeze-play bunt. Lehner was safe, and Butler took a 6-3 lead.
In the sixth, after Conger and Lehner reached on singles, Ella White launched a three-run home run the put Butler up, 9-3.
Bellarmine managed to plate two in the bottom of the seventh.
Katie Petran (8-0) started in the circle for Butler, pitched four complete, and earned the win. She allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. Sydney Cammon (3.0IP, 2R, 3H, 2BB, 2K) provided relief in the fifth inning and picked up the save.
Bulldog Bits
Leigh Vande Hei’s double vs. Dartmouth was the first of her career.
Kayla Noerr’s complete game in the circle vs. Dartmouth was a career first.
Paige Dorsett’s home run vs. Bellarmine was her fourth of the season and 13th of her career.
Ella White’s home run vs. Bellarmine was her sixth of the season and 18th of her career.
Sydney Carter’s double vs. Bellarmine was her third of the season and 10th of her career.
Katie Petran’s win vs. Bellarmine was her eighth of the season.
Sydney Cammon’s save vs. Bellarmine was her first of the season and third at Butler.
Cate Lehner had five stolen bases over the two games. She now has 30 for her career.
Up Next
Butler travels to St. John’s for its second BIG EAST series of the season from Friday, March 15 through Sunday March 17.
BUTLER BASEBALL
BUTLER TO MEET BRADLEY IN WINTER HAVEN
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Bradley will play a three-game series in Winter Haven, Florida this week as part of their spring break trip. The Bulldogs won two of three last weekend in the Grind City Classic to improve their overall record to 6-7. Bradley heads into the matchup at 4-11.
Weekend Schedule
Thursday – 4 PM
Friday – 4:30 PM
Saturday – 10 AM
Scouting Bradley
The Braves traveled to Florida last weekend to play a four-game series at Stetson. The Hatters swept the series to move Bradley’s record to 3-11. The Braves snapped that streak with a midweek win over Rollins College on Tuesday, winning 12-3. The top four hitters in the Bradley lineup all ended the day with two hits. Lead-off man Ryan Vogel hit a home run to record a team-high four RBI. Tyrese Johnson leads the team with a .308 batting average and Timmy O’Brien has scored a team-high 10 runs.
On the mound, Travis Lutz, Noah Edders and Jack Stellano are scheduled to start for the Braves. Lutz is 1-2 on the season but has the best ERA of the trio at 3.92. Edders is 2-2 on the bump over four starts. He is also the team’s strikeout leader with 23. Stellano is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA. The Braves may to go Anthony Potthoff with the game on the line. He has the only save of the season for Bradley and is second on the team in appearances with five.
League Leaders
Butler leads the BIG EAST in home runs with 25. They average almost two per game and have eight players on the roster with at least two homers to their credit over the team’s 13 games. Overall, 12 Bulldogs have at least one home run this season. The team leaders are Jack Moroknek and Kade Lewis with four each.
Bulldog Bits
– Carter Dorighi has the fourth-highest batting average in the conference (.417)
– Dorighi leads the league with 25 hits and is on an eight-game hitting streak
– Dorighi has eight multi-hit games for the Bulldogs
– Dorighi is batting .520 as the lead-off man for BU (13 Hits in 25 AB / 5 Games)
– Butler has recorded 10+ hits in five of their last six games
– The Bulldogs have hit a double in six-straight games
– Xavier Carter and Kade Lewis have each reached base safely in 13-straight games
– Carter is batting .385 with runners in scoring position
– Lewis has recorded seven RBI with two outs in the inning
– Newcomers Zach Munton, Ryan Drumm and Kade Lewis are all slugging over .600
– That trio combines for 16 extra base hits
– Joey Urban leads the team with 16 RBI
– Ben Whiteside ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in appearances (7)
– Whiteside had a save and a win last week with a 0.00 ERA
– Grant Brooks recorded his first win of the season last week, throwing five innings vs. Presbyterian
– Tyler Banks had a quality start with six strikeouts over 5.2 innings vs. Jackson State
– Cole Graverson picked up his second save of the season at Memphis
– Bulldog arms have struck out 10+ batters in back-to-back games
– The Bulldogs are 2-0 in 1-run games
– Ian Choi hit two home runs last weekend and hit .364 with four RBI
BIG EAST Standings
Creighton 11-1
St. John’s 8-4
Georgetown 8-6
Seton Hall 8-6
Xavier 8-8
Butler 6-7
Villanova 5-8
UConn 3-9
Up Next
Butler will play at Miami (OH) on Tuesday, March 19. A home game will follow with BU hosting Ball State on the 20th. The 4 PM Wednesday tilt will stream on FloSports.com.
IUPUI SWIMMING
SWIM AND DIVE READY FOR POSTSEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI swim and dive teams will both compete this weekend in their respective championships. Four divers represent the Jags at the NCAA Zone C Championships while 13 swimmers will compete in individual races at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship.
The NCAA Zone C Diving Championships, located in Louisville, Kentucky this year begins tomorrow, March 14 and will last until Saturday, March 16. Alaina Heyde will represent the Jags on the women’s side, competing in the women’s 1-meter and 3-meter dive. Sadie Smith also qualified for the meet but due to injury, she will not be able to compete.
On the men’s side, all three Jaguars qualified for the meet. Sebastian Otero, Adam Schmehl and Blake VanderJeugdt will all compete in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.
While the divers compete for their spot in the NCAA Championships in Louisville, the swimmers will be competing in Ocala, Florida at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship.
For the women’s swim team, Malayna Mancinelli, Emmaleigh Zietlow, Lillian Brandt and Victoria Surdyka will each compete in individual races. Mancinelli is set to swim in the 50 back while Surdyka will swim in the 50 breast. Brandt is entered in the 50 fly and 100 fly while Zietlow will swim in three different events. The Horizon League Swimmer of the Meet will compete in the 500 free, 200 IM and 200 free.
On the men’s side, nine swimmers will compete in individual races. Keiran Rahmaan will swim in the 50 back, 50 fly and 100 back while Isaac Wilson will swim in the 50 fly and 200 IM. Freshman Youssef Magdy and Nathan Rariden will both represent the Jags in the 200 free and 500 free. Jack Gallob and Ben Kimmel are both set to swim in the 50 back and 100 back while David Niemiec will join them in the 50 back. Niemiec will also swim in the 50 fly and 50 free. Luke Dibley represents IUPUI in the 400 IM. Logan Kelly will also swim in three events as he is entered to swim in the 50 breast, 100 breast and 100 fly.
The Jags will also have four relays in the competition. The women’s team will swim in the 200 free relay. The men’s squad will swim in the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and the 400 medley relay.
Both events will kick off tomorrow, March 14 and conclude on Saturday, March 16.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ADVANCES TO MAC TOURNEY SEMIFINALS FRIDAY WITH WIN OVER OHIO
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The No. 2 seed Ball State women’s basketball team (28-4) defeated No. 7 Ohio (11-9) by a score of 77-53 Wednesday evening at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to advance to the 2024 Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals for the third straight season.
It was an all-around team effort today for the Cardinals which was led by his week’s MAC Player of the Week, Alex Richard who tallied a 22-point performance which included a perfect 9-of-9 shooting from the field. First Team All-MAC recipient and All-MAC Defensive Team honoree Ally Becki registered 21 points while Madelyn Bischoff rounded out the double figure scoring with 15.
It comes to no surprise that the opening 10 minutes of play, especially at the tournament, would be neck-and-neck between the Cardinals and the Bobcats. The score was knotted 9-9 after 4:37 of play had occurred. Both teams were jittery, struggling from inside the paint and throwing up 3’s as some went in and some didn’t. Fortunately, Becki and Estel Puiggros both nailed 3-pointers in the final three minutes. That, along with a steal from the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Nyla Hampton helped Ball State build an eight-point advantage (22-14) to end the first quarter.
The Cardinals were in sync offensively in the second frame as Becki found Richard under the basket at the 5:35 mark to make it a 34-16 ball game. Between Becki and Richard, the two combined for 24 of the Cardinals’ 43 first half points, helping Ball State take a 43-25 advantage over Ohio at intermission.
Ohio opened the third period with a 10-4 run to cut Ball State’s lead to 12, 47-35, with just over five minutes shaved off the clock. The Cardinals answered quickly by attacking the basket and pulling down some crucial rebounds which allowed Ball State to carry a double-digit lead (56-42), to close out the third stanza.
Despite the Bobcats’ efforts the remainder of the second half, the Cardinals kept their composure and stayed in control of their destiny ending the contest with a victory.
As a team, the Cardinals outrebounded the Bobcats, 46-22, which was led by Marie Kiefer with 11.
The second-seeded Ball State women’s basketball team continues its journey for a Mid-American Conference Tournament title when it faces either third-seeded Kent State or sixth-seeded Northern Illinois Friday at approximately 12:30 pm ET in the second semifinal women’s game.
BALL STATE SWIMMING
SWIMMING & DIVING HEADED TO POSTSEASON COMPETITIONS
MUNCIE, Ind. – – After strong showings throughout the 2023-24 season, 16 members of the Ball State swimming & diving program will be making postseason appearances starting Thursday.
In the pool, 15 Cardinals will be heading to Ocala, Florida, for the 2024 CSCAA National Invitational Championships at the FAST (Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training). The three-day meet runs Thursday through Saturday, with prelims starting at 9 a.m. each day and finals at 6 p.m.
In addition, student-athletes have the option to compete in Sunday’s Long Course Time Trials.
Representing Ball State on the men’s side are Aidan Biddle, Tommy Brunner, Michael Burns, Benjamin Clarkston, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Michael Mitsynskyy, Ethan Pheifer and Jacob Siewers.
Representing Ball State on the women’s side are Payton Kelly, Natalie Marshall, Julia Ofman, Kiran Stauffer, Callie Tuma and Alexa Von Holtz.
A complete breakdown of the expected NIC schedule is below.
Fans can follow the action live on Meet Mobile, with live video found here,
In the diving well, sophomore Porter Brovont will represent Ball State at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships which run Thursday through Saturday at Louisville’s Ralph Wright Natatorium.
Brovont will compete on the 3M board Thursday and the 1M board Friday.
Fan can follow the action on DiveMeets and with live video Thursday and Friday.
Ball State Schedule at the CSCAA National Invitational Championships
Thursday Schedule – MEN
200 Freestyle Relay
5. Ball State – 1:18.88
50 Backstroke
28. Ethan Pheifer – 22.66
54. Benjamin Clarkston – 23.86
500 Freestyle
27. Tommy Brunner – 4:30.17
50 Butterfly
11. Bryce Handshoe – 21.96
34. Mason Young – 22.44
50 Breaststroke
1. Joey Garberick – 24.09
20. Aidan Biddle – 25.17
42. Michael Burns – 25.84
50 Freestyle
41. Jacob Siewers – 20.42
400 Medley Relay
19. Ball State – 3:15.17
Thursday Schedule – WOMEN
200 Freestyle Relay
28. Ball State – 1:32.66
50 Breaststroke
27. Julia Ofman – 28.99
500 Freestyle
37. Callie Tuma – 4:53.15
45. Kiran Stauffer – 4:45.01
200 IM
13. Alexa Von Holtz – 2:00.85
50 Freestyle
3. Payton Kelly – 22.32
400 Medley Relay
19. Ball State – 3:42.56
Friday Schedule – MEN
200 Medley Relay
10. Ball State – 1:26.61
400 IM
23. Tommy Brunner – 3:58.58
100 Butterfly
24. Bryce Handshoe
100 Breaststroke
2. Joey Garberick – 51.93
30. Aidan Biddle – 54.80
37. Michael Burns – 55.21
100 Backstroke
26. Ethan Pheifer – 48.58
800 Freestyle Relay
17. Ball State – 6:36.72
Friday Schedule – WOMEN
200 Medley Relay
13. Ball State – 1:40.12
400 IM
28. Alexa Von Holtz – 4:21.75
51. Callie Tuma – 4:25.49
100 Breaststroke
56. Julia Ofman – 1:03.14
100 Backstroke
30. Payton Kelly – 54.91
800 Freestyle Relay
25. Ball State – 7:24.58
Saturday Schedule – MEN
1650 Freestyle
14. Tommy Brunner – 15:42.91
100 IM
14. Joey Garberick – 50.91
15. Michael Burns – 51.04
26. Ethan Pheifer – 52.17
100 Freestyle
36. Jacob Siewers – 44.67
200 Breaststroke
3. Joey Garberick – 1:54.78
30. Michael Burns – 2:00.87
41. Aidan Biddle – 2:02.80
200 Butterfly
11. Bryce Handshoe – 1:46.93
23. Michael Mitsynskyy – 1:50.09
32. Benjamin Clarkston – 1:50.97
400 Freestyle Relay
19. – Ball State – 2:58.95
Saturday Schedule – WOMEN
1650 Freestyle
17. Callie Tuma – 16:44.16
100 Freestyle
4. Payton Kelly – 49.03
200 Breaststroke
54. Julia Ofman – 2:18.30
200 Butterfly
14. Alexa Von Holtz – 2:00.06
400 Freestyle Relay
24. Ball State – 3:23.14
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES FACE SALUKIS IN OPENING ROUND OF HOOPS IN THE HEARTLAND
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State plays its first game at Hoops in the Heartland Thursday afternoon, opening the MVC Tournament against Southern Illinois at 1 p.m.
Thursday’s game will be carried on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Last Time Out
Kiley Bess and Mya Glanton scored 14 points apiece Saturday afternoon, but regular season champion Drake’s fast-paced offense proved too much for Indiana State in a 96-64 defeat for the Sycamores inside Hulman Center.
Bella Finnegan added 13 points for the Sycamores, while Chelsea Cain nearly had a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
Indiana State kept pace early with the league leaders, with Cain and Glanton picking up early paint points for the Sycamores. Asia Donald added a pair of early baskets, but the Bulldogs led by 10 after a quarter and never looked back. Indiana State’s freshmen got the Trees within nine midway through the second, but a 14-2 run for the Bulldogs increased the visitors’ lead to more than 20. Drake’s relentless attack of the paint, combined with the Bulldogs finding their 3-point stroke late, propelled the regular season champions to a win.
Tournament Scenarios
Should the Sycamores win their opening round game against Southern Illinois, they will play regular season champion Drake in the quarterfinals Friday at 1 p.m.
Saturday’s semifinal game would take place at 2:30 p.m., with Sunday’s championship game tipping at 2 p.m.
Similar to this season’s scenario, Indiana State’s most recent MVC Tournament win came in the 8-9 game. The Sycamores defeated Evansville 89-75 in the opening game of the 2022 MVC Tournament, with Mya Glanton leading the charge with a 26-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Student-Athlete Success
Indiana State landed a pair on the 2024 MVC Scholar-Athlete Teams, with Kiley Bess being selected to the First Team and Ella Sawyer selected to the Second Team.
Bess has a 4.0 GPA as a pre-physical therapy major and has led Indiana State in scoring this season with 11.3 points per game. She is also among the team leaders in assists (2.1) and steals (1.6).
Sawyer has a 3.982 GPA as an education major with a concentration in middle school math teaching. She leads Indiana State with 3.3 assists per game and also ranks third on the team with 4.4 rebounds per game.
Bess is the first Sycamore to be named First Team MVC Scholar-Athlete since the 2013-14 season, while Sawyer is the first Sycamore to earn Second Team MVC Scholar-Athlete since the 2016-17 season.
Milestone Moments
Indiana State student-athletes have hit multiple season and career milestones this season, with additional athletes in position to reach high marks at this week’s MVC Tournament.
Chelsea Cain became the most recent Sycamore to hit a career milestone, recording her 1,500th career point against Drake. Nearly half of Cain’s point totals have come in her two seasons at Indiana State.
Ella Sawyer is on the verge of surpassing 100 assists for the season, as she enters the opening round of the conference tournament with 97. Sawyer would be the first Sycamore to reach 100 assists in a season since the 2013-14 campaign.
Earlier this season, Mya Glanton became the 22nd player in pprogram history to reach 500 career rebounds. Glanton currently sits eight rebounds shy of 600 for her career and eight points shy of 750 in her career.
Bella Finnegan also surpassed 500 points for her collegiate career in February. Finnegan reached the milestone in 56 games and has averaged nine points per game for her career.
No Fly Zone
Indiana State has been one of the best in the conference when it comes to 3-point defense this season. The Sycamores lead the MVC in 3-point defense during conference play, with league opponents hitting just 28.7 percent of their attempts from distance this season.
The Sycamores have nine games in conference play this season where opponents have shot below 25 percent from behind the arc. Included in that is four games in which MVC foes shot below 20 percent from 3-point range.
Shot-Swatting Sycamores
Indiana State has recorded 14 games with four or more blocks this season, including nine with five or more rejections. The Sycamores’ most recent five-block game came in their last game against Drake, with Indiana State recording five or more blocks in each of the last three games.
As a team, Indiana State ranks fourth in the conference with 3.4 blocks per game and have improved that average to 3.9 blocks per game against Valley foes. The Sycamores tied the program single-game high of 10 blocked shots earlier this season against Southern Illinois, while Savannah White matched the program individual single-game high of seven blocks in the aforementioned game against the Salukis.
Get To The Line
Indiana State has fared well when it gets to the free throw line this season, connecting on 75.1 percent of its attempts from the charity stripe during the 2023-24 campaign.
Since the start of conference play, Indiana State’s free throw percentage has improved to 76.7 percent. The Sycamores have 11 games this season in which they shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe, with 10 of those coming against conference foes.
Sharpshooters
Indiana State has found increased success from behind the arc in conference play, with the Sycamores knocking down 33.0 percent of their attempts from distance against Valley foes. The Sycamores’ 3-point percentage in conference play is a 10-percent increase from their non-conference 3-point percentage.
The Sycamores have knocked down five or more 3-pointers in 15 games this season, with 12 of those games coming against conference foes. Indiana State has hit five or more 3-pointers in nine of its last 10 games.
Southern Illinois at a Glance
Southern Illinois enters the conference tournament at 11-19 overall and 6-14 in conference play. The Salukis finished tied for eighth in the MVC this season along with Indiana State following a 2-0 road trip to close out the regular season.
Laniah Randle leads the Salukis in scoring and rebounding with 18.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, ranking in the top three of the MVC in both statistics. Jaidynn Mason adds 14.1 points per game, while Quierra Love leads the team in both assists (119) and steals. Three different Salukis (Love, Mason and Randle) have more than 50 steals this season, with Randle also leading the team with 20 blocks.
Kelly Bond-White is in her second season as the head coach at Southern Illinois and owns a record of 23-38. Bond-White is 4-1 against Indiana State.
Series History Against Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series 59-46 and has eliminated the Sycamores at the MVC Tournament each of the last three seasons.
The Sycamores and Salukis split the season series, with the road team winning both meetings. Indiana State won 64-63 in Carbondale in January, while Southern Illinois won 80-70 in Terre Haute in February.
Last Meeting Against Southern Illinois (Feb. 17, 2024)
Kiley Bess led Indiana State with 19 points and Ella Sawyer dished out a career-high 12 assists, but visiting Southern Illinois scored 50 points in the second half to defeat the Sycamores 80-70 inside Hulman Center.
Sawyer was on triple-double watch by the end of the game, finishing with nine points and seven rebounds in addition to her career-best mark in assists. Bess pulled down five rebounds for the Blue and White, while Bella Finnegan also finished in double-figures for the Sycamores with 10 points.
Indiana State got off to a slow start, with the visitors jumping out to an early lead in the first quarter. The Sycamores pulled their way back thanks to nine points between Bess and Finnegan in the first, then used a 3-point barrage from Keslyn Secrist in the second to take a 33-30 lead at the half. SIU opened the second half on a 7-0 run and never trailed from that point on, though. Indiana State was within three early in the fourth quarter, but a 15-2 Saluki run broke the game open.
Up Next
The winner of Thursday’s game will advance to the quarterfinals of Hoops in the Heartland and will face No. 1 seed Drake Friday at 1 p.m.
The loser will have its season come to an end.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PURDUE FORT WAYNE MVB WELCOMES LINDENWOOD AND NO. 8 OHIO STATE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne men’s volleyball welcomes Lindenwood and No. 8 Ohio State to the Gates Sports Center for a pair of MIVA matches this weekend.
Game Day Information (Friday)
Who: Lindenwood Lions
When: Friday, March 15 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Watch: ESPN+
Game Day Information (Saturday)
Who: No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes
When: Friday, March 15 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Know Your Foes
• Lindenwood is 8-9 and 3-5 in the MIVA. The Lions have a 3-6 record against ranked opponents, with wins against No. 12 Lewis, No. 12 Loyola Chicago and No. 19 Lincoln Memorial. The Lions enter this match on a three-match winning streak. Lindenwood has two top-10 attackers in the MIVA, Ian Schuller (7th) and Clay Wieter (8th).
• No. 8 Ohio State is 15-5 and 8-2 in the MIVA. The Buckeyes have six wins over ranked opponents this season. Ohio State is coming into this match following a loss against No. 4 UCLA and a win over No. 12 USC. The Buckeyes are led by two-time MIVA Offensive Player of the Week, Jacob Pasteur. Pasteur is averaging 3.78 kills per set and a MIVA-leading 0.68 aces per set.
Series Histories
• Purdue Fort Wayne leads the series 14-9. The two teams split last year’s meetings, both winning at home. Lindenwood has not beaten the ‘Dons in Gates Sports Center since 2017.
• Ohio State leads the series 82-40 and has won the last five matchups. In the game earlier this season, the Buckeyes won 3-2. Jacob Pasteur had a game-high 17 kills in the match.
Movin’ Up The List
Jon Diedrich joined the 1,000-kill club in 2023 in a match against Charleston. He is among the 20 Mastodons that have eclipsed this mark. Here’s where he ranks.
8. Felipe Ralat – 1468 (1992-95)
9. Norman Almodovar – 1424 (1991-94)
10. Craig Collins – 1362 (1992-95)
11. Jon Diedrich – 1350 (2020-24)
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne fell to No. 13 Loyola Chicago (3-0) and No. 14 Lewis (3-1) on the road last week.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will host Ball State to the Gates Sports Center on March 23.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
BASEBALL WALKS OFF WITH 6-5 EXTRA-INNING WIN OVER SEMO
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville junior outfielder Harrison Taubert laced a one-out RBI single down the left-field line in the bottom of the 10th inning on Wednesday night to help the Purple Aces walk off with a 6-5 victory over visiting Southeast Missouri State at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“Overall, I am just really pleased with the gritty effort that we got tonight from our ballclub,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “We had a lot of different guys step up and deliver big at-bats for us after we got behind early, and I thought that our bullpen was electric tonight.
“I am also really proud of Harrison Taubert for battling and working the count like he did tonight in that 10th inning. Hopefully, a win like this will really spark us and we can carry that momentum over to this weekend’s series at Michigan State.”
Taubert’s extra-inning single capped a rally by Evansville, as Southeast Missouri State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after two-and-a-half innings. Taubert actually kick-started the rally in the bottom of the third inning with a lead-off single for UE’s first hit of the contest. Junior second baseman Cal McGinnis then followed with an RBI double to left-center field to score Taubert and trim SEMO’s lead to 4-1.
Freshman catcher Kaleb Wilkey would then reach base on a fielder’s choice, before graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger came through with a single to put two men on base with only one out. After a strikeout, graduate third baseman Brent Widder came through with an RBI double to cut SEMO’s lead in half, before a walk and an RBI single by graduate designated hitter Brendan Hord capped UE’s three-run third inning.
SEMO would answer with a run in the top of the fourth inning, before UE would tie the game with two runs in the fifth inning. Shallenberger led off the frame with a triple, before scoring on an RBI ground out by senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse. Junior outfielder Ty Rumsey then came through with a two-out, two-strike RBI double down the right-field line four batters later to tie the game at 5-5.
From there, UE’s bullpen silenced the SEMO attack, as relievers Ethan Bell, Shane Harris, Jace Kressin and Jakob Meyer combined to allow just three hits in 6.0 innings of work, while recording eight strikeouts. SEMO threatened in the top of the 10th inning by putting the lead-off man aboard, but Meyer recorded back-to-back strikeouts before getting an infield ground out to get out of the jam. UE senior shortstop Simon Scherry then led off the bottom of the 10th with a single, before Rumsey delivered a one-out double two batters later to put two men on base. After a pitching change, Taubert pulled an inside slider down the left-field line for the game-winner.
Taubert, McGinnis, Shallenberger, Widder, and Rumsey all had two-hit days for UE, as the Purple Aces pounded out 12 base hits in the contest. Outfielder Michael Mugan led SEMO by going 4-for-5 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI.
With the victory, Evansville improves to 8-8 overall and 5-1 at home. SEMO, meanwhile, falls to 7-11 with the loss. Evansville will return to action next on Friday at 2:35 p.m. central, as the Purple Aces will travel north to East Lansing, Michigan to open a three-game series with the Michigan State Spartans. Friday’s game can be seen live on Big Ten Network Plus, and heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS with the Voice of the Aces Jevin Redman providing the play-by-play coverage.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
ACES DEFEAT SYCAMORES IN WALK-OFF FASHION
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Sophomore Lacy Smith came through with two clutch hits, including the game-winner as the University of Evansville softball team defeated Indiana State by a 6-5 final in eight innings on Wednesday inside Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
Smith helped UE tie the game with a single in the bottom of the 6th before coming through once again in the 8th. After the Sycamores plated a pair to take a 5-3 lead, Marah Wood hit a solo shot to cut the deficit in half. With runners on second and third, Smith was at the plate once again and hit the game-winning double.
Just as they had done in Tuesday’s game, Indiana State plated two runs in the top half of the first. ISU got on the board with a fielder’s choice before a bases loaded walk scored the second.
Evansville cut the Sycamore lead in half in the bottom of the second. Brooke Voss reached on a stand up double and would cross the plate on Jenna Nink’s 2-out RBI single. In the third, ISU got the run right back but the damage could have been worse. The Sycamores recorded four hits in the frame but Purple Aces catcher Taylor Howe threw out the leadoff baserunner at third base as Indiana State was able to tack on just one.
UE attempted a 2-out rally in the bottom half of the third. After Zoe Frossard was hit by a pitch, Hannah Hood doubled to left, but ISU pitcher Hailey Griffin was able to strike out the final batter to preserve the 3-1 lead. Excellent baserunning by Lacy Smith saw UE get back within a run. After reaching on a walk, she advanced to second on a ground out, third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Hannah Hood.
Hood’s defense played a pivotal role in the top of the 6th. With the lead runner on first, she caught a liner and threw the baserunner out for the double play to keep it at a 1-run game. That would pay off in the bottom of the 6th as Lacy Smith delivered the game-tying RBI single. UE looked for the go-ahead run but a close play at the plate proved to be the third out to end the inning. The teams battled it out into extra innings where the Sycamores got the jump. After putting runners on second and third with no outs, ISU picked up the go-ahead hit.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Aces worked their way back. Marah Wood hit a leadoff solo home run while Brooke Voss and Abby Bode reached base. Voss walked and advanced to third on Bode’s double. Smith came through in the clutch once again, doubling to left center to seal the walk-off win. Smith accounted for two of the Aces’ seven hits. ISU had 12 hits with Abi Chipps recording three.
Aces starter Sydney Weatherford threw four innings and allowed three runs on six hits. She did a nice job with runners in scoring position, limiting the ISU offense in multiple innings. Megan Brenton earned the win, going the final four innings with two runs, one earned, crossing the plate. It was her fourth win of the year.
Up next for UE is a home series this weekend against Valparaiso.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
THOMAS NAMED TO MVC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
ST. LOUIS – University of Evansville women’s basketball player Nevaeh Thomas was recognized on Wednesday evening as the Missouri Valley Conference announced its postseason All-Conference awards.
After a strong freshman campaign, Thomas was named to the Valley’s All-Freshman Team along with four other first-year players. In her first season with the Purple Aces, Thomas was named MVC Freshman of the Week on February 11th after back-to-back double-double performances against UIC and Valparaiso.
Thomas led UE in the regular season in points per game, averaging 15.4 points in only 21 games while also leading Evansville in field goal percentage at 47.8%. Thomas was also top three for the Aces in rebounds per game (8.1), blocks (18), steals (19), and minutes per game (27.4). In the Valley, Thomas is in the Top 10 in scoring (7th), rebounding (9th), and defensive rebounds (6th).
The forward’s breakout performance came at Valparaiso in UE’s first conference win of the season. Thomas put up her third double-double performance against the Beacons with 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. The freshman also went 10 of 15 on the floor for 62.5% shooting in 33 minutes of action.
Belmont’s Jailyn Banks was named the MVC Freshman of the Year while Thomas finished fourth in voting among league coaches, media, and sports information directors. Also on the All-Freshman Team were Halli Poock of Bradley, Shannon Dowell of Illinois State, and Haven Ford of Murray State.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
USI VISITS ILLINOIS THIS WEEKEND
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball continues a rigorous nine-game road swing this weekend when it visits the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, for a three-game set. The series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday; 3 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2024 can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and on the USI Baseball Schedule. All three-games of the first showdown between USI (8-8) and Illinois (5-10) is scheduled to be on Big10+, while Friday’s game also will air on 95.7FM the Spin.
Following the three-game series at Illinois, USI finishes its nine-game road trip at Western Kentucky University (12-6) March 19 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
USI Baseball Notes:
Archuleta gets 700th win. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta reached 700 career wins after the Eagles defeated Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday.
USI reaches .500 with four-game winning streak. The USI Screaming Eagles have reached the .500 mark for the first time in 2024 after winning their last four games. USI is hitting .342 as a team during the winning streak, while the hurlers have a 4.50 ERA in the four games and 36.0 innings of work.
Longest winning streak since 2022. USI’s four-game winning streak is the team’s longest since the Eagles won four at the end of the 2022 season and opened with a win to start the 2023 campaign. The five-game streak featured a sweep of the University of Indianapolis to end 2022 and started last year with a win over Western Illinois University.
Mock, Tachioka, & Ebest lead USI during winning streak. USI junior catcher Logan Mock leads USI during the winning streak, hitting .600 (6-10) with two runs scored, two doubles, a home run, and five RBIs. Senior infielder Austin Tucker and senior outfielder Ren Tachioka have driven in a team-best eight RBI and seven RBI, respectively, during the four-game stretch. Tachioka is second in batting average behind Mock with a .600 mark (10-18).
Eagles are 4-1 on first half of road swing. The Eagles are 4-1 in the first half of the nine-game road swing, hitting .307 as a team and posting a 4.09 ERA on the mound. USI also is averaging 7.6 runs per game, while their hosts are averaging 4.6 tallies per game.
Leaders on the road trip. USI junior catcher Logan Mock and senior outfielder Ren Tachioka are hitting .545 (6-11) and .524 (11-21), respectively, during the road trip. Senior infielder Austin Tucker has driven in a team-high nine RBI in the five games, while Tachioka has driven seven runs after returning to the lineup. Junior right-hander Tyler Hutson has a 1.80 ERA out of the bullpen, posting a team high two saves and 11 strikeouts in five innings of work.
USI under Archuleta. The Eagles are in their 18th season under Head Coach Tracy Archuleta, who has led the Eagles to two NCAA Division II national championships (2010, 2014) in his 17 years at the helm. He also has been recognized as the Division II ABCA National Coach of the Year twice (2010, 2014); the ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year five times (2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) and the GLVC Coach of the Year twice (2011, 2014) since taking over the program in 2007. He also is the winningest coach in the history of the program with 552 victories in 17-plus years.
First series sweep since 2022. The Eagles three-game sweep of Bellarmine University Sunday and Monday was the first series sweep since USI took four from the University of Indianapolis to end the 2022 season.
Taking the long way home. The Eagles are in the middle of playing 14 of 17 games away from the USI Baseball Field.
USI predicted 8th in 2024 OVC. The USI Screaming Eagles are predicted to place eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024.
Illinois in 2024. The Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois start the weekend 5-10 overall, losing its last four games and five of the last six. The Illini lost a 7-6 game at Indiana State University in their only midweek game Tuesday.
USI vs. Illinois. The Eagles’ visit to Champaign marks the first game and series between USI and Illinois in the history of the baseball programs.
WKU in 2024. The Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky University are 12-6 after winning a pair of midweek games, defeating the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Austin Peay State University. WKU, which has won six of its last seven games, visits Southeast Missouri State University Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before hosting USI.
USI vs. WKU. WKU leads the all-time series with USI, 8-2, and have won the last four meetings, including both games in 1988 (9-6, 4-2). The last time USI defeated WKU in baseball was in 1981, 8-7.
VALPO MEN’S GOLF
VANARRAGON SHARES RUNNER-UP HONORS IN VALLEY OF THE SUN
Fifth-year senior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) added another top-2 finish to his distinguished career by sharing runner-up honors in a 93-player field as the GCU Invite concluded on Wednesday. The 54-hole event was hosted by the Lopes at the par-71, 7124-yard GCU Golf Course in Phoenix. The Beacons competed in a strong field that featured three teams ranked in the top 100 nationally (GCU, Washington State, Cal State Fullerton) and five in the top 150 (Pacific, Creighton).
How It Happened
VanArragon closed his week with a 70 (-1) in the third and final round, finishing with a three-round total of 204 (-9) to share runner-up status with Fullerton’s Russell Howlett. They were behind only Tommaso Zorzetto of host GCU as he pulled away for medalist honors at 198 (-15). VanArragon closed out the runner-up finish with a consistent showing on Wednesday with a clean scorecard that featured 17 pars and one birdie.
VanArragon has been either the individual medalist or runner-up in three of his six tournaments this season. This marked his 14th career top-2 finish and his 22nd top-5 finish.
Junior Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield) posted the team’s best score in Wednesday’s round, carding his second straight 69. He rounded out a 54-hole score of 210 (-3) to surge into a tie for 14th on the player leaderboard.
The team’s scoring on Wednesday was rounded out by Mason Bonn (Sherwood, Ore. / Sherwood) and Sam Booth (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel), both of whom carded 74s. Bonn had the third-best tournament score on the team, tied for 59th at 219 (+6).
Valpo finished 10th of 16 as a team at 853 (+1), turning in a 287 in Round 3.
Thoughts from Head Coach Dave Gring
“Even though there were a lot of positive takeaways from the tourney, we are still kicking off a good amount of rust from the winter months and working our way back into playing more competitively. There are some shots that we are trying to make and we can’t yet. There are some shots that we think we can make and they just aren’t being fully executed. We’re making excellent progress each week and making a lot of good decisions on the golf course. We’re going to look forward to more time to practice on actual grass and start playing rounds of golf on our home course to practice and qualify for tournaments.”
“Despite actually struggling quite a bit with his sequencing and swing, Caleb really grinded out three competitive rounds and made the most of his play for this tournament. He hit 18 greens in regulation in the first round and 17 greens in the last round. He was giving himself a lot of opportunities to make birdies, converting five of those in the first round, and only one in today’s round. Caleb had a terrific mindset and really kept playing in the moment and managing the course very well.”
“We’re going to keep working on our wedge games and approach shots to the greens. We simply need to get the ball closer to the hole during these rounds and give ourselves better opportunities to make birdies. The guys played pretty solid off the tee, and I was very pleased with our chipping around the greens. We will have a couple more weeks of practice before our next tournament and look forward to our third tournament of the spring.”
Up Next
The Beacons will be back in action on Sunday, March 24 to begin the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at RTJ Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Ala. A link to live scoring will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
EARNEST EARNS SECOND TEAM ALL-MVC HONORS
Valpo women’s basketball senior Leah Earnest (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) was recognized Wednesday evening as a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree at the 2024 MVC Women’s Basketball Awards Banquet.
Earnest picks up the accolade after ranking among the conference’s top players all season long. She closed out the regular season ranked fifth in the Valley in scoring (16.2 points/game) and 10th in rebounding (7.1 rebounds/game), and also paced the Beacons in assists, putting her on pace to become the first Valpo player since Debbie Bolen in 1991-92 to lead the team in all three categories.
Earnest scored in double figures in 27 of 29 regular season games, leading the Beacons on 18 occasions. She surpassed the 20-point mark eight times, highlighted by a career-best 32 points at Illinois State. Earnest led the team in rebounding 24 times, posting six double-doubles, and led the way in assists on 13 occasions as well.
Earnest surpassed a pair of career milestones in late February, moving past 1,000 career points and 600 career rebounds. She enters the MVC Tournament ranked 12th in program history in rebounding and 17th in scoring.
VALPO BASEBALL
BEACONS TO FACE NATIONALLY-RANKED CAMELS THIS WEEKEND
Valparaiso (7-8, 0-0 MVC)
at No. 21 Campbell (12-4, 0-0 CAA)
Jim Perry Stadium (1,250) | Buies Creek, N.C.
Friday, March 15, 5 p.m. CT – RHP Connor Lockwood%
Saturday, March 16, 2 p.m. CT – RHP Adam Guazzo*
Sunday, March 17, noon CT – LHP Lucas Foley*
% – confirmed by head coach; *- projected based on last weekend
Next Up in Valpo Baseball: The Valparaiso University baseball team has reached the final stop of a 19-day, 11-game journey as the Beacons have arrived in Buies Creek, N.C. for a three-game weekend series with No. 21 Campbell. This also closes a stretch of 18 straight games away from home to begin the season before Valpo finally opens up the home portion of the slate on Tuesday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field. Valpo, ranked 66th in the RPI, has held its own through 15 games with a nearly .500 record with almost every game coming on the road against warm-weather competition. The Beacons are 5-3 on this spring-break road trip with three games to play.
Last Time Out: After a weekend series win at The Citadel, Valpo kept the positive vibes going with a 5-2 midweek victory at Gardner-Webb. Kaleb Krier put together a solid start on the mound and three relievers all did good work on a day where the Valpo pitching staff did not issue a walk. Valpo took a slim 2-1 lead to the ninth inning before tacking on three important insurance runs to nullify an eventual solo shot in the bottom of the ninth and win 5-2. The only runs by the Fightin’ Bulldogs were solo homers by Alec Burns that bookended the game in the first and ninth innings.
Following the Beacons: There will be no video feed available for this weekend’s games, but live radio coverage courtesy of Campbell Athletics will be provided with links to live audio and stats posted on ValpoAthletics.com. For in-game updates, follow @ValpoBaseball on X, the social media platform that was once known as Twitter.
Head Coach Brian Schmack: Brian Schmack (195-302) is in his 11th season in charge of the program. He ranks third in program history in seasons coached and games coached as he enters 2024 having skippered 482 Valpo games. He enters the season with 188 victories, the third most in program history. Schmack, a member of the 2003 Detroit Tigers, served as pitching coach/associate head coach at Valpo for seven seasons prior to his promotion.
Series Notes: Valpo has visited Campbell just once previously, losing all three games of a March 2012 series. The Fighting Camels took the opener 6-5 in 10 innings before recording 3-2 and 7-3 wins in a doubleheader to round out the series. The two schools are more familiar with one another on the gridiron than on the diamond, as Valpo and Campbell shared Pioneer Football League affiliation from 2008-2017 before the Camels went the scholarship football route, first in the Big South and now in the Colonial Athletic Association.
In The Other Dugout: Campbell
Went 46-15 and 22-5 in the Big South last season.
Won the Big South for the fourth time in five years and reached NCAA Regionals for the fifth straight year last season, when they were ranked as high as No. 9 nationally.
Joined the Colonial Athletics Association prior to this academic year.
Ranked 21st nationally by D1Baseball and 23rd by the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Ranked 28th in the RPI.
Preseason all-conference performers include catcher Grant Knipp and outfielder Lawson Harrill.
VALPO SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL OPENS VALLEY PLAY THIS WEEKEND AT EVANSVILLE
Valparaiso (6-15, 0-0 MVC)
March 15 – at Evansville (5-19, 1-1 MVC) – 5 p.m.
March 16 – at Evansville – 2 p.m.
March 17 – at Evansville – noon
Next Up in Valpo Softball: The Missouri Valley Conference schedule opens up for the Valpo softball team this weekend, as the Beacons continue their long and winding road of games away from home with a three-game series at Evansville.
Previously: Valpo went 1-2 last weekend at Omaha’s Connie Claussen Classic, falling to the host Mavs and Northern Colorado before closing the weekend with a win over Rider. The Beacons’ other two games of the weekend were canceled due to weather.
Looking Ahead: It’s another road Valley series for Valpo next weekend, as the Beacons trek to Des Moines, Iowa to take on Drake.
Following Valpo Softball: All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. All games will also have live stats available, linked at ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Meaggan Pettipiece: Meaggan Pettipiece was hired in September 2022 as head coach of the Valpo softball program and enters her second season in 2024. Pettipiece is in her 15th season overall as a collegiate head coach, most recently spending three seasons at Akron prior to coming to Valpo. Pettipiece, who owns 264 career coaching victories, was an All-American on the diamond and helped California University of Pennsylvania to a D-II national title in 1998 collegiately before playing internationally for Team Canada, including at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Series Notes: Valpo owns a 7-21 record all-time against the Purple Aces. It was the Beacons who took two of three games (W 5-1, L 2-1 (8), W 10-0) in the last meetings between the two programs, on the final weekend of the 2022 regular season. Regi Hecker and Kayla Skapyak are the only current team members who were regulars in the lineup that series, as both started all three games and tallied two hits each. Caitlyn Kowalski had 4.2 innings of no-hit relief in the middle game of the series. Valpo is in search of its first win at Evansville since joining the Valley, however, as the Purple Aces swept home series in 2019 and 2021.
Scouting the Opposition: Evansville enters the weekend series at 5-19 overall, but is 5-2 in its last seven games. That mark includes a split of the Purple Aces’ first two Valley games of the year, as UE lost Tuesday to Indiana State, 9-0, before rebounding for a 6-5 win over the Sycamores Wednesday. Hannah Hood leads the Purple Aces with a .288 batting average, while Marah Wood hits .280 with a team-high 17 runs scored and four home runs. Jess Willsey has racked up a team-high 13 RBIs.
Who’s Back: Valpo returns 12 of 16 letterwinners from last year’s squad for the 2024 season. In all, 69.2% of Valpo’s plate appearances are back for this season and 49.4% of last season’s innings pitched return.
Who’s New: A group of nine newcomers joined the Beacons for the 2024 season. Kam Utendorf transferred in after playing her freshman season at Black Hawk College, joining eight true freshmen on this year’s team.
A Large Roster: The combination of 12 returnees and nine newcomers gives Valpo a 21-player roster for the 2024 campaign. That’s a five-player increase over last season’s group of 16 players, and it is the largest roster the softball program has had since fielding 21 players for the 2008 season.
Hitting the Road: This weekend’s games continue a long and winding road for the Beacons before they finally get the chance to play at the Valpo Softball Complex. Last weekend at Omaha completed five consecutive weekends of road action prior to the start of MVC play, as Valpo also played at Texas A&M, Presbyterian, Chattanooga and Indiana. The Beacons open MVC action with back-to-back weekends on the road – at Evansville and at Drake – before finally opening the home slate March 29 against Bradley. All told, Valpo is scheduled to play its first 27 games of the season away from home.
Preconference Improvement: Entering Valley play, this year’s squad has seen marked improvement over last year’s squad in terms of preconference performance. In 2023, Valpo posted a 3-15 record prior to the start of conference play, while the 2024 team is 6-15 entering MVC action, a 119-point improvement in winning percentage. The Beacons’ batting average has been 40 points better in preconference play this year as compared to last year, while the pitching staff’s ERA is 1.21 runs lower.
Offensive Bests: This year’s team has put together a number of strong offensive performances in preconference play:
– 13 runs Feb. 16 in win over Morehead State, the program’s largest scoring output since March 2019
– 13 hits Feb. 18 in win over Youngstown State, the program’s highest single-game hits total since Feb. 2022
– 6 runs March 2 at Indiana, the program’s largest scoring output against a Power Five team since March 2012
– 12-4 run-rule win over Bowling Green March 3, the program’s first run-rule win since closing the 2022 regular season with a 10-0 win over Evansville
Simply Hitting: In her first season of D-I softball, sophomore Kam Utendorf has been tremendous from the left side of the plate. Utendorf enters MVC play leading the conference with a .438 batting average and ranks fifth among Valley players with a .481 on-base percentage. She hit a team-best .571 last weekend in the Beacons’ three games at Omaha, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance against Rider – her third three-hit game of the year. In the second weekend of play this year, Utendorf became Valpo’s first MVC Newcomer of the Week since May 2019, slashing .643/.708/.786 in action at Presbyterian.
UINDY SWIMMING
FOUR EVENT TITLES, TWO DII RECORDS HIGHLIGHT BIG DAY AT SWIMMING & DIVING NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS—The UIndy swimming & diving teams orchestrated an impressive day at the NCAA DII Championships Wednesday. The Greyhounds combined for four event titles and 13 All-America performances on day two of the five-day meet.
The national meet is being held at the SPIRE Institute Aquatics Center just outside of Cleveland Tuesday through Saturday. Action continues tomorrow with morning prelims at 10 a.m. ET, followed by diving at 1 p.m. and evening finals at 5:30 p.m. Through 11 events, the defending-champion UIndy men currently sit third on the team standings, while the Greyhound women a positioned fourth.
WEDNESDAY
The national titles came early and often Wednesday, starting with a repeat championship by junior standout Cedric Buessing. The two-time reigning GLVC Swimmer of the Year successfully defended his 1000 free crown, breaking his own school record with a time of 8:54.51. He narrowly held off Wayne State’s Khalil Ben Ajmia, besting the freshman by seven hundredths of a second.
From a fast 1000 to the fastest 50 in DII history, UIndy newcomer Kirabo Namutebi posted a lightning-fast 22.08 to win the women’s 50 free. It marked the second straight year a Greyhound broke the Division II record in the 50 at Nationals, as Namutebi’s time just edged former-Hound Johanna Buys and her 22.10 from last year’s championships.
On the boards, Julio Osuna also repeated as national champ on the men’s 1-meter. He finished with a lofty 11-dive score of 602.50, though his total after 10 dives was still good enough the win.
The night concluded with the 200 medley relay, where the Hounds generated even more excitement. The men’s quartet of Jeron Thompson, Brayden Cole, Oskar Sawicki and Aqeel Joseph posted a DII-record 1:24.46, out-touching GLVC-rival McKendree by a half second to win the national title.
The women’s quartet of Caroline Reinke, Celina Schmidt, Stefanie Markwardt and Namutebi earned All-America Second Team honors with a ninth-place time of 1:41.45.
The UIndy women added a pair of individual All-America performances. Schmidt notched her first sub-two-minute swim in the 200 IM, taking runner-up with a 1:59.68, while Andrea Gomez finished third in the 1000 free, breaking her own school record with a time of 9:51.24.
OTHE NOTABLES
9th- Brynhildur Traustadottir, women’s 1000 free
10th- Jason Lenzo, men’s 1-meter
11th- Silas Buessing, men’s 200 IM
14th- Stanislaw Chalat, men’s 1000 free
15th- Joao Silva, men’s 50 free
16th- Jamie Glover, women’s 1000 free
TUESDAY
Celina Schmidt, Andrea Gomez, Jamie Glover and Brynhildur Traustadottir opened the festivities by combining for the fastest women’s 800 freestyle relay time in program history. Their time of 7:21.02 not only earned seventh place and All-America accolades, but also bested the school record by a half second.
The UIndy men’s team followed with an All-American performance of their own. Cedric Buessing, Silas Buessing, Elias Noe and Joao Silva also took seventh place, with their combined time of 6:29.28 topping the school record set at last year’s Nationals.
Earlier in the day, the diving pre-qualification meet was held at the Natatorium. Three UIndy divers officially advanced to Nationals, with Alexis Lumaj, Jason Lenzo and Julio Osuna all earning a chance at All-America and national championship accolades later this week.
UINDY SOFTBALL
GREYHOUNDS ADD TWO MORE SPRING BREAK WINS
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The No. 7 UIndy softball team increased their win streak to 10 after defeating in-region Purdue Northwest and New Haven. The Greyhounds are currently undefeated at THE Spring Games with one day of competition left. The Hounds now improved to 19-2 on the season.
GAME 1 | UIndy 3, Purdue Northwest 2
Trailing 2-1 heading into the sixth, Lexy Rees’ one-out double sparked the game-winning rally. Dominique Proctor followed with a single, while Shelby Cook’s clutch triple brought home the tying and go-ahead scores.
Kenzee Smith capped another solid start by sitting the Pride down in order in both the bottom of the sixth and bottom of the seventh. She finished the game with six strikeouts and zero walks to move to 9-0 on the season.
Braxton Downs had the only other hit on the day for UIndy – a first-inning single. Jocelyn Calvin and Emily O’Connor had two walks apiece, while Downs and Grace Mosele each had a stolen base.
Game 2 | UIndy 15, New Haven 2 (5 innings)
UIndy got off to a hot start in the first inning, scoring six runs. At the beginning of the third, the Greyhounds were up, 8-0. The inning included RBIs for Lexy Rees, O’Connor, Downs, and Cook. After the third, UIndy led the Chargers, 13-0, before tacking on two more in the fourth.
By the end of the game, UIndy racked up 13 hits by eight different batters. O’Connor and Cook led the team with three apiece. O’Connor also finished with the most Greyhound ribbies with four. Nichols had two hits while Calvin had a pair of walks.
Kaitlyn Brown stepped into the circle for the Hounds, earning her second win of the season. After three innings, Brown faced 12 batters and only allowed one hit. Freshmen Katie Rose and Hailey Pogue finished out the final two innings, with the latter striking out three and only allowed one hit.
UP NEXT
The Hounds will face American International and Saint Michael’s during their final day in Florida. UIndy will face American International first at 12:30 p.m. and will follow with their matchup against Saint Michael’s at 3 p.m.
UINDY WOMEN’S LAX
GRAHAM, GREYHOUNDS REMAIN PERFECT ON ROAD WITH WIN AT NDC
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The No. 13 UIndy women’s lacrosse team won its fifth straight game on Wednesday, defeating Notre Dame College, 18-4, in the programs’ final meeting.
The Greyhounds upped their all-time series lead to 5-0, with Wednesday’s victory marking the first game played on the Falcons’ home field.
Olivia Bladon scored a game-high five goals, while Sage Da Silva finished with six points and matching a career-best four assists.
INS & OUTS
After Notre Dame snagged an early lead after just 11 seconds, UIndy rattled off 11 consecutive goals from eight different scorers. Megan Dunn netted her first of back-to-back goals with under a minute left in the opening frame, giving the Hounds a 7-1 advantage.
With her second, and final, goal of the afternoon, Da Silva secured the running clock for the remainder of the game as the visitors led by double figures the rest of the way.
Ava Graham stood tall between the pipes, making 10 saves in the win. The rookie netminder made eight stops in the opening half, leading the defensive effort against the Falcons.
Recording her third hat trick of the season, Mackenzie Winn scored her 15th goal in the last four games, while Ella Fornek finished the scoring with her second of the day at the 1:50 mark of the final frame.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Three Greyhounds recorded two caused turnovers, with Da Silva joining Olivia Grogan and Malaena Michielin on the leaderboard.
– Along with her game-high give goals, Bladon led all players with four ground balls.
– Graham’s 10 saves is the second during her rookie campaign she has reached double digits; the Baldwinsville, N.Y., product also recorded two ground balls and one caused turnover
– Caroline Krauch dished out a pair of assists and now has 10 points in her junior season.
ON ANOTHER NOTES
Notre Dame College recently announced it is shutting down after the 2023-24 academic year, thus marking the final meeting between the programs on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds return home on Sunday, Mar. 17, to welcome No. 5 Tampa to Key Stadium for a 12 p.m. first draw. UIndy holds the all-time edge, 2-1, including wins on a neutral field in each of the past two seasons.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Football History Headlines for March 14
March 14, 1967 – The 1967 NFL Draft: Bubba Smith from Michigan State first pick by Baltimore Colts. We discussed Mr. Smith just recently on his birthday in our February 28 post. Bubba ended up playing five great seasons for the Colts until a knee injury prevented him from playing in the 1972 season. Smith went to the Oakland Raiders in 1973 after his recovery and played there for two years before departing and joining the Houston Oilers for his final two NFL seasons. Bubba played in two Pro Bowls and even was an All-Pro one season and received a Super Bowl Ring with the Colts for their victory in Super Bowl V per the Pro Football Reference.
March 14, 1978 – The NFL permanently adds a 7th official to the field on game days, the Side Judge. According to the Operations.NFL.com website says that the SJ position was added in the late 1970’s after the urging of legendary Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula because he felt that the defensive backs were getting away with holding and interference of receivers regularly on Sundays. The Side Judge much like their counterpart on the opposite sideline the Field Judge are positioned generally about 20 yards downfield at the snap of the ball in the defensive secondary. The addition of this seventh person in stripes allows an official to focus on each of the five eligible receivers (the widest player on each side of the offensive line and three backfield players). The Side Judge also normally has some pre-snap duties of counting the defense, controlling the sideline, helping with the flow of getting the football to the umpire during dead balls and watching substitutions from their assigned sideline.
Hall of Fame Birthdays for March 14
March 14, 1903 – Superior, Nebraska – Nebraska’s great tackle from 1923 through the 1925 season, Ed Weir was born. For more on this legend please click his name.
March 14, 1936 – Sacul, Texas – Texas Christian University’s outstanding halfback, Jim Swink arrived into this life. The 2015 winter edition of the TCU Magazine states that Jim’s running style, especially in the open field, made him one of the most acclaimed halfbacks in Southwest Conference history and helped the Horned Frogs to win a SWC crown in 1955 and back-to-back Cotton Bowl appearances in 1956 and 1957 under coach Abe Martin. The article goes on to say that Swink had some very colorful nicknames such as “Ol’ Swivel Hips” and “The Rusk Rambler,” in admiration of his signature shifty running style that made him so unique. Swink also is remembered for being the subject of the famous University of Texas expression, “Hook ’em, Horns.” Before a November 12, 1955 game where TCU, ranked 8th in the nation were set to battle with the Longhorns, Texas students fearing Jim Swink’s elusive running style came up with the inspirational slogan to motivate and illustrate their desire for their defense.
“They had a guy in their student body that knew our team and spread the word that they needed to stop me from running,” Swink told the TCU magazine in a 2006 interview. “The Texas players obviously had heard about how strong a team we had, too. So they came up with ‘hook him’ because they wanted to catch me, trip me up, slow me down. And that game was the first time they used that.”
Other than the legacy that the team slogan still carries, it was all for not in the case of the 1955 game against the Horned Frogs though. Jim Swink had one of his best games of his collegiate career, as he pounded the turf for 235 yards on 15 carries for a 15.7-yard average and scored a school-record 26 points. TCU dominated Texas on that Saturday by a score of 47-20. The National Football Foundation’s website bio on Swink tells us Jim Swink was the nation’s leading scorer and second leading ground gainer as a junior in 1955. He totaled 125 points that year in addition to rushing for 1,283 net yards, a figure which set a record in the TCU record books. Jim was a two-time All-America selection and ended up second to Howard Cassady of Ohio State in the Heisman Trophy voting in ’55. Jim Swink received the great honor of being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
March 14, 1943 – Dayton, Ohio – Charlie Green the crafty quarterback of Wittenberg University in Ohio was born. The FootballFoundation.org website says that Charlie was Wittenberg’s starting quarterback from 1962-1964 and led his school to a 25-0-1 record and three championships in the Ohio Athletic Conference. He was often fondly referred to as “Chuckin’ Charlie” as he finished his college career with 5,575 passing yards and 61 passing touchdowns. The National Football Foundation voters selected Charlie Green to be placed into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Charlie played at the professional level for four seasons with both the Boston Patriots and the Oakland Raiders.
March 14, 1978 – Lynchburg, Virginia – Wisconsin’s bruising back from the 1996 season through 1999, Ron Dayne was born. The NFF’s bio on Ron states that he won the 1999 Heisman Trophy in a landslide, after surpassing the 2,000-yard mark for the second time in his career. Dayne also received the accolades of being a three time recipient of the honor of being a First-Team All-American. Ron is the NCAA leader for career rushing yardage and is the first to go over 7000 yards with his career total of 7,125 yards. Ron Dayne’s collegiate gridiron legacy was placed into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Ron was picked in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, he played seven seasons in theLeague with the Giants, Broncos and Texans. He helped New York to a 2001 Super Bowl appearance.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
5 – 44 – 28 – 13 – 9 – 78
March 14, 1954 – Number 5, of the Milwaukee Braves, Rookie Hank Aaron hitd his first homerun in an exhibition game. In his second seaon in the Big Leagues , Aaron would trade inthe Number 5 for the Uniform Number 44.
March 14, 1956 – Star Pitcher Satchel Paige signed a contract to play for and manage the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League. Paige was 50-years old at the signing. We do know from Larry Lester’s Book on the Negro Leagues that Paige wore Number 29 for the Miami Marlins in 1956, but we are not sure what number he wore with the Black Barons.
March 14, 1960 – Number 13, Wilt Chamberlain of the San Francisco Warriors set and NBA record when he dropped in 63 points against Syracuse in a playoff game. The Warriors won the game 132-12 over the Nationals.
March 14, 1962- Detroit Red Wing skater Gordie Howe, Number 9 scored a goal to become just the second man in NHL history to have 500 goals scored in a career.
March 14, 1967 – Michigan State defensive end Bubba Smith became the first pick by Baltimore Colts. The NCAA Champion Spartans would feature an unprecdented 4 players in the top 8 spots of that year’s NFL Draft. Bubba Smith would go on to wear the Number 78 with the Blue Horse Shoe.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1954 Hank Aaron, filling in for Bobby Thomson, who broke his ankle yesterday, starts his first game wearing a Braves uniform. The 20-year-old from Mobile (AL) makes such an impression the club offers him a major league contract after he collects three hits, including a home run, in the spring training game against the Red Sox.
1961 The Mets lure former Yankee general manager George Weiss out of retirement to become the club’s first president, reportedly offering the four-time The Sporting News Executive of the Year a five-year deal at $100,000 annually. During the 67-year-old New Haven native’s five years in the post, the expansion team will compile a record of 260–547 (.322), finishing last four times.
1993 The Reds announce the prohibition of team president Marge Schott’s Saint Bernard from accessing the Riverfront Stadium field for the season. The mandate to ban Schottzie 02 comes from the MLB’s Executive Council, which has received numerous complaints from the players about dogs running on the field.
1995 The players’ union makes it clear if the owners use replacement players during regular-season games and the results count, the strike will continue. The NLRB also announces the charging of MLB owners with two counts of unfair labor practices.
2003 Cablevision, maintaining its “long-standing philosophy,” of allowing customers to choose to receive paid programming, agrees to a one-year interim deal to offer YES Network to New York Yankees fans for a fee, ending a bitter and costly yearlong feud. The arrangement makes YES a premium channel instead of a basic cable channel, dropping the new network’s previous mandate to make every subscriber pay for it regardless of the viewer’s choice.
2003 Baseball suspends Montreal outfielder Vladimir Guerrero for three regular-season games and Marlin starter Brad Penny for five after igniting an exhibition game bench-clearing brawl earlier in the week. After being hit in the chest, the Expo All-Star, with a bat in his left hand, swings his right fist around Florida catcher Matt Treanor, trying to restrain him, missing the starting pitcher, who retaliated with a punch that also missed its mark.
2003 “Must be in the front row!”- BOB UECKER, a quip from beer commercials that have become a famous cry in ballparks nationwide. Bob Uecker, the Brewers’ TV/radio play-by-play announcer, is chosen for induction into the broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame as the Ford C. Frick Award recipient. The 68-year-old former backup catcher, a member of Milwaukee’s broadcast crew since 1971, is best known for the humor he has brought to the game through his starring role in the cult movie Major League and the Miller Lite beer commercials.
2003 Dependent on passing a physical, free agent Kenny Lofton agrees to a one-year pact to play with the Pirates this season. The 35-year-old leadoff man would likely start in center, moving Brian Giles to left with left fielder Reggie Sanders going to right field.
2006 Avoiding a trial scheduled to begin on Opening Day, Major League Baseball settles a lawsuit with an Atlanta-based company claiming it owned the trademark rights to Washington Nationals. MLB sued Bygone Sports LLC, asking the court to declare that the trademark for the name Nationals does not belong to the company because its sole purpose in filing the September 2002 trademark application was to capitalize on the renaming of the team that recently shifted from Montreal to Washington.
2006 Terry Francona agrees to a two-year contract extension keeping the skipper at the helm through 2008. The Red Sox manager replaced Grady Little in December 2003 and promptly brought Boston to its first World Championship in 86 years.
2006 Washington, D.C. officials unveil the design for the Nationals’ new home, scheduled to be opened in 2008. The glass-and-steel 41,000-seat ballpark will feature pale stone chosen to complement the nation’s capital’s familiar skyline.
2008 The Padres’ new left-hander starter, Randy Wolf, struggles in a 6-2 spring training exhibition loss to the Brewers in Peoria, Arizona. The pitcher’s brother, Jim, isn’t much help as the home plate umpire, an occurrence not allowed during a regular-season game and marking the only time it has ever happened, when the San Diego hurler gives up three runs in four innings.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1941 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)
Off the field…
The American decision to impose sanctions on Japan, in response to the Japanese invasion of Indo-China, convinced Japanese leaders that war with the United States was inevitable. While the Japanese government continued to project peace under the disguise of negotiations in Washington, plans went ahead for a surprise military action that would catch the U.S. completely off-guard. One major vulnerability proposed for an attack was the U.S. Fleet’s Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii that was reachable by an aircraft carrier force. Taking advantage of this strategic “loop-hole” the Japanese Navy secretly sent a naval battle group across the Pacific with greater aerial striking power than had ever been seen on the World’s oceans. After sneaking almost undetected past the military’s radar, its planes hit the heart of the shipyard just before 8 a.m. killing over two-thousand four-hundred Americans and destroying five of eight battleships and most of the Hawaii-based combat planes.
The governments of American and Great Britain declared the “Atlantic Charter” in anticipation of the end of World War II. The joint agreement expressed certain common principles in their national policies to be followed in the postwar period. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill signed the announcement aboard a warship in the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland. It stated that neither country sought any territorial, or any other, sovereign enhancement from the war. It also proclaimed the right of all people to choose their own form of government and not to have boundary changes imposed on them. In addition, the charter expressed the hope that all countries would be able to feel secure from aggression and recognized the principle of freedom of the seas, expressed the conviction that humanity must renounce the use of force in international relations, and affirmed the need for military disarmament after the anticipated victory by Allied forces.
In the American League…
Taft Wright, an outfielder with the Chicago White Sox, set an American League record on May 20th after driving in at least one run in thirteen consecutive games. During the streak, Wright recorded twenty-two runs batted in although in six of the games he knocked in a run without a hit.
On May 25th, Boston Red Sox icon Ted Williams raised his record-setting batting average to over .400 for the first time. Over the remainder of the season, his quest to outdo Bill Terry (1930) played leapfrog on sports pages around the country with the New York Yankees Joe DiMaggio who was working on a hitting streak of his own.
Joe DiMaggio’s fifty-six game hitting streak finally ended on July 17th thanks to solid pitching by Cleveland Indians pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby. Despite stopping the “Yankee Clipper”, the Tribe was unable to stop the rest of New York and lost 6-5 in front of 60,000 fans.
In the National League…
The Chicago Cubs became the first Major League Baseball franchise to install an organ for fan entertainment. It was one of the only innovations ever to be introduced at Wrigley Field, which later boasted a “backward” reputation as the last ballpark ever to install lights.
The New York Giants became the first team to use plastic batting helmets during a June 6th double header against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Although the batters appeared comfortable in their new headgear at the plate, they still went on to lose both games 5-4 and 4-3.
Frankie Frisch, manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was ejected from the second game of an August 19th doubleheader after appearing on the field waving an umbrella to protest the playing conditions at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field. American artist Norman Rockwell later transformed the humorous argument into a famous oil painting titled “Bottom of the Sixth”.
Around the League…
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Hugh Mulcahy became the first Major Leaguer drafted into the Armed Forces for WW II. An All-Star in 1940, Mulcahy would pitch less than one-hundred innings after he returned from the war. Over the next two years over one-hundred major leaguers were drafted and two (Elmer Gedeon and Harry O’Neill) were killed in action.
In response to the notorious “bean ball wars” of the 1940 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers inserted protective liners into their caps as a safety precaution. The rising aggressions between pitchers and batters had resulted in the serious injury and hospitalization of Joe Medwick, Billy Jurges, and others. Although the thin liners were hardly noticeable, many players around the league criticized them as a distraction.
Thirty-seven year-old New York Yankee Lou Gehrig, also known as “The Iron Horse” died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (later renamed Lou Gehrig’s Disease) on June 2nd. His legacy on the field included a lifetime batting average of .340, fifteenth all-time highest, and he amassed more than four-hundred total bases on five occasions. A player with few peers, Gehrig is still one of only seven players with more than one-hundred extra-base hits in one season. During his career he averaged one-hundred forty-seven RBIs a year and his one-hundred eighty-four RBIs in 1931 still remains the second highest single season total in Major League history – the most in American League history. Always at the top of his game, Gehrig won the Triple Crown in 1934, with a .363 average, forty-nine home runs, and one-hundred sixty-five RBIs, and was chosen Most Valuable player in both 1927 and 1936. Unbelievable for a man of his size, #4 stole home fifteen times, and he batted .361 in thirty-four World Series games with ten home runs, eight doubles, and thirty-five RBIs. He also holds the record for career grand slams with twenty-three. Gehrig hit seventy-three, three-run home runs, as well as one-hundred sixty-six two-run shots, giving him the highest average of RBIs (per homer) of any player with more than three-hundred home runs.
TODAY IN NBA HISTORY
March 14, 1954
Baltimore dropped a 65-54 decision at Milwaukee, giving the Bullets their 20th consecutive road loss for the season, and making them the only team in NBA history to go an entire season without winning a game on the road.
March 14, 1960
Philadelphia rookie Wilt Chamberlain scored a then-NBA playoff record 53 points in the Warriors’ 132-112 win over Syracuse in the third and deciding game of the Eastern Division Semifinals.
March 14, 1962
In Philadelphia’s 119-115 OT win at Chicago, Wilt Chamberlain completed his banner regular season of setting records that still stand by averaging 50.4 points and 48.5 minutes per game. He also set the single game scoring record when he scored 100 points on March 2 against New York.
March 14, 1963
San Francisco guard Guy Rodgers handed out 28 assists in a 114-109 loss to St. Louis, matching what was at the time an NBA record.
March 14, 1965
The Boston Celtics became the first NBA team to reach 61 wins in a season, following a 106-98 win over San Francisco, led by Bill Russell’s 40 rebounds and 20 points. Boston finished the 1964-65 season with 62 wins.
March 14, 1986
Forward Rod Higgins became the first player in NBA history to play for four teams in the same season when he took the court for Chicago. He previously played for Seattle, San Antonio and New Jersey.
March 14, 1991
John MacLeod, by virtue of New York’s 125-121 double-overtime win over Miami at Madison Square Garden, became the eighth coach in league history to reach the 700-win mark for his career.
March 14, 1996
San Antonio’s Chuck Person connects on seven 3-pointers in 12 attempts, becoming the fourth NBA player to hit 1,000 career 3-pointers, as the Spurs defeat visiting Miami 120-100.
March 14, 1998
Charles Barkley cracked the all-time Top 10 in FT’s made when he made seven to pass Wilt Chamberlain (6,057) with 6,059 free throws made.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1933 — The Chicago Black Hawks forfeit a game when players refuse to return to the ice after their coach, Tom Gorman, is ejected from the game. Boston, which leads 3-2 at the time of the incident, receives a 1-0 victory.
1944 — In a tennis match to benefit wartime charities, amateur Jack Kramer beat pro champion Don Budge 6-3, 6-2.
1953 — Seton Hall wins the NIT title with a 58-46 win over St. John’s. Walter Dukes, who led Seton Hall with 21 points and 20 rebounds, finishes as the tournament’s high scorer with 70 points and wins the MVP honors.
1954 — Baltimore loses 65-54 at Milwaukee, giving the Bullets their 20th consecutive road loss for the season, and making them the first team in NBA history to go an entire season without winning a game on the road.
1960 — Rookie Wilt Chamberlain scores a playoff record 53 points in the Philadelphia’s 132-112 triumph over the Syracuse Nationals to send the Warriors to the Eastern Division finals against the Boston Celtics.
1962 — Detroit’s Gordie Howe becomes the second player in NHL history to score 500 career goals during the Red Wings’ 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers.
1963 — Guy Rodgers of the San Francisco Warriors hands out 28 assists in a 114-109 loss to the St. Louis Hawks, tying an NBA record set by Bob Cousy of Boston in 1959.
1976 — Bill Shoemaker posts his 7,000th career victory, aboard Royal Derby II, in the fifth race at Santa Anita Park.
1981 — A date which defines March Madness. The second round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament features three upsets decided in the late seconds. Saint Joseph’s stuns No. 1 ranked DePaul 49-48 on John Smith’s layup with two seconds left. Arkansas knocks off Louisville 74-73 on U.S. Reed’s half-court shot that beat the buzzer. Moments later, Rolando Blackman of Kansas State hits a fadeaway shot from the corner with two seconds left for 50-48 win over No. 2-ranked Oregon State.
1987 — Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. becomes the first rider in the history of Santa Anita Park to win seven races in a single afternoon. In his only loss of the day, Pincay finishes third aboard Bob Back in the eighth race.
1996 — Princeton upsets defending national champion UCLA, 43-41, in the first round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. Gabe Lewullis scores a backdoor layup off a bounce pass from Steve Goodrich with four seconds left and the Tigers hold on for the win.
1997 — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Joey Mullen becomes the first American-born player to score 500 career goals, with a goal in the second period of a 6-3 loss against the Colorado Avalanche. The New York native is the 25th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.
1998 — Harvard women become the first 16th-seeded team, men or women, to win an NCAA tournament game by defeating top-seeded Stanford 71-67.
2008 — Lindsey Vonn wins the overall World Cup skiing to complete the first American sweep of the men’s (Bode Miller) and women’s titles in 25 years. Vonn secures the title finishing tied for 11th in the giant slalom, the penultimate race of the season. It’s the first time Americans took both titles since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney accomplished the feat in 1983.
2012 — Lindsey Vonn ends the women’s World Cup downhill season in style by dominating the final race held in Schladming, Austria. The American overall champion, who had already won the downhill title, beats Marion Rolland of France by 0.92 seconds. It’s Vonn’s 12th win this season. Only Vreni Schneider of Switzerland won more races in one year — 14 in 1988-89.
2017 – World’s oldest golf club Muirfield in Scotland, votes to admit women as members for 1st time in 273 years.
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
4:30 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 — AFL: Sydney at Collingwood
BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE
10 a.m.
NBATV — Cape Town Tigers vs. Dynamo Basketball Club, Pretoria, South Africa
1 p.m.
NBATV — Petro de Luanda vs. FUS de Rabat, Pretoria, South Africa
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)
11:30 a.m.
USA — Atlantic 10 Tournament: TBD vs. Richmond, Quarterfinal, Brooklyn, N.Y.
12 p.m.
BTN — Big Ten Tournament: Minnesota vs. Michigan St., Second Round, Minneapolis
ESPN — Atlantic Coast Tournament: TBD vs. North Carolina, Quarterfinal, Washington
FS1 — Big East Tournament: TBD vs. UConn, Quarterfinal, New York
12:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — Big 12 Tournament: TBD vs. Texas Tech, Quarterfinal, Kansas City, Mo.
ESPNU — American Athletic Tournament: Tulsa vs. East Carolina, Second Round, Fort Worth, Texas
1 p.m.
SECN — Southeastern Tournament: Mississippi St. vs. LSU, Second Round, Nashville, Tenn.
2 p.m.
USA — Atlantic 10 Tournament: TBD vs. UMass, Quarterfinal, Brooklyn, N.Y.
2:30 p.m.
BTN — Big Ten Tournament: TBD vs. Wisconsin, Second Round, Minneapolis
ESPN2 — Atlantic Coast Tournament: TBD vs. Pittsburgh, Quarterfinal, Washington
ESPNU — American Athletic Tournament: TBD vs. Memphis, Second Round, Fort Worth, Texas
FS1 — Big East Tournament: St. John’s vs. Seton Hall, Quarterfinal, New York
3 p.m.
CBSSN — Mountain West Tournament: TBD vs. Utah St., Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
ESPN — Big 12 Tournament: TBD vs. Houston, Quarterfinal, Kansas City, Mo.
PAC-12N — Pac-12 Tournament: TBD vs. Arizona, Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
3:30 p.m.
SECN — Southeastern Tournament: TBD vs. South Carolina, Second Round, Nashville, Tenn.
5 p.m.
USA — Atlantic 10 Tournament: TBD vs. Loyola of Chicago, Quarterfinal, Brooklyn, N.Y.
5:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Mountain West Tournament: San Diego St. vs. UNLV, Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
PAC-12N — Pac-12 Tournament: TBD vs. Oregon, Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
6:30 p.m.
BTN — Big Ten Tournament: Ohio St. vs. Iowa, Second Round, Minneapolis
7 p.m.
ESPN — Atlantic Coast Tournament: TBD vs. Duke, Quarterfinal, Washington
ESPN2 — Big 12 Tournament: TBD vs. Iowa St., Quarterfinal, Kansas City, Mo.
ESPNU — American Athletic Tournament: Tulane vs. North Texas, Second Round, Fort Worth, Texas
FS1 — Big East Tournament: TBD vs. Creighton, Quarterfinal, New York
SECN — Southeastern Tournament: Mississippi vs. Texas A&M, Second Round, Nashville, Tenn.
7:30 p.m.
USA — Atlantic 10 Tournament: TBD vs. Dayton, Quarterfinal, Brooklyn, N.Y.
9 p.m.
BTN — Big Ten Tournament: TBD vs. Indiana, Second Round, Minneapolis
CBSSN — Mountain West Tournament: TBD vs. Nevada, Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
ESPNU — American Athletic Tournament: TBD vs. SMU, Second Round, Fort Worth, Texas
PAC-12N — Pac-12 Tournament: TBD vs. Washington St., Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
9:30 p.m.
ESPN — Atlantic Coast Tournament: TBD vs. Virginia, Quarterfinal, Washington
ESPN2 — Big 12 Tournament: TBD vs. Baylor, Quarterfinal, Kansas City, Mo.
FS1 — Big East Tournament: TBD vs. Marquette, Quarterfinal, New York
SECN — Southeastern Tournament: TBD vs. Florida, Second Round, Nashville, Tenn.
11:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Mountain West Tournament: TBD vs. Boise St., Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
FS1 — Pac-12 Tournament: TBD vs. Colorado, Quarterfinal, Las Vegas
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)
5 p.m.
ESPNU — Southland Tournament: TBD, Championship, Lake Charles, La.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
7 p.m.
ACCN — S. Dakota at Louisville
GOLF
1 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The PLAYERS Championship, First Round, TPC Sawgrass (The Players Stadium Course), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
HORSE RACING
3 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: NY Mets vs. St. Louis, Jupiter, Fla.
4 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: Oakland vs. Chicago Cubs, Mesa, Ariz.
7 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: Baltimore Prospects vs. Pittsburgh Prospects, Bradenton, Fla.
NBA BASKETBALL
7:30 p.m.
TNT — Phoenix at Boston
10 p.m.
TNT — Dallas at Oklahoma City
TRUTV — Dallas at Oklahoma City
RUGBY (MEN’S)
4:55 a.m.
FS2 — NRL: South Sydney at Brisbane
SOCCER (MEN’S)
7:55 p.m.
FS2 — CONCACAF Champions League: New England Revolution at Alajuelense, Round of 16 – Leg 2
10:05 p.m.
FS2 — CONCACAF Champions League: FC Cincinnati at Monterrey, Round of 16 – Leg 2
TENNIS
2 p.m. TENNIS — Indian Wells-ATP/WTA Quarterfinals; Indian Wells-WTA Doubles Semifinals