INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMI-STATE MATCH-UPS
CLASS 4A
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (21-4) VS. KOKOMO (22-4)
PENN (27-1) VS. HAMMOND CENTRAL (26-1)
BROWNSBURG (21-4) VS. JENNINGS COUNTY (24-2)
BEN DAVIS (30-0) VS. BLOOMINGTON NORTH (19-5)
CLASS 3A
DELTA (18-9) VS. JOHN GLENN (17-10)
NORTHWOOD (25-2) VS. FORT WAYNE DWENGER (13-13)
SCOTTSBURG (21-5) VS. NORTH DAVIESS (24-5)
GUERIN CATHOLIC (18-8) VS. BEECH GROVE (17-6)
CLASS 2A
GARY 21ST CENTURY (21-5) VS. FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (24-3)
WAPAHANI (25-1) VS. LEWIS CASS (19-7)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (23-4) VS. INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (18-6)
PARKE HERITAGE (19-9) VS. LINTON-STOCKTON (27-1)
CLASS 1A
SOUTHWOOD (13-12) VS. FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (23-4)
MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (20-7) VS. KOUTS (17-9)
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (17-7) VS. LOOGOOTEE (20-7)
JAC-CEN-DEL (18-9) VS. ROCK CREEK ACADEMY (11-14)
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA TOURNAMENT
TEXAS A&M-CC 75 SE. MISSOURI STATE 71
PITTSBURGH 60 MISSISSIPPI STATE 59
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15 (FIRST FOUR IN DAYTON, OHIO. ALL TIMES EASTERN)
NO. 16 FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON VS. NO. 16 TEXAS SOUTHERN| 6:40 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 11 NEVADA VS. NO. 11 ARIZONA STATE | 9:10 P.M. | TRUTV
THURSDAY, MARCH 16 (ROUND OF 64. ALL TIMES EASTERN)
NO. 9 WEST VIRGINIA VS. NO. 8 MARYLAND | 12:15 P.M. | CBS
NO. 13 FURMAN VS. NO. 4 VIRGINIA | 12:40 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 10 UTAH ST. VS. NO. 7 MISSOURI |1:40 P.M. | TNT
NO. 16 HOWARD VS. NO. 1 KANSAS | 2 P.M. | TBS
NO. 16 TEXAS A&M CC VS. NO. 1 ALABAMA | 2:45 P.M. | CBS
NO. 12 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON VS. NO. 5 SAN DIEGO ST. | 3:10 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 15 PRINCETON VS. NO. 2 ARIZONA | 4:10 P.M. | TNT
NO. 9 ILLINOIS VS. NO. 8 ARKANSAS | 4:30 P.M. | TBS
NO. 9 AUBURN VS. NO. 8 IOWA | 6:50 P.M. | TNT
NO. 12 ORAL ROBERTS VS. NO. 5 DUKE | 7:10 P.M. | CBS
NO. 15 COLGATE VS. NO. 2 TEXAS | 7:25 P.M. | TBS
NO. 10 BOISE ST. VS. NO. 7 NORTHWESTERN | 7:35 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 16 NORTHERN KENTUCKY VS. NO. 1 HOUSTON | 9:20 P.M. | TNT
NO. 13 LOUISIANA VS. NO. 4 TENNESSEE | 9:40 P.M. | CBS
NO. 10 PENN STATE VS. NO. 7 TEXAS A&M | 9:55 P.M. | TBS
NO. 15 UNC ASHEVILLE VS. NO. 2 UCLA | 10:05 P.M. | TRUTV
FRIDAY, MARCH 17 (ROUND OF 64. ALL TIMES EASTERN)
NO. 10 USC VS. NO. 7 MICHIGAN STATE | 12:15 P.M. |CBS
NO. 14 KENNESAW ST. VS. NO. 3 XAVIER | 12:40 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 14 UC SANTA BARBRA VS. NO. 3 BAYLOR | 1:30 P.M. | TNT
NO. 12 VCU VS. NO. 5 SAINT MARY’S | 2 P.M. | TBS
NO. 15 VERMONT VS. NO. 2 MARQUETTE| 2:45 P.M. | CBS
NO. 11 MISSISSIPPI STATE/PITT VS. NO. 6 IOWA STATE | 3:10 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 11 NC STATE VS. NO. 6 CREIGHTON| 4 P.M. | TNT
NO. 13 IONA VS. NO. 4 UCONN | 4:30 P.M. | TBS
NO. 16 TEXAS SOUTHERN/FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON VS. NO. 1 PURDUE| 6:50 P.M. | TNT
NO. 11 PROVIDENCE VS. NO. 6 KENTUCKY | 7:10 P.M. | CBS
NO. 12 DRAKE VS. NO. 5 MIAMI | 7:25 P.M | TBS
NO. 14 GRAND CANYON VS. NO. 3 GONZAGA| 7:35 P.M. | TRUTV
NO. 9 FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. NO. 8 MEMPHIS | 9:20 P.M.| TNT
NO. 14 MONTANA ST. VS. NO. 3 KANSAS ST. | 9:40 P.M. | CBS
NO. 13 KENT STATE VS. NO. 4 INDIANA | 9:55 P.M. | TBS
NO. 11 ARIZONA ST/NEVADA VS. NO. 6 TCU | 10:05 P.M. | TRUTV
NIT
MICHIGAN 90 TOLEDO 80
HOFSTRA 88 RUTGERS 86 OT
ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM 88 SOUTHERN MISS 60
LIBERTY 62 VILLANOVA 57
VANDERBILT 71 YALE 62
WISCONSIN 81 BRADLEY 62
COLORADO 65 SETON HALL 64
EASTERN WASHINGTON 81 WASHINGTON STATE 74
NBA SCOREBOARD
WASHINGTON 117 DETROIT 97
CLEVELAND 120 CHARLOTTE 104
TORONTO 125 DENVER 110
LA LAKERS 123 NEW ORLEANS 108
SAN ANTONIO 132 ORLANDO 114
OKLAHOMA CITY 121 BROOKLYN 107
MILWAUKEE 116 PHOENIX 104
NEW YORK 123 PORTLAND 107
NHL SCOREBOARD
Carolina 5 Winnipeg 3
NY Rangers 5 Washington 3
Tampa Bay 4 New Jersey 1
Vegas 5 Philadelphia 3
Montréal 6 Pittsburgh 4
Nashville 2 Detroit 1
Chicago 6 Boston 3
Edmonton 6 Ottawa 3
Arizona 4 Calgary 3
Vancouver 5 Dallas 2
Los Angeles 5 NY Islanders 2
Columbus 6 San Jose 5
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
Chicago White Sox 5 Oakland 4
LA Angels 8 Cleveland 6
Seattle 8 Kansas City 6
San Francisco 7 Arizona 6
Cincinnati 5 Kansas City 3
Colorado 5 Chicago Cubs 2
Detroit 6 Boston 2
Pittsburgh 2 Minnesota 2
Houston 3 St. Louis 3
Atlanta 15 Philadelphia 5
Baltimore 7 Pittsburgh 6
Tampa Bay 7 Minnesota 4
Washington 5 NY Mets 0
Miami 1 Houston 0
NY Yankees 10 Toronto 3
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
AP SOURCE: LIONS, EMMANUEL MOSELEY AGREE ON 1-YEAR DEAL
The Detroit Lions and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley have agreed on a $6 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be announced until Wednesday.
Moseley started 33 games in five years with the San Francisco 49ers. He missed the final 12 games last season after tearing his ACL. Moseley has four interceptions, 33 pass breakups and held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating under 70.0 over the past two seasons.
Moseley is the second cornerback the Lions have added in the first two days of free agency. They agreed to a deal with Cam Sutton on Monday.
The Lions allowed the third-most yards passing in 2022.
AP SOURCE: EAGLES, RB RASHAAD PENNY AGREE ON A CONTRACT
The Philadelphia Eagles and running back Rashaad Penny have agreed on a contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because signings can’t be announced until the official start of free agency on Wednesday.
A first-round pick by Seattle in the 2018 draft, Penny has been slowed by injuries throughout his career. He was limited to six games last season because of a broken fibula. He tore his ACL in 2019 and played just three games in 2020.
Penny’s most productive season was 2021, when he ran for a career-best 749 yards with six touchdowns and led the NFL with an average of 6.3 yards per carry. He rushed for 349 yards last season, with an average of 6.1 per carry. Penny’s career average is 5.7 yards per carry.
The NFC champion Eagles likely won’t re-sign Miles Sanders, who led the team with 1,269 yards rushing last season. Miles tweeted Tuesday: “To the city of Philadelphia Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Penny joins Kenny Gainwell and Trey Sermon in the backfield. Boston Scott is a free agent who could return to Philadelphia.
AP SOURCE: COMMANDERS FIRE OFFENSIVE LINE COACH JOHN MATSKO
The Washington Commanders have fired offensive line coach John Matsko, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team had not announced the move.
It’s the latest shakeup for Ron Rivera’s staff since bringing in Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
Matsko, 72, worked under Rivera the past three seasons in Washington and all nine years Rivera coached in Carolina.
It was not immediately clear who Matsko’s replacement will be. Assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton remains on staff.
Since Bieniemy was hired, Washington has made several staffing changes.
Ken Zampese was shifted to senior offensive adviser for game management, Stanford’s Tavita Pritchard was hired to replace him as quarterbacks coach and Bobby Engram was brought in to coach the wide receivers. Shane Toub was also hired to oversee offensive quality control.
The Commanders offensive line is expected to have a different look next season beyond a new coach. They agreed to terms Monday with Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates on three-year contracts and may not be done after allowing 48 sacks in 2022, eighth most in the NFL.
They’re set to have a new starting quarterback, too, after releasing Carson Wentz and letting Taylor Heinicke leave for Atlanta in free agency. Second-year pro Sam Howell goes into spring workouts with the job, though Washington is expected to also sign a veteran to compete with and push the 2020 fifth-round pick.
NOTES: The Commanders tendered restricted free agent safety Jeremy Reaves a qualifying offer. Reaves was an All-Pro selection as a special teams player last season, the first time in his career. … The team released running back J.D. McKissic, who was limited to eight games last year because of a neck injury.
AP SOURCE: COWBOYS RETAINING S DONOVAN WILSON IN FREE AGENCY
The Dallas Cowboys are keeping another one of their own in free agency again by agreeing to a contract with safety and leading tackler Donovan Wilson.
Wilson and the Cowboys agreed to a $24 million, three-year deal, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because contracts can’t be finalized until NFL free agency officially opens Wednesday. Teams were allowed to start negotiating with their own players Monday.
Wilson rose from a sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2019 to a starter in his second season. The 28-year-old started all 17 games last season and led NFL safeties with five sacks, tying Bill Bates’ 1984 club record for the position.
The agreement with Wilson continues a trend of the Cowboys preferring to keep their own free agents on long-term deals over players from other teams.
Defensive end Dorance Armstrong and cornerbacks Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis are among the recent draft picks to get second contracts on the Dallas defense.
The Cowboys brought linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, their 2018 first-round pick, back on a one-year deal last season and could re-up with him again.
Wilson was limited to nine games in 2021 with groin, chest and shoulder injuries as the Cowboys returned to the playoffs following a two-year absence.
EKELER RECEIVES PERMISSION FROM CHARGERS TO SEEK TRADE
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler could be on his way out.
Ekeler’s agent, Cameron Weiss, said on Tuesday that the team has given Ekeler permission to seek a trade after both sides could not agree on a contract extension.
Ekeler, who has scored an NFL-high 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons, is entering the final season of a four-year, $24.5 million extension. He is scheduled to earn $6.25 million in the 2023 season.
He led the league with 18 scrimmage touchdowns last season and became the fifth running back in league history with at least 100 receptions. His 107 catches were tied for second most by a running back in a season.
Ekeler also rushed for 915 yards, including a pair of 100-yard games.
Ekeler emerged as the Chargers lead back in 2019 after Melvin Gordon held out until four weeks into the regular season because of a contract dispute.
Ekeler has spent his entire six-year career with the Chargers after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
If Ekeler is traded, the Chargers must find a new lead back via free agency or the draft. Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller backed up Ekeler last year but have struggled.
The move also comes as coach Brandon Staley is trying to emphasize the running game more after hiring Kellen Moore as his offensive coordinator.
BEARS AGREE TO DEAL WITH TITANS DE DEMARCUS WALKER
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears have added help on the defensive line, agreeing to a deal with former Tennessee Titans defensive end DeMarcus Walker.
Walker tweeted that he has an agreement in place with Chicago.
The Bears agreed to a two-year contract extension with fullback Khari Blasingame through the 2025 season and a one-year extension with long snapper Patrick Scales on Tuesday. Offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen — an exclusive rights free agent — signed a one-year contract.
Walker is coming off his best year, with a career-high seven sacks in his lone season with the Titans. He played for Denver from 2017 to 2020 and Houston in 2021.
The Bears sorely needed help on the defensive line after finishing with a league-worst 20 sacks, their lowest total since the 2003 team had 18. A safety — Jaquan Brisker — led them with four sacks, and no lineman had more than three.
Blasingame played in 16 games and helped block for a ground attack that led the league with a franchise-record 3,014 yards rushing. Scales is entering his eighth season with the Bears, and Eiselen originally signed with Chicago as an undrafted free agent out of Yale in 2020.
The Bears also have agreements in place with Buffalo Bills two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards and former Tennessee guard Nate Davis, according to people familiar with their situations.
AP SOURCE: JAGUARS BRINGING BACK SPECIAL TEAMS ACE WINGARD
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations says backup safety Andrew Wingard has agreed to return to Jacksonville on a three-year, $9.6 million contract.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move can’t become official until Wednesday.
Wingard’s deal includes $6 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $13.8 million total, the person said.
Jacksonville entered the week roughly $10 million under the salary cap and prioritized keeping the core of its team together in hopes of repeating as AFC South champions. Wingard is one of the team’s best special teams players.
He started three games last season and finished with 37 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. More importantly, he’s a proven backup who makes a difference on each unit of special teams.
The Jaguars are set to lose two players in free agency: right tackle Jawaan Taylor has agreed to sign with Kansas City, and blocking tight end Chris Manhertz is headed to Denver.
CLEMSON’S BRESEE CONTINUES ON NFL PATH AFTER SISTER’S DEATH
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee put on a strong face and a good showing for NFL teams at Clemson’s pro day on Tuesday.
Bresee, surrounded by teammates and family, continued moving forward on his pro football path after t he death of younger sister, Ella, this past September. Bresee missed four games because of 15-year-old Ella’s passing and a troubling kidney infection in October that sapped his strength and scared his family about whether his health was at risk.
Through it all, Bresee leaned on the game he’s played since he was five. “Football was my escape for a lot of things,” he said last month. “Having my teammates, my family, my coaches, a lot of support around me was definitely crucial during that time.”
Bresee, the 6-foot-5, 298-pounder, lifted weights, ran short-shuttle and three-cone drills and did defensive line workouts for personnel from all 32 pro teams including Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin, New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and GMs from the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
While Bresee’s strength was impressive — he bench pressed 225 pounds 28 times as teammates and Clemson staff shouted encouragement — it was his mental fortitude that stood out to several of his teammates also participating at Clemson’s pro day.
“He’s just an inspiration to me, an inspiration to all his teammates,” said Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry. “We love seeing him do great.”
Bresee stood on his 40-yard dash time of 4.86 seconds run at last month’s NFL combine, although his bench press reps were an increase of six from his combine showing.
Bresee chose to meet with NFL teams after his workout and not speak to the media.
Bresee came to Clemson three seasons ago as the No. 1 college football recruit, a freaky strong athlete who would plug right into the defensive tackle void left by Tigers two-time national championship star Dexter Lawrence.
Bresee was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s defensive rookie of the year after the 2020 season in which he had four sacks, 33 tackles and a safety in 10 starts as a freshman.
Expectations were understandably high his sophomore season. But it was cut short just four games in with a season-ending knee ligament injury in a loss at North Carolina State.
Bresee’s rehab and return to the football field this season coincided with the deteriorating health of Ella, who died from an aggressive form of brain cancer.
“You are the best sister a brother could ask for and I know for a fact heaven has gained a beautiful angel today, Love you forever and always Ella bear,” Bryan said in a social media post about Ella’s death.
Clemson’s coaches and players had started an “Ella Strong” campaign to support her in her fight. It became one of consolation for Bryan Bresee and his family after Ella’s funeral.
The support “motivated me to push forward and go on,” he said.
A frightening family development was Bresee’s own health scare in October when he was diagnosed with a kidney infection and missed more time to recover.
Bresee finished 2022 with just 16 tackles, although 5.5 of those were behind the line of scrimmage. These days, Bresee is closer to the promise he showed as a freshman and projected as a potential first-rounder in next month’s draft.
“We also love seeing him healthy,” Henry, his Clemson linemate, said. “I know a lot of people have wanted to see that version of him for a while.”
Another Clemson defensive end, Myles Murphy, is projected as a high first-round pick. Murphy tweaked his hamstring preparing for the combine and is holding a separate workout in April for NFL teams.
Murphy came in with Bresee and is confident both will have success at the next level. When Bresee was hurting, Murphy said his Tiger family rushed in to help him grieve and recover.
“It was really something we all wanted to do,” Murphy said. “It just felt right to do.”
A grateful Bresee said the support was a blessing to him and his family in difficult times. “It motivated me to push on,” he said.
AP SOURCE: RAIDERS, JAKOBI MEYERS AGREE ON 3-YEAR DEAL
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers have agreed on a $33 million, three-year deal, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be announced until Wednesday, said it includes $21 million in guaranteed money.
Meyers made the Patriots’ roster as an undrafted free agent in 2019 out of North Carolina State and quickly found a home, displaying an acumen for catching the ball in traffic primarily out of the slot. Meyers spent his first four seasons with New England. He has averaged 70 catches and 800 yards receiving over the past three seasons.
A free agent for the first time in his career, it helped make him a prime option for receiver-needy teams.
Meyers reunites with Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, who was previously New England’s offensive coordinator.
Meyers joins wide receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, and tight end Darren Waller to give new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo another formidable option.
Despite acknowledging in January after the Patriots’ season ended that he’d been playing hurt all season, Meyers still led all receivers with 67 receptions and had a team-high six receiving touchdowns.
AP SOURCE: TEXANS AGREE TO TRADE FOR GUARD SHAQ MASON
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Houston Texans have agreed to send the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a sixth-round draft pick for guard Shaq Mason and a seventh-round pick, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be announced until Wednesday.
Mason started 18 games for the Buccaneers at right guard last season after spending his first seven years in New England.
Mason gives the Texans another veteran presence on an offensive line that includes tackles Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard entering the final year of their contracts.
On Monday, the Texans agreed on a deal with backup quarterback Case Keenum.
The 29-year-old Mason has started 115 games in his eight seasons.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio was New England’s director of player personnel when the team drafted Mason in the fourth round in 2015.
SEAHAWKS SAVE CAP SPACE WITH RELEASE OF HARRIS, JEFFERSON
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks released veteran defensive linemen Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson on Tuesday, clearing more than $13 million in salary cap space before the start of the new league year.
Seattle announced the moves a day after reaching agreement with free agent defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones on a three-year deal that is worth up to $51 million. Jones’ deal can’t be announced until the new league year begins on Wednesday, but is the first move in what’s expected to be an overhaul of Seattle’s defensive front this offseason.
Harris and Jefferson both played well for Seattle last year but their combined salaries made them obvious candidates to be released. Harris was part of Seattle’s return in the trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver last offseason.
Harris, 31, started 15 games, had 44 tackles and two sacks, and had the chance to participate in the playoffs for the first time in his career. The release of Harris saves Seattle $8.9 million against the cap.
Jefferson, 29, played nearly 50% of the defensive snaps in his second stint with Seattle despite not being a starter. Jefferson finished the season with 29 tackles and 5½ sacks. His released saved nearly $4.5 million in salary cap space.
AP SOURCES: RAIDERS SET TO TRADE DARREN WALLER TO GIANTS
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Tight end Darren Waller is being traded to the New York Giants, who will send the Las Vegas Raiders a 2023 third-round draft pick, two people familiar with the deal said Tuesday.
They spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been announced. One person said the Giants will send the Raiders their No. 100 overall selection, which was acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs in the deal for wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Waller, who made the Pro Bowl in 2020 gives Giants quarterback Daniel Jones a major playmaker and an upgrade at tight end. Last year’s starter, Daniel Bellinger, caught 30 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
Waller twice has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards, in 2019 and 2020, before injuries cut into his production the past two seasons. In 2022, Waller caught 28 passes for 388 yards and three TDs, missing eight games because of a hamstring injury.
NOTE: The Giants have re-signed running back Matt Breida. He was the backup to Saquon Barkley. Breida had 54 carries for 220 yards and a touchdown last season.
AP SOURCES: EAGLES KEEP JAMES BRADBERRY, ADD RASHAAD PENNY
(AP) — James Bradberry is returning to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bradberry, a second-team All-Pro cornerback, agreed Tuesday to a $38 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the signing, said $20 million is guaranteed.
Earlier Tuesday, the Eagles and running back Rashaad Penny agreed on a contract, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.
That person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because signings can’t be announced until the official start of the league year on Wednesday.
Bradberry joined the Eagles last year after he was released by the New York Giants and played a key role in the secondary for the NFL’s No. 1 pass defense. He helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl but his holding penalty on Kansas City’s JuJu Smith-Schuster late in the fourth quarter set up the go-ahead field goal in Philadelphia’s 38-35 loss.
A first-round pick by Seattle in the 2018 draft, Penny has been slowed by injuries throughout his career. He was limited to six games last season because of a broken fibula. He tore his ACL in 2019 and played just three games in 2020.
Penny’s most productive season was 2021, when he ran for a career-best 749 yards with six touchdowns and led the NFL with an average of 6.3 yards per carry. He rushed for 349 yards last season, with an average of 6.1 per carry. Penny’s career average is 5.7 yards per carry.
The NFC champion Eagles likely won’t re-sign Miles Sanders, who led the team with 1,269 yards rushing last season. Sanders tweeted Tuesday: “To the city of Philadelphia Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Penny joins Kenny Gainwell and Trey Sermon in the backfield. Boston Scott is a free agent who could return to Philadelphia.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
GEORGIA’S SMART INSISTS HE HAS NOT LOST CONTROL OF PROGRAM
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart insists he has not lost control of a program that has produced back-to-back national championships but has been rocked by offseason arrests and a car crash that claimed the lives of a player and a recruiting staffer.
“There’s no lack of control for our program,” Smart said Tuesday before the Bulldogs’ first spring practice.
“… Our guys do make mistakes. That historically is probably going to happen when you have 18 to 22 year-olds. Our job as coaches is to prevent that from happening and that starts with me and you do it with how you educate your players and how you discipline your players and we’ll continue to do that at a high standard.”
Wednesday’s pro day on campus for NFL general managers and coaches will feature defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who is regarded as one of the top picks in the NFL draft on April 27. Carter’s draft outlook has been potentially clouded by misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving in relation to the Jan. 15 crash that killed teammate Devin Willock and a recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy.
The crash occurred hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national championship with an Athens parade and ceremony at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia players said Tuesday they are still recovering from the losses of Willock and LeCroy.
“Like the other day we were looking at film and I saw my boy Dev and it kind of hit me real hard,” said defensive lineman Zion Logue. “So you have to put those things aside and get back to football. It was a tragic event. We all learned from it. It’s just something very unfortunate.”
Added wide receiver Ladd McConkey: “It’s a tough situation. It’s hard to even talk about it. Just do what you can and love every day like it’s the last one.”
Carter is scheduled for arraignment in municipal court in Athens on April 18. He posted a statement on his Twitter account on March 1 saying he expects to be “fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Carter is not the only Georgia player facing charges of racing on public roads.
Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, the team’s second-leading tackler in 2022, was arrested on Feb. 22 on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. Dumas-Johnson is scheduled for arraignment on April 17.
Meanwhile, quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested in Dallas on Jan. 29 and charged with public intoxication.
Smart said “the expectations we have here for our student-athletes” are important.
“Certainly we haven’t met some of those requirements,” Smart said. “We want our student-athletes to meet those and we take those things very seriously. The standards have been created here for a long time. That doesn’t change and we want our players to live up to those.”
Smart said when players make mistakes, “we treat them like we do our kids. We discipline them. We try to prevent them. We try to educate them. We try to do all we can to help our student-athletes in a positive way.”
Police allege in an arrest warrant that Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against LeCroy’s 2021 Ford Expedition at the time of the crash. Willock was a passenger in the SUV LeCroy was driving.
Police determined LeCroy’s Expedition was traveling at about 104 mph (167 kph) shortly before the crash. The arrest warrant says LeCroy’s blood-alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash. The legal limit in Georgia is .08.
Smart said he had officers from Athens-Clarke County police and University of Georgia police speak to players last summer about the dangers of street racing. Seeing a teammate and staff member lose their lives may teach far more painful lessons.
“We feel like our players are beginning to acknowledge and starting to understand you make mistakes and decisions that are costly and it can cost you your life,” Smart said. “That’s not to be taken lightly and I think our guys understand that and we’ll continue to educate them and we’ll continue to do all we can as a university to make sure they behave and do that in a proper way.”
Smart said Willock should not have been driving the vehicle that is expected to be used only for work.
“It is understood that you cannot take a vehicle when you are not doing your duties and they were not participating in their duties at this time,” Smart said.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS
EDEY, JACKSON-DAVIS, WILSON HEADLINE AP ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Purdue’s Zach Edey and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis have given the Big Ten Conference a third straight year with multiple first-team Associated Press All-America picks, while Kansas had a second straight first-teamer in Jalen Wilson.
The 7-foot-4, 305-pound Edey appeared on all 58 ballots as a first-team selection from AP Top 25 voters as the lone unanimous pick in results released Tuesday.
The selections of the Boilermakers’ Edey and the Hoosiers’ Jackson-Davis came a year after the Big Ten had three first-team picks. And it gave the league seven through the last three seasons; no other league has more than three.
The Big Ten has had at least one first-teamer for five straight years and eight of the last nine.
Houston’s Marcus Sasser and Alabama’s Brandon Miller joined Edey and Wilson on the first team in representing each of the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 seeds.
Edey has commanded the national spotlight all year. The Big Ten player of the year ranks sixth nationally in scoring (22.3), second in rebounding (12.8) and first in double-doubles (26).
“Everybody goes: ‘You go to him so much,’” Purdue coach Matt Painter said after the Big Ten Tournament title win against Penn State. “If they call it by the rules, they’re fouling him on every possession. So why shouldn’t we get it to him and just try to get in that bonus early and steal points?
“Obviously he can make tough post-ups and he can get at the rim, and he gets offensive rebounds when you take him away.”
Jackson-Davis, a 6-9 fourth-year forward, is Indiana’s first first-team selection since Victor Oladipo in 2013. He’s averaging 20.8 points and 10.9 rebounds while taking a leap with his passing (4.1 assists, up from 1.9 last year).
“I probably have pushed him harder than any player on this team and I know there’s been days that he’s walked out of here thinking that, ‘Hey, is this guy really in my corner, based on how he’s pushing me?’” coach Mike Woodson said. “But at the end of the day, he’s gotten better as a player.
“We have benefited from it, you know, with our ballclub, in terms of how we played as a team. And he’s been the driving force behind it.”
Wilson, a 6-8 fourth-year forward, was a returning complementary starter from last year’s NCAA title run. He thrived in an expanded role, becoming Big 12 player of the year and nearly doubling his scoring average (20.1, up from 11.1) to go with 8.4 rebounds.
It marked the fourth time in seven seasons that the Jayhawks had a first-team pick going back to national player of the year Frank Mason III in 2017.
“He’s an elite competitor,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said after a Big 12 Tournament loss to the Jayhawks. “He gets to the glass. He makes cuts. He makes it hard. He does so many things.”
Sasser, a 6-2 senior, was a starter on the Cougars’ Final Four team two years ago and is the star of another title threat this year. He’s averaging 17.1 points as the program’s first first-team selection since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984 during the “Phi Slama Jama” era.
Miller, a 6-9 freshman, was a McDonald’s All-American who became an immediate star on the way to being named the Southeastern Conference player of the year. He’s averaging 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds for the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
Miller has been involved in a murder case that has overshadowed the Crimson Tide’s successful run, leading to capital murder charges against former Alabama player Darius Miles and another man for the January shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. A police investigator testified last month that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun that night, though authorities haven’t charged Miller with any crime.
SECOND TEAM
Pac-12 player of the year Jaime Jaquez Jr. of UCLA was the leading vote-getter on the second team that included Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, last season’s AP national player of the year.
Gonzaga’s Drew Timme was a second-team selection for the third straight year, while Arizona’s Azuolas Tubelis and Penn State’s Jalen Pickett rounded out the second quintet.
THIRD TEAM
Kansas State’s surge led to the Wildcats earning third-team selections in Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, their first AP All-Americans since Jacob Pullen in 2011.
Big East player of the year Tyler Kolek of Marquette, Iowa’s Kris Murray and North Carolina’s Armando Bacot rounded out the third team.
HONORABLE MENTION
National scoring leader Antoine Davis of Detroit Mercy, who averaged 28.2 points and fell three points shy of tying “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s all-time career scoring record, was the leading vote-getter among players who didn’t make the three All-America teams.
Players earned honorable-mention status if they appeared on multiple voters’ ballots. This year’s list includes Memphis’ Kendric Davis, Xavier’s Souley Boum and Miami’s Isaiah Wong.
TEXAS A&M-CC OUSTS SE MISSOURI ST 75-71 IN NCAA FIRST FOUR
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Isaac Mushila had 15 points and 12 rebounds as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi held off Southeast Missouri State 75-71 on Tuesday night to earn the first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi went 3 of 4 at the free-throw line in the final 15 seconds to ice the game and advance to play top-seeded Alabama in the South Region.
“To find a way to win, I couldn’t be more excited and more proud for those guys, obviously for the city, for the university and all of the Islander fans that are across the country watching this game,” Texas A&M-Corpus Christi coach Steve Lutz said. “They’ve got to be pretty excited.”
The 16th-seeded Islanders (24-10), winners of the Southland Conference, returned to the First Four for a second straight season and led for all but 23 seconds.
Southeast Missouri State (19-17) erased a 10-point deficit in the opening game of this NCAA Tournament and tied it at 64 when Chris Harris made both free throws with 3:07 left.
Trevian Tennyson scooped in a layup off the glass to give Texas A&M-Corpus Christi a 72-69 lead with 22 seconds left, but Phillip Russell drove for a layup on the other end to bring the Redhawks within one.
Jalen Jackson made two foul shots with 14 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 74-71, and Russell came up short on a good look at a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds to go.
Mushila grabbed the rebound and sank one of two free throws for the final margin.
Jackson led the Islanders with 22 points, going 14 of 18 at the free-throw line. Ross Williams added 13 points, Tennyson scored 12 and De’Lazarus Keys pulled down 10 rebounds.
“It’s a surreal moment,” Jackson said. “We were in this position last year, but on the other side.”
Harris scored 23 points before fouling out for No. 16 seed Southeast Missouri State, the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion. The Redhawks went 9 of 20 at the free-throw line and shot 47% from the field.
“That’s all these guys have done all season long is continue to fight and to claw and make timely shots and make big plays and get defensive stops, put yourself right back in position to maybe take the game,” Southeast Missouri State coach Brad Korn said. “Free throws and rebounding cost us that opportunity.”
SIMPLE IS BETTER
Lutz is no stranger to the March Madness spotlight.
The former Purdue assistant took the Islanders to their second NCAA Tournament last season, losing on the same floor where they won Tuesday. Lutz spent four seasons with the Boilermakers, and they reached the postseason every year – including an appearance in the Elite Eight.
This time around, Lutz wanted to make sure his squad learned from the past.
“A little bit of it is you also want to make sure that your guys embrace the moment, but don’t think the moment is too big,” Lutz said. “It’s still another basketball game and we’re playing a team that’s a good team. So as long as we can get back on track, I felt like we would be fine.”
STICK TOGETHER
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s leading scorer had four points and went 1 of 4 in the first half.
But in the second, Jackson scored 18 points and stepped up in crunch time by going 12 of 14 at the free-throw line.
Jackson scored seven of the final 11 points for the Islanders, all after Southeast Missouri State tied the game at 64.
“Just staying together. Basketball is a game of runs,” Jackson said. “We knew at some point they were going to make a run, so we just had to stay together.”
BIG PICTURE
Southeast Missouri State: Foul trouble plagued the Redhawks in their second NCAA Tournament appearance. They were whistled 31 times, which helped Texas A&M-Corpus Christi go 27 of 35 at the line.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: The absence of Terrion Murdix, the team leader in assists and steals, will challenge the Islanders. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had 14 turnovers, its most in six games.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will play No. 1 overall seed Alabama on Thursday.
“Our guys are battle tested. They’re not scared of the moment,” Lutz said. “You’ve got to go play and you’ve got to embrace it. But history tells you that not many 1 seeds beat 16 seeds, so that’s why we have the NCAA Tournament.”
PITT EDGES MISSISSIPPI ST IN BACK-AND-FORTH FIRST FOUR GAME
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Jamarius Burton made a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left and Pitt edged Mississippi State 60-59 in a back-and-forth First Four game Tuesday night that featured 21 lead changes – most in the NCAA Tournament in five years.
Mississippi State had a great chance to win at the end, but Shakeel Moore missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner with two seconds remaining off an inbounds play. D.J. Jeffries’ tip-in attempt was off target just before the buzzer.
Nelly Cummings led Pitt with 15 points. Greg Elliott scored 13 and Blake Hinson added 12 as the Panthers (23-11) won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2014.
They slotted into the Midwest Region bracket as the 11th seed and advanced to face No. 6 seed Iowa State on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“We showed toughness, resiliency,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “We were who we’ve been all year, and it wasn’t pretty – but it was beautiful.”
A layup by Tolu Smith gave Mississippi State a 59-58 advantage with 32 seconds left, but Pitt – after a three-minute scoring drought – grabbed the lead back on Burton’s short jumper.
Guillermo Diaz Graham blocked Smith’s driving layup attempt out of bounds with 2.7 seconds left, setting up the final sequence.
“I did a block – I don’t even know how – with my left hand,” the exhausted 6-foot-11 freshman said. “I usually don’t use my left hand. And I blocked it, and I knew it was a big play, so I just let the energy go out.”
Dashawn Davis had 15 points for the Bulldogs (21-13), and Moore scored 13.
Burton, who spent nearly seven minutes on the bench after picking up his fourth foul, said he knew his last shot was going in.
“When I had the ball in my hands the last 30 seconds or so, I just told myself I was built for it,” said Burton, who finished with six points. “And I just got to a spot and let it go, and I had complete confidence in myself. That was pretty much everything that went down.”
FROM DEEP
The 3-pointers were being launched right away as the teams combined for 13 in the first half.
Mississippi State, not a good outside shooting team, hit four in the first five minutes but cooled off after that. The Panthers went 8 for 13 from beyond the arc in the opening period.
The teams hit just one each from long range in the second half.
“Every team is going to make adjustments at halftime, so I think we had to make the same type of adjustments and realize what type of game we were in and take what the defense was giving us,” Cummings said.
A GOOD LOOK
Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said he couldn’t quarrel with the choices his players made in the last few seconds.
“It was a heck of a look,” Jans said of Moore’s missed 3. “Fortunately we got it off quick enough where we had at least one tap at it. I don’t think the second one was probably in time, but at that point it’s all you can ask for, a chance – the ball is in the air – to win an NCAA Tournament game and still have enough time to get a putback.”
BIG PICTURE
Mississippi State: Came out firing from long range, but in the second half returned to the inside game that got the Bulldogs this far. They scored 30 points in the paint.
“When you outright rebound someone 49-28, you usually expect to win,” Jans said. “But you’ve got to give Pitt a lot of credit, they obviously played well enough to win. We struggled in the first half to guard them. We just couldn’t contain the 3, and it was still a one-point game.”
Pitt: Were better from outside and finally managed to open a lead against Mississippi State’s solid perimeter defense.
“The attention to detail we had to have to maintain that throughout the game was something that we talked about as soon as we found out who we were playing,” Cummings said.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS
INJURIES CHANGE DYNAMIC HEADING INTO WOMEN’S MARCH MADNESS
Athletes and coaches aren’t the only ones putting in extra time this week to help their teams get ready for the NCAA Tournament.
Doctors and trainers are playing a big role, with injuries leaving question marks on several top teams. A look at which programs could have their championship dreams impacted by missing or returning players this March:
NOTRE DAME
The Fighting Irish (25-5) won the ACC regular-season title but lost star Olivia Miles to a right knee injury in their Feb. 26 win over Louisville. Miles, who was averaging 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists, missed both of her team’s games in the ACC Tournament and her return is uncertain.
The No. 3-seeded Notre Dame, which faces Southern Utah (23-9) in the opening round, already had lost fifth-year guard Dara Mabrey to a torn ACL and tibial plateau fracture in her right knee during a Jan. 22 win over Virginia.
Notre Dame’s tournament hopes may well depend on when Miles can return and how effective she can be once she does.
“She’s gonna be with the doctors a little bit more this week, but she is progressing,” coach Niele Ivey told reporters on Sunday.
UCONN
UConn’s prospects to earn a 15th straight trip to the Final Four suffered a major blow before the season began when national player of the year Paige Bueckers and incoming freshman Ice Brady both went down with season-ending knee injuries.
The No. 2-seeded Huskies (29-5) then lost leading scorer Azzi Fudd for 22 games with two separate knee injuries and guard Caroline Ducharme for 13 games with a concussion. Only two Huskies, Lou Lopez Senechal and Aaliyah Edwards, have played every game this season.
Fudd, who was averaging just under 18 points before being hurt, and Ducharme, a 3-point threat, both returned to help the Huskies cruise through the Big East Tournament, though neither was in top form: Fudd averaged just 8.3 points over the three games and Ducharme scored a total of four points.
UConn, which faces Vermont (25-6) on Saturday, hopes that like last year, when Bueckers returned from a knee injury just before the postseason, the return of Ducharme and Fudd can help propel the Huskies back into title contention.
IOWA STATE
The Cyclones (22-9) won the Big 12 Tournament despite being without injured post player Stephanie Soares. The 6-foot-6 forward tore the ACL in her left knee during a Jan. 8 loss to Oklahoma.
Soares, twice the NAIA player of the year before transferring from Master’s University, had been averaging 14.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game through 13 games.
Coach Bill Fennelly is hoping the NCAA will give Soares an extra year for Iowa State.
In the meantime, the fifth-seeded Cyclones will have to rely on one of the nation’s top players, Ashley Joens, to help them make it to Texas for the Final Four. Joens, a 3,000-point scorer for her career, had 28 points and 10 rebounds in Iowa State’s win over Texas for the league title.
The Cyclones play Toledo (28-4) in the opening round.
TEXAS
The Big 12 regular-season champion Longhorns (25-9) are another team looking to bounce back from a slew of injuries.
Players who were part of the Texas rotation missed a total of 45 regular-season games. The biggest loss came when 6-foot-1 forward Aaliyah Moore went down with an ACL tear on Dec. 13. The sophomore had started every game before the injury, averaging 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Sonya Morris (quad) and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (ankle) also are banged up, but coach Vic Shafer expects to have both of them back when the No. 4 seed takes on East Carolina (23-9) in the opening round.
Forward Taylor Jones is back from a lower-body injury that kept the Oregon State transfer out for nine games late in the season. She also missed 21 games with a shoulder injury last year for the Beavers.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
North Carolina State (20-11) is a No. 7 seed after losing to Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament.
The Wolfpack were missing guard Diamond Johnson, who has been bothered by a right ankle injury that also cost her seven regular-season games. Johnson, who leads the Wolfpack in scoring (12.3 points) and assists (3.5 per game), hasn’t played since Feb. 16.
She was held out to give her ankle more time to heal and could be back for the opening-round game against Ivy League champion Princeton (23-5).
INDIANA
The top-seeded Hoosiers may have to play at least their first weekend of the tournament without reserve forward Kiandra Browne, who suffered a hip injury in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Browne had to leave the floor in a wheelchair.
The Hoosiers ended up losing in the semifinals to Ohio State, blowing a 24-point halftime lead.
The 6-foot-2 forward has not been a big part of Indiana’s success this year. A thumb injury limited her to just 10 minutes in seven games this year after appearing in 30 a year ago.
Coach Teri Moren told reporters on Sunday that Browne’s injury is to the hip muscles and may take a “couple of weeks” to heal.
NBA NEWS
BUCKS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT, TOP SUNS 116-104 FOR 50TH WIN
PHOENIX (AP) The Milwaukee Bucks walked into one of the toughest places to play in the NBA, snatched the lead from the Phoenix Suns midway through the fourth quarter and then closed with a flourish to earn a 116-104 victory.
That’s not easy to do.
But the Bucks made it look easy. That’s exactly why they became the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season Tuesday night, as well as becoming the first to 50 wins this season.
“We just have a good balance on our team,” Bucks guard Jrue Holiday said. ”At any given moment, somebody can explode.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo provided his usual scoring with 36 points while Brook Lopez added 21. The Bucks have won 21 of their past 23 games in an impressive two-month run. The Suns have dropped three straight.
“We just mentioned it in the coaches’ locker room to appreciate this,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Making the playoffs in this league is hard. You should never take anything for granted.”
The Suns trailed by nine points at halftime but cut the deficit to 85-84 heading to the fourth after Devin Booker hit a mid-range jumper at the third quarter buzzer.
Cam Payne hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Suns up 90-87, which was their first lead of the second half. The game stayed tight for the next several minutes but the Bucks took the lead for good when Pat Connaughton hit a corner 3 for a 100-97 advantage with 6:30 remaining.
Antetokounmpo added 11 rebounds and eight assists. Lopez shot 10 of 14 from the field and added 10 rebounds. The Bucks closed the game on a 24-9 run.
Booker led the Suns with 30 points on 13-of-27 shooting. Deandre Ayton had 19 points and eight rebounds despite playing just 26 minutes because of foul trouble.
The Bucks led 57-48 at halftime. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 20 points while Booker and Ayton both had 10 for the Suns. Phoenix shot just 39.2% from the field in the first half.
IRRITATED MONTY
There was a large free throw disparity in the game with the Bucks shooting 37 free throws while the Suns shot 16.
Suns coach Monty Williams wasn’t pleased.
“It is not fair,” Williams said. “Book has three free throws and Jrue Holiday is one of the most physical defenders in the game. Giannis has 24 free throws. It is ridiculous. There is no other way to put it.”
Later, Williams added: “They beat us, make no mistake about it, but that is a hard one to swallow.”
TORREY’S TOOTH
Suns forward Torrey Craig lost a tooth in the third quarter after taking an inadvertent elbow from Antetokounmpo. He laid on the floor for a few seconds before finding his tooth on the ground, which he picked up and took to the bench.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Guards Grayson Allen (sore foot), Goran Dragic (sore knee) and Khris Middleton (right knee injury management) all missed the game. … Signed C Meyers Leonard to a contract for the remainder of the season. Leonard has played in five games while on two 10-day contracts, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds. … F Jae Crowder returned to Phoenix for the first time since being included in the trade that brought Kevin Durant to the Suns. He hit a 3-pointer with 1:23 left that gave the Bucks a 13-point lead.
Suns: Durant missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained left ankle. He’s played just three games since coming to the team via trade in February. … Hosted a 60th straight sellout crowd. … Booker has scored at least 20 points in 21 straight games. That’s the third-longest active streak in the NBA behind Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum.
UP NEXT
Bucks: At Indiana on Thursday.
Suns: Host Orlando on Thursday.
CAVS DEFEAT SLOPPY HORNETS AGAIN WITHOUT MITCHELL, ALLEN
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Evan Mobley had 26 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers scored 35 points off Charlotte turnovers to beat the Hornets for the second time in three days, 120-104 on Tuesday night.
Cedi Osman scored 24 points off the bench and Caris LeVert added 22 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who played without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell (sprained finger) and center Jarrett Allen (eye contusion).
Darius Garland chipped in 19 points for the Cavaliers, who entered the game in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, 3 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cavs have won five of their last six games.
“We’re ready for that playoff basketball mindset,” said Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens, who got the start at the 4 spot and finished with 11 points. “We are ready for whatever is up next. I think we are really connected and focusing on the details to get us to where we want to go and to make a big run later in the playoffs. So we need big games like this.”
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 28 points and Terry Rozier added 22 points and 10 assists for the Hornets, who have lost three straight and fell to 11-27 at home.
The Hornets never looked in sync offensively. Charlotte turned the ball over 22 times in all – many of those self-inflicted – while Cleveland had just nine turnovers leading to six points for the Hornets.
“There’s a reason why they’re the best defensive team in the NBA – they create a lot of turnovers, they’re physical, they have size,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “When you get behind, it’s hard to come back. We had 10 more (turnovers) in the second half. You’re just not going to win” playing that way.”
The Cavaliers needed to erase a 16-point second-half deficit on Sunday to beat the Hornets 114-108, getting 28 points from Garland.
They didn’t need a comeback Tuesday.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 63-48 lead at halftime after scoring 25 points on 15 Charlotte turnovers, while only turning the ball over once themselves. The Cavs stretched the lead to 22 late in the third quarter, and at one point had outscored the Hornets 31-0 off turnovers.
“Understanding the value of every possession, that’s one of the things that we’ve been talking to the guys about is as the games become bigger, more critical, every possession matters,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Being able to get a shot on goal matters. When you have guys who can create, who can score, it’s important to put it up on the rim, at least give yourself a chance.”
Charlotte never challenged in the second half and Clifford subbed out his starters with four minutes to play and his team down by 19.
ALLEN IS DAY TO DAY
Allen missed his second straight game with a right eye contusion he sustained in Friday night’s loss to Miami, and the Cavaliers are taking things “day to day” with their 6-foot-11 center, Bickerstaff said.
“With Jarrett it is just a matter of how quickly it recovers,” Bickerstaff said. “With eyes it’s difficult to put a timetable on it.”
The 2022 NBA All-Star is in the midst of another strong season averaging 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 64.9% from the field.
Mitchell is expected to play Wednesday night versus Philadelphia as his absence was more about injury maintenance.
TIP INS
Cavaliers: Signed guard Sam Merrill to a multi-year contract on Tuesday. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound Merrill signed a 10-day contract with the team on March 3 and appeared in one game for the Cavaliers.
Hornets: Dennis Smith Jr. had a flying one-handed dunk over Dean Wade off a baseline drive late in the third quarter. … Center Mark Williams missed his fourth straight game with a sprained thumb.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
Hornets: Host Philadelphia on Friday night.
VANVLEET HAS 36, RAPTORS HAND NUGGETS 4TH STRAIGHT LOSS
TORONTO (AP) Fred VanVleet scored 36 points, O.G. Anunoby had 24 and the Toronto Raptors used a franchise-record, 49-point first quarter to beat Denver 125-110 on Tuesday, handing the slumping Nuggets their season-high fourth straight loss.
Nikola Jokic scored 28 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 23 and Aaron Gordon had 18 for the Western Conference-leading Nuggets, who are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.
“Right now we’re just in chill mode, and you can’t be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We’ve got to try to find a way to get our swagger back.”
Denver opponents have scored 100 or more points in five straight games, and 120 or more in each of the past three.
“Maybe we’ve gotten a little soft with success,” Malone said. “We’ve been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we’ve gotten away from who we are.”
Malone said several Denver veterans spoke up after the game, urging the team to play better. Asked whether he thought the Nuggets needed to hear those words, Jokic was clear, saying: “Yes.”
VanVleet shot 13 for 22 and made a season-high eight of his 12 attempts from distance as Toronto extended its home winning streak to five.
VanVleet had seven assists, three steals and just two turnovers in nearly 38 minutes.
“Freddie called an incredible game tonight,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “He really had us incredibly organized. He found a bunch of little wrinkles.”
Jakob Poeltl had 12 points and 11 rebounds, Pascal Siakam scored 12 points and Gary Trent Jr. had 11 for the Raptors, who never trailed.
Denver guard Jamal Murray shot 5 for 18 and scored 14 points and Bruce Brown added 12, but the Nuggets lost the opener of a season-high, five-game road trip.
The Raptors shot 20 for 28 in the first to lead 49-30 after one.
“We just dug too much of a big hole and couldn’t climb the mountain from there,” Murray said.
Toronto was up 88-64, its biggest lead of the game, after Siakam’s basket with 8:16 left in the third. Denver used a 28-10 run to cut the gap to 98-92, but the Nuggets couldn’t keep it up in the fourth.
“When you expend so much energy getting back in the game you have nothing left to finish,” Malone said.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Jokic had eight rebounds and seven assists. … Murray led Denver with nine assists. … Shot 1 for 6 from 3-point range in both the first and second quarters. Denver finished 6 for 25 from long range. … Made 14 turnovers, leading to 25 points.
Raptors: Shot 20 for 28 in the first. … Toronto’s previous record for points in a quarter was 48, set in the first quarter at New Jersey on Jan. 11, 1997. … The Raptors returned from a five-game road trip to begin a stretch that sees them play seven of eight at home. Toronto is 21-13 at home this season.5
HOMECOMING
After sitting out the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Brooklyn because of soreness in his left knee, Murray returned to the lineup to play his first game north of the border since December 2018, and had some 40 to 50 family and friends on hand to watch him.
“It’s always nice being home, seeing everybody, seeing people I haven’t seen for years,” Murray said. “It always brings you back to earth.”
Murray is from Kitchener, Ontario, about 65 miles west of Toronto. He missed the last part of the 2020-21 season and all of last season after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. Still, Malone said before the game that “there was no way (Murray) wasn’t playing.” Murray received a warm ovation when the starters were introduced.
DUNK OF THE DAY
Anunoby wowed the crowd with a one-handed putback slam on Trent’s missed shot in the second.
DAVIS, LAKERS LEAD BY 35 AT HALF, BEAT PELICANS 123-108
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Anthony Davis’ dominance inside and Malik Beasley’s blazing start from behind the 3-point arc all but put away the Pelicans before halftime in a game that could prove pivotal in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Davis had 35 points and 17 rebounds, Beasley hit seven 3-pointers in just the first half, and the Los Angeles Lakers took a 36-point, second-quarter lead on their way to a 123-108 victory over New Orleans on Tuesday night.
Davis “put it on himself to spearhead what you saw today,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “But everyone was locked in. Everyone was ready to make a contribution.”
Beasley finished with 24 points for the Lakers, who shot 18 of 39 from 3-point range – including 15 of 27 before halftime, which set a franchise record for 3s made in a half.
“I felt confident tonight,” Beasley said. “I told myself keep doing what I’m doing and don’t worry about the pressure of making shots.”
D’Angelo Russell added 17 points to help Los Angeles (34-35) move one game ahead of New Orleans (33-36) in the standings as both clubs try remain in contention for a spot in the postseason. The Lakers also won the season series 3-1, giving them the tiebreaker should these two teams – which entered the day in a four-way tie for 10th in the West – finish with equal records.
“It was very important for us, just for standing purposes, tiebreaker purposes and then getting back in the win column,” said Davis, who was the No. 1 overall draft choice by New Orleans in 2012.
“I just wanted to come out ultra aggressive tonight, knowing how important this game was,” Davis added. “Everybody did. We were playing the right way, playing great defensively and sharing the ball offensively, playing together and we were clicking on all cylinders.”
Brandon Ingram returned to New Orleans’ lineup after missing two games with a right ankle injury, but his 22 points were not nearly enough.
“We let their shot-making just demoralize us,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Our sense of urgency was lacking, but it just came down to they made shots early. We missed a ton of them.
“When we don’t start with a sense of urgency, play fast or play with force, it demoralizes our spirit,” Green added. “We have to, some way or somehow, figure that part out.”
Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III each scored 20 for the Pelicans, who trailed 75-40 at halftime and trimmed their deficit to 13 when Ingram’s pull-up jumper made it 107-94.
Jones then intercepted Davis’ pass and tried to initiate a fast break that could have gotten New Orleans as close as 11 points with five minutes still to play, but Russell tipped Jones’ pass and Jones was called for a foul when he grabbed Russell to stop him from getting the ball.
That exchange began a 7-2 Lakers mini-run that built the lead back to 18.
The Lakers scored the game’s first 14 points, starting with eight straight by Davis on a layup as he was fouled, a 3 and a step-back jumper. Beasley and Russell each followed with a 3, and Los Angeles’ lead never got below 10 after that.
Austin Reaves scored 14 points and Rui Hachimura added 12 for the Lakers.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Davis has 16 30-point games this season. … Shot 48.8% (40 of 82) overall. … Outrebounded New Orleans 52-41. … Went 25 of 28 from the foul line. … Ham said Davis will be rested for the Lakers’ next game at Houston in keeping with doctors’ orders regarding his right foot injury. “It’s tough; the position we’re in, you want to go out and play,” Davis said “But at the end of the day, with an injury like that, you don’t want it to go to the other side. So you want to stay on top of it. I’m going to be there coaching the guys up, trying to make sure we do whatever we can to get the win.”
Pelicans: CJ McCollum scored 13 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 10. … Shot 42.9% (42 of 98), including 11 of 43 from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Lakers: At Houston on Wednesday night.
Pelicans: At Houston on Friday night.
QUICKLEY LEADS RALLY AND KNICKS BEAT TRAIL BLAZERS 123-107
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Immanuel Quickley had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New York Knicks mounted a rally in the third quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-107 on Tuesday night.
Julius Randle added 24 points for the Knicks, who were still playing without injured guard Jalen Brunson.
Quickley scored 14 points in the third quarter and the Knicks outscored the Blazers 42-26 to lead 91-81 lead going into the final period. New York stretched the lead to 108-92 on former Blazer Josh Hart’s layup with 7:32 left in the game.
The Knicks led by as many as 19 points in the fourth.
“This team was trending upwards when I got here, and I was able to just kind of fit right in and continue to help this team grow,” said Hart, who was traded to the Knicks at the deadline last month. “I think that’s the biggest thing. It feels great that we’re getting the wins.”
Hart finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists off the bench.
Damian Lillard was questionable before the game with a calf injury, but he started for Portland and led all scorers with 38 points.
Jerami Grant also missed the game because of a hip contusion and Trendon Watford started for the Blazers instead.
“The (Blazers) backcourt is so dynamic and puts so much pressure on you constantly. They don’t go away, so very pleased overall with our defense,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “The rebounding was really good, and in the second half we took care of the ball.”
The Knicks entered the game having lost three of their last four after a nine-game winning streak. Boosted by that streak, they moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference and were 10 games back of leader Milwaukee.
Brunson, who was averaging nearly 24 points a game this season, continued to deal with a sore left foot that has kept him out of five of New York’s last six games.
The Blazers were just 3-7 over their previous 10 games to drop to 13th in the West. But, a cluster of teams vying for playoff spots in the conference meant that Portland still had a chance with 13 games to go after the loss to the Knicks.
Portland led by as many as 16 points in the first half and headed into halftime up 55-49 after Lillard’s 3 pointer. Lillard had 18 points at the break.
Midway through the third quarter, Quickley tied it at 68 with a 3-pointer, but Lillard answered with a 3 of his own. The Knicks took a 75-74 lead on Randle’s pullup jumper and free throw.
The Knicks stretched the lead to 86-78 on Quickley’s 3 late in the third.
“We started the game awesome, obviously had a great first quarter, and in the second quarter you could feel it kind of slipping a little bit,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “They got more aggressive, they got more physical. It felt we caved in a little bit to their aggressive pressure.”
TIP-INS
Knicks: It was the last of a four-game trip for New York. … Randle collected three first-quarter fouls but led the Knicks in the first half with 13 points. … Hart was greeted with warm applause at the Moda Center when he checked in during the first quarter. … Miles McBride had a career-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, off the bench.
Trail Blazers: Portland was coming off a six game trip, during which they went 2-4. … It was “Bigfoot Night” at the Moda Center. Comedian Ian Karmel led fans on a quest for the mythical creature – finding “Douglas Fur” a new team mascot joining Blaze the Trail Cat.
UP NEXT
Knicks: New York hosts Denver on Saturday.
Trail Blazers: Portland hosts the Boston Celtics on Friday.
ANALYSIS: GRABBING NBA PLAY-IN SPOTS IN WEST WILL BE TOUGH
Let’s go ahead and put Denver and Sacramento into the Western Conference playoffs. It’s hard to imagine Memphis and Phoenix falling out of the mix, even with Ja Morant away from the Grizzlies and Kevin Durant still not able to make his home debut for the Suns because of ankle trouble. Put them on the bracket as well.
And from there, it’s anyone’s guess.
The West is an absolute mess, and the middle of the pack — the race for the last two guaranteed playoff spots and the four berths into the play-in tournament — is as muddled and murky as possible.
“Hope,” Utah coach Will Hardy said, “is a good motivator.”
True. There’s plenty of hope still out there, too.
The West has, more often than not in recent years, been the power-broker side of the NBA. Not this year. The shinier records are at the top of the Eastern Conference, which is on pace to finish with three of the best four records this season — something that hasn’t happened since 2008-09.
The West has become a logjam this year, and the standings change almost nightly. A single win or loss can change everything: Utah was ninth in the West entering Monday, and a four-point loss at Miami left the Jazz tumbling three spots to 12th. The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, went from 11th to ninth — from out of the play-in to back in — without even playing.
Defending champion Golden State beat Phoenix and went from sixth to fifth. After the Warriors, it’s the Los Angeles Clippers in sixth, Minnesota seventh, Dallas eighth, the Lakers ninth, New Orleans 10th, Oklahoma City 11th and the Jazz 12th.
Put another way, 2 1/2 games separated the fifth-place Warriors from the 11th-place Thunder. Only 4 1/2 games separated the Warriors from the 13th-place Portland Trail Blazers. It’s hard to envision a scenario, given how tight the standings are right now, where at least some West races for seeding don’t go down to the final day.
“No one’s really out of it right now, at this point in the Western Conference,” Hardy said. “There’s a couple teams that have fallen, I guess, out of the race, but 5 through 13 are so tight that every team is competing each night with that hope of like, ‘Hey, if you string a few together, you can really vault in the standings.’ We’d all be lying if we say we don’t check the standings. We definitely do, but it can be a little distracting.”
This is exactly what the NBA wanted when it added the play-in tournament — intrigue all the way to the end of the season. Only the top six teams in each conference are guaranteed playoff spots when the regular season ends on April 9; the next four from the East and West go to a play-in tournament to decide the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds on the respective brackets.
Only three teams — Houston, San Antonio and Detroit — have been eliminated. Charlotte isn’t too far away from joining that trio. Everyone else still has a legitimate chance, at least at the play-in.
“You do have to embrace the competition,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “When you’re dreaming about things in the middle of the summer, this is what you want. You want games with incredible pressure and context. You don’t want games to have no meaning, to play for lottery balls. You want to have this kind of context. And you want to see what this competition can bring out of you.”
Teams will find out, whether they want to know or not.
There are no fewer than 24 matchups the rest of the way that will pit those teams vying for spots 5 through 8 on the West bracket against one another, meaning those nights could lead to a big swing in the standings.
It also might come down to which teams get somebody back in time to help the cause.
The Lakers may get LeBron James back at some point. The Warriors aren’t sure when Andrew Wiggins — out for personal reasons — could return, or if he will. The Mavericks are dealing with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both having injuries. The Timberwolves hope Karl-Anthony Towns is close to a return from a calf injury. The Pelicans have remained in the race despite not having Zion Williamson, which they’re probably used to by now.
Buckle up. Denver might not get caught atop the West. The trio of Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia will finish 1-2-3 in the East in some order. But everything else is pretty much up for grabs, especially in the super-cluttered West.
“It’s funny what a couple of wins can do right now,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
CAVALIERS SIGN GUARD SAM MERRILL TO MULTIYEAR CONTRACT
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers signed guard Sam Merrill to a multiyear contract on Tuesday, filling their open roster spot as they near clinching a playoff berth.
Merrill signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs on March 3. Rather than give him a second 10-day deal, the team opted to sign him for three years, two guaranteed.
The 6-foot-4 Merrill has only appeared in one game for Cleveland after playing in 34 for the G League Charge and averaging 16.4 points. He scored a season-high 32 while making 10 of 14 3-pointers against Greensboro on Feb. 22.
Cleveland is intrigued by Merrill’s potential and the team views him as a player who can improve the Cavs’ outside shooting. Merrill has made 39% of his 3-pointers in 37 career games with Cleveland, Milwaukee and Memphis.
The Cavs, who have a three-game lead over Brooklyn for the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, will face Charlotte on Tuesday night without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell (sprained finger) or center Jarrett Allen (bruised eye).
Merrill, 26, was drafted by New Orleans in the second round in 2020 following a four-year career at Utah State.
BASEBALL NEWS
VENEZUELA TOPS NICARAGUA 4-1 IN WBC, IS 3-0 IN GROUP PLAY
MIAMI (AP) — Eugenio Suárez and Anthony Santander had two hits each as Venezuela beat Nicaragua 4-1 Tuesday and improved to 3-0 in the World Baseball Classic.
Venezuela was in position to reach the quarterfinals with a game to spare if the Dominican Republic defeated Israel later Tuesday in a matchup of teams with 1-1 records in Group D.
Suárez’s two-run single capped a three-run fourth that overcame a 1-0 deficit. Andrés Giménez’s run-scoring single tied the score, and Suárez’s lined a ball to right-center that scored Santander and Giménez.
Santander added an RBI double in the fifth.
José Ruiz got the win, pitching two perfect innings of relief. Carlos Hernández, José Quijada, Silvino Bracho and José Alvarado followed and limited Nicaragua to four hits over the final five innings.
Brandon Leyton’s RBI groundout against starter Eduardo Rodriguez put Nicaragua ahead 1-0 in the second.
Rodriguez allowed seven hits and struck out three in two-plus innings.
Venezuela closes Group D against Israel on Wednesday.
Nicaragua finished 0-4 in its first WBC and will be forced to participate in qualifying for the 2026 tournament. The Nicaraguans hit .192 and and were outscored 22-4.
METS’ QUINTANA OUT UNTIL AT LEAST JULY WITH RIB INJURY
Left-hander José Quintana won’t make his New York Mets debut until at least July because of a stress fracture in his rib.
The Mets are relieved that the prognosis wasn’t even more severe.
Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters Tuesday a scan revealed a lesion on the impacted rib. Quintana went to New York to visit an orthopedic tumor specialist for a biopsy and additional scans that revealed the lesion was benign.
“This was bigger than baseball,” Eppler said. “José’s got our support and anything he needs. I’m just really thankful we’re at least here as opposed to one of the other potential outcomes.”
Eppler said Quintana will have an operation Friday in New York that involves a bone graft. Eppler said recovery from the surgery will keep Quintana out until at least July 1 but didn’t offer any specifics beyond that.
“A lot will depend on if José, how soon he can do physical activity, how much down time does he need after this procedure,” Eppler said. “Does he need to take a week, or 10 days or two weeks before he can run. Because it’s a fairly involved surgery. Whenever you’re doing a bone graft, it’s going to hurt. That’s why it’s hard to set a specific timetable.”
The 34-year-old Quintana signed a $26 million, two-year contract with the Mets in December after going 6-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 32 starts with Pittsburgh and St. Louis last season. He is 89-87 with a 3.75 ERA.
Candidates to fill Quintana’s rotation spot include left-hander David Peterson and right-hander Tylor Megill. Peterson, 27, went 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA last season in 28 appearances, including 19 starts. Megill, also 27, was 4-2 with a 5.13 ERA in 15 games, including nine starts.
Peterson has struck out nine in eight shutout innings this spring training. Megill has worked 8 1/3 innings and has a 1.08 ERA with six strikeouts.
“Obviously it sucks to see one of your teammates go down with that, and I hope he gets back as quick as he can and healthy for the most part,” Peterson told reporters after he threw four hitless innings Tuesday. “But I think that has been kind of the thing all along. The front office and the coaching staff have wanted to have starting pitching depth. They made it a priority. So I guess this is kind of where it comes in handy, to have guys to choose from.”
NATS’ CAVALLI LEAVES GAME EARLY
Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli left his Tuesday start after 2 2/3 innings. Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters afterward that Cavalli felt something behind his throwing elbow.
Cavalli is expected to have an MRI on Wednesday.
The Nationals selected Cavalli out of Oklahoma with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 draft. The 24-year-old is regarded as one of the Nationals’ top prospects.
METS RETURN GREENE TO YANKEES
The Mets returned right-handed pitcher Zach Greene to the New York Yankees three months after taking him in the winter meeting draft of unprotected players.
The Yankees assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Greene, 26, went 9-0 with a 3.42 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings for Scranton last season.
TIGERS CLAIM PACHECO
The Detroit Tigers claimed right-hander Freddy Pacheco off waivers from the Cardinals.
Pacheco, who turns 25 on April 17, went 3-7 with a 3.05 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 62 innings at Double-A and Triple-A last season.
St. Louis scratched infielder Paul DeJong from their lineup Tuesday due to lower back tightness.
ORIOLES ASK NEW YORK’S TOP COURT TO TOSS OUT PAYMENT TO NATS
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The long-running fight between the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals over television rights fees reached New York’s highest court Tuesday when a lawyer for the Orioles argued a $296.8 million award for 2012-16 made by a panel of baseball executives should be thrown out and the case reheard by a different forum.
Derek L. Shaffer, a lawyer for the Nationals, told the six judges of the New York Court of Appeals they should affirm the decision, as New York Supreme Court Justice Joel M. Cohen did in 2019 and an appellate panel did the following year. Shaffer predicted additional litigation between the teams in a dispute that could hold up a potential sale of the Nationals, which said last April they were exploring the marketplace.
“Potential disputes that your honor is alluding to are ones that will be litigated, as this case has been litigated, until kingdom come by my friends for the other side,” Shaffer said. “So I think that is a recipe for just having this litigation continue and continue in a never-ending fashion as opposed to having one chapter of this at long last more than a decade later conclude.”
MASN, which is controlled by the Orioles, paid the Nationals for 2012-16 what Baltimore proposed: $197.5 million. Washington argued it should be paid $475 million.
An arbitration panel of baseball executives — Pittsburgh Pirates President Frank Coonelly, Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg and New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon — heard the case in 2012 and ruled in 2014 that the Nationals were owed $298.1 million.
The Orioles appealed, and that decision was thrown out in 2015 by New York Supreme Court Justice Lawrence K. Marks, who ruled that a law firm representing the Nationals was conflicted because it had worked for clubs of executives on the panel. The appellate division sent the case back to baseball to be heard by a reconstituted Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee.
A second panel of baseball executives — Milwaukee Brewers chairman Mark Attanasio, Seattle Mariners President Kevin Mather and Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro — ordered the slightly lower payment of $296.8 million. The Orioles argue that the process remained tainted and should be decided by a different forum.
“At some point, the commissioner of Major League Baseball reached the conclusion that the Orioles should lose this case,” Carter G. Phillips, a lawyer for the Orioles, told the court. “By the end of the proceeding, the first proceeding, which was an evidently partial proceeding, his view was the Orioles should lose. And he has said that over and over and over again. So that partiality continues on to this day, and this court should not blink at it.”
Justices seemed unsure what power the court had to order the dispute to an arbitration forum other than the RSDC specified in the agreement between the Baltimore and Washington teams that allowed the Montreal Expos to move and become the Nationals for the 2005 season. Some questioned whether the agreement set up what amounted more to an appraisal process than an arbitration.
“This is not a problem of a single arbitrator. This is a problem of MLB and of the entire institution,” Phillips said. “First and second of all, there was no question what the second arbitration award was going to look like. It’s within .02% of the first award. You can reverse engineer from the number.”
CARROLL COULD EARN $134M OVER 9 YEARS WITH DIAMONDBACKS DEAL
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Corbin Carroll would make $134 million over nine years if the Arizona Diamondbacks exercise a 2031 option in his $111 million, eight-year contract.
The deal for the 22-year-old outfielder, announced Saturday, is the largest guarantee for a player with less than 100 days of major league service. Carroll made his big league debut last Aug. 29 and has 38 days of service.
He topped the $72 million, eight-year contract for Atlanta outfielder Michael A. Harris, who had 81 days of service when he reached agreement last Aug. 16 on a $72 million, eight-year contract that begins this season. Harris was voted NL Rookie of the Year.
Carroll gets a $5 million signing bonus and salaries of $1 million this year, $3 million in 2024 and $5 million in 2025. He receives $10 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $14 million in 2028 — the three seasons he likely would have been eligible for arbitration.
Carroll’s deal calls for $28 million a year in both 2029 and 2030, years after he was in line to become a free agent. The Braves’ 2031 option is for $28 million with a $5 million buyout.
If he wins an MVP award in any year from 2028-30, his salaries for every following season would escalate by $5 million. If he finishes second through fifth in MVP voting those years, his salaries in remaining seasons would go up by $2.5 million. The maximum increase in any year is $7.5 million.
Carroll, selected 16th overall by Arizona in the 2019 amateur draft, hit .260 last season with four homers and 14 RBIs in 32 games.
HOCKEY NEWS
PREDATORS BEAT RED WINGS 2-1 FOR 3RD STRAIGHT VICTORY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Kiefer Sherwood had a goal and an assist, Juuse Saros made 28 saves and the Nashville Predators beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Tommy Novak also scored to help Nashville win its third straight. The Predators were coming off a 4-1-1 trip.
“Yeah, throughout the lineup, just trying to play hard every night,” Novak said. “I think we still believe in this group a lot. Obviously, we have great defensemen, great goaltending and a lot of good forwards.”
Nashville trails Winnipeg by four points in the rush for the Western Conference’s second wild-card berth, with Nashville having played three fewer games.
Alex Chiasson scored and Ville Husso made 14 saves for Detroit. The Red Wings have lost two of three.
“We just felt like we got a world-class goalie performance against us,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said.
Sherwood opened the scoring at with 9:02 left in the second period. Colton Sissons won a battle in the left corner and sent to the puck to Philip Tomasino, who then drove toward the Detroit net. Just outside the crease, he slipped a nifty backhand pass through the legs of Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider to Sherwood skating through the slot, where he snapped a quick shot past Husso. Sherwood has scored in consecutive games.
“We’re just putting our heads down and working,” Sherwood said. “We’re finding different ways every night, and that’s the most important thing.”
Novak doubled Nashville’s lead at 2:22 of the third when he deflected Cal Foote’s shot from the right point by Husso. Novak has goals in three straight games, netting four over that span.
“Tommy is feeling it, which is good,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “I think he deserves the opportunity he’s getting. He’s been very consistent with his game. He’s playing with a ton of speed. I think he’s got a lot of swagger with the puck right now.”
Chiasson spoiled Saros’ shutout bid with 2:44 remaining with Husso pulled for an extra attacker and the Red Wings on a power play.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Host Colorado on Saturday.
Predators: Host Chicago on Thursday night.
RED-HOT RADDYSH NETS HAT TRICK, BLACKHAWKS TOP BRUINS 6-3
CHICAGO (AP) Taylor Raddysh scored three goals and the Chicago Blackhawks beat Boston 6-3 on Tuesday night, handing the NHL-leading Bruins a second straight regulation loss for the first time this season.
Raddysh’s first career hat trick gave him 20 goals for the season and six in his last four games. Chicago ended a three-game slide (0-2-1).
“The puck is just kind of finding its way in,” Raddysh said. “I gotta just keep going to the net and get to those areas where the puck is going to be.”
Boris Katchouk scored a tiebreaking goal at 6:59 of the third period and added two assists for his first three-point game.
Joey Anderson had a goal and an assist, and MacKenzie Entwistle also scored for Chicago, which entered tied for last place in the Western Conference.
Never mind that Boston came in with a whopping 55 more points than the Blackhawks.
“I don’t think it’s surprising,” Anderson said. “Obviously, they have a great team and we knew we had to play a full 60 minutes tonight and that’s exactly what it took.”
Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist after missing the Bruins’ game at Detroit on Sunday with a swollen foot. Trent Frederic and Pavel Zacha also scored for Boston.
Bruins top scorer David Pastrnak missed on a penalty shot with 1:24 left.
The Bruins entered with a league-best 105 points. They became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 50 wins in a season by beating the Red Wings 3-2 in Boston on Saturday. But the Bruins lost 5-3 at Detroit on Sunday and are 1-3-0 in their last four on the heels of a 10-game winning streak that propelled them to a big lead in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron acknowledged his team is sputtering.
“I think right now we’re disconnected,” Bergeron said. “We’re not playing the right way; we’re cheating.
“I think this league is going to humble you. I think that’s what we’re getting right now. It’s not good enough.”
Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek re-aggravated a groin injury that has bothered him the past two seasons and was replaced by Alex Stalock at 8:48 of the second period.
Mrazek, who stopped all 16 shots he faced, skated to the dressing room abruptly after dropping to the ice to make a couple of close-in saves on Frederic to keep Chicago ahead 1-0. About a minute earlier, Dmitry Orlov’s slap shot struck Mrazek in the mask.
Stalock stopped 23 of 26 shots in relief.
Linus Ullmark made 23 saves for Boston.
The Bruins got off to a second straight slow start in this one, the second of a five-game trip.
“I think we’ve just got to get back to our standards,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “And our standards are that we’re going to start games well. We might bend at times, but we don’t break. And we’ve been breaking.”
Entwistle scored the only goal in the first period at 14:27 when he cut to the net and slid the puck under Ullmark’s right pad.
Lindholm tied it with 5:02 left in the second on the third shot Stalock faced, connecting on a screened high drive from inside the blue line.
Anderson put Chicago back in front 1:34 later, popping in a loose puck from the right side of the net.
Frederic tied it at 2 with 11.1 seconds left in the second. Stalock stopped Frederic’s point-blank tip attempt, but then accidentally knocked the puck in off his pad.
Zacha was credited with putting Boston ahead at 3:02 of the third when his pass ticked in off the skate of Chicago defenseman Jarred Tinordi. Raddysh tied it 53 seconds later, poking in the puck off a scrum on the doorstep.
Katchouk beat Ullmark on a 25-foot shot off right wing to snap a 3-all deadlock at 6:59. Tyler Bertuzzi’s shot with 8:46 left clanked off the crossbar. It was ruled a tying goal on the ice, but overturned by a video review.
Raddysh made it 5-3 with a power-play goal with 3:52 left. He completed his hat trick by firing into an empty net with 45 seconds left.
NOTES: Boston D Brandon Carlo sat out with upper-body soreness. … The Blackhawks signed 20-year-old D Wyatt Kaiser to a three-year, entry-level contract. He just finished his third collegiate season with Minnesota-Duluth and is expected to report directly to Chicago. … Blackhawks LW Mike Hardman and RW Buddy Robinson, recalled from Rockford of the AHL on Monday, both played. … The Blackhawks have shut down rookie C Cole Guttman (shoulder) for the season. He’ll have surgery.
UP NEXT
Bruins: At Winnipeg on Thursday.
Blackhawks: At Nashville on Thursday to start a five-game trip.
GAUDREAU HAS 5 POINTS AS BLUE JACKETS BEAT SHARKS 6-5 IN OT
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Johnny Gaudreau scored his second goal of the game with 43 seconds left in overtime, giving him five points on the night as the Columbus Blue Jackets topped the San Jose Sharks 6-5 Tuesday.
“I felt good tonight,” Gaudreau said. “Just a fun game to be a part of there.”
Gaudreau beat Kaapo Kahkonen after the Sharks’ goaltender stopped Patrick Laine on a 2-on-0 break.
“Great save by the goalie,” Gaudreau said. “Patty kind of stuck with it and found me in front. … It was nice to find the net a couple times tonight.”
Added Columbus coach Brad Larsen: “Five points, that’s a big night for anybody. You could see early that he was skating, he had his legs tonight.”
Boone Jenner scored twice, and Liam Foudy and Kent Johnson added goals to help the Blue Jackets end a four-game losing streak.
Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves and recorded an assist for his first NHL point.
William Eklund scored his first NHL goal for the Sharks. Logan Couture, Nikolai Knyzhov, Kevin Labanc and Alexander Barabanov also scored for San Jose, which lost its fourth in a row and seventh straight at home.
“It’s something all kids dream of, scoring your first goal in the NHL,” Eklund said. “I’ve been waiting a long (time) for this and had a lot of chances. So it was nice to finally get this one and keep on going from here.”
Kahkonen stopped 41 shots but lost his seventh consecutive start.
“You’re not going to win hockey games when you give up six goals and be that loose and give up the chances we gave up,” Sharks coach David Quinn said.
Barabanov opened the scoring in the first period with a power-play goal.
Gaudreau tied it later in the first, and Johnson and Jenner scored second-period goals to put Columbus ahead 3-1.
Eklund and Jenner traded second-period goals before Couture scored with 0.7 seconds left in the period.
Foudy scored early in the third to give the Blue Jackets a two-goal lead before Labanc and Knyzhov answered with consecutive goals to tie the game at 5.
Both teams went 1 for 3 on the power play.
NOTES: Laine had two assists to extend his point streak to six games. His four-game goal streak came to an end. … Columbus scored a power-play goal for the sixth straight game, tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history. … The Blue Jackets improved to 18-1-1 when scoring at least four goals. They are 3-37-6 when scoring three or fewer. … San Jose is an NHL-worst 6-19-9 at home.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Continue a five-game road trip at Los Angeles on Thursday night.
Sharks: Host Seattle on Thursday night.
HURRICANES’ ANDREI SVECHNIKOV OUT FOR SEASON WITH TORN ACL
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is out for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs because of a torn ligament in his right knee, a significant blow for a Stanley Cup contender.
The team announced Svechnikov would undergo reconstruction surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament Thursday at Raleigh Orthopaedic. He was injured Saturday night in a loss to Vegas.
The Hurricanes already said Svechnikov would be out indefinitely with the knee injury but had been hoping for a better diagnosis.
“No easy way to say it,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters earlier Tuesday before the team announced Svechnikov’s status. “Hate it for him more than anything. He’s worked so hard to get to this point of the year, when it’s fun.
“And he’s not going to be able to be a part of it here going forward. So it’s tough.”
In a statement, team president and general manager Don Waddell said the team is confident the No. 2 overall draft pick from 2018 would make a complete recovery.
Losing Svechnikov is a crushing blow to Carolina in a loaded Eastern Conference, with the Hurricanes spending much of the year second only to Boston in the overall league standings.
The 22-year-old top-line forward is tied for second on the team with 55 points and third with 23 goals. He has been a critical piece of Carolina’s four consecutive playoff berths, starting with a run to the Eastern Conference finals in Svechnikov’s rookie year.
Carolina’s playoff run has included division titles in each of the past two seasons, though a lack of scoring depth has been a factor in earlier-than-expected postseason exits the past two seasons.
They addressed that in the offseason by acquiring winger Max Pacioretty in July, but Pacioretty tore his right Achilles tendon over the summer then did it again a few games into his debut with Carolina in January. They avoided major changes to their lineup at the trade deadline earlier this month.
The Hurricanes had won 16 of 19 before being outscored 7-0 in their past two games. And entering Tuesday’s home game against Winnipeg, their once-comfortable lead atop the Metropolitan Division has been reduced to a tie in standings points (94) with the New Jersey Devils, who are only in second place because they’ve played one more game.
SOCCER NEWS
FIFA expands 2026 World Cup again to create 104-game program
The expanded World Cup in North America got even more supersized on Tuesday.
The governing body of soccer increased the size of the 2026 tournament for the second time — six years after the first — by approving a bigger group stage for the inaugural 48-team event.
By retaining groups of four teams instead of moving to three, FIFA has created a 104-game schedule that will last nearly six weeks in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The final is scheduled for July 19.
The 16 host cities — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada — now have 24 extra games to stage on top of the 80 they already had for the inaugural 48-team tournament.
Adding about 1.5 million more tickets will also further fuel FIFA’s expected record revenue of at least $11 billion through 2026 from a tournament that will rely on using high-revenue NFL stadiums.
FIFA said the decision followed a “thorough review that considered sporting integrity, player welfare, team travel, commercial and sporting attractiveness, as well as team and fan experience.”
The latest push by FIFA president Gianni Infantino for more games and bigger events in a congested calendar will likely provoke more concern among stakeholders such as domestic leagues and players’ union FIFPRO. They have long felt isolated from talks on soccer’s future.
The six-week World Cup will start one year after FIFA launches a 32-team Club World Cup, which could also be staged in North America to test tournament logistics. The Champions League in Europe also has a new format with more teams and games in the 2024-25 season.
The new World Cup format will have 12 groups of four teams instead of 16 groups of three, the plan chosen in 2017. Both options were to go to a 32-team knockout round.
The format guarantees every World Cup team will play a minimum of three times instead of two, adding up to a stacked group stage totaling 72 games before arriving at the knockout rounds. The four semifinalists will play eight matches, one more than last year in Qatar.
The entire 2022 World Cup in Qatar amounted to 64 games in the seventh and last edition of the 32-team format. The 1998 World Cup in France was the first with 32 teams.
Increasing the World Cup’s lineup was first floated in 2015. It was proposed then as a way to sweeten FIFA’s 200-plus member federations into accepting much-needed governance reforms in the wake of American and Swiss investigations of corruption.
After Infantino was elected FIFA president to succeed Sepp Blatter, one of his first big strategic wins was adding 16 teams to the World Cup. Infantino persuaded FIFA colleagues that a 48-team tournament — with Africa and Asia getting more of the extra places than Europe — would fuel interest and drive development in countries that rarely or never qualified to play on the biggest stage.
That was despite FIFA’s own research in 2016 suggesting that the highest quality soccer was achieved by the 32-team format.
In Qatar, the split-screen drama created by decisive group games played simultaneously helped convince FIFA that four-team groups are better.
There was also concern that scheduling groups of three could lead to match-fixing in a final game between two teams who could both advance to the round of 32.
FIFA has now found an option it said “mitigates the risk of collusion” and also gifts itself more games to sell.
The extra 24 games should drive up the price of sponsor deals and broadcasting deals not yet signed. However, some key broadcast markets are already signed, including in the United States, Brazil and the Middle East.
The 2026 World Cup was already set to earn up to $3 billion in ticket and hospitality sales for FIFA, and massively increase the tournament attendance record. That record was set in the United States in 1994 when 3.6 million spectators attended 52 games in a 24-team event.
One downside of the 48-team format is the unbalanced nature of the 32 teams that will advance.
Eight of the 12 third-place teams will move on, creating uncertainty for some teams placing third in a group not knowing if they will advance until matches are completed days later.
FIFA also explained how teams will enter the 2025 Club World Cup, including continental champions in each season from 2021-24. That means Chelsea, Real Madrid, Palmeiras, Flamengo and Seattle Sounders already secured their places.
Europe’s 12 entries can also be decided by a ranking system based on the same four-year period, with a cap of two teams per country advancing with exemptions for continental champions.
FIFA also plans to create another new competition starting annually in 2024 for continental champions. The Champions League winner in Europe will play the winner of playoffs featuring the other continental champions.
WHY FIFA CHANGED THE FORMAT FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP
The World Cup group stage format for 2026 was changed to 12 groups of four teams from 16 groups of three teams by FIFA’s Council on Tuesday, increasing the total to 104 matches from 64 in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
NEW FORMAT
To win a World Cup, a nation will have to play eight games, up from the seven in place since 1974.
The top two teams in each group and the top eight third-place teams will advance to a new round of 32 that starts the knockout phase. Advancement for third-place teams was eliminated for 1998, when the tournament expanded from 24 teams to 32.
MORE GAMES
The change means there will be 104 matches, double the 52 at the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., up from the 64 at each tournament from 1998 through 2022 and an increase from the 80 under the original 2026 format. That means more content for television broadcasters and more tickets to sell, increasing revenue for FIFA.
WHY CHANGE?
The original format for the 2026 tournament in the U.S., Mexico and Canada was adopted by the Council in January 2017 when the World Cup was expanded from 32 nations to 48 starting in 2026. That format would have meant two teams playing on the final day of the group with one team off, which could lead to corruption. The current schedule of having all teams in a group kick off simultaneously on the final day was adopted after the Disgrace of Gijón at the 1982 World Cup in Spain when West Germany and Austria knew that a one- or two-goal win by the Germans would advance both nations at the expense of Algeria, which played a day earlier. Horst Hrubesch scored in the 10th minute and neither team threatened after that as West Germany won 1-0.
LENGTH
FIFA announced the final will be on July 19. The site has not yet been announced, with East Rutherford, New Jersey; Arlington, Texas; and Inglewood, California, the three leading contenders.
No length has been specified for the tournament, which is likely to be between 38 and 42 days. That is up from 29 for last year’s tournament in Qatar and 32 for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The 1994 tournament was held from June 17 to July 17.
IMPACT ON PLAYERS AND CLUBS
FIFA announced the mandatory release date for players to be made available to national teams by their clubs will be May 25, a day after leagues must play their final pre-World Cup matches. However, continental finals such as the Champions League may take place through May 30, subject to FIFA approval. The release date is followed by a rest period — which means training allowed but national team friendlies prohibited. FIFA said the 56 days of rest, release and tournament remain identical to the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
AUTO RACING NEWS
7-TIME NASCAR CHAMP JOHNSON ADDS COTA, COCA-COLA 600 TO SKED
Jimmie Johnson is adding Coke and COTA to his NASCAR schedule.
The seven-time NASCAR champion said Tuesday he will drive the No. 84 Chevrolet in the March 26 race at the Circuit of the Americas and the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 as part of his limited race lineup this season.
Johnson returned to NASCAR this season after a two-year hiatus when he bought into the ownership group of Legacy Motor Club and signed on as a part-time driver. He topped the speed chart last month at practice for the Daytona 500 and was on pace for a top-10 finish in the race until he was collected in a late wreck and finished 31st. Johnson previously announced he would drive in July in the Chicago street course race.
Chicago, of course, is a first-time race for the 47-year-old Johnson. So is COTA, the popular 3.41-mile (5.48-km) road course in Austin, Texas, that wasn’t added to NASCAR’s Cup schedule until 2021, Johnson’s first season in IndyCar. He’s more familiar with Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he won the prestigious Coke 600 in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014.
“It’s been on my bucket list to drive at COTA,” Johnson said. “It’s the way drivers speak of the track, the challenge the track poses to everyone. I was hopeful and thought I was going to go with IndyCar, but they changed their schedule and didn’t go.”
So he’s off in a Cup car later this month, with a new sponsor on board. Club Wyndham will serve as the primary sponsor for COTA and the Coke 600.
Johnson mentioned “bucket list” for another previously committed race later this season. Johnson and two teammates will drive the special Garage 56 car that will race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Johnson, who has 83 career Cup victories, participated in an on-track test last week.
Much in the way he deftly picked off stronger drivers ahead of him in his NASCAR prime, Johnson keeps knocking out some of his dream races. He will eliminate COTA and Le Mans from his list this year and achieved a professional milestone in 2022 when he raced in the Indianapolis 500. Much like Daytona this season, Johnson was in position late to race for a top-10 finish until he triggered a wreck and faded to 28th.
What’s left?
“I’m kind of running out of ideas,” Johnson said, laughing. “I still have the desire to drive and try cool stuff. I know I can come up with a few more. But truth be told, I’ve been able to scratch off some significant experiences. I’d still love the Coke 600-Indy 500 double some day. Then I can kind of get into some more experiences from either a car or track that I want to drive. But out of these big-ticket items, I’m running out of options.”
Johnson told The Associated Press that “marquee events” are still a priority for him, one reason he picked a return to Charlotte. He said he’d like to drive in about 10 races per NASCAR season but didn’t think he’d hit that goal in 2023. The two-time Daytona 500 champion said he had about two more years left to drive in the “Great American Race.”
The big thrill is racing again for long-time team owner Rick Hendrick and Chevrolet at Le Mans in a special class designed to showcase the innovation of NASCAR’s Next Gen model. The prestigious endurance race is scheduled for June 10-11, or two weeks after the Indianapolis 500.
Johnson won all seven championships — tying a NASCAR record — driving for Hendrick Motorsports. They’ve reunited for the Garage 56 project and Johnson will team with Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button in the three-driver lineup.
There, perhaps, could have been another reunion.
One of the unique aspects of NASCAR is that a driver can own a team and still race for another one, such as Denny Hamlin’s stake in 23XI Racing while he remains a championship contender for Joe Gibbs Racing. Johnson might have seemed an obvious replacement for Hendrick driver Alex Bowman when he missed five races last season with a concussion or for Hendrick driver Chase Elliott, who currently is out indefinitely with a fractured tibia. Hendrick instead turned to Noah Gragson, who now drives for Johnson at Legacy MC, last season and Josh Berry subbed this year for Elliott.
“I would have entertained either opportunity, for sure,” Johnson said. “But I wasn’t approached for either of those opportunities. I don’t take anything negative from not getting asked for the 48 last year or the situation this year with Chase. The way I see it, watching the moves they made, they’re making decisions that are best for the company.”
Now it’s Johnson calling the shots in his first year as an owner. His busy personal schedule — he’s off to France for spring break with his family — means he won’t be at the track every week. And he navigated choppy waters at Daytona when Legacy MC ambassador and fellow seven-time champion Richard Petty complained he was cut out of the team’s decision-making. Johnson has yet to talk with Petty over the issues but there will be time for that conversation, at some point.
“The excitement in and around the race team opened up many doors at a time where we weren’t sure we could get any meetings,” Johnson said. “We’re on the run and things are going really good.”
MEN’S GOLF
COLUMN: SCHEFFLER’S RISE LEADS TO INCOMPLETE GRADE ON SMITH
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jordan Spieth can speak with authority on the remarkable run of Scottie Scheffler, except that Spieth never liked that term when he was the subject.
Spieth had won seven times in 13 months — two majors, a shot at all four of them, No. 1 in the world and a FedEx Cup title — when he showed up at Kapalua to start 2016 and was asked what he had planned for an encore.
“Doesn’t an encore mean that the show is then over?” he said.
Golf has a couple of hit shows, and for now Scheffler is top billing.
His superb play in windy conditions for a five-shot victory in The Players Championship was his sixth title in the last 13 months. Scheffler has been No. 1 longer than anyone during that stretch.
But it was only 12 days ago when Jon Rahm, with six victories in the last 13 months, opened with a 65 at Bay Hill and looked as though no one could beat him. Maybe that’s still the case. Rahm never made it to the second round at The Players Championship because of a stomach bug.
Rory McIlroy, who also has been No. 1 this year, won his 2023 debut in Dubai. He didn’t finish worse than fourth in seven straight tournaments, three of them wins.
All of them are part of a long list of players who have been on big runs, and as Spieth duly noted about Tiger Woods, “one guy that created a career out of a run and became the best ever.”
Missing from the current list is Cameron Smith.
He never gave himself the chance.
Even now, it’s hard to say whether Smith was on a heater or had staying power.
He set a record to par at Kapalua to start last year. He won The Players Championship two months later by one-putting eight of his last nine holes. He shot 30 on the back nine at St. Andrews for his first major, one of the great closing rounds in British Open history.
And then he chose to walk away from the toughest competition to cash in on Saudi money and join LIV Golf. No one should begrudge the 29-year-old Australian for his decision, though it remains the most peculiar because of his youth and his potential.
But for such a short sample size — seven months — there’s no telling for how long and how hot that flame would burn.
Smith won a 54-hole LIV event last summer in the Chicago suburbs. He celebrated a long-awaited homecoming Down Under by winning the Australian PGA Championship. Otherwise, he hasn’t faced world-class competition in seven months.
The Players was awkward on a couple of levels, mainly because Smith wasn’t around to defend his title. What resurfaced was a video of PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan at last year’s trophy presentation.
“Cam doesn’t live far from here, and every single time he pull his car up the main road, he’s going to receive a hero’s welcome,” Monahan said that day.
Smith no longer has free access to the TPC Sawgrass, or any TPC course, because he’s been suspended by the PGA Tour. He was seen playing The Yards, an executive course about a mile away during the opening round. Such were the consequences of his choice.
He is financially set for life. He gets back to golf this week with the LIV event north of Tucson, Arizona. He might win. He might win a lot.
But what does it mean?
So much was made about the new PGA Tour model having eight elite fields with no cuts, because LIV Golf doesn’t have a cut. But why the rival circuits are nothing alike is because LIV has only 54 holes with the same 48 players — minus one or two alternates — all year.
Scheffler beat 144 players at Sawgrass, the strongest field of the year. Rahm beat 156 players in the California desert and 120 players at Riviera.
Smith will get his crack four times a year in the majors. That will be his best chance, and really his only avenue, to stay relevant in the conversation of best players.
Until then, the focus will stay with Scheffler, Rahm and McIlroy. Those are the current “Big Three” in golf, and that can change by the end of the year.
The show ends at some point, though maybe not for good.
McIlroy fell from the top to out of the top 10, and while he’s clearly on the rise, he still hasn’t won a major in nearly nine years.
Jason Day won eight times in 18 starts in 2015 and 2016, without a discernable weakness in his game. He started this year outside the top 100.
David Duval is easily overlooked because his peak was crammed into a short window. He won 11 times in 34 tournaments over 18 months in 1997-99 and was among the few who got to No. 1 when Woods was on top of his game.
At this moment, the attention is on Scheffler and his knack for beating the best.
“I want to win, and I think I get excited when we get to the biggest tournaments and the best players are there,” Scheffler said. “And that’s a lot of fun for me as a player is being able to compete against those guys.”
That pleasure used to belong to Smith, too. He’ll get his fill of competing against the best. It just might not be often enough to know how good he could have been.
TOP INDIANA NEWS (RELEASES)
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS
Ashlynn Brooke, Pioneer (Ball State)
Olivia Brown, Hamilton Southeastern (Akron)
Cristen Carter, Ben Davis (Miami-Ohio)
Asia Donald, Hobart (Indiana State)
Layla Gold, Cathedral (Valparaiso)
Laila Hull, Zionsville (North Carolina)
Rashunda Jones, South Bend Washington (Purdue)
McKenna Layden, Northwestern (Purdue)
Riley Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern (Butler)
Karsyn Norman, Bedford North Lawrence (Butler)
Amiyah Reynolds, South Bend Washington (Maryland)..Injured
Saige Stahl, Columbus East (Indiana State)
Amber Tretter, Forest Park (Miami-Ohio)
INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-MARION COUNTY TEAM
First team
Zane Doughty, Ben Davis, Sr.
Devon Woods, Pike, Sr.
Azavier Robinson, Lawrence North, Soph.
Sheridan Sharp, Ben Davis, Sr.
A.J. Dancler, Southport, Sr.
Second team
Da’John Craig, Lawrence Central, Sr.
Jermaine Coleman, Park Tudor, Sr.
Joey Brown, North Central, Sr.
Jeremiah Alexander, Beech Grove, Sr.
KC Berry, Decatur Central, Jr.
Third team
Shaun Arnold, Ben Davis, Sr.
Jalen Hooks, Warren Central, Sr.
Clay Butler, Ben Davis, Sr.
Kobi Bowles, Lawrence North, Sr.
LJ Ward, Lutheran, Soph.
Honorable mention:
Beech Grove: Jeremiah Tate, Cam Brown
Ben Davis: K.J. Windham, Mark Zackery
Brebeuf Jesuit: Evan Haywood, Merrick Macaluso
COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS RELEASING QB MATT RYAN
The Colts are releasing QB Matt Ryan after just one season in a move that frees up $17,205,882 of cap space and takes on $18 million in dead cap.
The Colts had three days left to make the move; Ryan’s salary would have become fully guaranteed on March 17, eliminating the possibility of any cap savings for Indianapolis.
The former NFL MVP joined the Colts last year in a trade from the Atlanta Falcons. However, Ryan failed to live up to the hype as Indianapolis went 4-12-1 and finished the season with the league’s 30th-ranked offense. Indianapolis will free up $17 million in cap space with the move.
It’s unclear what’s next for the 37-year-old Ryan, who’s now seven years removed from his last Pro Bowl season. The four-time Pro Bowler registered a 67% completion rate with only 3,057 yards and 14 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 12 appearances last year.
Ryan spent his first 14 NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons after being drafted third overall in 2008. He passed for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2016, being named league MVP and helping the Falcons reach Super Bowl LI.
The Boston College product is the Falcons’ all-time passing leader, having tossed 59,735 yards and 367 touchdowns in 222 regular-season starts.
The Colts, who roster quarterbacks Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger, are expected to select a QB in next month’s draft. Indianapolis owns the fourth overall pick in 2023.
Ehlinger and Foles started three and two games in 2022, respectively.
SOURCES: COLTS TRADING STEPHON GILMORE TO COWBOYS
The Indianapolis Colts are trading star cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys, sources told Jordan Schultz, theScore’s NFL insider.
Dallas will send a compensatory fifth-round pick in 2023 to Indianapolis in exchange for Gilmore, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Gilmore, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, joined the Colts on a two-year contract last season and has a base salary of $7.9 million in 2023. The 32-year-old was solid for Indy, racking up a career-high 66 tackles to go along with 11 pass breakups and two interceptions in 16 games. He allowed only a 74 passer rating over 89 targets.
In Dallas, the veteran defensive back is expected to start opposite two-time Pro Bowl corner Trevon Diggs. The Cowboys’ cornerback depth chart also features Jourdan Lewis, DaRon Bland, and Kelvin Joseph, among others.
The Cowboys will be the fifth team of Gilmore’s career. The 2012 first-round pick has also spent time with the Buffalo Bills (2012-16), New England Patriots (2017-2020), Carolina Panthers (2021), and Colts (2022).
Gilmore enjoyed his best spell with the Patriots, earning back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods in 2018 and 2019 and helping New England win Super Bowl LIII. He led the NFL in interceptions (6) and pass breakups (20) in 2019.
Adding a high-profile starter at cornerback was one of Dallas’ priorities this offseason. The Philadelphia Eagles offered veteran corner Darius Slay to the Cowboys before Dallas agreed to acquire Gilmore, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
JACKSON-DAVIS, HOOD-SCHIFINO SELECTED TO ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District teams, the publications announced on Tuesday.
Freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was also honored by the USBWA on the All-District V team.
Jackson-Davis enters the NCAA Tournament with averages of 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. He has been named a Karl Malone Award Finalist, to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Late Season Watch List, the John R. Wooden Men’s National Ballot, and the Naismith Trophy Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist list. TJD was also a unanimous choice for the All-Big Ten First Team by the coaches, media, and Associated Press while also collecting All-Big Ten Defensive Team accolades.
Hood-Schifino begins his first taste of national postseason play with averages of 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He collected All-Big Ten Second Team honors from the league’s media and Third Team praise from the coaches. JHS was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both entities and tabbed a Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year Finalist.
The Hoosiers will open play in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 Seed in the Midwest Regional against the No. 13 seed Kent State Golden Flashes. Tip is scheduled for 9:55 p.m. ET at the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. with a national broadcast on TBS.
NABC All-District 7
First Team
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Zach Edey, Purdue
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Kris Murray, Iowa
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
Second Team
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Boo Buie, Northwestern
Terrance Shannon Jr., Illinois
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Jahmir Young, Maryland
Coach of the Year
Chris Collins, Northwestern
USBWA All-District V
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Zach Edey, Purdue
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
Boo Buie, Northwestern
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Souley Boum, Xavier
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Player of the Year
Zach Edey, Purdue
Coach of the Year
Matt Painter, Purdue
JACKSON-DAVIS NAMED ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-AMERICAN
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was selected to the Associated Press All-America First Team, the publication announced on Tuesday.
The Center Grove product enters the NCAA Tournament with averages of 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. He has been named a Karl Malone Award Finalist, to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Late Season Watch List, the John R. Wooden Men’s National Ballot, and the Naismith Trophy Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist list. TJD was also a unanimous choice for the All-Big Ten First Team by the coaches, media, and Associated Press while also collecting All-Big Ten Defensive Team accolades.
The former McDonald’s All-American has claimed All-America First Team honors from the first two (The Sporting News, Associated Press) of four (NABC, USBWA) entities used to calculate consensus All-America status.
Jackson-Davis and the Hoosiers will open play in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 Seed in the Midwest Regional against the No. 13 seed Kent State Golden Flashes. Tip is scheduled for 9:55 p.m. ET at the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. with a national broadcast on TBS.
Associated Press All-America First Team
Zach Edey, Purdue
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Brandon Miller, Alabama
Marcus Sasser, Houston
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Associated Press All-America Second Team
Jaime Jaquez Jr, UCLA
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona
Associated Press All-America Third Team
Armando Bacot, North Carolina
Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Kris Murray, Iowa
Markquis Nowell, Kansas State
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
FOR TOP-SEED INDIANA IN THE NCAA TOURNEY, ‘SKY IS THE LIMIT’
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana women’s basketball history has been made, but it is not enough. There is no basking, no celebrating, no relaxing.
Now the real challenge begins for this go-where-no-Hoosier-has-gone-before program:
Win a national championship.
“The sky is the limit,” coach Teri Moren says. “There’s no ceiling.”
A program-first No. 1 NCAA tourney seed — coming off a 27-3 record and Big Ten regular-season title — reflects that.
“The resume we put together is because of (our players),” Moren says. “They’re responsible for the No. 1 seed.”
The Hoosiers will open Saturday against the Tennessee Tech (22-9)-Monmouth (18-15) winner at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. A victory earns them a Monday night game against either Miami of Florida (19-12) or Oklahoma State (21-11).
Winning that game would mean a trip to Greenville, S.C. for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. Win those and head to the Final Four in Dallas and, perhaps, a potential title-game shot at defending national champion South Carolina.
This team, as no Cream and Crimson team before (even with Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen appearances in the previous two seasons), is prepared for that.
“This group, with their talent, competitiveness and how businesslike they approach each game, can accomplish whatever they set their minds to,” Moren says. “We try to help prepare them as well as we can.”
Earning a top seed wasn’t a surprise given IU has spent much of the season ranked No. 2 behind South Carolina. Still, it’s a program first, and something veterans Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes didn’t expect as freshmen. They each described it as “surreal.”
“I never thought it would be possible,” Berger says.
While IU has thrived as never before, it retains the underdog mindset that helped it get to this point.
“We talk about it all the time, that we’ll never arrive,” Moren says. “Our players know this.
“We go into every practice with a plan on areas we know we have to improve on, and there’s a lot. We mix up what we do every day.”
It’s worked. IU dominated most of the season. A turnover-fueled performance at Michigan State resulted in their only loss until the regular-season finale at Iowa, when superstar Caitlin Clark beat them on an off-balance three-point buzzer beater.
Add blowing a 24-point halftime lead to Ohio State in the Big Ten tourney semifinals and you have plenty of work to do, with beating pressure defense topping the list.
Moren and her staff have addressed it.
“Offensively, we worked on how we attack pressure,” Moren says. “That’s going to happen. We know that. It’s how we handle ourselves.”
IU had a week after the Big Ten tourney to rest and prepare. It is guard strong with Berger, Chloe Moore-McNeil, Yarden Garzon, Sydney Parrish and Sara Scalia, which is crucial to postseason success. It also has one of the nation’s most dominant inside players in Holmes, the Big Ten defensive player of the year who produces double-doubles as few conference players ever have.
The Hoosiers used short, intense practices to refine and prepare for what’s coming.
“There are some things we identified, some things we had to talk about, rep and prep for,” Moren says. “Things that we expect we’ll see.”
Women’s parity has grown so that traditional powers such as UConn and Tennessee aren’t dominating, although three-time-national champ Stanford, with former Hoosier player Tara VanDerveer as coach, earned a No. 1 seed.
Even South Carolina didn’t emerge as a consistent national power until 2015, with its first NCAA title coming in 2017.
Like IU, ACC champ Virginia Tech (which lost to the Hoosiers in the 2018 WNIT title game) earned its first No. 1 seed. Utah, which won its first Pac-12 title, got a No. 2 seed, as did the Big Ten’s Maryland and Iowa. Louisiana State earned a No. 3 seed in IU’s bracket while Villanova got the No. 4 seed.
UConn also got a No. 2 seed.
“It’s cool to see get the different teams getting the No. 1 seeds,” Holmes says. “You look at the top five teams, in years past it was consistently the same teams. It’s good to see how much the game has grown with Utah and LSU up there in the rankings.”
Such parity, Moren says, is great for women’s basketball, and it’s reflected in large crowds for IU home games as well as many programs around the country.
“We have been waiting for this moment,” Moren says. “It’s changed everything. No offense to the Stanfords and UConns and South Carolinas. They’re all terrific programs to sustain what they’ve been able to do, but this is great for our game.”
Now IU hopes such greatness leads to a national title.
“To get that No. 1 seed, which has never happened,” Moren says, “is thrilling. We’re humbled by it and grateful for opportunity ahead of it.”
The Hoosiers also are grateful to potentially play in the Greenville regional and not Seattle.
“Nothing against Seattle,” Moren says, “but that’s a long trip. We’re thrilled with where we’re being sent. I think a great dose of sunshine is in our future — we hope.”
INDIANA SOFTBALL
HOOSIERS BEAT BELMONT, EXTEND WIN STREAK TO EIGHT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Indiana Softball (15-9) defeated Belmont (13-9), 10-6, and continued their win streak to eight after a dominant offensive performance at E.S. Rose Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
INDIANA 10, BELMONT 6
KEY MOMENTS
• Freshman Avery Parker got the offense going for the Hoosiers earning two RBI in the top of the second.
• The Hoosiers added three more runs behind an RBI double from sophomore Taylor Minnick. Teammate Brianna Copeland earned a base hit for two RBI for a 5-0 lead in the top of the third.
• Indiana continued the momentum into the bottom of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.
• Belmont would cut the lead after a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth, 5-1.
• IU picked right back up where they left off as Parker hits her second home run of the game for two RBI in the fifth. Senior Cora Bassett would earn an RBI after a foul out as freshman Cassidy Kettleman advanced home, 8-1.
• The Bruins scored on an RBI single to cut the lead 8-2 to close out the inning.
• Minnick went yard, hitting a leadoff homer up the middle, 9-2, before Indiana went three up, three down to close out the inning.
• Freshman Taryn Kern hit an RBI triple down the right field line in the top of the seventh. 10-2.
• In the bottom of the seventh, Belmont tagged on four runs, but sophomore Pitcher Heather Johnson would take the mound striking the batter out for the win.
NOTABLES
• Indiana improves to 14-9 on the season, winning eight straight games.
• Parker has four home runs on her career.
• Minnick went yard for the fourth time this season along with 22 RBI.
• Copeland advances to 7-0 inside the circle after five strikeouts against the Bruins. She has totaled 58 on the season.
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers head to Memphis, Tenn. for a tournament with Memphis and Northwestern State on Friday and Saturday.
INDIANA SWIMMING
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS ON DECK FOR NO. 10 IU WOMEN
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A year ago, Indiana women’s swimming and diving finished 11th nationally ahead of CSCAA and psych sheet projections with a young roster. It was the program’s 14th consecutive top-15 placement.
This week, the No. 10-ranked Hoosiers will look to build on its momentum with 12 qualified student-athletes and all five relays competing at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The action kicks off Wednesday night and runs through Saturday (March 15-18). Streaming is available via the ESPN Plus digital platform.
The meet starts with the 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay on opening night. Indiana is seeded within All-America position in both at No. 15 in the 200 medley relay (1:35.98) and No. 7 in the 800 freestyle relay (6:58.44). IU’s quartet of sophomore Anna Peplowski, sophomore Ching Hwee Gan, senior Mackenzie Looze and freshman Kristina Paegle set the program record in the 800 to win the Big Ten title a month ago.
Thursday marks the first full day of events, and IU has at least one athlete in each event. In the 500 free, Big Ten silver medalist Gan (4:38.96) is the 12th-fastest coming into the meet, while fellow sophomore Mariah Denigan comes in with a time of 4:40.52. The lone Hoosier in the 200 IM, Looze enters with a 1:56.52 seed though her personal best sits at 1:55.68 from 2022 Big Tens. Paegle’s 21.91 in the 50 free sits just a hundredth of a second off IU’s program record as she and senior Ashley Turak (22.00) race in the final individual swimming event of the day.
Diving enters the conversation on Thursday, beginning with IU’s most loaded event on the 1-meter springboard. Two-time Big Ten 1-meter Champion and junior Anne Fowler will lead the way, though sophomore Megan Carter has the team’s highest score in the event this season with a 351.60 at midseason. Fellow sophomore Skyler Liu joined Fowler and Carter on the podium at Big Tens, her first of three top-eight finishes that week. Carter, Liu and another sophomore, Alaina Heyde, are competing in their first NCAA Championships.
Thursday will conclude with the 200-yard freestyle relay, another program record set this season. Anna Peplowski, Paegle, Turak and junior Elizabeth Broshears won silver at Big Tens, going 1:27.70. The reordered lineup went .05 seconds faster than its previous program-best time at midseason.
Friday kicks off with three Hoosiers in the 400 IM; Looze (4:09.67), Mariah Denigan (4:11.25) and Ching Hwee Gan (4:14.00), who have all gone faster than their seed times. Anna Peplowski, a top-15 seed in all three of her events, will race her highest seeded event in the 200-yard freestyle. The Big Ten Swimmer of the Championships set a program record in 1:43.33 to win gold at the conference meet and capture the No. 7 slot entering this week. Freshman Kristina Paegle (1:46.69) will also race the event.
Peplowski will swim again Friday in the 100 back, where she is the No. 14 seed with a time of 51.62. The current program record sits at 51.05. Between those events, Anna’s sister, senior Noelle Peplowski, and fellow sophomore Brearna Crawford will compete in the 100-yard breaststroke, boasting seed times of 59.10 and 59.86, respectively.
Fowler and Liu will return for the 3-meter dive competition after both medaled at the conference meet. Matching their medal finishes, Fowler and Liu were the Nos. 1 and 3 qualifiers out of Zone C.
Indiana is the No. 8-seed in the 400-yard medley relay, Friday’s final event. The Peplowski sisters led off the Big Ten silver medal swim, anchored by Broshears and Paegle. The group went 3:29.82.
The final day projects to be IU’s most rewarding with five top-15 seeded swims. A year ago, the Hoosiers jumped four spots on Saturday.
In the 1,650-yard freestyle, Gan (15:56.55) and Denigan (15:57.82) are the Nos. 8 and 10 seeds. Then, Peplowski will close her meet as the No. 13 seed in the 200 back, going 1:51.81 in her Big Ten title swim. In the 100 free to follow, Paegle (48.15) and Turak (48.66) will swim with the program record 47.84 in sight.
Noelle Peplowski became the second-fastest 200 breaststroke swimmer in program history when she touched in 2:05.52 at midseason. The Big Ten champ is one of three Hoosiers in the 200 breast, joined by Looze (2:08.58) and Crawford (2:06.86). Both Looze and Crawford have career-best times faster than their seeds.
Fowler and Liu will finish in the platform diving event. Liu was spectacular in her platform performance at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships on Saturday, finishing as the top qualifier. The sophomore totaled a 690.60 scored over her 10 dives, 40.25 better than the runner-up.
The meet ends with the 400 freestyle relay, IU’s third program record in a relay this season. Anna Peplowski, Turak, sophomore Ella Ristic and Paegle went 3:13.45 at midseason before going 3:14.71 with Paegle and Looze anchoring at Big Tens.
INDIANA MEN’S GOLF
INDIANA TIES FOR FOURTH AT SEMINOLE INTERCOLLEGIATE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Indiana men’s golf team tied for fourth place at the Seminole Intercollegiate after shooting an 895 (296-297-302; +31) at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday.
No. 6 Florida State, the host of the tournament, earned the decisive team victory in the event after shooting an 850 (-14) to clear the field by nearly 40 strokes.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Seminole Intercollegiate • Tallahassee, Fla.
Seminole Legacy Golf Club
Par 72 • 7,505 yards
Live Scoring via GolfStat
Team Standings: t-4th/15 – 895 (296-297-302; +31)
Top Indiana Player: Drew Salyers – 216 (70-71-75; E)
CHIP-INS
• Junior Drew Salyers shot a Hoosier-best 216 (70-71-75; E) to tie for sixth place in the event. He tallied a team-high nine birdies across the three rounds.
• Fifth-year senior Mitch Davis compiled a three-round tally of 224 (74-75-75; +8). He converted six birdie tries in the two-day tournament.
• In his return to the lineup, fifth-year senior Thomas Hursey turned in a scorecard of 226 (74-74-78; +10). He was credited with seven birdies in the tournament with five coming on the back nine.
• Senior Noah Gillard played his tournament at 232 (78-77-77; +16). He notched two birdies in each of the three rounds for a total of six.
• Senior Eric Berggren played his Florida rounds at 234 (78-81-75; +18). He charted three of his four birdie makes in the final round of play.
• Fifth-year senior Harry Reynolds, playing as an individual, shot a 230 (72-77-81; +14) for the week. He wrote in one eagle and six birdies to his scorecard.
HOOSIERS IN THE STANDINGS
t-6. Drew Salyers – 216 (70-71-75; E)
t-18. Mitch Davis – 224 (74-75-75; +8)
t-27. Thomas Hursey – 226 (74-74-78; +10)
t-46. Harry Reynolds – 230 (72-77-81; +14)
t-56. Noah Gillard – 232 (78-77-77; +16)
t-62. Eric Berggren – 234 (78-81-75; +18)
UP NEXT
Indiana will host the Hoosier Collegiate from the Pfau Course on April 8-9. The regular season finale will be played at the Fighting Illini Collegiate from April 22-24.
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EDEY NAMED AP ALL-AMERICAN; PAINTER HONORED BY USBWA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue’s Zach Edey and head coach Matt Painter both picked up awards today from the Associated Press and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Edey was voted a first-team All-American by the Associated Press, being the only unanimous selection among the 58 voters. It marks his second, first-team All-America selection after earning a spot on the Sporting News’ first team. Two more by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and USBWA will come out Wednesday.
Should he receive All-America honors from those two organizations, Edey will be a consensus All-American, giving the Boilermakers consensus All-Americans with different players in back-to-back years for the first time in modern history. Jaden Ivey was a consensus All-American in 2022.
Edey has already been announced as a semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year and Wooden Award, as well as the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the nation’s top center. Edey is considered a front-runner to win all the major awards this season.
He was named named the USBWA District V Player of the Year, the organization announced today.
Edey has already won National Player of the Year honors by The Sporting News and Big Ten Player of the Year accolades after helping Purdue to a Big Ten regular-season title and a No. 1 national ranking for seven weeks. He becomes Purdue’s first recipient of National Player of the Year honors since Glenn Robinson in 1994.
Earlier this season, Edey joined an exclusive list of Boilermakers to win the Big Ten Player of the Year, joining the late Caleb Swanigan (2017), JaJuan Johnson (2011), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Steve Scheffler (1990) as winners of the league’s top honor.
Edey has also been named to the Sporting News’ first-team All-America squad. Should he be named All-American by the AP, the USBWA and NABC, Edey would become Purdue’s fourth consensus All-American in the last seven years, joining Swanigan (2017), Carsen Edwards (2019) and Jaden Ivey (2022).
Edey, a 7-foot, 4-inch center from Toronto, currently averages 22.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.6 assists per game while shooting almost 60 percent from the field and nearly 75 percent from the free throw line – ranking sixth nationally in scoring and second in rebounds. He also leads the country with 26 double-doubles.
He is one of just two Big Ten players in league history to have at least 700 points and 400 rebounds in a season is close to becoming the first player in NCAA history with 750 points, 450 rebounds, 50 blocks and 50 assists in a season (assists became an official NCAA statistic in 1983-84).
His eight games of 30 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a major-college player in the last 20 years, surpassing Blake Griffin’s and Kevin Durant’s seven games of 30 and 10.
Edey became the second player in Big Ten history and the first since Ohio State’s Gary Bradds in 1963-64 to lead the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, and he is one of just nine players (Blake Griffin, Ike Diogu, Antawn Jamison, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Gary Bradds) to lead a major-college conference in all three categories in NCAA history. Griffin was the last to do so in 2009.
Edey was also named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award and earned a spot on the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team.
Meanwhile, Painter was named the USBWA District V Coach of the Year after leading the Boilermakers to a 29-5 overall record, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years, the school’s 25th regular-season Big Ten Championship and the second Big Ten Tournament title.
Purdue started the season unranked and picked to finish in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten standings, but quickly made an impact in November, winning the Phil Knight Legacy with wins over West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke. It went from unranked to ranked No. 1 in just 34 days, the quickest ascent to No. 1 in AP Poll history.
The Boilermakers achieved a No. 1 ranking in the country for the second straight season and were ranked No. 1 in the country for a nation’s-best seven weeks during the year. Purdue owns 19 quad-1 and quad-2 wins, the second-highest total in the country. Since the start of last season, Purdue’s 58 wins are the fourth-most nationally and the most in a two-year span in school history. The Boilermakers have achieved their most success away from Mackey Arena, posting a 15-3 record in road and neutral-site games. In addition, Purdue owns 17 wins this year against teams ranked in the KenPom top 50, easily the most in the country.
Painter was named the Associated Press’ co-Coach of the Year in the Big Ten Conference and was the 2019 NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) National Coach of the Year.
TOP-SEEDED BOILERMAKERS BEGIN NCAA TOURNAMENT JOURNEY FRIDAY
GAMEDAY INFO
Friday, March 17, 2023 | 6:50 p.m. ET
[1] Purdue (29-5) vs. [16] Fairleigh Dickinson (19-15)
– OR – [16] Texas Southern (14-20)
Columbus, Ohio | Nationwide Arena (19,500)
TELEVISION: TNT | RADIO: Purdue Sports Network
ANNOUNCERS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Jamie Erdahl
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Earning the East Region’s top seed, the No. 3-ranked Purdue Boilermakers will begin their NCAA Tournament journey on Friday evening when it faces the winner of Wednesday’s First Four game between Fairleigh Dickinson and Texas Southern. The Boilermakers enter March Madness as winners of five straight games and with the most wins by a major-college program entering the NCAA Tournament with a 29-5 record.
• Purdue has earned its fourth No. 1 seed in school history and its first since the 1996 season. Purdue is 6-3 all-time as the No. 1 seed advancing to the Elite 8 in 1994 and the Sweet 16 in 1988. Purdue is one of just two schools to earn top-5 seeds in each of the last seven NCAA Tournaments (Kansas).
• Purdue owns a 58-13 record since the start of last season. The 58 wins over a two-year span are the most in school history and Purdue needs one win to tie the season-school record of 30 (2018). Since the start of last year, Purdue’s 58 wins lead the Big Ten by 13 victories (Iowa – 45).
• Purdue is battle-tested, having won 17 games against the KenPom top-50, the most in the country (Kansas, Alabama, Texas – 14).
• The Boilermakers are 7-0 in neutral-site games, having defeated four teams that are in the NCAA Tournament (West Virginia, Gonzaga, Duke, Penn State). In seven neutral-site games, Zach Edey is averaging 25.0 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
• Purdue is 15-3 overall away from Mackey Arena, ranking 11th in offensive efficiency and 16th in defensive efficiency nationally away from home. Purdue’s 15 wins are tied for second nationlly behind Iona’s 16 wins away from home.
• The Boilermakers are 12-4 against the NCAA Tournament field, including 4-0 against teams in the East Region (Marquette, Duke, Michigan State twice). Purdue’s 12 wins against the field are the third most nationally (Kansas, Alabama – 14).
• Purdue became the 10th Big Ten team in league history to win both the regular-season and tournament titles. Of the previous nine, five of the teams reached the Final Four (2019 – Michigan State; 2015 – Wisconsin; 2007 – Ohio State; 2005 – Illinois; 1999 – Michigan State).
• Purdue finished the season ranked No. 3 in the final AP Top 25 poll, matching its highest final ranking in school history (1988). Purdue spent the last 16 weeks this season in the Top 5, more than double its previous longest streak in the Top 5 (2022 season – 7 weeks). Purdue was unranked at the start of the season, but ascended to No. 1 faster than anyone in AP Top 25 poll history (34 days).
• Matt Painter will be coaching in his 15th NCAA Tournament, ranking eighth among active coaches. He is the youngest of the group at just 52 years old. Among the group, Kansas’ Bill Self and Gonzaga’s Mark Few are the next-youngest coaches at 60 years old.
• Purdue has finished in the top three of the Big Ten standings in seven of the last nine seasons, with three Big Ten titles (2023, 2019, 2017).
• Zach Edey has became the third player in the last 30 years to accumulate at least 700 points, 400 rebounds, 60 blocks and 50 assists in a season (Arizona’s DeAndre Ayton – 2017-18; Utah’s Andrew Bogut – 2004-05). He is one of two players in Big Ten history with at least 700 points and 400 rebounds in a season (Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas in 1960).
• Zach Edey has eight 30-10 games this season, the most for a major-college player in the last 20 years surpassing Marvin Bagley (Duke) and Kevin Durant (Texas). His eight 30-10 games are more than the rest of the Big Ten combined this season (6).
• Zach Edey is sixth nationally in scoring (22.3 PPG) and second in rebounding (12.8). He is one of five high-major players over the last 25 seasons to rank in the top 10 in both categories (Luke Harangody, Michael Beasley, Kevin Durant, Troy Murphy).
• Braden Smith has become the fourth freshman in Big Ten history to have at least 330 points, 140 rebounds and 140 assists in a season joining Michigan State’s Magic Johnson (1978), and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell (2015) and JaQuan Lyle (2016).
• Purdue’s freshman duo of Fletcher Loyer (371) and Braden Smith (333) have combined for 704 points, the third-highest freshman scoring duo in school history (2008 Robbie Hummel, E’Twaun Moore – 813 points; 2013 A.J. Hammons, Ronnie Johnson – 709 points).
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
#11 PURDUE TAKES ON #11 ST. JOHN’S IN FIRST FOUR ON THURSDAY
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team is set for to return to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time in program history and first since the 2017 edition on Thursday night when the 11th-seeded Boilermakers square off with 11th-seed St. John’s in the Seattle 3 Region First Four at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, at 7 p.m.
Sam Gore and Kim Adams will have the call on ESPN2. Tim Newton and Jane Schott make their return to the postseason for the Purdue Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.
The winner of Thursday’s First Four showdown will take on No. 6 seed North Carolina on Saturday at 4 p.m. Site host and No. 3 seed Ohio State plays No. 14 James Madison at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 11 Purdue (19-10) vs. No. 11 St. John’s (22-8)
Thursday, March 16
Time: 7 PM
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: NCAA.com
BACK IN THE DANCE
Purdue has a 47-25 all-time record in March Madness. Led by Carolyn Peck, the Boilermakers won the 1999 national title, the only women’s basketball championship earned by a Big Ten program. In addition to the championship, Purdue has reached two title games (2001 loss to Notre Dame), three Final Fours, eight Elite Eights and 12 Sweet 16s. Six Boilermakers have been named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team, including 1999 Most Outstanding Player Ukari Figgs. Eighteen players have garnered NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team honors, with Katie Gearlds garnering the laurel in 2007.
NOTES
• St. John’s edged Purdue 68-62 in the 2018 Paradise Jam, the lone prior matchup between the two clubs.
• Head coach Katie Gearlds joined Purdue legends Lin Dunn and Carolyn Peck as the only Boilermaker head coaches to improve Purdue’s win totals in each of their first two seasons in West Lafayette. Purdue was +10 last in 2020-21 and +2 this season.
• Jeanae Terry is one of three players (Caitlin Clark – Iowa, Olivia Miles – Notre Dame) to average six points, rebounds and assists in the nation this season. Terry is just the 13th player since 2009 to record 225 rebounds, 180 assists and 60 steals in a season.
• The transfer portal has benefited the Boilermakers this season as the four players who started their careers elsewhere – Petree, Harper, Ellis and Terry – have accounted for 60% of the team’s scoring, 50% of rebounds, 62% of assists and 59% of steals.
• Abbey Ellis has made her last 19 free throws and 36 of her last 37 to reach 91% at the line on the year, ranking eighth nationally.
• Purdue is 17-0 when holding a team to 65 points or fewer this season, while going 2-10 when giving up 66 points or more.
• Cassidy Hardin will play her 142nd career game on Thursday, the most by any Purdue men’s or women’s player in history.
• The Boilermakers have already won a game this season in Value City Arena. Purdue downed no. 2 Ohio State 73-65 for the program’s first AP top-5 win on the road.
• Abbey Ellis has finished in double figures in 15 games with four outings of 20 points or more.
• Caitlyn Harper is 1-of-6 players in the Big Ten averaging over 10 points per game while shooting 55% or better from the field.
• Cassidy Hardin postponed her start to medical school to return to Purdue for a final season with one goal in mind – to reach the NCAA Tournament.
• Jayla Smith’s game-winning 3-pointer against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament was spurred a career-high 16-point performance the next day against Iowa in the quarterfinals.
PURDUE BASEBALL
PURDUE HOSTS NIU TO OPEN HOME SEASON AT ALEXANDER
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Northern Illinois (3-12) at Purdue (8-7)
Wednesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET / Watch B1G+
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
Midweek Deal: $3 GA Tickets, Hot Dogs, Popcorn, Nachos & Beers
Probable Starting Pitchers: Khal Stephen (So, RHP) vs. NIU’s Connor Lutes (So, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 6-1
All-Time in West Lafayette: Purdue leads 4-0
2022: Purdue 17, NIU 14 (April 5 in West Lafayette)
First Meeting: Purdue 2, NIU 0 (March 1999 at Lambert Field)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball’s first week of action back home again (in the state of) Indiana begins with Wednesday’s home opener as the Boilermakers host Northern Illinois for the first of 24 dates at Alexander Field this spring.
First pitch is set for 4 p.m. as part of the $3 midweek matchup promotion. General admission tickets, hot dogs, popcorn, nachos and domestic canned beers are specially priced at $3 for all Tuesday and Wednesday games at Alexander.
The streaming schedule on Big Ten Network’s B1G+ app and website also begins Wednesday. Thirty-one of Purdue’s remaining 39 regular-season games are slated to be streamed on B1G+. Excluding TV games on BTN or ESPNU, the B1G+ streaming slate features all home games and Big Ten road games. Fans can sign up for a Purdue monthly school pass for $9.95 per month. Viewers connected to the internet network of any Big Ten university receive complimentary access to B1G+.
Last season’s Purdue-NIU game at Alexander Field was a midweek slugfest, featuring a combined 31 runs on 29 hits and eight errors on a rainy day in early April. It was the highest-scoring game in the history of Alexander, a benchmark that was matched later that week in a 16-15 win vs. Indiana. There were 108 combined runs scored over five games from April 5-10, easily the highest scoring week since Alexander opened in 2013.
The Boilermakers were 13-9 at home and 5-3 in midweek action last season. They have 10 midweek dates on the schedule this year, including eight at home.
Wednesday’s March 15 date makes the game the fourth-earliest home opener in program history.
Khal Stephen is set to start on the mound Wednesday for what should be an abbreviated outing. He’ll become the ninth Purdue pitcher since 1998 to start both the season opener and home opener.
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Cam Thompson – 22-game on-base streak at Alexander Field, 6-game on-base streak in all games
• Evan Albrecht – 18-game on-base streak in all games dating back to the end of 2022
• Jo Stevens – 11-game hit streak
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 8-game on-base streak at Alexander Field, 7-game on-base streak in all games
• Paul Toetz – 7-game on-base streak in all games
• CJ Valdez – 6-game on-base streak in all games
Northern Illinois is the second of four Mid-American Conference schools on the Boilermakers’ schedule this season. They took three of four vs. Akron earlier this month, will host MAC preseason favorite Ball State on April 18 at Alexander, and will host Miami (Ohio) for the first time since 2003 the following week.
NIU dropped its midweek opener at Minnesota 5-3 in a game played inside U.S. Bank Stadium on March 7. The Huskies were also competitive in a Feb. 24 doubleheader with Penn State at the USA Baseball Complex in the Raleigh area. The Nittany Lions swept the twinbill 7-3 and 5-1. Purdue and NIU were both on the same flight home from Raleigh-Durham to Chicago’s Midway Airport that weekend.
The Boilermakers have 31 in-state games on their schedule this season, including this weekend’s three-game set at Evansville. Friday’s series opener at UE’s Braun Stadium has already been moved up to 4 p.m. ET due to cold temperatures in the forecast.
EARLIEST HOME OPENERS IN PURDUE HISTORY
*Home-Opening Doubleheader
• 2022: March 10 vs Bellarmine – W, 8-4
• 2019: March 12 vs Milwaukee – L, 6-1
• 1996: March 13 vs Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) – L, 7-0
• 1992: March 16 vs Ball State* – W, 9-0
• 1991: March 16 vs Saint Joseph’s (Ind.)* – L, 2-1
• 1994: March 17 vs Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) – W, 3-0
• 1990: March 17 vs Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) – L, 5-3
• 2015: March 18 vs Valparaiso – W, 2-0
• 1998: March 18 vs Valparaiso – W, 5-4
• 1993: March 18 vs Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) – W, 8-0
BUTLER WOMEN’S GOLF
BUTLER WOMEN’S GOLF FINISHES TENTH AT SPRING BREAK SHOOTOUT
The Bulldogs posted a tenth-place finish at the Spring Break Shootout, which concluded Tuesday in Dade City, Fla.
The event was co-hosted by Florida Gulf Coast and Western Kentucky at the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.
The teams played 36 holes Monday followed by a final 18 Tuesday. After rounds of 305 and 292 Monday, the Bulldogs put up a score of 312 in the final round. The Bulldogs finished the 54-hole event at 909 (+57).
Western Kentucky (862, +10) and Florida Gulf Coast (868, +16) took the top two spots on the leaderboard. There were a total of 16 teams in the field. Butler finished 15 shots in front of BIG EAST foe St. John’s, which finished 13th.
Freshman Kelli Scheck was the top-finishing Bulldog at 220 (+7). She placed in a tie for 16th. Her four-under 67 in Monday’s second round – which matched a program record – was sandwiched between rounds of 77 and 76.
Alaina Bowie (227; tied for 37th), Katie Steinman (230; tied for 51st), Cybil Stillson (237; tied for 74th), and Madalin Small (244, 81st) were also in the line-up for the Bulldogs. The best Tuesday round from the group belonged to Small, who carded a 77.
Gianna Medica, playing as an individual, was 90th at 264.
Morehead State’s Ruth Toennessen earned medalist honors at 210 (-3); she was three shots better than Arkansas State’s Olivia Schmidt (even-par 213).
Next up for the Bulldogs is a trip to Richmond, Ky., for the Colonel Classic April 3-4. That is one of two regular season tournaments remaining for the Bulldogs prior to the 2023 BIG EAST Championships April 17-19.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BUTLER SOFTBALL HEADS TO PURDUE FORT WAYNE FOR MIDWEEK CONTEST
The Butler softball team travels to Fort Wayne on Wednesday for a midweek game against Purdue Fort Wayne. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. The Bulldogs (7-18) are coming off a three-game sweep of DePaul, while the Mastodons (5-15) most recently suffered a 10-1 loss at Indiana.
Bulldog Bits
(as of 3/12/23)
Kieli Ryan has thrown out 8 runners attempting to steal. She sits atop the BIG EAST and is 10th nationally in that category. With 6 doubles, she ranks fourth in the conference in doubles per game.
Monique Hoosen leads the BIG EAST (80th nationally) with 5 home runs. With 18 for her career, she is 7th on Butler’s all-time list.
Kaylee Gross has four sacrifice bunts this season, which ranks second in the BIG EAST in per-game average.
vs. DePaul
Kaylee Gross batted .778 in the three-game series, going 7-for-9 with five runs scored. She also stole three bases. In game three, she produced a career-high four hits.
Sydney Carter went 4-for-7 (.571) with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored in the three-game series.
Paige Dorsett had four RBI in the three-game series, going 5-for-10 with a game-winning home run in game one.
Kieli Ryan produced four RBI off four hits, including three doubles, in the three-game series.
Mackenzie Griman tallied a 0.88 ERA, a complete-game win, and an additional save in the series.
Sydney Cammon’s win in the circle was her first at Butler after transferring for graduate school.
Butler scored a season-high 13 runs in game three. The previous high was nine (3/4 – Loyola-Chicago).
SCOUTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE (5-15, 0-0 Horizon League)
Series: Purdue Fort Wayne leads, 11-9-1
last game- 4/19/22 – Fort Wayne, Ind. – Butler 3, Purdue Fort Wayne 0
Butler has won the last three meetings, in 2017, 2019, and 2022
In 2011 & 2012, Purdue Fort Wayne won four straight
2023 wins include: Green Bay, Bowling Green, Rhode Island, Eastern Kentucky
2023 losses include: #11 Virginia Tech, Indiana, Wisconsin, Miami (Ohio),
Purdue Fort Wayne vs. (opponents)
runs: 47-96
hits: 103-145
RBI: 40-83
SB: 18-48
ERA: 5.68-2.39
Batting Leaders:
Grace Hollopeter (.328) 4 HR, 11 RBI
Taryn Jenkins (.315) 2 HR, 12 RBI
Bailey Manos (.271) 7 SB
Pitching Leaders:
Alyson Quinlan (1-4) 3.18 ERA, 32 K
Alanah Jones (3-7) 5.53 ERA, 55 K
Gracie Brinkerhoff (1-3) 10.12 ERA
IUPUI SWIMMING
THREE JAGUARS NAMED AMONG TOP 100; FOURTH EARNS ELITE 50 HONORS
INDIANAPOLIS – Three student-athletes were recently selected among IUPUI’s Top 100 students with a fourth being honored among the university’s Elite 50. Nick Dibley (men’s swimming), Sam Slimak (women’s soccer) and Alex Stocker (women’s soccer) were named among the Top 100 while Sarah Lounsbury (women’s tennis) was selected to the Elite 50.
Dibley earned the Top 100 Award for a second straight year while Slimak and Stocker were first-time honorees.
To be eligible for the Top 100, individuals must be enrolled juniors and seniors who are in good standing with the university and are seeking their first bachelor’s degree from the IUPUI campus. To be considered, the individuals must also have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 and have completed 56 credit hours towards their degree. At least 25 of those hours must have been completed on the Indianapolis campus as of the fall semester.
The Top 100 Outstanding Students Recognition Dinner will be held on Apr. 14 at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.
Lounsbury was chosen among IUPUI’s Elite 50 which recognizes the top graduate and professional students who demonstrate excellence beyond the classroom in areas such as leadership, scholarly work and community engagement.
The Elite 50 Award Banquet will be held on Apr. 11 at the IUPUI Campus Center.
IUPUI WOMEN’S TENNIS
JAGUARS SWEEP TWO MATCHES AGAINST SALVE REGINA
ORLANDO – The IUPUI women’s tennis team opened its Spring Break trip with a pair of 7-0 wins over Salve Regina University on Tuesday (Mar. 14), defeating the Seahawks by identical 7-0 scores. The wins extended IUPUI’s winning streak to three straight matches.
IUPUI (5-8) was originally scheduled to face Hardin-Simmons in the morning, but had the match washed out due to inclement weather. Head coach Pawel Gajdzik’s team had to shift on the fly, opting to play the Rhode Island-based Salve Regina squad in a doubleheader after the weather cleared.
The Jaguars overwhelmed their opponent from the outset, beginning with a clean sweep of doubles play for the day’s initial point. Meghan Bernard and Samantha Hayward won 6-1 at No. 1 doubles while Emma Dell and Makenzie Myers won at No. 2, 6-2. Sarah Lounsbury and Marta Krakowski authored a perfect 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles.
All six singles matches were decided in straight sets as Bernard won at No. 1, 6-1, 6-2 and Myers won at No. 2 , 6-0, 6-0. Dell was victorious at No. 3 6-1, 6-1 and Hayward won at No. 4, 6-0, 6-1.
Grace Lampman and Sarah Lounsbury won at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively, each by 6-0, 6-0 scores.
The second match was much of the same as the Jags utilized the same doubles teams and all three rolled to 6-0 wins.
Myers moved to No. 1 singles and won 6-1, 6-0 while Bernard won at No. 2, 6-0, 6-0. Hayward moved to No. 3 and responded with a 6-1, 6-3 win and Dell was victorious at No. 4, 6-0, 6-0. Lounsbury won at No. 5, 6-0, 6-0 and Lampman cruised at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0.
IUPUI is slated to compete again on Friday, Mar. 17 when the Jaguars take on Aquinas College in Orlando.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S GOLF
DRISCOLL, BOYD LEAD BALL STATE AT SPRING BREAK SHOOTOUT
DADE CITY, Fla. – The Ball State women’s golf team returned to the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club – South Course for the final round of the Spring Break Shootout on Tuesday. Jasmine Driscoll and Madelin Boyd led the Cardinals and tied for 37th.
“We competed well this week but made a few too many mistakes to compete with the best teams,” said Head Coach Cameron Andry. “We are close to breaking through. We are playing the way we need to play for longer stretches, now it’s a matter of putting it together for entire rounds.”
Driscoll moved up two spots on the leaderboard with a final-round score of 75 (+4). She recorded her first ever hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh. She produced a tournament total of 227 (+14) and tied for 37th. She notched four birdies to go along with her hole-in-one for the tournament.
Boyd posted a final-round mark of 77 (+6) with one birdie. She finished tied for 37th with a 227 (+14). She collected four birdies across the three rounds.
Kiah Parrott tallied a tournament total of 228 (+15) with three birdies across the three days. She notched a final round of 76 (+5) with two birdies. She finished tied for 44th.
Sarah Gallagher tied for 48th with a 229 (+16). She tallied a final-round mark of 77 (+6) with one birdie. She produced three birdies for the tournament.
Payton Bennett moved up one spot in the final standings into 79th. She posted a final round of 80 (+9) and finished with a 242 (+29). She had three birdies across the three rounds.
The Cardinals return to the course on Monday, April 3, for round one of the EKU Colonel Classic on the University Club at Arlington.
Team Standings
1. Western Kentucky – 862 (+10)
2. Florida Gulf Coast – 868 (+16)
3. Troy – 872 (+20)
4. Morehead State – 879 (+27)
T5. Jacksonville State – 883 (+31)
T5. Arkansas State – 883 (+31)
7. Stetson – 898 (+46)
8. Seminole State – 905 (+53)
9. Toledo – 906 (+54)
10. Butler – 909 (+57)
11. Ball State – 911 (+59)
12. Loyola – 913 (+61)
13. St. John’s – 924 (+72)
14. Akron – 926 (+74)
15. Oakland – 931 (+79)
16. Ohio – 952 (+100)
BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
PEYTON YORK JOINS CARDINAL COACHING STAFF
MUNCIE, Ind. – Josh Rife and the Ball State women’s soccer team announced the addition of Peyton York to the 2023 coaching staff.
York joins the Cardinals after spending the last four seasons at Mississippi State as a student assistant coach. In the spring of 2018, she mentored Katie Moore and Emily Samisch, as well as led goalkeeper workouts. Prior to becoming a student assistant, York was a member of the 2018 signing class.
The Prosper, Texas, native has a variety of volunteer coaching experience, including instruction at MSU soccer camps over two summers. She has coached in the youth recreation league in her hometown and offered private training sessions in the past. York has worked striker and goalkeeper camps for In the Box Soccer in Texas for three years as well as U.K. Elite Soccer Camps.
York arrived in Starkville after a standout career at Prosper High School where she collected 54 career shutouts in just three seasons, including 22 as a sophomore on her way to being named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year in 2015-16.
From Head Coach Josh Rife
“I’m excited to have Peyton join our staff. She has a great combination of high-level soccer experience and knowledge as well as genuine interest in developing the student-athlete as a whole. Not only will our goalkeepers benefit from being coached by Peyton, but our program as a whole will continue to be elevated with her joining our staff.”
From Assistant Coach Peyton York
“I am incredibly excited for this next step and opportunity with the women’s soccer program at Ball State University. I am so appreciative of Coach Rife for the opportunity, and the entirety of the staff and athletics department for being so welcoming. I am eagerly looking forward to establishing relationships with the players and athletic department. I am so fortunate to have the chance to contribute to continuing this program’s success on and off the field!”
From Mississippi State Head Coach James Armstrong
“Peyton has been an integral part of the Mississippi State Program over the last four years. Her character, work ethic, and knowledge ensures that Ball State is adding someone who will make a really positive impact on the program.”
BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL PLAYS RIVAL OHIO STATE IN HOME AND AWAY SERIES THIS WEEK
Scouting Ohio State and Ball State: The Cardinals face their longest rival to date on Wednesday in Muncie, Ind. at 7 pm ET in Worthen Arena. Ohio State enters the contest ranked 15th nationally with an 11-8 overall mark and a 4-2 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) ledger. The Cardinals are tied for a 12th place ranking alongside California State Northridge. Ball State enters the contest owning an 11-7 overall mark and a 4-2 MIVA record. The Buckeyes and the Cardinals have met 191 times since Feb. 17, 1968 with the Buckeyes owning a 101-90 advantage. The teams met twice in 2022, with Ball State sweeping the home and away series, winning 3-2 in Columbus March 16, 2023 and March 19 by a score of 3-1 in Muncie. The Buckeyes are led offensively by Jacob Pasteur again this season with 254 kills. Ohio State has lost its last four contests.
Cardinal Recap: Ball State is coming off a long spring break trip out west where the Cardinals finished 1-2 through their three matches. Ball State played highly ranked Long Beach State and Grand Canyon University. The Cardinals took a five-set match while in California over UC San Diego that saw Kaleb Jenness lead the way with 21-kills. Ball State did take a set from Long Beach State losing 3-1 and got swept by GCU, 3-0.
MIVA Action: With only eight matches remaining in MIVA action the Cardinals are knotted for third with the Buckeyes as both teams are 4-2 in conference action. Loyola Chicago leads the MIVA with an unblemished 8-0 mark while Lindenwood sits at 5-2. The Cardinals fell at Loyola Chicago 3-1 Feb. 16 and will have a rematch April 6 at 7 pm ET in Worthen Arena. Ball State did beat Lindenwood in a five-set thriller, Feb. 24 in St. Charles, Mo., the second match of that series will played in Muncie March 25 at 6 pm ET.
Club Volleyball Night: Tonight’s game promotion is Club Volleyball Night. The Cardinals will recognize Munciana Club Volleyball for its 50th-year anniversary. Munciana began as one team in 1974 and has grown into the longest running and one of the most successful clubs in America.Delaware County, home of Munciana Volleyball is considered one of the top three volleyball counties in the country. We field teams in all age divisions from 10U-18U at the Open, National, and Regional levels, plus a TNT team of young players new to the game.
Next Match: The Cardinals play at Ohio State Saturday for a 7 pm ET first serve in Columbus, Ohio. After that, Ball State returns home next weekend to host Quincy March 24 at 7 pm ET.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
BISCHEL NAMED GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR; OTHERS EARN B1G HONORS
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced its 2022-23 regular season awards Tuesday, with a trio of Irish icers highlighting the honors. The conference leader in saves, save percentage (min. three games played), and minutes played, Ryan Bischel was named to the All-B1G First Team and was voted Goaltender of the Year by head coaches across the league. Graduate student and team captain Nick Leivermann also picked up All-Big Ten honors as honorable mention while junior Landon Slaggert was awarded the Sportsmanship Award.
The Bischel Breakdown
In 24 conference games played, Bischel led all netminders in saves, stopping 831 shots en route to a 10-10-4 record in Big Ten games. He also recorded a league-best .938 save percentage while leading the conference in minutes played, spending 1,443:18 between the pipes against Big Ten foes.
The senior from Medina, Minnesota, started all 37 games for the Irish in 2022-23, boasting a 16-16-5 while finishing with an overall save percentage of .931, ranked second nationally. His 1,183 saves led all collegiate netminders while his .934 save percentage to close out the regular season was a nation’s best among DI goaltenders.
Bischel wrote his name into the all-time program records book in 2022-23, finishing second in Irish history in season saves, behind Lance Madson (1988-89) with 1,288. The senior’s final save percentage of .931 was second-best in program history, behind Cale Morris and Dylan St. Cyr, both of whom he split time with in the crease during his first two seasons with the Irish.
In addition to his Goaltender of the Year and First Team honors, Bischel was named star of the game on 15 occasions this season, while adding four weekly conference honors to his resume. A Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate, and Mike Richter Award semifinalist, Bischel becomes the first Irish netminder to earn conference Goaltender of the Year honors since Morris in 2017-18, and first All-Big Ten First Team honoree since Bobby Nardella in 2018-19.
The Leivermann File
The Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native concluded his five-year Irish career as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention following a strong season at the blueline. The graduate senior appeared in 29 games for the Blue and Gold in 2022-23, leading all defensemen with 20 points off six goals and 14 assists. His 14 helpers were tied for second-best on the team, and first among defensemen while his 20 points tied for third among all Irish skaters.
In five years with the Irish, Leivermann tallied 78 points in 147 games played. Over his tenure at Notre Dame he lit the lamp 23 times while adding 55 assists to his tally and recorded his second-best point total in his final season.
The Slaggert Stats
Slaggert was named a recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for his contributions both on and off the ice this season. An assistant captain in 2022-23, his performance on the ice this season included 35 games played registering seven goals and six assists for 13 total points.
Outside of the rink, Slaggert is heavily involved in his hometown community of South Bend, helping with the Irish Youth Hockey League and participating in many events at the local elementary schools. In addition to his time with the area youth, Slaggert is a member of the Leadership Council at Notre Dame and serves as the team representative on the Student-Athlete Steering Committee with Notre Dame Athletics Director Jack Swarbrick.
Previous Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winners include Graham Slaggert (2022), Matt Hellickson (2021), Cal Burke (2019 & 2020), and Andrew Oglevie (2018).
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
MITCHELL NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior infielder Joley Mitchell was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Week for her efforts last week. This is the first Player of the Week award for Mitchell in her career, as she joins junior Carlli Kloss as members of the Fighting Irish who have earned the conference’s weekly award.
The third baseman finished last weekend at a .636 batting average, going 7-for-11 with a pair of home runs and led the team with six RBI. She scored two runs and was a key piece of the Irish offense in the series win over NC State. Mitchell finished 3-for-5 with runners on base, and was a perfect 3-for-3 with runners on third and less than two outs. She was also errorless in the field as the Irish defense went a full series without committing an error for the first time since 2019.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
IRISH TAKE DOWN SAINT JOSEPH’S IN MIDWEEK MATCHUP
HOLLY SPRINGS, NC – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish advance to 7-6 on the season after taking down the St. Joseph’s Hawks 6-3 on Tuesday, March 14, at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, NC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hawks struck first, scoring two runs from deep hits down the left field line and right field line to take the early 2-0 run. Notre Dame responded in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own. After Williams and Prajzner reached on back-to-back walks, Carter Putz singled to left field. After a throwing error from the SJU’s left fielder, Williams was able to score as Prajzner and Putz each advanced to scoring position on second and third.
Blake Hely took the mound to start the second inning to relieve Matt Bedford and held the Hawks scoreless, giving up only one hit in his four innings pitched.
After a scoreless second inning, Putz stepped up to the plate to rip a homer to deep right field at 440′, coming off of the bat at 107 mph. The Irish led 3-2 heading into the top of the fourth.
Another scoreless fourth kept it at 3-2 heading into the fifth. Similar to the start in the first, Williams and Prajzner would reach again on back-to-back walks. Williams was able to steal third base and Coetzee was hit the pitch, making it bases loaded for Notre Dame with Putz back up to the plate. Putz singled through the side, recording two more RBI as Prajzner and Williams scored to take the 5-2 lead after five innings.
Jack Findlay took the bump starting in the top of the sixth and finished with three strikeouts, allowing two hits and one run across three innings. The Hawks closed the gap to two at 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Notre Dame would score one more after Jack Penney was walked with bases loaded to score Prajzner.
The Irish led 6-3 to close the seventh and after a scoreless eighth, Notre Dame would bring Carter Bosch to the mound to close. While Hely earned his first win of the season, Bosch would take home his second save.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back in action for game two of the neutral site matchup against Saint Joseph’s before resuming conference play on Friday at Wake Forest.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
IRISH CRUISE PAST ELON 16-3 IN FIVE INNINGS
ELON, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team cruised to a 16-3 run rule victory over the Elon Phoenix Tuesday night at Hunt Softball Stadium in North Carolina. The Irish offense had eight of nine starters earn at least one hit as the offense racked up 12 hits on the day, six for extra bases.
Shannon Becker handled business in the circle. The sophomore hurler earned her fourth win of the season, throwing 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits, two runs, none earned and struck out two. Paige Cowley and Micaela Kastor worked the seventh. Kastor gave up a hit as Cowley gave up a run.
Miranda Johnson led the powerful Irish offense. The senior second baseman finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice. Carlli Kloss added a 2-for-4 effort with a pair of doubles. She added an RBI and scored twice. Lexi Orozco finished with a team-high five RBI, going 1-for-2. She hit a grand slam and drew a walk with the bases loaded. Anna Holloway added a three-run homer late. Reigning ACC Player of the Week Joley Mitchell finished 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and scored once.
How It Happened
The Irish wasted no time, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. A double, a single and a walk loaded the bases for Orozco who hit her sixth homer of the season to put Notre Dame up 4-0.
Notre Dame hung another crooked number in the top of the fourth, plating nine runs. Kloss, Orozco, Mitchell, Kronenberger and Johnson all had RBI in the frame to extend the lead to 13-0.
Elon got on the board in the fourth as a ground ball through an Irish infielder’s legs made it to the wall to allow a run to score from first. A rundown with runners on the corners added the second run to cut the lead to 13-2 after four innings.
Holloway extended the lead in the top of the fifth, hitting her first home run of the season to extend the lead to 16-2. The Irish walked in a run in the bottom of the fifth as the game finished due to mercy rule.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action tomorrow as they take on UNCG in Greensboro at 5 p.m.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
ISABELLA HENNING NAMED MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ST. LOUIS – Indiana State junior first basemen Isabella Henning was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
An Owensboro, Kentucky native and a two-time All-MVC selection, Isabella Henning has carried over her success from the previous two seasons as a Sycamore. She is currently batting .474 on the season after a 12-for-15 weekend at the Tiger Classic from March 10-12. She collected three doubles, a home run and three RBIs to earn Player of the Week honors. Henning currently leads the conference in average (.474), on-base percentage (.531) and slugging percentage (.737). Her 27 hits are tied for third-most among Valley players.
Henning is the third Sycamore player to earn weekly honors in 2023 as Lexi Benko and Lauren Sackett were both named Pitcher of the Week in consecutive weeks in February.
The Sycamores travel to Indianapolis for a DH at IUPUI on Wednesday beginning at 1 p.m. ET before coming home to open conference play on Friday against UIC at Price Field.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
SYCAMORES CLOSE OUT SEASON-OPENING ROAD TRIP WITH WEDNESDAY GAME AT ILLINOIS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State closes out its season-opening road trip on Wednesday, March 15, as the Sycamores make the trip to Illinois Field for a midweek contest against the University of Illinois. First pitch between ISU and the Fighting Illini is set for 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT and will be carried live on BIG+.
The game is the first of two meetings between the program in the 2023 season. Illinois will make the return trip to Bob Warn Field on Tuesday, May 2 to close out the home-and-home series. It marks the second consecutive season ISU and Illinois have played home-and-home. Both ISU and Illinois won in their respective home game in 2022 with the Sycamores taking a 12-6 win in Terre Haute, while Illinois topped ISU 6-3 in Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
Indiana State closes out its season-opening 16 game road trip on Tuesday with the trip to Illinois Field. ISU opened the year at the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Florida, added a midweek game at Miami (Fla.), and made road trips to Kentucky, SEMO, and most recently Memphis prior to entering the week. The Sycamores are 5-4 in true road games on the year and have won each of their last five games following sweeps at SEMO and Memphis.
The Sycamores utilized dominant pitching performances from Matt Jachec, Luke Patzner, and Connor Fenlong to shut down Memphis in the most recent three-game sweep over the Tigers. Jachec went the distance in his first collegiate complete game in the 5-1 win, while Patzner posted his first save in game two after going 4.2 innings of hitless relief in the 7-3 victory. Fenlong nearly matched Jachec’s complete game with one of his own in the series finale going 8.2 innings and posting eight strikeouts in the 5-2 victory.
Grant Magill, Randal Diaz, and Adam Pottinger all homered for Indiana State in the series against the Tigers to power ISU to the sweep. Magill connected on his first shot of the year, a second-inning grand slam in the series opener, while Diaz (three-run, game two) and Pottinger (two-run, game three) both connected on the go-ahead home runs over the final two games to propel the Sycamores offense.
Seth Gergely continued to stand out over the week as the redshirt senior was honored as the MVC Player of the Week. Gergely hit a team-best .400 over the five-game stretch with two doubles, six RBI, and five stolen bases. Highlighting his week was a 3-for-3 effort with three RBI in the first game against SEMO, while adding runs in all three games at Memphis.
Grant Magill’s bat came to life over the weekend as well. The redshirt junior catcher erupted to hit .500 over the three-game series at Memphis. In addition to his grand slam, Magill scored two runs and drove in six RBI in the sweep. Defensively, Magill nabbed three more runners in the series against Memphis to give him six caught stealing in 2023.
Luis Hernandez continues to pace the ISU offense on the season with a .311 batting average. The sophomore has posted a team-high 19 hits and 13 run scored, while adding five doubles. Parker Stinson (.286) is also among the team leaders, while Mike Sears paces ISU in both home runs (4) and RBI (15).
Fifteen different Indiana State pitchers have seen time on the mound this year with Matt Jachec (26.0) and Connor Fenlong (25.1) posting the most innings. Zach Davidson (2-1) is the team’s wins leader adding two victories in relief over the last week, while Jared Spencer has made a team-high eight appearances on the mound. The Sycamores have posted a 5.52 staff ERA and a 138:66 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Defensively the Sycamores continue to be elite. Indiana State entered the week fourth in the NCAA and first in the MVC in fielding percentage. The Sycamores are fielding at a .987 clip on the season with five players posting perfect 1.000 percentages with at least 20 chances.
Scouting the Opposition
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois enters the midweek contest with a 7-5 overall record on the year. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 13-3 Saturday win in Conway, S.C. with Illinois taking the win over Coastal Carolina. The win snapped a two-game losing streak against both Coastal Carolina and Sam Houston. Sunday’s series finale against CCU was canceled due to weather. Wednesday’s game marks the 2023 home opener for the Fighting Illini and starts a four-game homestand that will continue with a weekend series against Southern Illinois.
Illinois’ offense is led by Camden Janik (.348) as the Fighting Illini are hitting .272 as a team in 2023. Cam McDonald (.321) and Ryan Moerman (.313) are also among the Illinois hitting leaders on the year. McDonald is the team leader with 10 extra-base hits including six doubles and three home runs. Moerman is the team leader with 17 RBI, while McDonald paces the way with 15 runs scored. The Fighting Illini pitching staff has posted a 5.90 ERA on the year with 16 different pitchers making appearances so far in 2023. John Lundgren (7.71 ERA) has made a team-high six appearances, while Alex Vera has made five stints on the mound. Illinois’ staff has posted a 112:59 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while allowing opponents to hit just .261 from the plate.
Illinois was selected fourth in the Big Ten Baseball preseason poll as announced by the conference office in February. Illinois placed three athletes on the preseason All-Conference honors list in RHP Jack Crowder, RHP Riley Gowens, and IF/OF Cam McDonald. McDonald was also named to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award watch list.
Indiana State – Illinois History
Illinois leads the all-time series against Indiana State dating back to the first contest between the two programs back in 1906. In the series, Indiana State has been stronger at home with the Sycamores taking the 22-13-1 edge in Terre Haute. Illinois has been the favorite in Urbana-Champaign with the 28-15-1 edge. ISU and Illinois faced off in one neutral site game back in 1996 with the Fighting Illini winning 6-2 at the Sahara Desert Classic in Las Cruces, N.M. Indiana State’s last win in Urbana-Champaign came back in the 2007 season when ISU topped Illinois on Mar. 27, 2007, 4-0.
Indiana State Baseball Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2023 Indiana State baseball season are on sale now as the Sycamores continue to gear up for the upcoming season. ISU will play 19 games at Bob Warn Field this season starting on March 17-19 with a weekend series against Michigan State.
Overall, the Sycamores home schedule features nonconference contests against Michigan State (Mar. 17-19), Purdue (Mar. 28), Indiana (Apr. 4), Illinois (May 2), and Ball State (May 9). The conference slate features Valparaiso (Mar. 24-26), Illinois State (Apr. 7-9), Southern Illinois (Apr. 21-23), and Murray State (May 12-14).
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MCCAULEY NAMED NABC ALL-DISTRICT SECOND TEAM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NABC has released the 2022-23 NABC Division I All-District Teams, and Indiana State guard Courvoisier McCauley has been named to District 16’s Second Team. The All-District honors are voted on by NABC-member coaches across NCAA Division I.
McCauley becomes the first Sycamore to garner the honors from the NABC since Tyreke Key in 2021, and the recognition comes after McCauley was named Missouri Valley Newcomer of the Year and MVC All-Conference Second Team last month.
Earlier this season, McCauley, a graduate transfer from DePaul and an Indianapolis, Ind. native, was named MVC Newcomer of the Week in back-to-back weeks and three times total for the year. It was the second time ever and first time since Manny Arop in 2012 that a Sycamore earned back-to-back MVC Newcomer of the Week honors, and he joined Brenton Scott and Jake Odum as the only three Sycamores to earn the award three times in one season.
Going into Arch Madness, McCauley led the Sycamores in scoring this season with 493 total points and 16.4 points per game. He also led the Sycamores on the glass with 5.6 rebounds per game. His 16.4 points per game ranked seventh in the Valley, and he’s top-20 in the league in rebounding. He has three double-doubles this season and is one of just 15 players in the Valley to record three or more on the year. He is one of six Valley players with multiple 30-point outings this season. With nine 20+-point games, McCauley joins just five other Valley players with nine or more this year. McCauley averaged 13 points and seven rebounds per game with six triples in the last two games of Arch Madness.
McCauley leads the league in 3-pointers per game and 3-pointers made which respectively rank 15th and 16th nationally. He ranks second on ISU’s all-time list of 3-pointers in a single season with 101 (behind Jordan Barnes with 117 2017-18).
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF WRAPS UP PEGGY KIRK BELL INVITATIONAL
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s golf team finished its appearance at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational on Tuesday (March 14) with a 12th-place finish.
Anna Olafsdottir moved 12 spots up the leaderboard with her second round of 76. She finished the event in a tie for 18th place at 80-76-156. Olafsdottir had a birdie on 13 to rebound from a tough opening hole, then turned in two birdies on the front nine to finish the round 4-over.
Luiza Caetano finished 48th with an 82-84-166. She dropped in three pars in a row from 10-12 and 16-18, and paired it with a birdie on four. Arny Dagsdottir was a few shots back of Caetano with an 88-84-172. She had nine pars in her second round to take 60th.
Laura Caetano took 67th with an 89-86-175. She birdied hole 10 and had 10 pars in her final round. Taylor Norman rounded out those competing for the team score, turning 86-90-176. She birdied hole four, which came in a four-hole stretch without a bogey.
Natalie Papa competed as an individual, shooting 83-84-157 for 53rd place. The No. 1 team in Division II, Lynn, won the event with a 601. Purdue Fort Wayne took 12th with a 666.
The Mastodons will head to Prospect, Kentucky next week to play in the Nevel Meade Collegiate, an event familiar to the Mastodons.
EVANSVILLE MEN’S SOCCER
RAY STEPS DOWN AS UE MEN’S SOCCER COACH; TARVER NAMED INTERIM COACH THROUGH 2023
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Marshall Ray has announced his decision to step down as head men’s soccer coach at the University of Evansville. The alum of the Purple Aces program has directed the squad to back-to-back appearances in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Match. His decision was made to spend more time with his family.
“The University of Evansville is a special place and a cornerstone of our community. I am thankful for the time I have spent here as a student-athlete, assistant coach, and as the leader of our men’s soccer program,” Ray said. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity and leave with a heavy heart. It was not an easy decision, but after several conversations with my family we decided it was the right time to step away.”
“I want to thank Ziggy and Prez P. for their support through this process and ensuring a smooth transition for our student-athletes,” Ray continued. “Our program and the department will continue to move forward under their leadership. I am excited for Robbe and know that our program is in good hands. I will always be an Ace and look forward to continuing to follow and support all of our teams.”
Ray was named the sixth head coach in program history on December 8, 2014. He first stepped foot on campus as a player in 1995 before returning as the top assistant in 2006 and was named the 2013 NSCAA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year. A successful stint as head coach saw the program record double digit victories in 2016 and 2017, marking the first time since 1995-96 that the program accomplished the feat. With consecutive trips to the MVC Championship Match, the program is set up for even more success moving forward.
UE Director of Athletics Dr. Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried has named Robbe Tarver as the Interim Head Coach through the fall season of 2023.
“As a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach, Marshall Ray has made a lasting impact on our program. He bleeds purple and loves the University of Evansville,” Siegfried exclaimed. “I fully support Marshall’s decision and know that he will continue to be an active supporter and advocate for our program in the Evansville community. We wish Marshall, Julia and the entire Ray family all the best!”
“Moving forward, I have full confidence in Robbe and his ability to lead our men’s soccer program. He understands the university, community and the importance of our strong men’s soccer tradition at UE,” Siegfried added. “He puts in the work and understands the importance of winning on and off the field while placing a genuine focus on the student-athlete experience.”
Since joining the program in January of 2020, Tarver’s impact on the program has been undeniable. Highlighted by the conference championship success, the team has made noticeable strides in the time that Tarver has been on staff. In his three seasons, the program has accumulated three MVC Freshman of the Year honorees. In 2022 alone, the program had four All-MVC and four All-West Region honorees.
During his tenure on the Aces staff, Tarver has contributed in multiple facets that include recruiting, the operation of training sessions and academic performance. As a whole, the program has recorded a GPA of approximately 3.3 over the last three years.
“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Purple Aces program. I am thankful for the trust the University and Ziggy have shown in me, as well as the time spent working with and learning from Marshall,” Tarver remarked. “The foundation has been laid for us to continue our upward trajectory and I am very enthusiastic about being entrusted to guide our players in the pursuit of that growth as a program and as individuals.”
Prior to his arrival in Evansville, Tarver spent three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Louisville’s men’s soccer program under current head coach John Michael Hayden and former head coach Ken Lolla. He assisted in opposition scouting, daily operations of training, recruiting organization and travel coordination. Tarver began his coaching career at his alma mater – Centre College. In three seasons as an assistant, his squad won its first SAA title while making its fifth NCAA appearance.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
POLAKOVICH, SWOPE EARN NABC AWARDS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) and sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) were selected as second team All-District 18 by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Polakovich and Swope were named to the All-District 18 squad after being selected first team All-Ohio Valley Conference by the conference head coaches and the communications directors.
The post-season district honor is the second for Polakovich, who was named second team NABC All-District last year and the first for Swope.
Polakovich, who is among the NCAA Division I leaders in total rebounds (391), leads the Screaming Eagles and OVC with 13.0 rebounds per games. He also is averaging a double-double with 12.4 points per contest.
The senior forward has had 14 double-doubles, five games of 20-or-more rebounds, and 20 double-figure rebound contests. The three-time OVC Player of the Week had a season-best 27 points and 26 rebounds in his OVC-debut versus Southeast Missouri State University.
Swope earns his first-team honor after averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game, while dishing a team-high 3.6 assists and grabbing 2.4 rebounds per contest. The sophomore guard has reached double-digits in scoring in 24 of his 32 games this season and has averaged 20.9 points per game over the last nine games, including a 27-point performance versus Southeast Missouri State University.
Polakovich, Swope, and the Eagles (16-16) finish the 2022-23 campaign in the College Basketball Invitational March 18-22 Daytona Beach, Florida. USI, the 15th seed, is slated to play second-seeded San Jose State University in the opening round of the tournament.
District 18
First Team
Mark Freeman – Morehead St.
Phillip Russell – Southeast Missouri St.
KJ Simon – UT Martin
Parker Stewart – UT Martin
Ray’Sean Taylor – SIU Edwardsville
Second Team
Jr. Clay – Tennessee St.
Alex Gross – Morehead St.
Jacob Polakovich – Southern Indiana
Jaylen Sebree – Tennessee Tech
Isaiah Swope – Southern Indiana
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
EAGLES STUN BILLIKENS, 10-2
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball stunned Saint Louis University, 10-2, Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri. USI watched its record go to 7-9, while SLU had its 10-game winning streak snapped in going to 10-4.
USI scored runs in each of the first four innings before sealing the victory with four in the seventh and one in the ninth for the 10-2 win.
Eagles’ senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) led the USI offensive attack with three hits, three runs scored, and a RBI. Kahre was responsible for all four USI’s runs in the seventh when he cleared the bases with a single and the help of a SLU error.
USI junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) and junior leftfielder Drew Taylor (Jeffersonville, Indiana) followed Kahre with a pair of hits and a RBI each.
On the mound, the Eagles used four hurlers to subdue to the Billikens. Sophomore lefthander Mason Sweeney (Fishers, Indiana) started and picked up the win on a staff day, going 1.2 innings and allowing one run on one hit and three walks. Sweeney (1-0) also struck out two.
Junior right-hander Zach Sliger (Franklin, Kentucky) followed Sweeney to the mound, blanking the Billikens on one hit and two walks with a strikeout in another 1.2 innings. The next 3.2 innings belonged to sophomore right-hander Gavin Morris (Brazil, Indiana), who allowed one run on one hit and three walks in addition to striking out four.
USI junior right-hander Carter Stamm (Jasper, Indiana) closed out the game for the Eagles, throwing a pair of scoreless frames with two strikeouts.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI returns to the USI Baseball Field Wednesday to host Southern Illinois University for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The Salukis, currently, are 6-10 and are slated to play the University of Tennessee at Martin tonight.
USI and SIU are tied 1-1 in the all-time series after the teams split a doubleheader in 1989. USI lost the opening game, 6-1, but bounced back to win the nightcap, 6-2, in Carbondale, Illinois.
Promotion Alert:
The first 100 students at the USI Baseball Field for the USI-Southern Illinois University game on March 15 will receive a free AZZIP pizza coupon. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL
KRIKKE HONORED AS SECOND TEAM CSC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN
We’re running out of words to write when it comes to Ben Krikke (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada / Jasper Place), so we’ll get straight to the point: He’s an Academic All-American.
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball star was tabbed to the College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America Second Team on Tuesday, receiving the high honor as one of 10 student-athletes in the country to earn a place on the first or second team. The honor is voted upon by CSC’s membership – athletics communication professionals across the nation – who consider academic and athletic credentials.
Krikke, who owns a 3.79 cumulative grade point average in finance, becomes just the second player in program history to earn Academic All-America First or Second Team honors, joining Alec Peters (2016-17). Krikke is just the fourth Academic All-American in program history, joining Peters and a pair of third team honorees – Dan Oppland (2004-05) and Joel Oberman (1972-73).
This marked Krikke’s second award of the day as earlier on Tuesday he was tabbed to the NABC All-District Second Team for District 16.
Krikke, the Missouri Valley Conference leader in scoring both overall (19.4 points per game) and in league play (21.0 ppg), pulled down 5.9 rebounds per game, shot 55.2 percent from the field and hit at a 79.6 percent clip from the free-throw line. Krikke was named to the All-MVC First Team, MVC Most-Improved Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team, the only player in the conference to earn all three honors.
In addition to scoring, Krikke ranked among the league leaders in rebounding (11th), field-goal percentage (second), free-throw percentage (10th), blocked shots (ninth), offensive rebounding (ninth) and minutes played (second). He scored 622 points during the season – the sixth most in a single season in program history – and had 244 made field goals – the fourth most in program history and the most by a Valpo player since 1971-72.
The Edmonton native finished the season with 1,596 points, seventh on the program’s all-time scoring list. He closed the campaign with a career field-goal percentage of 54.1, the sixth highest in program history. In addition, Krikke wrapped up the season with 632 career made field goals, a total that ranks sixth in Valpo lore.
Krikke became just the third Missouri Valley Conference player since 2005 to average at least 17 points and five boards while shooting better than 75 percent from the line and 50 percent from the field, joining Missouri State’s Isiaih Mosley and Creighton’s Doug McDermott. He scored in double figures in 30 of his 32 games including 13 outputs of 20 points or more and 26 games with 15 points or more. He finished the season with 20 consecutive double-figure scoring outputs and was in double figures in all 20 league games.
Krikke was also named the MVC Player of the Week on Jan. 30 and Feb. 20.
NCAA DIVISION I
Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year:
Ben Vander Plas, University of Virginia
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Dalton Bolon College of Charleston Gr. 4.00/3.83 Biology (UG) / Biology (G) / Communication (G)
Matt Dentlinger (2, 6) South Dakota State University Gr. 3.99/4.00 Mechanical Engineering (UG) / Electrical Eng. (G)
Marcus Domask Southern Illinois University Sr. 3.99 Sport Administration
JT Shumate (1) University of Toledo Sr. 3.84 Middle Childhood Education
Kahliel Spear (2) Robert Morris University Sr. 3.91 Economics
Ben Vander Plas (1, 5) University of Virginia Gr. 3.99/4.00 Communication Studies (UG) / Sports Admin &
Mgmt. (G) / Professional Learner at UVA
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Kobe Brown University of Missouri Sr. 3.59 General Studies
Alex Gross Morehead State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Sport Management
Ben Krikke Valparaiso University Sr. 3.79 Finance
Chris Ledlum (3) Harvard University Sr. 3.55 Sociology
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Brandon Angel Stanford University Jr. 3.97 Economics
Josh Bannan (3) University of Montana Jr. 3.92 Economics
Tanner Groves (1) University of Oklahoma Gr. 3.89/4.00 Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership
Michael Jones Stanford University Gr. 3.90 M.S. Statistics
Hunter Tyson Clemson University Gr. 3.55/3.90 Sports Communications (UG) / Athletic Leadership (G)
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2021-22
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2021-22
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2021-22
(4) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2020-21
(5) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2020-21
(6) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2020-21
VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNEE LAYLA GOLD NAMED INDIANA ALL-STAR
Valparaiso women’s basketball signee Layla Gold (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) has been named an Indiana All-Star, one of just 13 players in the Hoosier State to earn the distinction. Gold and her Indiana All-Star teammates will take on the Kentucky All-Stars in a two-game series June 9-10.
Gold, a 6-0 guard/forward, enjoyed another standout season with the Fighting Irish, earning All-State accolades from the IBCA and ICGSA. She averaged 22 points and nine rebounds per game for Cathedral, posting 12 double-doubles while shooting 78% from the foul line and 37% from the 3-point line.
Gold, who surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for her high school career as a junior, closed her prep career with 1,565 career points and 525 rebounds. A two-time member of the Indy Star Super Team, Gold was named to the All-City Team and the All-City Tournament First Team each of the last two seasons as well.
Gold becomes the first Valpo signee since 2017 to earn the prestigious Indiana All-Star honor.
VALPO MEN’S GOLF
VANARRAGON LEADS VALPO AT GCU INVITATIONAL
The Valparaiso University men’s golf team closed out its spring break stay in Phoenix on Tuesday by competing in the third and final round of the GCU Invitational, hosted by Grand Canyon at the par-71, 7124-yard GCU Golf Course. Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) had the team’s top performance in Round 3.
How It Happened
VanArragon’s team-best Round-3 score of 69 (-2) helped him finish the event with a 211 (-2). He was one stroke away from a top-10 finish, checking in at t-11 in an 88-player field.
The next-best score by a Beacon came from Anthony Delisanti (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point [Ball State]), who finished out the tournament with a 54-hole score of 218 after a 72 on Tuesday.
Rounding out Valpo’s top trio was Yianni Kostouros (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point [Ball State]), who finished with a 74 to close the tournament at 211.
As a team, the Beacons finished tied for 11th of 14 at 873 after posting a 290 in Round 3.
TCU took the team title at 835, while Nate Adams of North Dakota State was the individual medalist with a 54-hole score of 200.
Inside the Round
The Beacons boasted two eagles in the tournament as Kostouros drained one on Tuesday following VanArragon’s eagle on Monday. Kostouros needed only two strokes on the par-4 14th hole in Tuesday’s third round.
Valpo’s best work came on par-4 holes (4.15 average), but the Beacons struggled with the par 3s (3.45 average).
Valpo had 37 birdies for the tournament, led by Kostouros with 10.
Up Next
Valpo returns to the course on Monday, March 27 to start up the Golfweek/AGT Intercollegiate at True Blue GC in Pawleys Island, S.C. A link to live scoring will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
U OF INDY MLAX
CRAWFORD EARNS USILA TEAM OF THE WEEK SELECTION
BALTIMORE, Md. – UIndy defender Dougie Crawford earned a place on the USILA Team of the Week, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The junior recorded seven ground balls and four caused turnovers in the Hounds’ dominating 20-4 victory over Walsh last Wednesday, playing a pivotol role in holding the Cavaliers scoreless for the first 34+ minutes of the afternoon. Crawford joins Billig as Greyhounds who earned Team of the Week distinction this season.
UIndy returns to the field this Saturday at No. 2 Mercyhurst.
U OF INDY MTENNIS
TOP-RANKED HOUNDS DEFEAT DIII #1 CASE WESTERN TO START SPRING BREAK TRIP
ORLANDO, Fla. – The newly No. 1-ranked Greyhounds played their first match as the top dog in the country in sunny Orlando, Fla., battling the best team in division III in the Case Western Spartans. The Spartans are no stranger to top Division II foes, having downed No. 3-ranked Barry just a day prior. However, the Hounds did not fall victim to the Spartans, taking a 5-2 victory behind five singles victories.
INS AND OUTS
Despite having the No. 1 doubles pairing in the country in Tom Zeuch and Edgar Destouet leading off, the Spartans jumped out on the Hounds, taking wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, putting the top-ranked Greyhounds in an early deficit.
UIndy, who is no stranger to having their back against the wall, was forced to rally back in singles action. Louis Picaud was the first to strike, evening up the match score with a 6-2, 6-2 straight sets victory. August Ehrnrooth was not far behind his doubles partner, giving the Hounds a 2-1 lead after a No. 6-singles slot win. The fire that is the Hounds did not dim from there, as No. 9-ranked Destouet put the Hounds within one after enduring a grueling first set to win 7-5, 6-2.
The Spartans refused to roll over, picking up a win out of the No. 5 slot versus Thomas Mathis, with the second set coming via tiebreak. That was the last points the DIII No. 1 scored with Zeuch and Nikolaj Talimaa closing out the match with wins at No. 2 and No. 3.
UP NEXT
The schedule doesn’t get much easier for the Hounds, with a rematch of the ITA Indoors set to be played on Thursday, March 16. at the home courts of Saint Leo. Action is set to begin at 11 am.
U OF INDY SOFTBALL
WALKOFF LIFTS HOUNDS TO A PAIR OF TUESDAY VICTOIES
LEESBURG, Fla.—The UIndy softball squad continue to rack up the wins on its annual Spring Break trip to Florida. The ninth-ranked Greyhounds earned an extra-inning walkoff versus Le Moyne, 5-4, before taking down in-region Wayne State, 7-4.
GAME 1 | UIndy 5, Le Moyne 4 (8 innings)
With the score locked at 3-3 through seven innings, the teams headed to extras. Le Moyne struck first with a go-ahead sac fly in the top of the eighth, but UIndy came right back. Dominique Proctor’s single was the game winner, bringing home Grace Mosele and Emily O’Connor as the Hounds walked it off.
Starter Kaitlyn Brown surrendered her first earned runs of the season, giving up three tallies in 4 2/3 innings.
Kenzee Smith (11-3) came in relief in the fifth, escaping a two-on jam to keep the game tied. She kept the Dolphins off the board the rest of the way to earn the win.
O’Connor, Proctor and Megan Wineinger each had two hits.
GAME 2 | UIndy 7, Wayne State 4
The Hounds scored two first-inning runs without the need of a hit, as four walks, a sac fly and an error staked UIndy to an early lead.
A two-run double by Maddy Stout plated two more in the second to keep the Greyhounds in front. Sydnee Perry notched an RBI single in the fifth, while Proctor earned another ribbie on a sixth-inning groundout.
Smith recorded another pitching win with a complete-game performance. She moved to 12-3 with six Ks and one walk in seven innings.
UP NEXT
The Hounds have one last day in the Sunshine State, as they’ll take on Southern Connecticut and Bentley on Wednesday morning.
U OF INDY SWIMMING
UINDY TRIO CLAIMS NATIONAL AWARDS FROM CSCAA
INDIANAPOLIS—The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) announced its NCAA Division II award winners and All-Americans for the 2022-23 season. Three Greyhounds claimed major awards, as Brent Noble was voted the DII Men’s Swim Coach of the Year, Corey Cole was dubbed the DII Men’s Diving Coach of the Year and Julio Osuna garnered the DII Men’s Diver of the Year nod.
The trio helped the UIndy men’s team to its first-ever national championship last week. UIndy racked up four event titles and seven runners-up on the way to 77.5-point win over GLVC-rival Drury in the final team standing. Meanwhile, Osuna crushed it on the diving boards, winning both event championships. Under Cole’s guidance, the Greyhounds went 1-2-3 on the men’s 1-meter and 1-2-6 on the 3 meter.
The awards were determined by a nationwide vote of CSCAA-member Division II head swimming coaches and head diving coaches.
CSCAA All-America honors were announced as well, with top-eight finishers at the NCAA DII Championships claiming first-team accolades and while ninth- through 16th-place placers earned second-team honors.
CSCAA MAJOR AWARDS
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year – Ben Hewitt, Nova Southeastern
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year – Heath Calhoun, Clarion
Co-Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year – Brent Noble, UIndy & Jimmy Tierney, McKendree
Men’s Dive Couch of the Year – Corey Cole
Women’s Swimmer of the Year – Emily Trieschmann, Nova Southeastern
Women’s Diver of the Year – Luna Vejarano, Clarion
Men’s Swimmer of the Year – Benjamin Sampson, Colorado Mesa
Men’s Diver of the Year – Julio Osuna UIndy
CSCAA ALL-AMERICA WOMEN’S TEAM
Buys, Johanna – 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 50 Freestyle, 100 Breaststroke (2nd Team)
Colti Dumitrescu, Emilia – 1650 Freestyle, 1000 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Dubcakova, Karolina – 1000 Freestyle (2nd Team), 200 Breaststroke (2nd Team), 400 IM (2nd Team)
Gomez, Andrea – 400 IM, 200 Backstroke (2nd Team), 200 Butterfly (2nd Team)
Heideyer, Mika – 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Butterfly (2nd Team)
Krstevska, Mia – 200 Backstroke
Lumaj, Alexis – 1 mtr Diving (2nd Team), 3 mtr Diving (2nd Team)
Magierowska, Julia – 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 100 Butterfly (2nd Team)
McCoy, Kaitlyn – 100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke, 200 IM, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay
Paaske, Andrea – 200 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay
Reinke, Caroline – 100 Backstroke (2nd Team)
Revstedt, Isabella – 100 Backstroke (2nd Team)
Schmidt, Celina – 100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 IM (2nd Team)
Starr, Mikaela – 1 mtr Diving, 3 mtr Diving
Traustadottir, Brynhildur – 800 Freestyle Relay, 1000 Freestyle (2nd Team), 1650 Freestyle (2nd Team), 500 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Vaselli, Leticia – 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Freestyle (2nd Team), 50 Freestyle (2nd Team)
CSCAA ALL-AMERICA MEN’S TEAM
Ahadzhanian, Serge – 200 Butterfly, 400 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Butterfly (2nd Team), 200 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Bohm, Sebestyen – 100 Breaststroke (2nd Team), 200 Breaststroke (2nd Team)
Buessing, Cedric – 1000 Freestyle, 1650 Freestyle, 400 IM, 500 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay
Chalat, Stanislaw – 1000 Freestyle (2nd Team), 1650 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Cole, Brayden – 100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke
Hammond, Cade – 1 mtr Diving, 3 mtr Diving
Hedeen, Christian – 500 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay, 1000 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Joseph, Aqeel – 200 Freestyle Relay
Lenzo, Jason – 1 mtr Diving, 3 mtr Diving
Mas, Diego – 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle
Osuna Kelly, Julio – 1 mtr Diving, 3 mtr Diving
Prema, Likith – 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 100 Breaststroke (2nd Team), 200 Breaststroke (2nd Team)
Silva, Joao – 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Swiderski, Bartek – 400 Medley Relay, 100 Backstroke (2nd Team), 200 Backstroke (2nd Team)
Thompson, Jeron – 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke (2nd Team), 100 Butterfly (2nd Team), 100 Freestyle (2nd Team)
Yorke, Kael – 100 Butterfly, 200 Medley Relay
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
SPORTS EXTRA
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 Milwaukee | 50 | 19 | .725 | — | 28-6 | 22-13 | 8-4 | 29-14 | 8-2 | 2 W | ||
| 2 Boston | 47 | 22 | .681 | 3.0 | 26-9 | 21-13 | 9-4 | 29-16 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 3 Philadelphia | 45 | 22 | .672 | 4.0 | 26-10 | 19-12 | 7-6 | 26-15 | 7-3 | 5 W | ||
| 4 Cleveland | 44 | 27 | .620 | 7.0 | 28-7 | 16-20 | 12-3 | 28-14 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| 5 New York | 41 | 30 | .577 | 10.0 | 19-16 | 22-14 | 8-8 | 28-17 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 6 Brooklyn | 39 | 30 | .565 | 11.0 | 19-12 | 20-18 | 7-8 | 26-18 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 7 Miami | 37 | 33 | .529 | 13.5 | 23-13 | 14-20 | 9-5 | 19-23 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 8 Atlanta | 34 | 35 | .493 | 16.0 | 18-15 | 16-20 | 7-8 | 21-23 | 5-5 | 2 L | ||
| 9 Toronto | 33 | 36 | .478 | 17.0 | 21-13 | 12-23 | 4-9 | 20-21 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 10 Washington | 32 | 37 | .464 | 18.0 | 16-17 | 16-20 | 7-5 | 19-24 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Chicago | 31 | 36 | .463 | 18.0 | 18-15 | 13-21 | 6-8 | 23-22 | 5-5 | 2 W | ||
| 12 Indiana | 31 | 38 | .449 | 19.0 | 19-16 | 12-22 | 6-6 | 21-20 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 13 Orlando | 28 | 41 | .406 | 22.0 | 16-19 | 12-22 | 5-8 | 15-28 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| 14 Charlotte | 22 | 49 | .310 | 29.0 | 11-23 | 11-26 | 7-9 | 13-33 | 4-6 | 3 L | ||
| 15 Detroit | 16 | 54 | .229 | 34.5 | 9-27 | 7-27 | 1-12 | 7-36 | 1-9 | 1 L | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 Denver | 46 | 23 | .667 | — | 30-6 | 16-17 | 10-5 | 32-13 | 5-5 | 4 L | ||
| 2 Memphis | 41 | 26 | .612 | 4.0 | 28-5 | 13-21 | 9-2 | 23-19 | 6-4 | 3 W | ||
| 3 Sacramento | 40 | 27 | .597 | 5.0 | 21-14 | 19-13 | 8-6 | 27-14 | 8-2 | 1 L | ||
| 4 Phoenix | 37 | 32 | .536 | 9.0 | 22-12 | 15-20 | 9-3 | 24-17 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 5 Golden State | 36 | 33 | .522 | 10.0 | 29-7 | 7-26 | 6-8 | 23-18 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 6 LA Clippers | 36 | 33 | .522 | 10.0 | 18-15 | 18-18 | 6-7 | 20-21 | 5-5 | 3 W | ||
| 7 Minnesota | 35 | 34 | .507 | 11.0 | 20-16 | 15-18 | 8-7 | 25-20 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 8 Oklahoma City | 34 | 35 | .493 | 12.0 | 21-15 | 13-20 | 7-7 | 20-23 | 6-4 | 3 W | ||
| 9 Dallas | 34 | 35 | .493 | 12.0 | 22-14 | 12-21 | 8-5 | 25-21 | 3-7 | 3 L | ||
| 10 LA Lakers | 34 | 35 | .493 | 12.0 | 18-16 | 16-19 | 4-9 | 20-22 | 7-3 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Utah | 33 | 36 | .478 | 13.0 | 20-13 | 13-23 | 5-8 | 21-22 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| 12 New Orleans | 33 | 36 | .478 | 13.0 | 22-13 | 11-23 | 8-4 | 22-19 | 3-7 | 1 L | ||
| 13 Portland | 31 | 38 | .449 | 15.0 | 17-16 | 14-22 | 5-8 | 21-20 | 3-7 | 4 L | ||
| 14 San Antonio | 18 | 50 | .265 | 27.5 | 12-23 | 6-27 | 2-10 | 7-35 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 15 Houston | 16 | 52 | .235 | 29.5 | 10-24 | 6-28 | 3-9 | 9-35 | 3-7 | 1 W |
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 x-Boston Bruins | 66 | 50 | 11 | 5 | 105 | 48 | 248 | 148 | 27-3-3 | 23-8-2 | 7-3-0 | |
| 2 Carolina Hurricanes | 66 | 44 | 14 | 8 | 96 | 40 | 222 | 168 | 24-8-2 | 20-6-6 | 6-4-0 | |
| 3 New Jersey Devils | 67 | 44 | 17 | 6 | 94 | 42 | 236 | 181 | 19-13-2 | 25-4-4 | 7-2-1 | |
| 4 Toronto Maple Leafs | 66 | 40 | 18 | 8 | 88 | 40 | 226 | 179 | 24-7-4 | 16-11-4 | 6-4-0 | |
| 5 New York Rangers | 67 | 38 | 19 | 10 | 86 | 34 | 222 | 189 | 18-11-4 | 20-8-6 | 5-4-1 | |
| 6 Tampa Bay Lightning | 68 | 40 | 22 | 6 | 86 | 38 | 237 | 207 | 24-6-5 | 16-16-1 | 3-5-2 | |
| 7 Pittsburgh Penguins | 67 | 34 | 23 | 10 | 78 | 33 | 221 | 216 | 19-10-5 | 15-13-5 | 7-2-1 | |
| 8 New York Islanders | 69 | 34 | 27 | 8 | 76 | 34 | 198 | 192 | 20-12-3 | 14-15-5 | 6-3-1 | |
| 9 Florida Panthers | 67 | 33 | 27 | 7 | 73 | 31 | 229 | 226 | 19-10-4 | 14-17-3 | 6-3-1 | |
| 10 Buffalo Sabres | 66 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 71 | 32 | 242 | 239 | 13-18-3 | 20-10-2 | 4-5-1 | |
| 11 Washington Capitals | 68 | 32 | 29 | 7 | 71 | 31 | 211 | 205 | 15-13-4 | 17-16-3 | 4-5-1 | |
| 12 Ottawa Senators | 67 | 33 | 30 | 4 | 70 | 31 | 210 | 218 | 19-12-2 | 14-18-2 | 6-4-0 | |
| 13 Detroit Red Wings | 67 | 30 | 28 | 9 | 69 | 28 | 200 | 219 | 17-12-4 | 13-16-5 | 2-7-1 | |
| 14 Montreal Canadiens | 68 | 27 | 35 | 6 | 60 | 23 | 190 | 248 | 14-17-3 | 13-18-3 | 2-6-2 | |
| 15 Philadelphia Flyers | 67 | 24 | 32 | 11 | 59 | 23 | 172 | 222 | 12-16-4 | 12-16-7 | 2-7-1 | |
| 16 Columbus Blue Jackets | 66 | 21 | 38 | 7 | 49 | 20 | 175 | 249 | 13-20-2 | 8-18-5 | 3-4-3 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 Vegas Golden Knights | 68 | 42 | 20 | 6 | 90 | 38 | 222 | 188 | 21-13-1 | 21-7-5 | 7-2-1 | |
| 2 Dallas Stars | 68 | 37 | 18 | 13 | 87 | 34 | 236 | 185 | 17-9-8 | 20-9-5 | 7-2-1 | |
| 3 Los Angeles Kings | 68 | 39 | 20 | 9 | 87 | 33 | 233 | 223 | 21-9-3 | 18-11-6 | 7-1-2 | |
| 4 Minnesota Wild | 67 | 38 | 21 | 8 | 84 | 31 | 195 | 178 | 21-10-3 | 17-11-5 | 7-0-3 | |
| 5 Edmonton Oilers | 68 | 37 | 23 | 8 | 82 | 37 | 264 | 230 | 17-12-5 | 20-11-3 | 6-4-0 | |
| 6 Colorado Avalanche | 65 | 37 | 22 | 6 | 80 | 33 | 214 | 185 | 18-11-5 | 19-11-1 | 6-3-1 | |
| 7 Seattle Kraken | 67 | 37 | 23 | 7 | 81 | 37 | 234 | 216 | 16-14-4 | 21-9-3 | 5-4-1 | |
| 8 Winnipeg Jets | 68 | 38 | 27 | 3 | 79 | 37 | 212 | 194 | 21-11-2 | 17-16-1 | 3-5-2 | |
| 9 Nashville Predators | 65 | 34 | 24 | 7 | 75 | 30 | 188 | 190 | 17-11-3 | 17-13-4 | 7-2-1 | |
| 10 Calgary Flames | 68 | 30 | 24 | 14 | 74 | 28 | 209 | 208 | 16-14-3 | 14-10-11 | 3-4-3 | |
| 11 St. Louis Blues | 66 | 29 | 32 | 5 | 63 | 26 | 205 | 242 | 14-15-4 | 15-17-1 | 3-5-2 | |
| 12 Vancouver Canucks | 66 | 29 | 32 | 5 | 63 | 25 | 226 | 252 | 16-17-1 | 13-15-4 | 7-2-1 | |
| 13 Arizona Coyotes | 68 | 25 | 32 | 11 | 61 | 22 | 192 | 240 | 18-11-3 | 7-21-8 | 5-3-2 | |
| 14 Anaheim Ducks | 67 | 22 | 35 | 10 | 54 | 19 | 172 | 271 | 11-16-3 | 11-19-7 | 5-2-3 | |
| 15 Chicago Blackhawks | 67 | 23 | 38 | 6 | 52 | 21 | 171 | 239 | 14-18-3 | 9-20-3 | 3-6-1 | |
| 16 San Jose Sharks | 68 | 19 | 36 | 13 | 51 | 18 | 198 | 263 | 6-19-9 | 13-17-4 | 1-7-2 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1869 The Cincinnati Red Stockings become the sport’s first professional team when the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) permits compensated players to participate this season. English-born Harry Wright puts together a ten-man team, all on salary through November, that posts a 57–0 record, marking the only perfect season in professional baseball history.
1945 Former minor leaguer Bert Shepard, who had his right leg amputated after the Germans gunned down his fighter plane east of Hamburg on his 34th mission as a WW II P-38 fighter pilot, begins a successful tryout with the Senators. Although the southpaw will pitch in only one game for Washington, the retired Army Air Force pilot will hurl an impressive five and one-third innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox in August, striking out the first batter he faces and gives up just three hits.
1960 The floundering Southern Association announces the New Orleans Pelicans, for the first time since 1901, will not be part of the Double-A circuit. After a two-year absence, the Little Rock Travelers rejoins the league, replacing the Crescent City club, playing two seasons before the loop disbands after completing the 1961 campaign.
1971 Bernice Gera files a civil rights suit against MLB when her contract to umpire in the New York-Penn League becomes void after six days without an explanation. In an eventual landmark 5-2 decision, the New York Court of Appeals will uphold a previous court’s ruling, agreeing with the 39-year-old housewife’s contention that she had been discriminated against unlawfully.
1974 In Yuma (AZ), Ron Bryant, a 24-game winner for the Giants last year, is hurt in a pool accident during spring training. The promising southpaw’s record will drop to 3-15 this season, and the Redlands, California native’s career will end in 1975 after a brief 0-1 stint with St. Louis.
1975 The Dodgers sign their once arch-nemesis Juan Marichal as a free agent. After two-regular season outings that include a loss to Cincinnati, the former San Francisco superstar and future Hall of Famer will retire in mid-April.
1977 The A’s send Phil Garner, Chris Batton, and Tommy Helms to the Pirates for Tony Armas, Mitchell Page, and four pitchers, including Doc Medich and Dave Giusti. Pittsburgh’s acquisition of infielder Phil Garner, the key player in the nine-player spring training swap, will move a very disappointed Bill Robinson back into a utility role after working diligently to get ready to be the team’s everyday third baseman.
1999 The Yankees name Don Zimmer as the club’s interim manager while Joe Torre receives prostate cancer treatments. During his managerial stints with San Diego, Boston, Texas, and Chicago, the bench coach compiled an 885-858 (.508) record.
2000 Six Red Sox pitchers combine for a perfect game in a spring training contest, beating the Blue Jays in Fort Myers, 5-0. Boston starter Pedro Martinez pitched the first three innings, Fernando De La Cruz tossed the next two frames, with Dan Smith, Rheal Cormier, Rich Garces, and Rod Beck all going one inning apiece.
2008 In front of 12,224 fans, a near-sellout at the new Olympic venue in Beijing, the Dodgers and the Padres played to a 3-3 tie in the first major league game ever played in mainland China. In the seventh inning, the crowd hears “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” but not knowing the lyrics, listens without singing.
2008 Five days after unilaterally renewing his contract for the upcoming season, the Pirates sign Ian Snell (9-12, 3.76) to a three-year deal reported to be worth $8 million. The 26-year-old right-hander, eligible for salary arbitration after the 2009 season, has compiled a 24-26 record with the struggling ball club over the past three seasons.
2012 The website Baseball-Reference.com opts to leave a blank space next to 2011 on its National League MVP list instead of identifying Ryan Braun as the award’s winner. The Brewers outfielder, who received a 50-game suspension scheduled to the start of the 2012 season, became the first player to successfully challenge a drug test result when an arbitration panel overturned the ruling due to the improper handling of the specimen taken last Fall.
2014 The Yankees begin a two-game spring training series against the Marlins at Rod Carew Stadium in Panama to honor Mariano Rivera’s legacy, a native of the nearby fishing village of Puerto Caimito. The contests are the first to be played in the isthmus nation by major league teams since the Bronx Bombers faced the Dodgers in exhibition games in 1947.
BASEBALL’S BEST
CAP ANSON
He never played a game in baseball’s “modern” era. But Adrian Constantine “Cap” Anson was one of the great modernizers of the game, bringing strategy and leadership to the National Pastime.
Anson, born April 17, 1852 in Marshalltown, Iowa, spent a year at the University of Notre Dame before making his big league debut in the first year of the first pro league: The National Association of 1871. Anson was a 19-year-old third baseman for the Rockford Forest Citys, and the 6-foot, 227-pound strapping right-hander hit .325 with a league-leading 11 doubles. The next season, Anson hit .415 for the Philadelphia Athletics of the NA, driving in 48 runs in just 46 games.
In 1876, Chicago White Stockings president William Hulbert – looking to add talent to his club – negotiated a deal with Anson and other stars. Hulbert then helped form the National League, and that summer Anson hit .356 to lead Chicago to a 52-14 record and the first NL title.
Anson would play 22 seasons for the team that became the Cubs, hitting at least .300 in 20 of those years. He moved across the diamond to first base in 1879, and led the league in RBI eight times between 1880 and 1891, winning batting titles in 1881, 1887 and 1888.
When he retired after the 1897 season at the age of 45, Anson owned big league records for games, hits, at-bats, doubles and runs. He finished with 3,435 hits, becoming the first player ever to cross the 3,000-hit line.
Anson also managed Chicago for 19 seasons, winning five National League pennants as a player/manager while accumulating almost 1,300 career victories. He helped usher in popular strategies such as the hit-and-run and the pitching rotation.
After leaving Chicago following the 1897 season, Anson managed the New York Giants for 22 games in 1898 before ending his big league career. In his later years, he ran several semi-pro teams and ventured into the vaudeville circuit.
An objective study of Anson’s career must also include his role in the game’s segregation. Hall of Famer Sol White, historian of early Black baseball and player-manager for the all-Black Philadelphia Giants, emphasized Cap Anson’s part in keeping big league baseball segregated, recalling that the white manager claimed he would never step on a field that also had a Black man on it.
During Anson’s tenure as Chicago’s manager, he refused to play against teams with Black players, including an exhibition game in 1887 versus a Newark team featuring an all-Black battery of Moses Fleetwood Walker and George Stovey. Anson’s racism may have been common by the day’s standards, but his influence and stature gave his actions additional impact and supported the segregationist attitudes that impeded the game for another six decades.
Anson passed away on April 14, 1922. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.
LUIS APARICIO
Few men Luis Aparicio’s size have starred at the big league level. Even fewer have controlled the diamond like the slick-fielding Venezuelan shortstop.
Luis Ernesto Aparicio was born April 29, 1934, in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Signed as an amateur free agent by the White Sox at the age of 19, Aparicio spent two years in the minors before making his major league debut on April 17, 1956.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound Aparicio quickly made a name for himself as the starting shortstop, leading the league with 21 stolen bases and 14 sacrifice hits in his first season. His efforts earned him the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
It marked the first of nine straight seasons where Aparicio led the American League in stolen bases. No other player has ever led his league in steals more than six years in a row.
In 1959, “Little Louie” propelled the White Sox to the World Series with stellar regular season numbers, scoring 98 runs while stealing 56 bases – finishing second that year in AL MVP voting. Although his team lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic, Aparicio batted .308 with eight hits.
Aparicio led AL shortstops in fielding percentage each year from 1959-66 and racked up nine Gold Glove Awards over the span of his career.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” former White Sox owner and future Hall of Famer Bill Veeck said in 1959. “He makes plays which I know can’t possibly be made, yet he makes them almost every day.”
The White Sox traded Aparicio to the Baltimore Orioles on Jan. 14, 1963. In his five years with the Orioles, he led the AL in stolen bases twice. Aparicio also made his second World Series appearance in 1966. This time, his Orioles swept the Dodgers to win it all.
Aparicio was traded back to the White Sox after the 1967 season, and he spent three more years with Chicago before moving to the Boston Red Sox. Aparicio spent his last three seasons in the major leagues in Boston.
Aparicio played his final game on Sept. 28, 1973 at the age of 40 and officially retired after he was released by the Red Sox in March of 1974. At the time of his retirement, he held the record for shortstops in games played, double plays turned and assists. He finished his career with 2,677 hits and 506 stolen bases. He was named to 13 All-Star Games.
In 1984, Aparicio was inducted into the Hall of Fame – becoming the first Venezuela native to earn enshrinement in Cooperstown.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW
YEAR IN REVIEW : 1912 AMERICAN LEAGUE
Off the field…
American journalist and publisher, William Randolph Hearst began to acquire his media empire that would eventually include eighteen newspapers and nine magazines within two decades. A flamboyant and highly controversial figure, Hearst was nonetheless an extremely competent newspaperman who quickly became one of the wealthiest men in the world. His castle at San Simeon, California, won fame for its immense art collections and is still considered one of the largest houses in the United States. The property was later presented to the state as a museum after Hearst’s death.
In the American League…
While playing the Boston Red Sox in their opener at New York’s Hilltop Park, the New York Highlanders debuted their “soon-to-be” trademark pinstripes.
One of baseball’s original cathedrals, Boston’s Fenway Park, (built at a cost of $350,000) was formally dedicated as the visiting White Sox beat the Red pair 5-2 before a capacity crowd.
On August 11th, Joe Jackson of the Cleveland Indians became only the second American League player ever to steal home twice in a single game. Jackson first stole home in the first, then went on to thieve second, third and home in the seventh.
In the National League…
Crosley Field, the home field of the Cincinnati Reds until June 24, 1970, opened its doors to fans on May 18, 1912. Originally called Redland Field (the name changed in 1933), 20,000 fans witnessed the first game in ballpark history, a 4-3 win over the New York Giants, who started Christy Mathewson that historic day.
The St. Louis Cardinals also ended the New York Giants consecutive winning streak at fourteen after a 5-1 effort on May 31st. The Giants incredible start of 43-11 remained the best of the century and stood unmatched until 1939 when the New York Yankees tied the mark.
In response to the demand for an alternative way to statistically rate pitchers, the National League elected to officially score the Earned Run Average for the first time. Jeff Tesreau of the New York Giants went on to lead the new category with a 1.96 ERA.
Around the League…
In an effort to eliminate the possibility of home team’s ball boys influencing which ones are used for each team’s turn at bat, the National League installed small boxes near home plate to supply the umpires directly.
In New York, the Giants and Highlanders met at the Polo Grounds to play an unscheduled charity game to raise money for the survivors of the Titanic (which had sunk three days earlier, April 14th). The Giants prevailed 11-2.
As a gag, Western Union telegraph operator Lou Proctor entered his name as a pinch hitter into the St. Louis Browns — Boston Red Sox box score (with no hits in one at bat). Initially, the forgery was not noticed and appeared both as a published box score in The Sporting News and in the first editions of The Baseball Encyclopedia.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
March 15, 1898 – Wakefield, Nebraska – Clarence Swanson the fantastic end from the The University of Nebraska arrived into the world. Read more about this superstar end by clicking his name above.
March 15, 1926 – Parade, South Dakota – The legendary Oregon Quarterback Norm Van Brocklin also known as “the Dutchman” was born. We have so much more on this legend, you know how to get there, click his name above.
March 15, 1937 – Osage, Iowa – The Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Randy Duncan was born. College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. The National Football Foundation has a great biography on Duncan where they say that after sitting behind starter Kenny Ploen in 1956 who led the Hawkeyes to the Big 10 Championship and a Rose Bowl victory, Duncan was Iowa’s starting quarterback in 1957 and 1958. The team had a record of 15-2-2 and in 1958 won the Big Ten championship and beat California 38-12 in the Rose Bowl. Duncan piled up these honors in 1958: Helms Foundation Player of the Year, Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Year, first in the nation in passing yardage, first in the nation in percentage of passes completed, co-leader in the nation in touchdown passes, and unanimous All-America. He was also runner-up to Pete Dawkins of Army in the Heisman Trophy voting. The voting members of the National Football Foundation selected Randy Duncan for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
14 – 12 – 19 – 1
March 15, 1869 – The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional baseball team in history.
March 15, 1912 – Legendary Baseball Pitcher Cy Young retired from the game with an amazing with 511 wins to his credit.
March 15, 1958 – NBA star of the Cincinnati Royals, the great Oscar Robertson, Number 14 scored 56 points in a single playoff game to set a League record at the time. During that contest teammate Maurice Stokes, Number 12 collapsed due to encephalitis. He tragically went into a coma and became permanently disabled.
March 15, 1962 – Number 13, Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors became the first player in NBA history to score 4000 points in a single season.
March 15, 1979 – Bryan Trottier, Number 19 of the New York Islanders scored his fifth career hat trick.March 15, 1989 – The New York Rangers retired the Number 1 of goalie Eddie Giacomin