“THE SCOREBOARD”
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL-SEMI STATE MATCH-UPS
6A
WESTFIELD (11-1) AT CROWN POINT (12-0)
CENTER GROVE (11-1) AT BEN DAVIS (11-1)
5A
MERRILLVILLE (10-2) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (11-1)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (11-1) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (10-2)
4A
NORTHWOOD (11-2) AT LEO (11-2)
NEW PALESTINE (11-2) AT EAST CENTRAL (13-0)
3A
KNOX (13-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (13-0)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (11-2) AT HERITAGE HILLS (12-1)
2A
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (10-3) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (10-3)
NORTH JUDSON (9-4) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (13-0)
1A
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (11-0) AT SHERIDAN (10-3)
SOUTHMONT (8-5) AT NORTH POSEY (12-1) (SATURDAY)
INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL POLLS
4A
1. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (4-0)
2. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (3-0)
3. FORT WAYNE SNIDER (5-0)
4. CENTER GROVE (3-0)
5. NOBLESVILLE (2-1)
6. LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-0)
7. HOMESTEAD (2-0)
8. SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (3-1)
9. COLUMBIA CITY (3-0)
10. LAKE CENTRAL (2-1)
3A
1. INDIAN CREEK (3-0)
2. TWIN LAKES (3-0)
3. NORWELL (2-1)
4. HAMILTON HEIGHTS (4-1)
5. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (0-0)
6. WEST LAFAYETTE (3-2)
7. BENTON CENTRAL (2-0)
7. FAIRFIELD (4-0)
9. GIBSON SOUTHERN (2-1)
10. GREENSBURG (2-1)
2A
1. NORTH KNOX (5-0)
2. LAPEL (3-0)
3. EASTBROOK (2-0)
4. EASTERN HANCOCK (3-0)
5. CARROLL (FLORA) (2-0)
6. SOUTH KNOX (3-0)
7. PROVIDENCE (0-0)
7. FORT WAYNE LUERS (1-0)
9. ALEXANDRIA (4-0)
10. LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-1)
1A
1. LANESVILLE (4-0)
2. BORDEN (5-0)
3. BETHANY CHRISTIAN (3-0)
4. CASTON (5-0)
5. MORGAN TWP. (4-0)
6. SPRINGS VALLEY (2-0)
7. TECUMSEH (1-0)
8. TRI (2-1)
8. SOUTH DECATUR (4-0)
10. WASHINGTON TWP. (2-1)
INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES
AUSTIN 58, NEW WASHINGTON 43
BEDFORD N. LAWRENCE 52, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 40
BEECH GROVE 55, INDPLS LUTHERAN 46
BELLMONT 59, FT. WAYNE DWENGER 36
BETHANY CHRISTIAN 46, CENTRAL NOBLE 35
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 67, INDPLS ATTUCKS 21
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 52, MARTINSVILLE 25
BLUFFTON 63, MISSISSINEWA 36
BORDEN 69, CROTHERSVILLE 14
BOWMAN 53, LIGHTHOUSE 4
BREMEN 59, PLYMOUTH 48
BROWNSBURG 55, MOORESVILLE 50
BROWNSTOWN 48, TRINITY LUTHERAN 43
CARROLL (FLORA) 66, N. WHITE 12
CASTON 42, ROSSVILLE 18
CLINTON CENTRAL 57, PIONEER 27
CLINTON PRAIRIE 53, TAYLOR 21
COLUMBIA CITY 54, FT. WAYNE SNIDER 40
COLUMBUS NORTH 51, SOUTHPORT 23
CORYDON 41, PAOLI 29
CRAWFORD CO. 60, N. HARRISON 51
CROWN POINT 45, ANDREAN 25
DECATUR CENTRAL 53, CASCADE 44
DELPHI 49, LEBANON 42, OT
DELTA 63, NEW CASTLE 31
E. NOBLE 64, FT. WAYNE CONCORDIA 58, OT
EASTERN HANCOCK 67, UNION (MODOC) 25
EASTSIDE 53, LEO 31
EDGEWOOD 43, BLOOMFIELD 14
EMINENCE 55, SEVEN OAKS CLASSICAL 2
EVANSVILLE REITZ 85, MT. VERNON (POSEY) 16
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 49, CRAWFORDSVILLE 21
FT. WAYNE BLACKHAWK 58, FREMONT 40
FT. WAYNE LUERS 67, FT. WAYNE SOUTH 45
GARRETT 41, FT. WAYNE NORTH 34
GREENFIELD 41, RICHMOND 34
GREENSBURG 71, SHELBYVILLE 60
HAMILTON HTS. 66, GUERIN CATHOLIC 23
HAMMOND CENTRAL 61, VALPARAISO 59
HAUSER 59, MEDORA 36
HERITAGE HILLS 53, EVANSVILLE NORTH 41
HIGHLAND 42, HANOVER CENTRAL 36
HOMESTEAD 56, NORWELL 52
HUNTINGTON NORTH 66, CARROLL (FT. WAYNE) 40
INDPLS CHATARD 58, INDPLS PERRY MERIDIAN 34
INDPLS PARK TUDOR 54, INDPLS TINDLEY 28
INDPLS RITTER 53, CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL 46
INDPLS RONCALLI 65, INDPLS PIKE 38
INDPLS SHORTRIDGE 52, INDPLS IRVINGTON 10
INDY BREBEUF 56, SHERIDAN 48
JAC-CEN-DEL 65, MILAN 33
JASPER 55, EVANSVILLE BOSSE 15
JAY CO. 38, OAK HILL 15
JEFFERSONVILLE 51, PROVIDENCE 38
JIMTOWN 54, S. BEND ADAMS 45
KNIGHTSTOWN 44, DALEVILLE 37
LAVILLE 34, S. BEND TRINITY 17
LAKE STATION 51, HOBART 47
LAKEWOOD PARK 42, WESTVIEW 34
LINTON 52, BARR-REEVE 36
LOOGOOTEE 54, MITCHELL 47
MADISON 57, S. DEARBORN 47
MADISON SHAWE 63, S. CENTRAL (ELIZABETH) 54
MADISON-GRANT 50, MARION 23
MANCHESTER 63, ADAMS CENTRAL 57
MERRILLVILLE 63, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 28
MICHIGAN CITY MARQUETTE 42, KANKAKEE VALLEY 39
MISHAWAKA 49, ARGOS 47
MONROE CENTRAL 52, WES-DEL 30
MORGAN TWP. 54, MICHIGAN CITY 42
N. MONTGOMERY 33, FRANKFORT 31
NEW PRAIRIE 52, ELKHART 45
NORTHEASTERN 56, UNION CO. 37
NORTHRIDGE 38, FAIRFIELD 25
NORTHVIEW 49, PARKE HERITAGE 47
NORTHWESTERN 63, TIPTON 29
OLDENBURG 63, LAWRENCEBURG 47
ORLEANS 64, SHOALS 14
OWEN VALLEY 46, W. VIGO 18
PENN 57, GLENN 22
PERRY CENTRAL 45, S. SPENCER 32
PLAINFIELD 55, INDPLS BEN DAVIS 37
PORTAGE 58, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN 38
PRINCETON 68, EVANSVILLE HARRISON 35
RANDOLPH SOUTHERN 53, COWAN 40
RED HILL, ILL. 44, UNION (DUGGER) 34
RIVER FOREST 38, GARY WEST 36
S. BEND ST. JOSEPH’S 53, S. BEND CLAY 37
S. BEND WASHINGTON 80, S. BEND RILEY 16
S. CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) 64, N. JUDSON 42
S. RIPLEY 44, S. DECATUR 42
S. VERMILLION 54, SEEGER 19
SHAKAMAK 47, CLAY CITY 33
SOUTHRIDGE 45, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 41
SPRINGS VALLEY 35, N. DAVIESS 22
SULLIVAN 64, WHITE RIVER VALLEY 38
TECUMSEH 46, WOOD MEMORIAL 43
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 46, NORTHWOOD 38, OT
TRI 51, HAGERSTOWN 19
TRI-COUNTY 44, ATTICA 25
TRI-TOWNSHIP 51, W. CENTRAL 45
TRI-WEST 44, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 37
VINCENNES (SOUTH KNOX- 61, DUBOIS 28
VINCENNES 37, PIKE CENTRAL 28
W. WASHINGTON 59, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 31
WABASH 70, LAPEL 65
WASHINGTON TWP. 52, WHEELER 26
WAWASEE 55, LAKELAND 25
WESTERN 52, MACONAQUAH 21
WESTERN BOONE 44, COVINGTON 43
WESTFIELD 51, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE) 42
WESTVILLE 53, N. NEWTON 20
WHITKO 55, PERU 29
WINAMAC 47, CULVER 33
YORKTOWN 47, WINCHESTER 16
ZIONSVILLE 49, CARMEL 38
JOHNSON COUNTY TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND
CENTER GROVE 74, EDINBURGH 6
FRANKLIN 73, GREENWOOD 15
INDIAN CREEK 79, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 16
LAFAYETTE TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND
BENTON CENTRAL 67, LAFAYETTE JEFF 42
LAFAYETTE CATHOLIC 69, TWIN LAKES 54
RENSSELAER 48, LAFAYETTE HARRISON 42
W. LAFAYETTE 49, MCCUTCHEON 46
NFL WEEK 11
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (THU) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO
DALLAS COWBOYS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CHICAGO BEARS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX
NEW YORK JETS AT BUFFALO BILLS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT DENVER BRONCOS 6:20P (MT) 8:20P NBC*
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (MON) 7:15P (CT) 8:15P ESPN/ABC
MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
#1 KANSAS 89 #17 KENTUCKY 84
#4 MARQUETTE 71 #23 ILLINOIS 64
#5 UCONN 87 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 53
#7 TENNESSEE 82 WOFFORD 61
#8 CREIGHTON 92 IOWA 84
#9 DUKE 74 #18 MICHIGAN STATE 65
#10 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 100 EASTERN MICHIGAN 57
#11 GONZAGA 123 EASTERN OREGON 57
#13 TEXAS A&M 79 SMU 66
#15 BAYLOR 99 KANSAS CITY 61
UC IRVINE 70 #16 USC 60
#22 ALABAMA 102 S. ALABAMA 46
#25 COLORADO 106 MILWAUKEE 79
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCOREBOARD
#21 BAYLOR 84 #4 UTAH 77
#7 LSU 109 KENT STATE 79
#11 TEXAS 110 TEXAS ARLINGTON 64
#24 WASHINGTON STATE 61 MONTANA 49
NBA SCOREBOARD
INDIANA 132 PHILADELPHIA 126
ATLANTA 126 DETROIT 120
MIAMI 111 CHARLOTTE 105
BROOKLYN 124 ORLANDO 104
OKLAHOMA CITY 123 SAN ANTONIO 87
NEW ORLEANS 131 DALLAS 110
UTAH 115 PORTLAND 99
DENVER 111 LA CLIPPERS 108
MINNESOTA 104 GOLDEN STATE 101
LA LAKERS 134 MEMPHIS 107
NHL SCOREBOARD
BOSTON 5 BUFFALO 2
PITTSBURGH 5 COLUMBUS 3
CALGARY 2 MONTRÉAL 1
WASHINGTON 3 VEGAS 0
DALLAS 4 ARIZONA 3 OT
ANAHEIM 3 NASHVILLE 2
ST. LOUIS 5 TAMPA BAY 0
WINNIPEG 6 NEW JERSEY 3
FLORIDA 5 SAN JOSE 3
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
BILLS FIRE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEN DORSEY AFTER SLOPPY LOSS TO DENVER DROPS TEAM TO 5-5
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Tuesday with the Josh Allen-led attack stagnating over a six-week stretch and the three-time defending AFC East champions falling further out of the playoff picture.
The move came a day after a 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos in an outing where Allen committed three of Buffalo’s four turnovers and the offense was held under 26 points for a sixth straight game to match the longest stretch since the quarterback’s rookie season in 2018.
Second-year quarterbacks coach Joe Brady takes over as interim coordinator. He joined the Bills after spending the previous two seasons as Carolina’s offensive coordinator.
Buffalo (5-5) has lost four of six and prepares to host the New York Jets (4-5) on Sunday.
Dorsey was unable to complete his second season on the job after being Allen’s hand-picked successor to take over after Brian Daboll was hired to coach the New York Giants. Daboll spent four seasons in Buffalo, with his hiring coinciding with the Bills trading up five spots to select the raw and erratic but strong-armed Allen with the seventh pick in the 2018 draft.
Under Daboll, Allen set numerous single-season franchise records for passing and scoring.
Coach Sean McDermott
Coach Sean McDermott ran out of patience with the offense’s struggles and its inability to pick up the slack for an injury-depleted defense that’s down three starters because of long-term injuries and was missing two more in the loss to Denver.
After spending the past month reiterating his confidence in Dorsey, McDermott altered his message following the loss by saying: “I’m confident, but I believe we can be better at the same time.”
The drop-off in Buffalo’s offensive production has been dramatic since the Bills outscored their opponents by a combined 139-55 to open the season 3-1.
In the past six outings, Buffalo has been outscored 129-123. It particularly has struggled in the first half, managing just 42 points.
Turnovers have become an issue, with Allen throwing a league-high 11 interceptions, including at least one in a career-worst stretch of six straight outings. His career record dropped to 33-25 when committing a turnover, and 3-5 this season.
Allen backed Dorsey a month ago when the coordinator first began generating criticism, and he initially blamed himself for the struggles. He said he began reeling in his emotions after Week 2 by adopting a “low-positive” approach, while acknowledging he might have gone too far.
A few weeks later, Allen’s support for Dorsey began to fade. He said the Bills were simply following the game plan following a 24-18 loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 5.
Allen has struggled to develop a rapport with receivers outside of Stefon Diggs and rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid. The lack of production this season mirrors the struggles the Bills’ offense experienced at the close of last season.
This marks Buffalo’s second change at coordinator this year. McDermott took over the defensive play-calling duties after announcing in February that coordinator Leslie Frazier was taking the year off from coaching with at least one year left on his contract.
HOUSTON’S DENZEL PERRYMAN HAS BEEN SUSPENDED 3 GAMES FOR REPEATEDLY VIOLATING PLAYER SAFETY RULES
Houston Texans linebacker Denzel Perryman has been suspended without pay for three games for repeatedly violating player safety rules during Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Perryman can appeal the suspension.
Perryman was penalized for unnecessary roughness after delivering a helmet-to-helmet hit on Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the fourth quarter.
“You were involved in a play that the league considers a serious violation of the playing rules,” NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan told Perryman in a letter. “You lowered your head and delivered a forcible blow to the shoulder and then the head/neck area of the receiver. You had unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided.”
Perryman has had six violations for similar personal fouls in his career, including in Week 2 against Indianapolis, when he was fined.
“When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player, it is appropriate to impose substantially greater penalties,” Runyan wrote.
Perryman would be eligible to return to the Texans’ active roster on Dec. 4.
An appeal will be heard and decided by either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFL Players Association to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.
COWBOYS LB LEIGHTON VANDER ESCH OUT FOR SEASON
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch will miss the remainder of the season due to his neck injury, team owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday.
“We had just completely left it up to how he was evolving but of course it’s such a very significant loss for us,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
“He’s an integral part of that defense out there. We just wish him well and just the nature of his potential injury here causes me to really think longer term and beyond what it means for next week or beyond what it means for next month. It has everything to do with what’s best in his interest.”
Jones, however, stopped short of addressing whether the injury will end the career of Vander Esch, who missed time while in college at Boise State in 2016 due to his neck. He sat out the final month of the 2019 season with the Cowboys when he underwent neck surgery.
A neck stinger cost Vander Esch the final three-plus games of last season, too.
The Cowboys selected Vander Esch in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Vander Esch, 27, was injured during the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 42-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif. The injury occurred when Vander Esch collided with teammate Micah Parsons.
In five games this season, Vander Esch totaled 30 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown against the New England Patriots on Oct. 1.
In 71 career NFL games (65 starts), Vander Esch has 469 tackles (13 for loss), plus 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
GEORGIA LEAPFROGS OHIO STATE FOR CFP’S NO. 1 RANKING
Two-time defending national champion Georgia is back in the role of favorite after becoming the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The Bulldogs (10-0) jumped ahead of Ohio State (10-0) in the latest rankings unveiled Tuesday night from Grapevine, Texas.
No. 3 Michigan (10-0) and No. 4 Florida State (10-0) remained in their previous spots.
The Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in both of the first two Tuesday rankings. However, the 13-person committee decided this time around that Georgia is the nation’s top team.
CFP committee chairman Boo Corrigan, the athletic director at North Carolina State, cited Georgia’s strong showings the past two weeks as big factors. The Bulldogs beat Missouri 30-21 two Saturdays and Ole Miss 52-17 last weekend.
“You look at the win last week over Missouri and the Mississippi game was tied 14-all and they go out on a 38-3 run and showed their dominance both on offense and defense,” Corrigan said. “Looking at the resume and everything combined, we thought Georgia was the best team this week.”
Washington (10-0) remains on the outside at No. 5 despite owning the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 17 games. Only Georgia (27) has reeled off more consecutive victories.
“Washington continues to win and had a really good defensive second half against Utah.” Corrigan said, referencing the Huskies’ 35-28 win. “But as we looked at it and evaluated … we ended up with Florida State at 4 and Washington at 5.”
Oregon (9-1) again checked in at No. 6 as its October loss to Washington remains the team’s lone blemish. The Ducks and Huskies could meet again in next month’s Pac-12 title game.
Texas (9-1) was again No. 7, just ahead of Alabama (9-1). The Longhorns defeated the Crimson Tide in September. Both teams need some of the teams ahead of them to lose contests.
Alabama will face Georgia in next month’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game, and a victory over the Bulldogs would greatly enhance the Crimson Tide’s resume.
Missouri (8-2) and Louisville (9-1) round out the top 10.
No. 11 Oregon State (8-2) is a real long shot but could create havoc if it upsets visiting Washington this Saturday.
Also this week, Georgia visits No. 18 Tennessee and Ohio State hosts Minnesota.
Michigan, without suspended coach Jim Harbaugh, will visit Maryland. Florida State hosts North Alabama of the FCS ranks.
Oregon visits Arizona State, Texas travels to Iowa State and Alabama will host FCS foe Chattanooga.
Tulane (9-1) of the American Athletic Conference is the only ranked team from a non-power league.
Penn State (8-2) is No. 12, followed by Ole Miss (8-2), Oklahoma (8-2) and LSU (7-3).
Iowa (8-2) sits at No. 16, followed by Arizona (7-3). Notre Dame (7-3) is No. 19, just ahead of North Carolina (8-2).
At No. 21 is Kansas State (7-3), ahead of Utah (7-3) and Oklahoma State (7-3). Kansas (7-3) is No. 25.
CLEMSON’S SWINNEY SHUTS DOWN TEXAS A&M SPECULATION: IT ‘MUST BE NOVEMBER’
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney isn’t paying much attention to speculation that he could be a candidate for Texas A&M’s vacant position.
“I’m just focused on this job. … Always have been,” Swinney said, according to The State’s Chapel Fowler. “Just trying to find a way to beat North Carolina. That’s it. Must be November, that’s all I can say.”
Jimbo Fisher was relieved of his duties as head coach on Sunday amid his sixth campaign with the Aggies. The team posted a 6-4 record before his dismissal.
The 53-year-old Swinney has been linked to several openings during his tenure with the Tigers. The two-time national title winner has been rumored as a candidate for previous openings at SEC programs such as Auburn, LSU, and even Texas A&M before the school hired Fisher prior to the 2018 season.
Swinney has led Clemson to six College Football Playoff appearances during his 16 seasons with the program. He’s in the second year of a 10-year, $115-million contract extension signed in September 2022.
The Tigers have endured an up-and-down campaign. After beginning the season as the No. 9 team on the AP Poll, the team has been unranked for 10 consecutive weeks. Clemson’s four losses this year are its most since 2011.
Swinney surpassed Hall of Famer Frank Howard (165) to become Clemson’s all-time winningest coach after defeating Notre Dame on Nov. 4.
COURT GRANTS OREGON ST., WAZZU CONTROL OF PAC-12
Oregon State and Washington State earned a legal victory on Tuesday that gives them control of what remains of the Pac-12 Conference.
Whitman County (Wash.) Superior Court Judge Gary Libey granted the schools’ request for a preliminary injunction that strips representatives of the conference’s other 10 schools — all of whom are leaving for other conferences next season — of votes on the Pac-12 board.
Libey said he made his ruling, after a 2 1/2-hour hearing, based on the fact that Oregon State and Washington State could experience “irreparable harm” if the exiting universities would remain in control of the Pac-12’s assets.
“Voting will be by the remaining two board members, but this is not a shutout,” Libey said, according to The Athletic. “The preliminary injunction will be modified or whatever you want to call it to make sure that the other 10 schools are still treated in a fair, open manner. Nobody is going to take advantage of somebody else. If that starts to happen, I’ll either hear about it here or somebody down the street will. I do not believe that the two plaintiffs here, the two members of the board that are left, will do anything directly to harm the other 10 members.”
Washington State president Kirk Schulz and athletic director Pat Chun said in a joint statement, in part, “It has always been our view that the future of the Pac-12 should be determined by the remaining members, not by those schools that are leaving the conference.”
Oregon State president Jayathi Murthy and athletic director Scott Barnes added in a statement, “We look forward to charting a path forward for the Pac-12 that is in the best interest of the Conference and student-athletes. Our intentions are to make reasonable business decisions going forward while continuing to seek collaboration and consultation with the departing universities.”
The schools departing the Pac-12 — Washington, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, Arizona State, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Southern California and UCLA — responded in a statement: “We are disappointed with the decision and are immediately seeking review in the Washington Supreme Court and requesting to put on hold implementation of this decision. As members of the Pac-12, participating in ongoing and scheduled competitions, we are members of the board under the Pac-12 bylaws.
“We have the right to the revenue earned by our schools during the 2023-2024 academic year, which is necessary in order to operate our athletics programs and to provide mental and physical health services, academic support, and other support programs for our student-athletes.”
According to CBS Sports, Oregon State and Washington State plan to compete as a two-team football league next year, though the two schools have contacted representatives of the Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt Conference, American Athletic Conference, Conference USA and Mid-American Conference as they seek games for 2024.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 25 ROUNDUP: HUNTER DICKINSON, NO. 1 KANSAS TOP NO. 17 KENTUCKY
Hunter Dickinson scored 27 points and grabbed a career-best 21 rebounds to lead top-ranked Kansas to an 89-84 victory over No. 17 Kentucky on Tuesday night in the Champions Classic at Chicago.
Dajuan Harris scored a career-high 23 points and added seven assists for Kansas (3-0), which beat Kentucky for the sixth time in the past eight meetings. KJ Adams Jr. added 16 points before fouling out and Kevin McCullar Jr. had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Jayhawks.
Chicago native Antonio Reeves had 24 points and eight rebounds to pace the Wildcats (2-1). Rob Dillingham scored 18 points off the bench, Adou Thiero added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and reserve Reed Sheppard had 13 points and four steals.
With Kentucky down three, Sheppard airballed a 3-point attempt with six seconds remaining. Jamari McDowell got the rebound and made two free throws with 5.4 seconds left to seal it for the Jayhawks, who concluded the game with an 11-1 run after trailing 83-78 with three minutes to play.
No. 4 Marquette 71, No. 23 Illinois 64
Tyler Kolek, a game-time decision due to an injured ankle, powered through 37 minutes with no apparent issues, racking up 24 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Golden Eagles defeated the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill.
Kolek, the reigning Big East Player of the Year and a preseason All-American, for the Golden Eagles (3-0). Kam Jones contributed 15 points and Oso Ighodaro added 13 points and eight rebounds for the visitors.
Terrence Shannon Jr. paced Illinois (2-1) with 21 points on 6-of-16 shooting, while Marcus Domask posted 18 points and Luke Goode added a career-high 13 off the bench. The Illini shot 35 percent from the floor and committed 15 turnovers — seven more than Marquette.
No. 5 UConn 87, Mississippi Valley State 53
Cam Spencer made seven of his 11 3-point attempts and scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Huskies past the Delta Devils in Hartford, Conn.
Spencer, a 6-foot-4 guard who transferred from Rutgers, scored 20 points combined in UConn’s first two games, victories over Northern Arizona and Stonehill. He made 4 of 13 3-point attempts in those two contests.
Alex Karaban had 14 points for UConn (3-0). Senior guard Rayquan Brown led MVSU (0-3) with 18 points and eight rebounds. Brown entered Tuesday averaging 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
No. 7 Tennessee 82, Wofford 61
The Volunteers recorded their third straight wire-to-wire win to start the season, rolling past the Terriers in Knoxville, Tenn.
Dalton Knecht scored 18 points to lead Tennessee (3-0), which also never trailed in its victories over Wisconsin and Tennessee Tech. Jordan Gainey had 16 points off the bench and Santiago Vescovi added 11.
Wofford (2-1) averaged 92.0 points in its first two games before shooting just 37.7 percent from the field and 27.0 percent from 3-point range against a Tennessee defense that produced 10 steals and five blocks.
No. 8 Creighton 92, Iowa 84
Trey Alexander recorded 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Bluejays past the Hawkeyes in Omaha, Neb.
Baylor Scheierman added 17 points and Francisco Farabello had 14 points for Creighton (3-0). Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 13 points and Fredrick King added 12 for Creighton in the Gavitt Tipoff Game featuring Big Ten and Big East teams.
Ben Krikke scored 24 and Tony Perkins added 16 points and three steals for Iowa (2-1). Patrick McCaffery scored 13 points and Payton Sandfort added 11.
No. 9 Duke 74, No. 18 Michigan State 65
Freshman Caleb Foster scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half as the Blue Devils withstood several rallies from the Spartans to earn a win in the Champions Classic in Chicago.
Foster made multiple clutch shots on 4-for-5 shooting on 3-pointers after playing a limited role in Duke’s (2-1) loss to then-No. 12 Arizona on Friday.
Tyson Walker racked up 22 points for Michigan State (1-2), which lost its opener at home against James Madison on Nov. 6. Malik Hall had 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field, and Jaden Akins posted 11 points and eight rebounds.
No. 10 Florida Atlantic 100, Eastern Michigan 57
Vladislav Goldin scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Owls over the Eagles in Boca Raton, Fla.
Five other players scored in double figures for Florida Atlantic (2-0). Brandon Weatherspoon scored 16 points, Giancarlo Rosado and Brenen Lorient had 13 points apiece, Bryan Greenlee scored 12 points and Nick Boyd had 11 points to go along with a game-high seven assists.
Tyson Acuff scored 20 points and Legend Geeter had 13 points and five rebounds in defeat for Eastern Michigan (1-2). The Eagles shot 42.6 percent (23 of 54) from the field overall, but were just 2 of 15 (13.4 percent) from 3-point range.
No. 11 Gonzaga 123, Eastern Oregon 57
Graham Ike recorded 25 points and 11 rebounds to help the Bulldogs steamroll the Mountaineers in Spokane, Wash.
Braden Huff scored 23 points off the bench and Anton Watson had 20 points for the Bulldogs (2-0).
AJ Huddleston scored 12 points for Eastern Oregon. The game was an exhibition for the NAIA Mountaineers, who are 0-3 this season.
No. 13 Texas A&M 79, SMU 66
Tyrece Radford hit for 21 points, 16 in the first half, as the Aggies remained undefeated with a gritty win over the host Mustangs in Dallas, Texas.
Taylor had 15 points and Henry Coleman III added 13 points and 15 rebounds points for Texas A&M (3-0). Jace Carter chipped in 10 points. The Aggies outscored SMU 28-22 in the paint and scored 20 points off 16 SMU turnovers.
Chuck Harris paced the Mustangs (3-1) with 21 points. Zhuric Phelps added 13 and Emory Lanier 10.
No. 15 Baylor 99, Kansas City 61
Jayden Nunn had a season-high 25 points to lead a powerful attack as the Bears ran past the Roos in Waco, Texas.
Baylor (4-0), playing its fourth game in eight days, dominated play in the first half, when it scored 51 points and built an 18-point advantage. Bears freshman Ja’Kobe Walter, who on Monday was voted Big 12 Conference Player of the Week, added 23 points.
Anderson Kopp led Kansas City (2-1) with 15 points while Jamar Brown added 11.
UC Irvine 70, No. 16 Southern California 60
Justin Hohn scored 25 points, Bent Leuchten added 19 points and the Anteaters knocked off the Trojans in Los Angeles.
UC Irvine (2-1) shot 5-for-9 from 3-point range in the second half, the last of which came from Devin Tillis with 37 seconds remaining. Tillis’ basket doubled UC Irvine’s lead and effectively put USC away.
The Trojans (2-1), playing without point guard Boogie Ellis, committed 16 turnovers and combined for just seven assists as a team. Isaiah Collier led USC with 23 points but committed seven turnovers and dished only one assist running the point in Ellis’ absence.
No. 22 Alabama 102, South Alabama 46
Behind 17 points from Mark Sears and a tenacious defensive effort, the Crimson Tide rolled over the visiting Jaguars in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Sears also added five rebounds and five assists and was 3-for-4 from 3-point range as Alabama (3-0) reached triple digits in points for the third time in as many games this season.
The Crimson Tide limited the Jaguars to 23.3 shooting (14-for-60) from the field and 17.2 percent (5-for-29) from behind the arc after head coach Nate Oats challenged his team to play better defensively. Maxwell Land led South Alabama (1-2) with 15 points, and Isiah Gaiter had eight points.
No. 25 Colorado 106, Milwaukee 79
KJ Simpson scored 23 points, Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva scored 17 points apiece, and the Buffaloes beat the Panthers in Boulder, Colo.
Eddie Lampkin finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Julian Hammond III also had 14 points and RJ Smith chipped in with 11 for Colorado (3-0).
Zach Howell had 15 points, Markeith Browning II scored 11 and Elijah Jamison added 10 points for the Panthers (1-2), who have dropped two straight.
AP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: TERRENCE EDWARDS JR. OF JAMES MADISON KEYED BIG UPSET IN 3-0 START FOR DUKES
The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s basketball for Week 1 of the season:
TERRENCE EDWARDS JR., James Madison
The 6-foot-6 swingman from Atlanta keyed James Madison’s upset overtime win at then-No. 4 Michigan State, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists. Edwards averaged 21 points and 5.7 rebounds while hitting 21 of 23 free throws and 6 of 13 from 3-point range in three wins last week that got James Madison ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history. Edwards also had 25 points and 10 rebounds in a double overtime win over Kent State.
RUNNER-UP
Armando Bacot, North Carolina. The graduate forward averaged 23.5 points and 16.5 rebounds per game and made 18 of 30 shots in wins over Radford and Lehigh. He had 25 points and 13 rebounds against Radford for his 100th game scoring in double figures.
HONORABLE MENTION
Keshad Johnson (Arizona), Tucker DeVries (Drake), Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor).
KEEP AN EYE ON
Nevada’s Kenan Blackshear. The graduate student guard from Orlando, Florida, averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while making 18 of 34 shots in a pair of wins last week. That is an uptick from last season, when he averaged 14.1 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 33 starts.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: FRESHMAN PUTS UP 42 FOR NO. 7 LSU
Mikaylah Williams set the single-game program scoring record for a freshman by pouring in 42 points as No. 7 LSU downed Kent State 109-79 in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday.
Williams shot 15-for-20 from the floor — and 5-for-8 from 3-point range — to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals for LSU (3-1).
“She’s a special talent,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said of Williams. “It was one of those moments where the rim feels as big as the ocean.”
Hailey Van Lith added 15 points and five assists, while Aneesah Morrow flirted with a triple-double with 17 points, eight rebounds and nine steals. Preseason All-American Angel Reese had 11 points and five rebounds in just 14 minutes of action. Reese did not play in the second half due to what Mulkey called a “coach’s decision.”
Kent State (1-1) trailed by just two points at halftime. Katie Shumate led the Golden Flashes with 22 points.
No. 21 Baylor 84, No. 4 Utah 77
The Lady Bears handed the Utes their first loss of the season behind 18 points from Sarah Andrews, who knocked down 4 of 6 attempts from behind the arc in Waco, Texas.
Baylor (3-0) never trailed and took advantage early when reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Alissa Pili picked up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game for Utah (2-1). With Pili off the floor, the Lady Bears went on a 15-7 run. Baylor later enjoyed a 9-0 run and went on to lead by as much as 11 points.
Pili still led Utah in scoring with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting. For Baylor, Aijah Blackwell had 13 points and eight rebounds, while Dre’una Edwards had 14 points and six boards.
Utah missed eight of 17 free throws and turned the ball over 18 times, which Baylor turned into 27 points. The loss for Utah marked the first of the season for any Pac-12 conference team.
No. 11 Texas 110, UT Arlington 64
Taylor Jones scored 21 points and Rori Harmon added 20 as the Longhorns rolled to home victory over the Mavericks in Austin, Texas.
Texas (3-0) never fell behind and saw six of its players score in double figures. Shay Holle had 17 points, Madison Booker tallied 14, and Shaylee Gonzales and Khadija Faye each scored 10. Harmon also had seven assists, six rebounds and four steals while shooting 9-for-12 from the floor. Gia Adams led UT Arlington (0-3) with 20 points.
The Longhorns won the rebounding battle 57-27 and also had 30 assists to just 12 turnovers. It was the most assists Texas produced in a single game since another 30-assist effort in a Nov. 9, 2021, win over New Orleans.
No. 24 Washington State 61, Montana 49
Bella Murekatete amassed 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Cougars to a victory over the Lady Griz in Missoula, Mont.
Montana (0-2) led for a bit in the first quarter and trailed by just five points at halftime, but Washington State (4-0) pulled away in the third quarter with a 21-10 run. Murekatete scored 14 of her points in the third quarter, while Charlisse Leger-Walker had seven of her 19 points in that frame. The duo also combined for seven steals and six assists in the game.
Carmen Gfeller led Montana (0-2) with 10 points and nine rebounds.
AP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CAITLIN CLARK OF IOWA AVERAGED 32 POINTS, 9 ASSISTS AND 8.3 REBOUNDS
The Associated Press national player of the week in women’s basketball for Week 1 of the season:
CAITLIN CLARK, Iowa
The 6-foot senior guard from Des Moines, Iowa, led Iowa to three wins last week, averaging 32 points, 9.0 assists and 8.3 rebounds while committing only four turnovers. She scored 44 points in the win over then-No. 8 Virginia Tech and now has four 40-point performances against AP top 10 teams in her career. She also broke Iowa’s all-time scoring record that was previously held by Megan Gustafson and became only the second women’s basketball player to record a triple-double in four different seasons.
RUNNER-UP
Saniya Rivers, N.C. State. The junior guard had a career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double in the Wolfpack’s win 91-81 over UConn. She also scored 11 points in just 18 minutes in a win over Charlotte.
HONORABLE MENTION
Kamilla Cardoso (South Carolina), Aaronette Vonleh (Colorado), Juju Watkins (USC).
KEEP AN EYE ON
Belmont forward Kendal Cheesman scored a career-high 28 points in a 76-50 win over Georgia in her first career start. The junior was 9 of 15 beyond the arc, the most 3s in a Division I women’s game so far this season and one off the school record.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: WOLVES EARN EJECTION-MARRED WIN OVER WARRIORS
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, Mike Conley buried a lead-extending 3-pointer with 9.6 seconds remaining and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the Golden State Warriors 104-101 on Tuesday night in San Francisco in a game marred by three ejections.
Warriors stars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels were all kicked out of the contest. The trio of ejections occurred just 1:43 into the game, when Thompson and McDaniels grabbed a hold of each other’s jersey on their way down the court after Anthony Edwards missed a 3-pointer.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was one of the first to separate the two, but in doing so, prompted Green to retaliate by placing the Minnesota big man in a headlock. Shortly thereafter, the referees — after conferring with the NBA review officials in New Jersey — decided to eject Thompson, McDaniels and Green.
Edwards finished with 20 points for Minnesota. Brandin Podziemski led Golden State with 23 points, and Dario Saric scored 21. Stephen Curry sat out due to a sore right knee.
Nuggets 111, Clippers 108
Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists, Aaron Gordon scored 20 points and host Denver stretched Los Angeles’ losing streak to six.
Paul George led the Clippers with 35 points, James Harden scored 21 and Kawhi Leonard contributed 15 for Los Angeles, which is 0-2 in the in-season tournament. The Nuggets are 2-0 in West Group B.
The Clippers are 0-5 in games Harden has played since he was acquired from Philadelphia late last month.
Lakers 134, Grizzlies 107
D’Angelo Russell scored 24 points, Rui Hachimura added 23 and host Los Angeles increased its winning streak to three games while improving to 2-0 in the NBA in-season tournament by routing Memphis.
Anthony Davis had 19 points with 11 rebounds, while Austin Reaves and LeBron James each added 16 points for Los Angeles, which is 5-0 at home this season.
Santi Aldama scored 24 points for the Grizzlies, who split their trip to Los Angeles after defeating the Clippers on Sunday. Already without Steven Adams (knee), Brandon Clarke (Achilles), Derrick Rose (ankle) and Ja Morant (suspension), the Grizzlies lost Marcus Smart to an ankle injury and Luke Kennard to knee soreness.
Hawks 126, Pistons 120
Dejounte Murray scored 32 points and dished out 10 assists as visiting Atlanta handed Detroit its ninth straight loss.
Saddiq Bey supplied 19 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic tossed in 17 for the Hawks in their NBA in-season tournament opener. Atlanta, which finished the game with a 10-3 run, played without Trae Young, who missed the contest for personal reasons.
Marvin Bagley III led Detroit with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Ausar Thompson had 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Pistons, who are 0-2 in the tournament.
Heat 111, Hornets 105
Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and Miami won its sixth straight game by holding off host Charlotte in the final game of the Heat’s four-game road trip.
Bam Adebayo had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Duncan Robinson made four 3-pointers on the way to 18 points for Miami. Butler made 10 of 14 shots from the field and 11 of 14 free throws.
P.J. Washington drained six treys and netted 32 points to pace the Hornets. Teammate LaMelo Ball went for 28 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.
Pacers 132, 76ers 126
Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 15 assists, Obi Toppin added 27 points and Indiana defeated host Philadelphia in the NBA in-season tournament, snapping the 76ers’ eight-game winning streak.
Myles Turner scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for the Pacers. Turner hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired for a 122-116 lead with 3:03 remaining. Haliburton then sealed the victory with his seventh trey for a 127-118 advantage with 1:03 left.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 39 points and 12 rebounds while hitting all 17 of his free throws. De’Anthony Melton added 30 points and Tyrese Maxey had 27.
Thunder 123, Spurs 87
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead host Oklahoma City over San Antonio.
It was the first regular-season showdown between two of the league’s most prominent rookies — San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, and Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft who missed all of last season with a foot injury.
Holmgren scored nine points on 3-of-10 shooting and compiled seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Wembanyama had a season-low eight points on 4-of-15 shooting, but he added 14 rebounds and two blocks.
Pelicans 131, Mavericks 110
Brandon Ingram and rookie Jordan Hawkins scored 25 points each to lead six New Orleans scorers in double figures and the host Pelicans ended a five-game losing streak by routing Dallas in an NBA in-season tournament game.
Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones scored 19 each, Naji Marshall had 16 and Dyson Daniels 10 as the Pelicans had a season-high point total and turned the tables on the Mavericks, who beat them 136-124 on Sunday night in New Orleans.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving scored 17 each while Luka Doncic had 16 for the Mavericks.
Jazz 115, Trail Blazers 99
Jordan Clarkson scored 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting to lead Utah past Portland in Salt Lake City.
Lauri Markkanen added 21 points and nine rebounds as Utah won its second straight game. The Jazz also improved to 2-0 in Group West A play of the NBA’s in-season tournament. Portland fell to 1-1.
Jerami Grant scored 26 points and Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who lost their fourth straight contest. Utah limited Portland to 13 points in the final quarter.
Nets 124, Magic 104
Spencer Dinwiddie scored a season-high 29 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, as Brooklyn pulled away down the stretch for a victory over Orlando in an NBA in-season tournament game in New York.
The Nets improved to 2-1 in East Group C and won their second straight game thanks to Dinwiddie, who helped Brooklyn turn a two-point, fourth-quarter lead into a double-digit victory. Mikal Bridges added 21 points for Brooklyn.
Franz Wagner led Orlando with 21 points, but the Magic scored 18 points in the final quarter of their first tournament game. Paolo Banchero added 19 points.
BLAZERS C ROBERT WILLIAMS III UNDERGOES KNEE SURGERY
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III underwent successful right knee surgery.
The surgery was performed Monday by Dr. Walt Lowe at Memorial Hermann Surgery Center in Houston to reconstruct a torn ligament in Williams’ right knee, according to the Blazers.
Williams went down with a patellar dislocation in a 112-100 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 5.
The team said he is expected to recover fully in time for the 2024-25 season.
Williams, 26, was acquired from the Boston Celtics with Malcolm Brogdon in the Jrue Holiday trade on Oct. 1. He averaged 6.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in six games off the bench this season.
A second-team All-NBA Defensive selection after the 2021-22 season, Williams has averaged 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 215 career games (97 starts) with the Celtics and Trail Blazers. He was selected by Boston with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
BASEBALL NEWS
PADRES OWNER PETER SEIDLER DIES AT 63
San Diego Padres chairman and owner Peter Seidler died Tuesday at age 63.
“The Padres organization mourns the passing of our beloved Chairman and owner, Peter Seidler,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner said in a statement. “Today, our love and prayers encircle Peter’s family as they grieve the loss of an extraordinary husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend.
“Peter was a kind and generous man who was devoted to his wife, children, and extended family. He also consistently exhibited heartfelt compassion for others, especially those less fortunate. His impact on the city of San Diego and the baseball world will be felt for generations. His generous spirit is now firmly embedded in the fabric of the Padres. Although he was our Chairman and owner, Peter was at his core a Padres fan. He will be dearly missed.”
Seidler underwent an unspecified medical procedure in August but said in a statement that he was on the road to recovery.
He purchased the Padres in 2012.
REPORT: DODGERS, RANGERS, RED SOX EXPECTED TO BE IN ON OHTANI
The Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox are among the teams expected to be interested in signing free-agent superstar Shohei Ohtani, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Ohtani is the marquee free agent available this offseason after another terrific campaign as both a hitter and pitcher in 2023.
The 29-year-old is considered the favorite to take home his second AL MVP in three years.
Ohtani suffered an elbow injury in August and won’t pitch during the 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery to address a UCL tear in his pitching elbow.
The three-time All-Star is more focused on the quality of a team’s roster than its location, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
Ohtani slashed .304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 135 games as a hitter for the Los Angeles Angels in 2023. He also registered a 3.14 ERA with 167 strikeouts across 132 innings as a pitcher.
10 PLAYERS WHO COULD BE TRADED THIS MLB OFFSEASON
Corbin Burnes, Brewers
Age: 29
Position: SP
Contract: 3rd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2024)
Burnes was on the list last year and leads it off again. The 2021 NL Cy Young winner wasn’t quite as dominant last season but still authored another strong campaign for the Brewers. Milwaukee appears to be at a crossroads with the departure of manager Craig Counsell. The Brewers are reportedly open to trading almost any player on the roster as they consider the direction of the franchise moving forward. With Burnes under team control for just one more season, the potential return in a trade package won’t be as high as it would’ve been if Milwaukee had traded him last offseason or even at the trade deadline. However, Burnes is still one of baseball’s premier starting pitchers and should be able to fetch a strong return, even with only one guaranteed season for interested teams.
Juan Soto, Padres
Age: 25
Position: OF
Contract: 3rd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2024)
Things haven’t gone as planned for Soto and the Padres after San Diego acquired the superstar outfielder in a blockbuster trade at the 2022 trade deadline. The 25-year-old had a strong campaign at the plate in 2023, but not quite as dominant as in years past. With the Padres potentially looking to trim payroll after several years of exorbitant spending, Soto could be on the trading block. The cost will still be high, even with free agency looming at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The Yankees have reportedly engaged in some preliminary trade discussions with the Padres for Soto.
Mike Trout, Angels
Age: 32
Position: OF
Contract: 7 years, $247M remaining on contract
Trout struggled through injuries in 2023 and failed to play more than 120 games in a season for the third consecutive campaign. With Shohei Ohtani likely moving on, the Angels are in a precarious position as a franchise. Trout said in September that he planned to speak with management about the direction of the club and his future. Any interested team will have to weigh a handful of factors when debating whether to seriously pursue a trade for the three-time MVP. Trout’s injury history has to be taken into consideration, as well as the seven years and roughly $259 million remaining on his deal.
Tyler Glasnow, Rays
Age: 30
Position: SP
Contract: 1-year, $25M (FA after 2024)
Glasnow’s salary for 2024 is the biggest reason a trade out of Tampa Bay could be possible. The Rays are entering uncharted territory in terms of payroll commitments and haven’t shied away from trading established players with rising salaries in the past. Glasnow continues to be one of baseball’s most talented starting pitchers and would instantly add an elite option to any club’s rotation.
Alex Verdugo, Red Sox
Age: 27
Position: OF
Contract: 3rd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2024)
Verdugo endured a bumpy campaign for the Red Sox in 2023. The 27-year-old was benched for a game in August after showing up late and was called out by Red Sox manager Alex Cora. New Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow acknowledged the club has received trade interest in Verdugo. Although he hasn’t reached the heights Red Sox fans hoped for after he was acquired in the Mookie Betts trade, Verdugo is still a solid player with good on-base skills that can help a team in need of an outfielder.
Shane Bieber, Guardians
Age: 28
Position: SP
Contract: 3rd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2024)
Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff said he expects Bieber to be in the club’s rotation to start the season, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be significant trade interest in the 2020 AL Cy Young winner. The Guardians are armed with a number of talented young pitchers, with the likes of Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, and Gavin Williams ready to lead the club moving forward. Bieber has just one year of club control remaining and seems like a strong candidate to test free agency. The Guardians could look to hang onto Bieber to start the season, hoping he bounces back from an injury-plagued 2023 and see where they’re at in the standings at the trade deadline before considering their options.
Dylan Cease, White Sox
Age: 27
Position: SP
Contract: 2nd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2025)
Cease took a step back in 2023 after finishing runner-up to Justin Verlander in AL Cy Young voting the season before. New White Sox general manager Chris Getz admitted he’s willing to trade Cease. “Dylan, obviously, is an established major-league starter, he’s got front-end ability, and there isn’t a team that wouldn’t want Dylan Cease on their roster,” Getz said. Cease’s underlying numbers from 2023 indicate a bit of bad luck might have contributed to a 4.58 ERA in 177 innings. With two years of club control remaining, the cost will likely be high for any interested teams. However, Cease’s strikeout ability and considerable upside should have a host of interested parties lining up to make Getz an offer.
Dylan Carlson, Cardinals
Age: 25
Position: OF
Contract: 1st-year arb-eligible (FA after 2026)
Carlson made the list last year and gets the nod yet again. The 25-year-old struggled through injuries, appearing in just 76 games last season. Carlson doesn’t possess elite offensive skills but has good plate discipline and contact ability. His switch-hitting profile should also be an attractive asset to other teams. Carlson has already drawn trade interest from a number of clubs, including the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Gleyber Torres, Yankees
Age: 26
Position: 2B
Contract: 3rd-year arb-eligible (FA after 2024)
It feels like Torres has been ticketed for a trade out of New York for several years, but he’s remained with the franchise. The Yankees are loaded with a number of young prospects who can handle middle infield positions. Torres put together a strong campaign at the plate for the Yankees in 2023 and would help boost a club looking for a power-hitting option at second base. The Red Sox are one club reportedly showing interest in Torres, with Verdugo being the potential return in a trade, according to WEEI’s Rob Bradford.
Jonathan India, Reds
Age: 26
Position: 2B
Contract: 1st-year arb-eligible (FA after 2026)
With the emergence of Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, and Matt McLain, it appears India could be the odd man out in Cincinnati. The Reds also have Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Noelvi Marte in need of at-bats and playing time. India has received interest from multiple teams, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. The 2021 NL Rookie of the Year has been slightly below average at the plate in each of the last two seasons but can hit for power and steal bases. He should fetch the Reds a strong return if president of baseball operations Nick Krall seriously considers moving him.
HOCKEY NEWS
MANSLAUGHTER ARREST IN DEATH OF HOCKEY PLAYER WHOSE NECK WAS CUT WITH SKATE BLADE DURING GAME
LONDON (AP) — Police in England arrested a man Tuesday on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of American ice hockey player Adam Johnson, whose neck was cut by a skate during a game.
Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers on Oct. 28 when he was struck by an opponent’s skate blade in the Elite Ice Hockey League game at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
South Yorkshire Police did not name the suspect or provide his age. He was in police custody.
Matt Petgrave, 31, who plays for Sheffield, was the other player involved in the grisly incident that reverberated around the hockey community and led to moments of silence in the NHL.
Video of the incident shows Johnson skating with the puck toward the Steelers net. Petgrave skates toward Johnson and collides with another Panthers player. Petgrave’s left skate kicks up as he begins to fall and the blade hits Johnson in the neck.
Both players land on the ice. Petgrave immediately got to his feet. Johnson rose more slowly and as he is helped off the ice, his jersey is covered in blood. He later died at a local hospital.
“Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,” Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said.
Fans had a moment of silence for Johnson at the Steelers next game and gave Petgrave, who didn’t play in that game, a standing ovation.
Johnson was a Minnesota native who appeared in a total of 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
The English Ice Hockey Association, which governs the sport below the Elite League, reacted to Johnson’s death by requiring all players in England to wear neck guards from the start of 2024.
Messages sent to Johnson’s agent and a friend of the family seeking comment were not immediately returned.
NHL ROUNDUP: SIDNEY CROSBY (HAT TRICK) LIFTS PENS PAST JACKETS
Sidney Crosby had a hat trick plus an assist Tuesday to lift the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins to their fifth straight win, 5-3 over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Erik Karlsson and Jake Guentzel each added a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who are 9-0-1 in the teams’ past 10 meetings.
Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry made 27 saves.
Kirill Marchenko, Yegor Chinakhov and Alexandre Texier scored for the Blue Jackets, who lost their sixth straight (0-4-2).
Bruins 5, Sabres 2
David Pastrnak logged a goal and two assists while four teammates each scored their first goal of the season as visiting Boston beat Buffalo.
Danton Heinen, Brandon Carlo, Oskar Steen and Hampus Lindholm also scored for Boston, which extended its points streak to four games (3-0-1).
Victor Olofsson scored both goals for Buffalo, which finished with a 34-32 shots advantage.
Stars 4, Coyotes 3 (OT)
Matt Duchene scored 42 seconds into overtime to lift host Dallas past Arizona, extending the Stars’ home dominance of the Coyotes.
Duchene converted Tyler Seguin’s centering feed for his sixth goal of the season and fourth in as many games. Both players had a goal and an assist.
Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who registered their season-high fourth straight victory to open their five-game homestand and extended their home point streak against the Coyotes to 18 games (17-0-1).
Blues 5, Lightning 0
Jordan Binnington made 30 saves for his 13th career shutout as St. Louis defeated visiting Tampa Bay.
Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues, who won their third straight game and their fifth in six games. Colton Parayko, Jakub Vrana and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for the Blues, and Torey Krug and Pavel Buchnevich each had two assists for St. Louis.
Jonas Johansson made 24 saves for the Lightning, who lost their third straight game. They are just 2-4-2 in their last eight games.
Flames 2, Canadiens 1
Connor Zary posted his first career multi-point game with one goal and one assist to pace visiting Calgary to a victory over Montreal.
Nazem Kadri also scored for the Flames, who were winless in the first two outings of a three-game road swing but ended it on a high note. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves in his return from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss two games.
Gustav Lindstrom scored for the Canadiens, who have lost two straight games. Goalie Sam Montembeault stopped 27 shots.
Capitals 3, Golden Knights 0
Charlie Lindgren made 35 saves for his first shutout of the season and Washington won its third straight game, beating visiting Vegas.
Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Beck Malenstyn scored goals for Washington, which improved to 7-1-1 over its last nine games.
Logan Thompson made 28 saves for Vegas, which lost for the third time in four games and also had a five-game winning streak against Washington snapped.
Jets 6, Devils 3
Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers each scored twice for host Winnipeg, which pulled away from skidding New Jersey.
Cole Perfetti and Morgan Barron also scored for the Jets, who have won four of their past five games (4-1-0). Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves.
Timo Meier, John Marino and Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils, who have lost four of five games (1-4-0) since Nov. 3, when star center Jack Hughes suffered an upper-body injury in a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Ducks 3, Predators 2
Adam Henrique scored with 3:51 left and Anaheim completed another third-period comeback to knock off host Nashville.
Radko Gudas had a goal and an assist, Cam Fowler also scored and John Gibson made 29 saves for the Ducks, who posted their sixth third-period comeback win of the season.
Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi scored, Ryan O’Reilly had two assists and Juuse Saros made 17 saves for the Predators, who have lost four in a row. Henrique redirected Urho Vaakanainen’s wrist shot from above the left circle to beat Saros for the 3-2 lead.
Panthers 5, Sharks 3
Kevin Stenlund’s redirected goal midway through the third period led Florida over host San Jose.
Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Aleksander Barkov each had a goal and an assist, while Ryan Lomberg scored Florida’s other goal.
Luke Kunin, Tomas Hertl, and Mike Hoffman scored for the Sharks, and Mikael Granlund had two assists.
NHL EXPLORING TWEAKING 3-ON-3 OVERTIME RULES
NHL general managers have discussed changing the current three-on-three overtime rules to prevent teams from continuously exiting the offensive zone in order to retain possession, league executive Colin Campbell told TSN.
Potential solutions include a shot clock or not allowing teams to cross back over the blue or red line after entering the attacking zone.
“We haven’t got to whether (overtime) should be longer or whether we should get rid of the shootout,” Campbell said. “We don’t mind the format. The one thing we don’t like, the one thing that teams have done on their own, players have done on their own, is decided that possession is key. You get those boot-back, kick-backs all the time. Sometimes overtimes get going, but until then, sometimes they don’t want to give the puck up from opening faceoff.”
He added: “What is the answer? We don’t want more whistles. We don’t want more faceoffs.”
Changes aren’t imminent and will be tabled until GMs convene for their annual meetings in March.
The NHL introduced five minutes of three-on-three overtime prior to the 2015-16 season in an effort to cut down on shootouts.
Players and coaches have voiced support for longer three-on-three sessions in the past. The ECHL implemented seven-minute overtime periods in 2019-20.
GOLF NEWS
GOLF GLANCE: BIG STAKES AT PGA, LPGA SEASON FINALES
The PGA and LPGA tours conclude their seasons this week with the final two official tournaments of 2023 among major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Butterfield Bermuda Championship (Camilo Villegas)
THIS WEEK: The RSM Classic, St. Simons Island, Ga., Nov. 16-19
Course: Sea Island Golf Club, Seaside Course (Par 70, 7,005 yards)
Purse: $8.4M (Winner: $1.512M)
Defending Champion: Adam Svensson
FedEx Cup Champion: Viktor Hovland
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 12-3 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Streaming: Thursday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
X: @TheRSMClassic
SEASON FINALE: This is the final event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season and the final event of the seven-tournament FedEx Cup Fall. Players who finish No. 51-60 in the standings (the “Next 10”) will earn entry into two designated events next year. Those finishing in the Top 125 will retain full-field status and spots in the Players Championship. Nos. 126-150 will earn conditional status and invites to join the DP World Tour.
NEXT 10 STANDINGS (*In Field)
No. 56 Nick Hardy*
No. 57 Alex Smalley*
No. 58 Luke List*
No. 59 J.J. Spaun*
No. 60 Sam Ryder*
No. 61 Mark Hubbard*
No. 62 Stephan Jaeger*
No. 63 Thomas Detry*
No. 64 Alex Noren*
No. 65 Erik van Rooyen
No. 66 Davis Riley
No. 67 Brandon Wu*
No. 68 S.H. Kim
No. 69 Keith Mitchell*
No. 70 Hayden Buckley*
TOP 125 BUBBLE STANDINGS (All in Field)
No. 121 Doug Ghim
No. 122 Nico Echavarria
No. 123 Troy Merritt
No. 124 Andrew Novak
No. 125 Carl Yuan
No. 126 Henrik Norlander
No. 127 Maverick McNealy
No. 128 Ryan Moore
No. 129 C.T. Pan
No. 130 Patton Kizzire
NOTES: The top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking on Jan. 1, 2024 will secure invitations to the 2024 Masters. … Svensson is defending his maiden PGA Tour victory. … Curtis Thompson, the older brother of LPGA Tour star Lexi Thompson, secured the final spot in the field with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole of the Monday Qualifier. … Mark Hubbard will make his 39th start of the 54-event season, a single-season record since data started being kept in 1983. He is one of six players to compete in all six Fall events thus far. The others are: Tyson Alexander, Akshay Bhatia, Nick Hardy, Justin Lower and Kevin Yu. … The Open champion Brian Harman makes his first start on tour since the Tour Championship. … Zach Johnson and Chris Kirk are the only players to compete in the event every year since its debut in 2010. … Twin brothers David and Maxwell Ford are in the field on sponsor exemptions. David won the 2023 Jones Cup. … Tournament host Davis Love III will make his 790th start on tour.
BEST BETS: Ludvig Aberg (+1400 at BetMGM) already has secured his status among the top 125, and the standout Swedish rookie has his sights set on getting inside the top 50 in the world. He’s currently No. 53. … Russell Henley (+1600) is the second highest-ranked player in the field at No. 25 and is another Georgia resident (Columbus) in the field. … Brian Harman (+2000) is a St. Simons Island resident and will make his 12th event start after tying for second last year. … Corey Conners (+2200) tees it up for the first time since the Tour Championship and won Valero Texas Open earlier this year. … Eric Cole (+3000) leads the rookie of the year race and is 48th in the world as he seeks his maiden tour win. Cole has three top-4 finishes in his past four starts. … Kirk (+4500) won the event in 2013 and finished T4 in 2014 and ’18. He sits 49th in the world rankings. … Camilo Villegas (+5500) followed his runner-up two weeks ago with his first win in nine years in Bermuda.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Sentry Tournament of Champions, Kapalua, Hawaii, Jan. 4-7
LPGA Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican (Lilia Vu)
THIS WEEK: CME Group Tour Championship, Naples, Fla., Nov. 16-19
Course: Pelican Golf Club (Par 72, 6,556 yards)
Purse: $7M (Winner: $2M)
Defending Champion: Lydia Ko
Race to the CME Globe leader: Celine Boutier
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 3-5 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 4-7 p.m. (GC-Tape Delay); Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: Thursday-Saturday, 2-5 p.m. ET; Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Peacock)
X: @cmegrouptourchamp
NOTES: The Top 60 players in the Race to the CME Globe standings qualified for the season-ending event, which features the highest winning payout in women’s golf. … Ko, who finished 100th in the standings, is the first champion to fail to qualify to defend her title. Other notable names who did not qualify this year include three-time major champion In Gee Chun (No. 75), 2018 champion Lexi Thompson (79) and U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis. … Vu leads Boutier by 27 points in the Player of the Year standings. They are the only two players mathematically eligible to win the award. … Jin Young Ko holds the tournament scoring record of 23-under 265 set in 2021, when she claimed her second consecutive title. … Six rookies are in the field: Grace Kim, Yuna Nishimura, Alexa Pano, Hae Ran Ryu, Chanettee Wannasaen and Rose Zhang. Three others making their event debuts are Stephanie Kyriacou, Linn Grant and Ruoning Yin.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: TBA
PGA Tour Champions
LAST TOURNAMENT: Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Steven Alker)
THIS WEEK: Season Complete
Charles Schwab Cup champion: Steve Stricker
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Maui, Hawaii
LIV Golf League
THIS WEEK: Season Complete
Series Winners: Talor Gooch (Individual), Crushers GC (Team)
NEXT TOURNAMENT: TBA
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANA FOOTBALL SEMI-STATE PREVIEWS
1A
#14 COACHES POLL/UNRANKED AP POLL NORTH JUDSON (9-4) AT #2 COACHES POLL/#2 AP POLL ADAMS CENTRAL (13-0)
Adams Central has beaten North Judson in the Sem-State the last two seasons 42-7 and 35-0. North Judson took care of a good Park Tudor team last week by running for 377 yards. The Bluejays average almost 300 yards per game on the ground led by RB Brock Benson (1,401 yards), RB Kole Wilcox (871 yards) and QB Jesiah McDaniel (1,020 yards). Adams Central’s defense is one of the best in the state allowing only 5.0 points per game. The Flying Jets dominated Carroll (Flora) last week 29-0. Keep an eye on RB Keegan Bluhm who ran for 205 yards last week in their win over Carroll. If Adams Central wins they potentially play Lutheran for the third straight year in the state championship.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Adams Central, 82.35, 24th overall, 1st in 1A. North Judson, 57.18, 114th overall, 6th in 1A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: North Judson 80-68. Adams Central 77-66.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Tied, 2-2.
LAST MEETING: Adams Central, 35-0, Nov. 18, 2022, semistate.
#1 COACHES POLL/#1 AP POLL LUTHERAN (11-0) AT #10 COACHES POLL/#12 AP POLL SHERIDAN (10-3)
The defending champion Saints have won 41 straight following their 14-7 slugfest over Providence. Lutheran allows just 59 yards rushing per game. The offense is led again by QB Jackson Willis (2,106 passing yards, 26 TDs) and RB Braydon Hall (1,747 yards, 25 TDs). Lutheran also has plenty of speedy receivers in Javerrea Cooper (17 catches, 329 yards, six TDs) and Devuan Jones (13 catches, 272 yards, six TDs). Sheridan Coach Bud Wright is back in the semi-state for the first time since 2012. RB Eli Kolb (1,228 rushing yards, 18 TDs) leads the running game that averages almost 200 yards per game.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Lutheran, 79.32, 32nd overall, 2nd in 1A. Sheridan, 47.77, 161st overall, 10th in 1A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Lutheran 76-48. Sheridan 71-72.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Lutheran, 2-0.
LAST MEETING: Lutheran, 55-12, Oct. 30, 2020, sectional.
2A
UNRANKED COACHES POLL/UNRAKED AP POLL SOUTHMONT (8-5) AT #9 COACHES POLL/#4 AP POLL NORTH POSEY (12-1) (SATURDAY)
This title game will be played on Saturday and Southmont will enjoy the extra day of prep. This is the Mounties first trip to the semi-state after very close wins over Cascade, Linton-Stockton and Eastern Hancock. RB Wyatt Woodall will carry the load in the running attack with over 1,300 rushing yards. QB Nolan Boyer is a dual threat with nearly 1,500 passing yards and over 700 rushing yards. North Posey made it to semi-state by beating #1 Triton Central with 315 yards on the ground. QB Liam Stone can run and throw (958 passing, 950 rushing yards).
SAGARIN RATINGS: North Posey, 73.7, 44th overall, 1st in 2A. Southmont, 55.38, 122nd overall, 12th in 2A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Southmont 75-66. North Posey 72-70.
SERIES LAST 35 YEARS: No meetings.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: No meetings.
#7 COACHES POLL/#10 AP POLL LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (10-3) AT #5 COACHES POLL/#7 AP POLL FW BISHOP LUERS (10-3)
LCC is led by QB Bobby Metzger (2,758 yards, 33 TDs) and WR Ray Clayton (71 catches, 911 yards, seven TDs). WR’s Jackson Cain (46 catches, 453 yards, six TDs) and Hudson Gutwein (35 catches, 401 yards, six TDs) are also huge threats. Luers will count on QB Kohen McKenzie (1,666 yards and 19 TDs). WR’s Isaac Zay (34 catches, 573 yards, six TDs) and Jaylen White (34 catches, 438 yards, seven TDs) are his favorite targets. This is a game of state championship tradition with 19 combined state titles.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Central Catholic, 63.8, 84th overall, 5th in 2A. Bishop Luers, 63.36, 88th overall, 7th in 2A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Central Catholic 84-61. Bishop Luers 61-78.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: No meetings.
SERIES LAST 35 YEARS: No meetings.
3A
# 11 COACHES POLL/#9 AP POLL KNOX (13-0) AT #1 COACHES POLL/#1 AP POLL BISHOP CHATARD (13-0)
The Trojans are one step away from another state title game. Bishop Chatard cruised past Delta last week 35-6 led by QB Aiden Artega’s 207 passing yards. RB Daniel Shaw ran for 180 yards and two scores. Shaw has been impressive this season despite not starting every game (1,129 rushing yards, 13 TDs). WR Colin Guy (57 catches, 745 yards, 13 TDs) is the go-to-guy in the passing attack. The Trojans defense is one of the best (allowing only 8.5PPG) led by LB Sam Fenney and DL Matt Woods. Knox is in unfamiliar territory (their first semi-state game) after beating West Lafayette last week 41-23. Knox is led by long time Coach Russ Radtke with 404 wins in 47 years. Knox held WL to just 43 rushing yards (308 yards total offense). Knox QB Myles McLaughlin scored 5 TD’s on 279 rushing yards.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Bishop Chatard, 88.77, 13th overall, 1st in 3A. Knox, 76.85, 37th overall, 4th in 3A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Knox 85-64. Bishop Chatard 73-58.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: No meetings.
SERIES LAST 35 YEARS: No meetings.
#3 COACHES POLL/#6 AP POLL GIBSON SOUTHERN (11-2) AT #5 COACHES POLL/#7 AP POLL HERITAGE HILLS (12-1)
Gibson Southern beat Heritage Hills during the regular season 38-21. Watch for QB Tanner Boyd (2,135 passing yards, 21 TDs; 800 rushing yards, 12 TDs) and RB Sean DeLong (1,155 rushing yards, 14 TDs; 39 catches, 412 yards, seven TDs). Heritage Hills will count on QB Jett Goldsberry (1,044 passing yards, 14 TDs; 1,235 rushing yards, 19 TDs). HH averages 270 yards rushing per game.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Gibson Southern, 81.08, 27th overall, 2nd in 3A. Heritage Hills, 77.81, 35th overall, 3rd in 3A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Gibson Southern 60-51. Heritage Hills 84-60.
VS. COMMON FOES: Gibson Southern 7-0; Heritage Hills 6-0.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Heritage Hills, 5-3.
LAST MEETING: Gibson Southern, 31-28, Sep. 22, 2023.
4A
#16 COACHES POLL NORTHWOOD (11-2) AT #9 COACHES POLL/#10 AP POLL LEO (11-2)
NorthWood is led by WR Nitro Tuggle had 12 catches for 208 yards and three TDs in the regional win over New Prairie. QB Owen Roeder (3,092 passing yards, 36 TDs) is having a monster season because of Tuggle and four other receivers with at least 25 catches apiece. The last time NorthWood played in the semi-state was 2016. Leo is led by QB Kylar Decker (1,905 passing yards, 22 TDs) and WR’s Brock Schott (33 catches, 696 yards, six TDs) and Kaden Hurst (48 catches, 675 yards, nine TDs).
SAGARIN RATINGS: Leo, 84.83, 18th overall, 4th in 4A. NorthWood, 79.22, 33rd overall, 6th in 4A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: NorthWood 68-75. Leo 70-71.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Leo, 4-0.
LAST MEETING: Leo, 14-12, Oct. 30, 2020, sectional.
#3 COACHES POLL/#3 AP POLL NEW PALESTINE (11-2) AT #1 COACHES POLL/#1 AP POLL EAST CENTRAL (13-0)
This could be an instant classic. EC is on a roll after squashing Evansville Memorial 47-7 last week. RB Josh Ringer (2,512 rushing yards, 50 TDs; 12 catches, 272 yards, five TDs) and QB Cole Burton (1,312 passing yards, 21 TDs) lead the Trojan attack. East Central leads the state in scoring offense at 49.9PPG and are beating their opponents by an average of 43.5PPG. The Dragon defense is playing as well as anyone holding their four playoff opponents to just 12 points and they feature one of the top RB’s in the state in Grayson Thomas (2,259 rushing yards, 33 TDs). New Pal is averaging 39PPG.
SAGARIN RATINGS: East Central, 101.84, 3rd overall, 1st in 4A. New Palestine, 94.13, 9th overall, 2nd in 4A.
VS. COMMON FOES: New Palestine 1-0; East Central 1-0.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: New Palestine 85-62. East Central 59-63.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: No meetings.
SERIES LAST 35 YEARS: No meetings.
5A
#6 COACHES POLL/#6 AP POLL MERRILLVILLE (10-2) AT #2 COACHES POLL/#2 AP POLL FW SNIDER (11-1)
Most true football fans remember the last time Snider played in the state finals. It was 2015 and Snider beat New Pal 64-61 in one of the wildest games in Indiana football history. If not for a 45-yard field goal last week Snider would be preparing for basketball season (Thank You Kicker Mang Tung). The Pirates beat Valpo last week in a revenge game from 2022.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Merrillville, 82.9, 22nd overall, 4th in 5A. Snider, 82.44, 23rd overall, 5th in 5A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Merrillville 63-65. Snider 52-75.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Snider, 2-0.
#2 COACHES POLL/#3 AP POLL BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (11-1) AT #7 COACHES POLL/#7 AP POLL DECATUR CENTRAL (10-2)
South rolled over Evansville North last week 42-21 thanks to QB Jarrin Allen’s 229 passing yards. The Panthers also got contributions from WR Lucan Waldron (8 receptions 168 yards and two scores) and RB Gavin Adams (117 yards rushing and three scores). DC beat Whiteland last week 41-7 and will count on QB Bo Polston (1,544 passing yards, 19 TDs; 406 rushing yards, six TDs), RB N’po Dodo (1,040 rushing yards, seven TDs; 15 catches, 315 yards, five TDs) and RB KC Berry (735 yards, seven TDs; 22 catches, 374 yards, three TDs).
SAGARIN RATINGS: Bloomington South, 94.78, 8th overall, 1st in 5A. Decatur Central, 87.32, 15th overall, 2nd in 5A.
VS. COMMON FOES: Bloomington South 2-0; Decatur Central 1-1.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Bloomington South 66-63. Decatur Central 78-57.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Tied, 2-2.
6A
# 6 COACHES POLL/#5 AP POLL WESTFIELD (11-1) AT #5 COACHES POLL/#4 AP POLL CROWN POINT (12-0)
Rocks RB Kendall Garnett went wild last week in Westfield’s win over #6 HSE. Garnett ran for 223 yards and scored three times in the 24-21 win. Westfield will count on QB Jackson Gilbert (2,039 passing yards, 20 TDs) and Garnett (1,099 rushing yards, nine TDs). TE Max Nosler (37 catches, 597 yards, six TDs) is a huge target. Crown Point advanced by beating Penn 34-33 last week. RB Larry Ellison led the attack with 178 rushing yards.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Westfield, 98.31, 6th overall, 5th in 6A. Crown Point, 91.26, 11th overall, 8th in 6A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Westfield 71-59. Crown Point 58-61.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: No meetings.
#1 COACHES POLL/#2 AP POLL CENTER GROVE (11-1) AT #2 COACHES POLL/#3 AP POLL BEN DAVIS (11-1)
Center Grove has beaten BD in three straight semi-state match-ups (from 2019 to 2021). CG will count on QB Tyler Cherry (73.4% passer, 2,750 yards, 31 TDs) and WR Noah Coy (90 catches, 1,260 yards, 19 TDs). The defense is talented led by LB’s Owen Bright (109 tackles, seven tackles for loss) and Kaden McConnell (76 tackles). The Giants may feel blessed by the football God’s after getting by Brownsburg 28-25 in the sectional and beating Cathedral 27-24 last week. QB Thomas Gotkowski is the man on offense (2,312 passing yards, 28 TDs; 341 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and he has plenty of help including RB Alijah Price (834 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and WR Mark Zackery (45 catches, 679 yards, seven TDs). The BD defense will count on LB’s Toreeq Oyesigi (96 tackles, 14 ½ tackles for loss), Andrew Evans (86 tackles, 12 tackles for loss) and Nylan Brown (77 tackles in just seven games this season.
SAGARIN RATINGS: Ben Davis, 107.05, 1st overall, 1st in 6A. Center Grove, 101.23, 4th overall, 3rd in 6A.
OPPONENTS’ RECORDS: Center Grove 36-41. Ben Davis 46-61.
VS. COMMON FOES: Center Grove 5-0; Ben Davis 6-0.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES: Center Grove, 6-3.
INDIANA PACERS
HALIBURTON, TOPPIN LEAD THE WAY AS THE PACERS SNAP 76ERS’ 8-GAME WIN STREAK 132-126
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 15 assists, and Obi Toppin chipped in 27 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the 76ers 132-126 in an NBA In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday night and snapped Philadelphia’s eight-game winning streak.
“We know there was higher stakes in this game with it being the in-season tournament,” Haliburton said. “I’ve never played in a playoff game, so this is my first chance to compete for a championship and I took it very seriously. … And I never beat Philly before, so this was an exciting win for me.”
The Pacers took the upper hand in the tourney’s East Conference Group A standings, improving to 2-0 in pool play. The Sixers slipped to 1-1.
Myles Turner added 17 points – including 15 in the fourth quarter – for the Pacers, whose bench outscored Philadelphia’s 33-6.
“We had to be up to the mental challenge of playing in difficult situations against a team with two great players and a lot of hard playing guys and our guys got the job done,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said.
Joel Embiid scored 39 points and De’Anthony Melton added 30. Tyrese Maxey was held to 27 points on 9-of-23 shooting after scoring a career-high 50 points against the Pacers on Sunday.
“Sometimes, the ball is just not bouncing your way,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “There were times when I was amazed about how we had them in difficult situations and they threw a wild pass and completing it. They would end up with the ball somehow – they only had 11 turnovers – and I felt like we could have doubled it somehow with the sequences. It just wasn’t happening tonight for some reason.”
In a reversal of the Sixers win on Sunday, it was the Pacers who were in control for most of the first three quarters. The Sixers held the lead for just 26 seconds in the first three quarters as the Pacers built a 13-point lead early in the third thanks to hot shooting from Haliburton and Toppin. Haliburton was sharp from beyond the arc, going 6 for 8 from 3-point distance in the first half to help the Pacers build a 63-54 lead at intermission.
The Pacers, after allowing 23 offensive rebounds to the Sixers on Sunday, held Philadelphia to five on Tuesday.
“We made some adjustments, but the big adjustment was the disposition and the persistence and the understanding that this was an enormous part of the game,” Carlisle said. “We did rebounding drills in practice (Monday) and its every NBA coach’s nightmare because you worry about someone getting hurt. But we established that this was a necessary thing.”
For the game, Haliburton was 11 for 18 from the floor and 7 for 12 beyond the 3-point line. He had 32 assists and no turnovers in two games against Philadelphia. Toppin was 12 for 15 from the floor.
Philadelphia climbed back into the game in the fourth, taking its first lead on a Harris turnaround jumper shortly after he returned after he was staggered and removed when Kendall Brown fell on his head and neck area. Harris returned after being cleared by concussion protocol..
But after a back-and-forth stretch, Indiana went on an 11-2 run that gave it the separation it needed and a lead it never relinquished.
“We just got to clean up finishing up games,” Embiid said. “We’ve been doing a good job, but tonight we had a few traveling calls and were a little disorganized at times. We’re just not getting ourselves open, so we have to do a better job.”
Pacers forward Jalen Smith left the game with a head injury, and the team said he was being transported to a hospital for evaluation and additional testing. Smith was knocked down in a collision at the defensive end of the floor midway through the second quarter as Sixers forward Paul Reed went up for a dunk. The team had no update on Smith’s condition after the game.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Off until Sunday when they host the Orlando Magic.
76ers: Host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.
PLAYERS, START YOUR ENGINES: THE PACERS ARE OFF TO A FAST START ON THE COURT AND IN THE STANDINGS
Indiana is setting quite a pace in the early going — which has meant plenty of scoring for both the Pacers and their opponents.
Coach Rick Carlisle’s team is averaging an NBA-best 126 points per game while allowing 123.1. Indiana ranks second in the league in pace behind only Washington. So far this entertaining style is paying off in the standings, where the Pacers are tied for third in the Eastern Conference at 6-4.
Tyrese Haliburton leads the team in scoring at 23.8 ppg, but six other Indiana players are also averaging in double figures.
“We have to do it as a complete team,” Carlisle said recently. “Ty is our All-Star, he’s our leader, but we are a group that really heavily relies on one another.”
Indiana has missed the playoffs the past three seasons, but the Pacers are coming off a 35-47 showing that was a 10-win improvement over 2021-22. What’s stood out about this season so far isn’t so much their record but the way they’ve compiled it.
Already, the Pacers have:
1. Scored 143 points in a win over Washington to start the season, a franchise record for an opener.
2. Allowed 155 points in a 51-point loss to Boston on Nov. 1. The Celtics hadn’t scored that much in a regular-season game since 1959.
3. Scored 50 points in the third quarter but lost 125-124 to Charlotte on Nov. 4.
4. Scored 152 points in a 41-point victory over San Antonio last Monday, the 900th career win for Carlisle.
5. Allowed 54 points to Giannis Antetokounmpo but still beat Milwaukee 126-124 on Thursday night.
6. Allowed 50 points to Tyrese Maxey in a 137-126 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday night.
Indiana became only the third team in the past 60 years to allow a 50-point scorer in back-to-back games, according to Sportradar. The New York Knicks gave up 61 to Kobe Bryant and 52 to LeBron James in 2009, and the Orlando Magic allowed 60 to Kyrie Irving and 51 to Saddiq Bey in 2022.
The Pacers have to face the 76ers again Tuesday night and will try to avoid being on the wrong end of another 50-point performance. Or maybe an Indiana player will have one. The Pacers’ high-scoring ways are not just a result of playing fast. They are also second in the league in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage.
Indiana gave Haliburton a max deal in the offseason that goes through 2028-29. The 23-year-old guard is playing like a franchise centerpiece, averaging an NBA-high 12.2 assists to go along with his scoring. He had 17 against Philadelphia in a losing effort.
“I thought the first half we were playing a little slow and let them control the pace of the game,” he said. “Going into the second half, we really dominated the pace and made them play up and down, which they don’t want to do as much as we do.”
Bruce Brown, signed away from defending champion Denver, is averaging 11 points and a career-high 31.1 minutes. Myles Turner is providing his usual combination of scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking, and Buddy Hield adds outside shooting off the bench.
It remains to be seen if the Pacers can stay anywhere close to the top of the conference, but if their first 10 games are any indication, it will be exciting to watch them try.
INDY FUEL
INDY FUEL PIT STOP: WEEK 4
INDY FUEL WEEK FOUR RESULTS 0-1-1
INDY FUEL OVERALL RECORD 2-5-1 (6th in Central Division)
GAME 5 – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 VS. CINCINNATI – 7-6 OTL
The Indy Fuel hosted the Cincinnati Cyclones for the first time this season after dropping two preseason matches to them in October. In the first overtime game of the season for Indy, they ultimately fell to the Cyclones 7-6.
GAME 6 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT CINCINNATI – 6-2 L
The Fuel headed to Cincinnati on Saturday to finish their two-game set against the Cyclones in hopes to claim two points before the weekend is over. Despite the even first period, the Fuel could not come away with the win and fell to the Cyclones 6-2 to finish their week.
OIL DROPS
- Cameron Hillis is leading the Fuel with ten points.
- Andrew Bellant and Luc Brown scored twice on Friday’s match-up. Brown had the game-tying goal that brought the Fuel to overtime.
- Chris Cameron has the most penalty minutes on the team with 16 so far. Trailing him is Chase Lang with 8.
- Goalie Mitchell Weeks was in the net for our lone point of the weekend.
TEAM NOTES
- The Fuel continue to have low penalty minutes, with an average of 12.25 minutes per game. Across their eight games, they have racked up 98 PIM.
- Stronger at home, the Fuel’s home power play is ranked 5th in the league.
- Fueling up the penalty kill will be a key thing to work on, as the Fuel are ranked 26th on the penalty kill. They are in front of Cincinnati and Fort Wayne.
- The 2nd period continues to be the Fuel’s best shooting period, with 87 shots across the eight games.
INDY FUEL WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
- GAME 9 – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17 VS. WHEELING
- GAME 10 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 VS. KALAMAZOO
- GAME 11 – SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19 VS. TOLEDO
BROADCAST
Don’t miss a moment of the action! Get your tickets to an Indy Fuel game or tune in live!
UPCOMING FAN EXPERIENCES AND EVENTS
Get ready for lots of fun at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in 2023! Check out some of our upcoming promotions and special fan experiences!
- Friday, November 17 – Get your hands on special giveaways and challenges all night long on Survivor Night, with special guest four-time Survivor challenger, Rupert Boneham, as the Fuel tries to vote the Wheeling Nailers off the island!
- Saturday, November 18 – Something is happening here at the Coliseum as the Indy Fuel will become Hawkins Hockey Club. Make sure to wear your finest ‘80s gear! After the game, bid on the Fuel’s specialty game jerseys LIVE!
- Sunday, November 19 – It’s Family Fun and Kids Eat Free Day! All kids 12 and under eat free. Stick around after the game and enjoy a free post-game skate with the team.
ABOUT THE INDY FUEL
The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, have returned to Indiana Farmers Coliseum for their ninth season. Check out all the Fuel’s promotions, theme nights and get your tickets now HERE.
INDIANA FOOTBALL
BOWL CHANCES SLIM, MICHIGAN STATE, INDIANA SPAR FOR SPITTOON
The Old Brass Spittoon might be the only thing Michigan State and Indiana are playing for when they meet Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.
Both teams enter the game with 3-7 records overall and 1-6 marks in the Big Ten East, and bowl eligibility is all but gone for each squad.
There is only hope of a 5-7 finish, which could potentially be enough for a Power 5 team to be chosen for a bowl game. But that’s a reality only if there aren’t enough 6-6 or better teams qualified for the bowl season.
Given all that, the big prize will be the Spittoon, a trophy the Spartans and Hoosiers play for annually in a tradition that began in 1950.
Each team enters eyeing a rebound after losing last week.
Michigan State was routed 38-3 at Ohio State.
The Spartans collected just 182 yards of total offense. Michigan State quarterback Katin Houser completed 12 of 24 passes for just 92 yards.
The Spartans have lost two of the past three meetings with the Hoosiers and hope to reclaim the Spittoon after losing at home last year in double overtime. Michigan State leads the all-time series 50-17-2.
“You have to finish,” Michigan State interim coach Harlon Barnett said of his team’s mindset. “Once you start something, you have to finish. That’s where we are now. We need to finish, regardless of what has happened or what’s going to happen in the future. We can control what we can control, and that’s finish.”
Indiana enters Saturday’s game coming off a 48-45 overtime loss at Illinois. This will be the last home game of the season for the Hoosiers.
Indiana coach Tom Allen said playing two trophy games will help get his team’s attention with a bowl game likely out of reach.
“We definitely have a lot to play for, and we understand that it’s a testament to your character as a person, as a team, and as a program when you don’t allow the circumstances on the outside to dictate your focus, your effort, how you do things on a daily basis, and eventually how you perform on game day,” Allen said.
“Great opportunity in front of us, and we’re excited about it.”
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
HOLMES ON 2024 WOODEN AWARD PRESEASON TOP 50
LOS ANGELES – Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes was named to the John R. Wooden Award presented by Principal women’s preseason Top 50 watch list, announced by the organization on Tuesday.
Holmes appeared as a Wooden Award finalist and Wooden Award All-American in 2023, one of five women’s players who were up for the honor last season.
A three-time first team All-American last season, she is a unanimous preseason all-Big Ten honoree from the coaches and was also selected by the media vote, enters her fifth and final season with the Hoosiers in 2023-24. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection for All-Big Ten first teams in 2022-23, the Gorham, Maine native averaged 22.3 points (second in B1G), a team-high 7.8 rebounds and shot a NCAA second-best 68.0 percent from the floor.
Holmes led the Hoosiers in scoring on 25 occasions as a senior while posting double figures in 31 games, scoring 20 points 19 times and three 30-point scoring efforts. Her nine double-doubles led the team, as six of her double-doubles occurred in conference play which ranks eighth all-time in a single season. She also led the league in blocks (58) and blocks per game (1.9) and averages 1.1 steals (35) per game. Holmes is now second in school history in scoring (1,924) and second in all-time blocks (213).
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2024 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year presented by Principal. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2024 John R. Wooden Award will be presented in Los Angeles in April.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BUTLERSOFTBALL SIGNS FOUR IN 2024 RECRUITING CLASS
Butler Softball has announced the signing of four standouts to national letters of intent. Gwen Baker, Alona Boydston, Paxton Law, and Paige Lillie will join the program beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.
“We are excited to have these young ladies commit to being Bulldogs!” expressed Head Coach Scott Hall. “We always strive to bring in quality, high-character student athletes, and I believe we have done that with this class. I have no doubt that these young ladies will thrive in the classroom and excel on the softball field. I look forward to seeing this group join us on campus and help us continue driving our program to newer heights!”
______________________
Gwen Baker, pitcher, Milton, Wis., Milton HS
At Milton, Baker has picked up All-State, All-District, and All-Conference First Team honors. The team captain and team MVP led Wisconsin D1 with 261 strikeouts her junior season. Academically, she has been a part of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and high honor roll.
Coach Hall on Baker: “Gwen is an elite talent in the circle. She has all the physical tools and skillset to be a dominant pitcher in the Big East. Her ability to command the strike zone and keep hitters off balance will be very effective at the next level. I am thrilled to have her join our bullpen and look forward to working with her on a daily basis. And, I must say, she has such a fun personality that the dugout is going to get a kick out of her, for sure!”
______________________
Alona Boydston, catcher, Kenosha, Wis., Indian Trail HS
The three-year varsity starter at Indian Trail has earned All-State Second Team as well as All-Conference, All-County, and All-District First Team honors as a catcher. As a team captain and team MVP, she has helped lead her team to two WIAA Regional Championships. The National Honor Society member is also consistently on her school’s honor roll.
Coach Hall on Boydston: “Alona will be an issue for opposing runners! Alona is high-level receiver behind the dish who can control a game in so many ways. Her ability to handle different pitchers and make them better will play well in the Big East. She’s a great leader on the field and really represents the ‘Field General’ at the catching position.”
______________________
Paxton Law, utility, Carmel, Ind., Carmel HS
The four-year varsity athlete at Carmel is also a four-year scholar athlete who has received Academic All-Conference honors and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Coach Hall on Law: “Paxton is a true utility who will bring versatility and competitiveness to the Big East. We are excited about the chance to keep a local talent close to home. As a dual-sport athlete, she brings in some much-needed speed for the 2024 class. She packs a punch at the plate, and we are excited about her ability to compete for multiple positions on the field.”
______________________
Paige Lillie, pitcher/infielder, Appleton, Wis., Hortonville HS
The three-sport athlete at Hortonville also plays varsity volleyball and basketball and has earned the Bug Tussel Triple Threat Athlete Award. Her softball accomplishments have earned her All-Area and All-Conference First Team accolades. Ranked No. 1 in her class academically, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.
Coach Hall on Lillie: “Paige is a true competitor! Being a standout, three-sport athlete in high school has prepared her well for competition in the Big East. She is a power pitcher in the circle, but someone who also can have an impact as an infielder and at the plate. Paige loves to compete, no matter what sport is in season. I look forward to her bringing that type of personality into our program.”
IUPUI MEN’S BASKETBALL
JAGUARS SUFFER FIRST LOSS OF 2023-2024 CAMPAIGN
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Junior Jlynn Counter scored a game-high 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting and sophomore DJ Jackson added 11 points off the bench, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Jaguars fell to a hot shooting Indiana State squad on Tuesday night (Nov. 14), 96-57. Indiana State (2-1) shot better than 60 percent from the floor and 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) from deep in the win.
Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope led four Sycamores in double-digits with 16 points apiece and Jayson Kent added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
IUPUI struggled offensively, shooting just 39.7 percent from the floor and going 0-for-13 from three-point range.
“We knew we’d have to get off to a good start and we didn’t get (defensive) stops early,” head coach Matt Crenshaw said. “They’re a tough matchup, particularly with having (Avila) back in the lineup and playing five out like they do. They spread us out and got open looks and knocked them down and really fed off that energy.
“Credit to them – that’s a really good team and they’re going to be a problem for a lot of teams that come in here.”
IUPUI, which had allowed just four threes in the season’s first two games combined, saw the host Sycamores pour in three treys in the opening four minutes in building an early 12-8 lead. The hosts opened the game 7-of-8 from the floor and used a 10-0 run to surge out to a 19-8 lead midway through the half. Counter was the only IUPUI player with any first half success as the Jags hit 4-of-6 to start the game and proceeded to make 4-of-24 attempts from the floor over the final 15 minutes of the half. Counter scored 10 of IUPUI’s 21 in the first half, despite missing his final four attempts before the break.
By the time the first half dust settled, the Jaguars trailed 48-21 at intermission on a putrid 26.7 percent from the floor.
IUPUI showed glimmers of life in the second half, including an Abdou Samb layup followed by a Qwanzi Samuels transition dunk off a Samb assist to prompt an ISU timeout. The Jaguars shot 54 percent in the second half, largely behind Counter and Jackson, but was unable to string together defensive stops as ISU scored 48 in each half.
All 16 of Swope’s points came in the first half while Avila scored 10 after the break. The Sycamores delivered 28 assists on 38 made baskets while the Jaguars had just six assists against 14 turnovers. ISU outscored IUPUI 56-36 in the paint and 19-7 off turnovers.
Redshirt freshman Braden Allen, from nearby Brazil, Ind., provided a late bright spot, scoring the first four points of his collegiate career in the closing minutes.
IUPUI will continue its stretch of five straight games away from home when it competes in Winthrop’s Rock Hill Classic in Rock Hill, S.C. The Jaguars will face Elon (Nov. 17), Winthrop (Nov. 18) and Holy Cross (Nov. 19) in a span on three days. All three games can be seen on ESPN+.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
TWO EARN BIG TEN STARS OF THE WEEK
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Following a convincing weekend sweep of Big Ten foe and storied rival Ohio State, two members of the Irish hockey team have earned player of the week honors by the conference. With a .984 save percentage over the two game series, stopping 60 of 61 shots faced, Ryan Bischel was named First Star while senior captain Landon Slaggert was tabbed Third Star honors.
A consistent force in net for the Irish this season, Bischel allowed just one goal against in Friday night’s series opener before blanking the Buckeyes for his nation-leading third shutout of the season to complete the weekend sweep. His .984 save percentage ranked second nationally on the weekend (minimum 15 saves) and he improved his season save percentage to .941 which is also second in the country and first in the Big Ten. With a .927 career save percentage, the graduate netminder from Medina, Minnesota, leads all NCAA Division I goaltenders and boasts the fifth-most saves.
The team’s leading scorer this season with 11 points through as many games played, Slaggert added to his resume this past weekend with a goal and three assists as the Irish swept the visiting Buckeyes. Slaggert scored his team-best eighth goal of the season in Friday’s 4-1 victory before tallying an assist on each of the team’s goals Saturday en route to a 3-0 win. The three assists was a career high for the South Bend native and tied his career best point total, previously set against the Buckeyes in January 2022. His eight goals this season ranks fourth in the nation.
The Irish are back on the road this weekend as they take on No. 6/6 Minnesota in Minneapolis, November 17-18. Both games are set to get underway at 8 p.m. ET at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
FIVE-STAR POST KATE KOVAL IS IRISH
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — After securing three five-star recruits in the 2023 class, Notre Dame has added one for its 2024 group. Kateryna “Kate” Koval has signed with the Irish.
Koval, a 6-5 post who ranks as the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2024 class per the ESPN HoopGurlz Rankings, is originally from Ukraine but plays her high school basketball at Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.). She was the 2022-23 Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year after posting 15.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game. Koval had a 60.7 percent success rate from the floor.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kate Koval to our Notre Dame family!” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said. “Kate is a force from the center position and is one of the most efficient centers in her class.
“She’s skilled, versatile and extremely competitive. Kate has the ability to dominate on the block but also step out and shoot from the perimeter. Her excellent passing and very high IQ and motor will complement our style of play and identity perfectly. The impact she will make on our program will be immediate and massive.”
While in elementary school, Koval had two loves: ballet and basketball. She stuck with the latter, and it clearly paid off. Koval moved to the United States two years ago to play for Long Island Lutheran head coach Christina Raiti and has become one of the nation’s most versatile and dedicated posts. She’s much more than a back-to-the-basket post.
Notre Dame currently has four forwards on the team, and two of them are transfers: Becky Obinma (Pepperdine transfer), Nat Marshall, Kylee Watson (Oregon transfer) and Maddy Westbeld. Marshall, Watson and Westbeld each have an extra year of eligibility, should they choose to use it.
NO. 16 NOTRE DAME HOSTS NORTHWESTERN FOR 2023-24 HOME OPENER
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Welcome back to Purcell Pavilion, women’s hoops.
No. 16 Notre Dame (1-1) hosts Northwestern (2-0) on Wednesday night to open its 2023-24 home slate. The game is part of a home-and-home that began last season in Evanston. The Irish emerged victorious, 92-58. Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron had 21 and 24 points, respectively.
Notre Dame is coming off of a 104-57 drubbing of NJIT on Sunday. All five starters scored 10+ points, and Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Citron led the way with 26 each. Hidalgo also posted 12 steals, tying the Notre Dame single-game record held by Marina Mabrey (11/23/15). Hidalgo earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors after scoring 57 points and 15 steals over her first two games. According to ESPN, she is the first D-I player to have 50 points and 15 steals in the first two games of the season in the last 25 years.
Northwestern is coming off of a 9-21 (2-16 B1G) year and has beaten UIC and Omaha so far this season. Both of those games were at home. The Wildcats are led by veteran head coach Joe McKeown.
After missing the majority of last season, Melannie Daley has lit it up to start her junior year. Daley has posted back-to-back games with 20+ points and ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring. Forward Paige Mott has been unstoppable on the boards with 20 and 13 rebounds, respectively, to open the year. She leads the Big Ten in that category.
Notre Dame was able to use its height advantage at NJIT, scoring 62 points in the paint. The Irish won’t have that same advantage on Wednesday; Northwestern has four players who are at least 6-3, including 6-3 starting forward Caleigh Walsh.
Wednesday’s game tips off on the ACC Network at 7 p.m. Notre Dame is 3-1 all-time against the Wildcats.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER
THE DANCE CONTINUES IN FAYETTEVILLE
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The dance continues for the third-seeded Notre Dame women’s soccer squad as they head to Razorback Field this weekend as second-seeded Arkansas hosts a four-team regional for the NCAA Second & Third Rounds. Up first, the Fighting Irish (12-3-4) will look to end Memphis’ 16-match win streak this Friday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. ET. If victorious, the Irish will play the winner of Pitt vs. Arkansas on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
For the 29th time over the last 31 years, Notre Dame women’s soccer qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame’s overall postseason record sits at 74-24-4. Their 74 victories are tied for third most with UCLA (74-22-6) and rank only behind Florida State (77-19-4) and UNC (145-18-4).
Irish are an impressive 51-4-1 at home in the NCAA Tournament after the win over Valpo in the first round.
That 2-0 Valop win also gave the Irish their 50th all-time clean sheet in the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame earned a third seed or higher for the third consecutive year.
THE FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL
This weekend, the Irish will experience a first and a lot of deja vu at the same time.
The first is a matchup with Memphis. The two sides have never met on the pitch before.
That sense of deja vu – the other two teams in the regional and the location. Just two years ago, Notre Dame traveled to Fayetteville as a three seed and fought its way to the Round of 16 to square off against two-seed Arkansas. The Razorbacks took that one 3-2 to advance.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
For starters, with two wins in Fayetteville, the Irish could qualify for their second straight NCAA Quarterfinal round and 17th overall.
Retribution – I mentioned how Notre Dame has played Pitt and Arkansas already this season – well both those games ended in ties. On Aug 27, the Irish scored first against the Razorbacks but then found themselves trailing 2-1 for a majority of the second half. Ellie Ospeck then scored the equalizer in the 85th minute. Against Pitt, it was the exact opposite. Notre Dame went ahead in the 60th minute off of a Kristina Lynch goal and then Pitt had the equalizer in the 83rd minute.
EYES ON IRISH
Ranked in the top-10, with an RPI in the top-12, for the latter half of the season, the Irish enter the NCAA Tournament with an 11-3-4 record. Notre Dame finished in second place in the always-tough ACC, producing a record of 7-1-2.
The Irish recorded a 2-2-1 record against ranked opposition, which included wins against No. 8 Clemson and No. 16 Duke, with ties against No. 3 North Carolina and No. 10 Arkansas.
Four players were named All-ACC selections: Eva Gaetino (First Team), Kiki Van Zanten (First Team), Leah Klenke (Second Team) and Maddie Mercado (Second Team).
Gaetino was also named the ACC Defender of the Year for the second year in a row. She became the third ACC player to win multiple ‘Of the Year’ awards.
In addition, both Charlie Codd and Morgan Roy were named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
FIRST ROUND RECAP
The final scoreline did not math with the stat sheet but a win is a win in the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame outshot Valpo 33-1, including an 11-0 SOG differential, but settled for just a 2-0 victory. Ellie Ospeck and Charlie Codd were your Irish goal scorers, both in the second half.
Tigers’ roar
Memphis enters the matchup an impressive 19-1 and the winners of 16 straight games. The Tigers claimed its third consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship.
Memphis is ranked in the top-10 in the country in goal differential (5th), corner kicks per game (4th), save percentage (4th), goals-against average (1st) and shutout percentage (1st).
For the season, Mya Jones and Saorla Miller have been the biggest offensive threats for the Tigers with a combined 22 goals and 14 assists.
On the defensive end, Memphis has allowed just seven goals this season while racking up 13 shutouts – a program second best.
GOAL SCORERS FROM ALL OVER
Last season, 47 of the team’s 56 goals came from Korbin Albert, Olivia Wingate, Mercado and Van Zanten.
This season’s stats allude to the depth and balanced attack Coach Norman has at his disposal. Currently seven players boast four goals or more. All-in-all there have been 11 different goal scorers for the Irish — four of which have been freshmen — all equating for 44 goals.
It is three grad players who lead the way –> Mercado (8), Van Zanten (6) and Lynch (6). Ellie Ospeck follows right behind with five while the trio of Meg Mrowicki, Eva Gaetino and Charlie Codd all boast four.
POINTS SPREAD
Heading into this week’s game, eight players now boast double-digit points or more– Mercado, Ospeck, Mrowicki, Van Zanten, Lynch, Gaetino, Klenke and Codd. It marks a career high for everyone except Mercado and Van Zanten.
No other team in the ACC has eight players with double-digit points.
In terms of ranked teams – only BYU has more with nine players with double-digit points.
ASSIST LEADER – LEAH KLENKE
Klenke has been an absolute sparkplug and the main cog that runs the Notre Dame offense. Klenke leads the team with 10 assists, which ranks 17th nationally and 4th in the ACC. Her 0.5 assists per game rank 16th in the country and 3rd in the league.
Get this, Klenke has registered points in 10 of the last 15 matches.
She had 7 assists in conference play.
Klenke now has a career best 14 points on the season.
TRENDING
Maddie Mercado has found the back of the net four times over the last eight matches.
As previously stated, Leah Klenke has notched at least one point in 10 of the last 15 matches.
Charlie Codd has scored all three of her goals in the month of October and netted her first NCAA Tournament goal of her career when ND won against Valpo in the first round.
The key to victory – Irish are 11-1-2 when scoring two goals or more.The lone loss – just happened in a 3-2 decision to Clemson in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.
CUE THE CRAZY FROG
If you see the frog emoji in the comments section of any Ellie Ospeck post on social, it’s because her goal song is Crazy Frog and the team has rallied behind it.
Ospeck turned up the heat in October and achieved a lot of firsts: First career ACC POTW honor, first four-point performance of her career in the win over BC on Oct. 5, and first three-assist performance of her career in the win over Miami on Oct. 8.
She is fresh off of scoring her first-ever NCAA Tournament goal, netting the game-winner against Valpo in the first round.
She ranks 2nd on the team in total points with 17 – for reference, her point total last year was four. She also ranks second on the team in assists with seven.
MULTIPLE FRESHMEN STEPPING UP
First, there’s 5-8 midfielder Morgan Roy. The Michigan native has started every game in the midfield minus Senior Day and ranks third on the team in shots with 37. She has 2 goals including one in the ACC Tournament semifinals against Clemson.
Charlie Codd has made three starts (including the first round of the Tournament) and seen significant time in both the midfield and up top in all 19 games as well. She boasts four goals on the year – all from October 5 on.
Both Roy and Codd were ACC All-Freshman Team selections.
Atlee Olofson battled Naylor for the GK role in preseason. Olofson, who was ranked 35th in her class, is a 5-8 goalkeeper out of Austin, Texas. She was First Team All-State as a senior and set a school record with no goals against in a season. Olofson, now 7-2-2 record with five shutouts, a .788 save percentage and a 1.00 GAA.
Lastly, let’s look at Meg Mrowicki, who has been a great breakout story for the 2023 season. She’s played in all 19 games with seven starts and has recorded four goals.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
3 & 4. LEGENDS CLASSIC
BROOKLYN – It’s time for some early season tournament hoops for the Notre Dame men’s team, as the Fighting Irish (1-1) jet off to Brooklyn for the Legends Classic. Taking place Nov. 16-17 at the Barclays Center, the Irish will be joined by Auburn, St. Bonaventure and Oklahoma State. On Thursday, the Irish will square off with SEC foe Auburn at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with the Bonnies and Cowboys squaring off earlier. Then on Friday, the third place game takes place at 4:30 pm, with the title game to follow at 7 p.m.
HISTORIC DEBUT FOR BURTON
Not only did freshman point guard Markus Burton ball out in a historic debut in the season opener, but he got to do it in front of his hometown crowd and family. Burton poured in 29 points to lift the Irish to a 70-63 win over Niagara, marking the most points in program history in a freshman debut. The previous record was 27 points from Laphonso Ellis back in 1988. Now a few other notes on Burton’s performance.
Burton absolutely took over the end of the game. From 8:38-2:20 in the second half, Burton recorded 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting. He became 1-of-5 freshman in the history of the program to score 29 points or more, joining David Graves, Troy Murphy, Chris Thomas and Adrian Dantley.
Lastly, Burton’s 29 points currently stands as the freshman-high benchmark in Division I.
FUTURE ON DISPLAY
Burton’s now 23.0 ppg leads all DI freshmen. Overall, his scoring average ranks fifth in the ACC and 27th in the nation.
Booth nearly recorded a double-double in his debut with 10 points and 9 rebounds. Then he followed that up with a 20-point explosion, connecting on 4-of-8 from three.
Together, Booth and Burton are the highest-scoring freshmen duo in the country, for Notre Dame is the only team with two freshmen averaging at least 15.0 ppg.
TABLE OR BOOTH
In terms of ACC freshmen, Booth has the third-highest scoring average at 15.0 ppg. Amongst all DI freshmen, he ranks 18th.
The Colorado native went off against Western Carolina (11/11) with a team-high 20 points. There was a three-possession stint in the second half in which he hit three three-pointers in a row.
With that said Booth is now 5-for-11 (.455) from beyond the arc to start the season. His three-point field goal percentage ranks 10th in the ACC.
Now we all know it’s only the first week, but after two games, only 5 freshmen in the country can say they’re averaging at least 15 points, 7 rebounds and shooting at least .450 from three, and Carey Booth is one of them.
FRESHMAN FOUNDATION
A little over a month into the job, Coach Shrewsberry had himself a top-30 ranked incoming freshmen class – Carey Booth, Logan Imes and Braeden Shrewsberry – all flipped from their Penn State commits. Then add in Mr. Indiana Basketball Markus Burton, who kept his commitment to Notre Dame. That brought the 2023 class to four signees which ranked top-30 in the country according to 247Sports.com.
Furthermore, cementing the bond among the freshmen class, there was an Indiana connection among most of them:
— Imes and Shrewsberry played together throughout all four of their high school years with the Indiana Elite.
— Imes and Burton were teammates on the 2023 Indiana All-Stars squad
BATTLING BACK
The Irish have shown some fight and battled back in both the win over Niagara and close loss to Western Carolina. First with Niagara – the Irish had a cold shooting start and faced a 12-point deficit at the 11:20 mark. Notre Dame rallied to cut it to one, down 30-29 at the half. Notre Dame then found its touch in the second half where they shot 57.7 percent and outscored Niagara 41-33 for the win.
It was another slow start in game two, falling behind 13 points to Western Carolina at the half and facing a deficit as large as 17 early in the second half. Despite that, Notre Dame fought back with a 15-3 run to cut the deficit all the way to one possession, down 60-57. The Cats ultimately took the contest though, 71-61.
ROPED INTO A (SCORING) SITUATION
During the preseason when a media member pointed out that not a single member of the roster averaged more than five points per game a year ago, Coach Shrewsberry simply replied, ‘Well we are going to score more than 12 points per game. Players will step up.’ One of those people making the most of his opportunity – Julian Roper. He’s averaging 10.5 points on 45.0 percent shooting from the floor. He tied his career high of 12 points in game two vs. Western Carolina. He’s also averaging the second most minutes on the court at 34.0.
LEGENDS CLASSIC
This will mark the second time Notre Dame has competed in the Legends Classic, winning the event back in 2016.
Then, the Irish went 4-0, defeating Bryant, Seattle, Colorado and Northwestern for the tournament crown.
Since this is the Legends Classic, an Irish legend will be joining the team this week in Brooklyn. Laphonso Ellis donned the Irish jersey from 1988-92, finishing his career as the all-time leading shot blocker (200), third-leading rebounder (1,075) and eighth on the all-time scoring list (1,505). He is now in Notre Dame’s Ring of Honor.
Notre Dame and Auburn have surprisingly never met on the hardwood. Even on the women’s basketball side, they’ve only met once, back in 2003.
Funny enough, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State have never played either. ND and St. Bonaventure have clashed a total of eight times, with the Irish holding a 5-3 edge, despite the loss in last year’s Gotham Classic in Long Island.
BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL OUT TO FIRST 3-0 START SINCE 1997 WITH WIN OVER OAKLAND CITY
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team overcame a sluggish start to beat Oakland City 92-51 on Tuesday night at Worthen Arena.
With the win, the Cardinals began the season with a 3-0 record for the first time since the Bonzi Wells-led team in 1997.
The visiting Mighty Oaks got out to a 9-3 lead less than four minutes into the game led by junior Sam Muller, who led them with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the game. Ball State, however, responded with an 18-0 run over the next 8:12 to build a 21-9 lead and would hold a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest, going into halftime up 41-20.
Jalin Anderson (20 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals) went for his second straight 20+ point performance after scoring 29 in Saturday’s win over Old Dominion. Mickey Pearson Jr. (12 points), Joey Brown (11 points, seven rebounds) and Trent Middleton Jr. (11 points, four rebounds), also contributed double figures for the Cardinals offense, while Davion Bailey and Basheer Jihad added nine points each.
Muller was the only Mighty Oak in double digits, as Drake Moore added eight points and eight rebounds for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics member Oakland City. Ball State controlled the possessions battle in both turnovers (22-4) and rebounds (42-29) to get up 16 more field goal attempts and 16 more free throw attempts than the visitors. Ball State shot 50.8 percent (33-65) from the field but only 18.8 percent (3-16) from 3-point range.
This concludes the season-opening three-game homestand for the Cardinals, and they will travel to Evansville for a 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT) battle on Saturday against the Purple Aces at the Ford Center.
INDIANA STATE BASKETBALL
INDIANA STATE TO RETIRE JOHN SHERMAN WILLIAMS’ NO. 44 AND BARBARA GRAVES’ NO. 20
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Two more jerseys will forever be enshrined in the rafters of Hulman Center in February as Indiana State immortalizes both John Sherman Williams’ No. 44 and Barbara Graves’ No. 20 as Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales announced the decision to retire the jerseys on Tuesday afternoon.
Williams’ retirement ceremony will take place February 3 when the Sycamores host Drake, while Graves’ jersey will officially be retired on February 4 when ISU hosts Illinois State.
“To honor Barbara (Graves) and John (Sherman Williams) for their exemplary play here at ISU, further captures the strong history of men’s and women’s basketball that is often talked about but not recognized,” Clinkscales said. “I believe the high standards they set will be benchmarks our current and future student athletes will achieve and pass!”
Inducted into the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008, Williams continued Indiana State’s success in the early 1980s with a decorated career that included earning Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year, First Team All-MVC honors (twice), Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American honors, and being named one of the MVC’s Top 50 players in conference history.
“This honor means a lot to me when you consider the great players who have come through this program with Larry Bird, Carl Nicks, George Pillow, Duane Klueh, all the greats,” John Sherman Williams said. “When I played in the Valley, there were a lot of great teams and players out there and gave me a great experience on the court during my time here at Indiana State. I feel definitely blessed and very humbled and honored with this recognition.”
Williams is second all-time in ISU history in career points (2,374) and 10th in career rebounds (629). He recorded 81 consecutive games scoring in double figures and ranked fifth in the NCAA in scoring (25.38) in 1985-86. He would go on to play in the CBA for the Rockford Lightning (1986-87) and the Wyoming Wildcatters (1987), while also playing in the WBL (1987-91) and with Athletes in Action (1991-95).
Inducted into the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002, Graves was Indiana State women’s basketball during her four-year playing career with the Sycamores from 1979-83. During her four-year career, Graves posted 1,498 career points, 898 rebounds, and 315 steals finishing among ISU’s all-time leaders in all three statistical categories.
“It is so surreal and is certainly an honor I never dreamed of receiving. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have been selected to have my jersey retired,” Graves said. “I am honored to have my hard work on the court recognized. I’d like to thank Indiana State University for giving me the opportunity to have the chance to receive such an amazing honor. I’d like to thank Coach (Edith) Godleski. I’d like to thank Coach and dear friend Andi Myers for pushing me to be the best I could be.”
Graves was a three-time Most Valuable Player in 1981, 1982, and 1983, as well as earning Athlete of the Year honors following the 1983 season. She was also a two-time All-Gateway Conference selection in her final two seasons. Her success as the collegiate level parlayed into earning a Harlem Globetrotters tryout in 1985, as well as playing internationally in Ireland and Scotland in 1985 and 1986.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES DOMINATE THE JAGUARS IN 39-POINT VICTORY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State men’s basketball team dominated on their home court Tuesday night, handling the IUPUI Jaguars in a 96-57 victory.
For the second-straight game, the Sycamores had four players finish in double-digit scoring, led by Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope with 16 each. This marks Swope’s third game at the top of the scoring category for the Sycamores. On top of Avila’s 16 points, he recorded four rebounds and five assists.
Jayson Kent recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate Xavier Bledson also scored 11 points, grabbing three rebounds and dishing out four assists in only 18 minutes on the court.
Multiple other Sycamores added to the high-scoring affair, leading to 10 total Sycamores adding points to the stat sheet.
In his first minutes of the season, Avila made up for lost time by accounting for ISU’s first 12 points of the game. Avila recorded six points and assisted the other six points.
Swope also made his presence known throughout the first half. In the first 10 minutes of the first half, he recorded 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting.
ISU used a 20-5 attack to close out the first half, utilizing six different Sycamores in the stretch. Indiana State closed out the half with 48 points on 62% shooting, the most points in a half this season. Swope led the way with 16 points at the break, draining four three pointers.
Just over midway through the second half, Kent eclipsed the 10-point scoring mark on from a massive one-handed slam on a fastbreak outlet pass from Xavier Bledson, marking his first career double-double.
The ISU defense held IUPUI to its lowest-scoring effort of the season, not allowing a made three pointers in the entire game.
News & Notes
Robbie Avila scored 16 points in his season debut. Dating back to last season, this is Avila’s fourth-straight game with at least 10 points.
Jayson Kent recorded a career-high 10 rebounds in his double-double effort.
Isaiah Swope knocked down four threes for the third-straight game. He’s shooting 59.1% from behind the arc in those games.
As a team, ISU shot 60.3% from the floor and 40.5% from three-point land, each the highest for the season.
For the first time in the Coach Schertz, ISU held a team without a three pointer. The last time Indiana State held a team without a three pointer was on January 23, 2013 when Illinois State went 0-for-13.
Masen Miller (8), Eli Shetlar (7), and Jaden Daughtry (6) all recorded career highs in points scored.
Jake Wolfe led the team in assists with 6, marking his career high.
Indiana State dominated their opponent in scoring from the paint by a 20-point margin (56 total) and in total assists (28 to 6).
The 96 points by the Sycamores is the most points this season, and last season the team only scored 96 or more four times.
Up Next
Indiana State is off to Las Vegas, Nev. next week to compete in the Ball Dawgs Classic. In the field of six teams, ISU will battle Rice, Pepperdine, and Toledo. The first game tips off on November 21 vs Rice.
INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL
SYCAMORES CLOSE 2023 SEASON AGAINST EVANSVILLE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State closes its 2023 season Wednesday evening when it faces in-state foe Evansville at 6 p.m.
Last Time Out
Last Time Out
Indiana State swept a pair of Missouri Valley Conference in a span of 26 hours, dispatching of both Murray State and Belmont in three sets. Kira Holland led the Sycamores with 32 kills across the two matches, while Avery Hales averaged more than 11 assists and three digs per set in the weekend sweep.
Senior Sendoff
Indiana State sent out its senior class, consisting of outside hitters Karinna Gall, Mallory Keller and Kaitlyn Hamilton, middle blocker Jamie Brown and defensive specialist Asia Povlin, in style with a pair of three-set sweeps at home over the weekend.
The three-set wins marked the first time Indiana State swept a weekend series since November 2021, while it also marked the first time since October 2014 that Indiana State swept a weekend conference series without dropping a set.
Weekly Winner
Indiana State outside hitter Kira Holland earned her league-leading sixth MVC Freshman of the Week honor after hitting nearly .300 with 32 kills in Indiana State’s wins over Murray State and Belmont. Holland’s 18 kills on a .452 hitting percentage were both career-bests for a three-set match.
In the process, Holland became just the third player in conference history to earn six MVC Freshman of the Week honors in a season.
First-Year Fun
Indiana State’s freshman class has made a significant impact on the program in the 2023 season. The Sycamores boast the conference’s freshman leader in kills per set (Kira Holland), assists per set (Avery Hales), blocks (Ella Scott) and hitting percentage (Scott), while also having two of the top three freshmen in digs per set (Holland and Macy Lengacher).
All five freshmen who have been active play a role in the Sycamore rotation, with four of them being regulars in the starting lineup.
Closing Time
In addition to it being the final match of the season, Wednesday’s match closes Indiana State’s 10-match home slate this season.
Indiana State has averaged 93 percent capacity in its nine home matches this season.
Evansville At A Glance
Wednesday’s match is also the season finale for Evansville, who enters at 10-19 overall and 5-12 in conference play. The Purple Aces defeated Murray State and Belmont last weekend, with both wins coming in four sets.
Evansville features the nation’s leader in kills in Giulia Cardona, who averages 5.32 kills per set and has a chance of reaching 600 kills for the season. Melanie Feliciano also averages more than three kills per set for the Purple Aces, while Kora Ruff averages more than 10 assists per set. Ainoah Cruz has a team-high 468 digs, while Brooke Springer leads Evansville with 83 blocks.
Series History
Indiana State leads the all-time series against Evansville 47-36, though the Purple Aces have won each of the last four matches in the series. The Sycamores’ last win in Evansville came during the 2020-21 spring season that was altered due to COVID-19.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE TRACK
TRACK & FIELD ANNOUNCES 2023-24 INDOOR SCHEDULE
FORT WAYNE Ind. – The 2023-24 Purdue Fort Wayne indoor track and field schedule has been released. The Mastodons will be home for three meets during the indoor season on Dec.1 and 2, as well as Jan. 20.
The ‘Dons will be begin their season at home for the Mastodon Multi Invitational on Dec. 1 and the Mastodon Open on Dec. 2. The Mastodons will then travel to Indiana Tech the following week for the Strive For Greatness Invitational on Dec. 9. This will be Purdue Fort Wayne’s fourth time competing in the Strive For Greatness Invitational. During last year’s meet senior Makaila Groves won the 800 meters with 2:24.39 and senior Cain Hohne won the high jump event with 2.04 meters.
After a month without a meet the ‘Dons travel to Michigan to compete in the SVSU Classic, hosted by Saginaw Valley State on Jan. 12. The last time Purdue Fort Wayne competed in the SVSU Classic was 2022 when senior Miranda Haney won the high jump event with a mark of 1.59 meters.
Purdue Fort Wayne then head home for the Mastodon Invite on Jan. 20. During last year’s Mastodon Invite, the ‘Dons won seven events. Purdue Fort Wayne ends the month by traveling to Ohio for the Doug Raymond Invitational, hosted by Kent State.
The Mastodons will take part in both the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame (Feb. 2-3) as well as the Mrs. G Invitational hosted by Trine (Feb. 2.) during this first weekend in February. In last year’s Meyo Invitational, junior Jai Reed won the long jump with a mark of 5.62 meters. The following week, the ‘Dons travel to Michigan to compete in the Big Meet on Feb. 9 and 10, hosted by Grand Valley State University. The ‘Dons will conclude indoor season at the Horizon League Indoor Championships at Youngstown State University on Feb. 24 and 25.
The women’s team finished in fourth place and the men’s team finished in fifth place at the 2022 indoor track and field championships, hosted at Purdue Fort Wayne.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MASTODON WBB VISITS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS FOR NON-LEAGUE GAME
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team is set to visit Southern Illinois for a non-league game on Wednesday evening (Nov. 15).
Game Day Information
Who: Southern Illinois Salukis
When: Wednesday, November 15 | 7 PM
Where: Carbondale, Ill. | Banterra Center
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Southern Illinois
Know Your Foe
Southern Illinois is 1-1 to start the season and is coming off a 3-point loss to Cornell. The Salukis beat Southeast Missouri in the season opener 85-70, coming back from down four at halftime. The Salukis have five players averaging double-figures, led by Shemera Williams at 17.5. SIU is shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 34.1 percent from 3-point land.
The Series
Purdue Fort Wayne leads the series against Southern Illinois 2-0 thanks to wins in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, the Mastodons were led by 24 points from Mastodon great Amanda Hyde.
Chasing 1,000
The Mastodons have two players that are looking to reach 1,000 points in their careers. Shayla Sellers has 940 and Amellia Bromenschenkel has 655. Bromenschenkel scored 411 points last year.
How About Emmerson?
Audra Emmerson is shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range since January 1, 2023, a mark of 41-of-90 over 21 games.
That Was Great
Purdue Fort Wayne set new program records against Great Lakes Christian for scoring (124), field goals (49), margin of victory (83) and bench points (77). The Mastodons’ 124 points were just two points shy of the Horizon League individual game scoring record, set by Oakland against Marygrove in 2016. In addition to the records, the Mastodons won the rebound battle 56-28, forced 31 turnovers on 17 steals, and only committed eight turnovers.
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne set a new scoring record with 124 points in a win against Great Lakes Christian. The ‘Dons also set a new scoring margin record with the 83-point win.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will take to the skies for a trip to Estero, Florida to play in the Gulf Coast Showcase, highlighted by a game against No. 2 Iowa and Caitlin Clark on November 24.
MASTODON WBB ANNOUNCES SIGNING CLASS
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball head coach Maria Marchesano announced her program’s three-member signing class for 2024 on Tuesday (Nov. 14): Madelyn Geers, Taeya Steinauer and Reese Polega.
Geers is a 5-foot-9 guard that averaged a double-double in her junior year at Kent City Community. She was awarded All-Region Team and All-State Team during her junior and sophomore seasons, along with First Team All-Conference all three seasons. Geers played in two state finals in her freshman and sophomore seasons. She was also awarded Academic All-State. Geers played for the West Michigan Driver Premier club team and finished in the Elite 8 of the Select 40 Finals.
“Maddie was our first commitment of the ’24 class and we were super excited to add her to the family,” Marchesano said. “She brings a versatile, tough-nosed game to Fort Wayne and she is deceptively athletic. She has the potential to be strong on both sides of the ball in her career here and that was a huge reason we were so high on her.”
Steinauer is a 5-foot-11 wing from Lincoln Prep in Hamilton, Ontario. She was awarded 2022 and 2023 Biosteel All-Canadian honors. Steinauer played for the Kia Nurse Elite club team and won the Boo Williams 2023 Tournament. Her mother and both sisters played college basketball.
“Adding Taeya to our squad just made so much sense for us. She brings length and a whole lot of intangibles to the table,” Marchesano said. “She has grown up in a very sports-focused family and she understands all the little things it takes to win. She will be able to play multiple positions for us and fits very well into our culture.”
Polega is a 6-foot-1 wing that is a three-time conference and district champion, a two-time regional champion and a state runner-up. In her three seasons at West Catholic, she led her squad to a 62-4 record. She shoots 45.5 percent from the floor, 35.2 percent from 3-point range and 77.8 percent from the line with a 1.67 assist to turnover ratio. Polega was selected as an All-Conference honorable mention in 2021-22 and made the team in 2022-23. She played club hoops for FBC (2018-19) and West Michigan Drive (2019-23). She also led her team to the Elite 8 of the Select 40.
“Every time we watched Reese play over the past two years, we fell more and more in love with her competitive spirit and her ability to make highlight reel plays that can really swing the momentum of a game,” Marchesano said. “Reese is long and versatile on the offensive end, but her ability to affect shots around the rim on the defensive end is very impressive, especially for a wing.”
Geers, Steinauer and Polega will join the Mastodons in the summer of 2024.
EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL SET FOR FIRST ROAD TRIP
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Taking to the road for the first time this season, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will be in Cape Girardeau to face Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday evening. Tip is set for 6:30 p.m. with ESPN+ and the Purple Aces Radio Network covering the action.
Setting the Scene
– UE is in search of its first 3-0 start to a season since the 2019-20 campaign
– Wednesday’s game will mark the fourth season in a row the squads have met and the sixth instance since 2015
– In the last meeting in Cape Girardeau between the squads, the Redhawks outlasted the Purple Aces for a 75-73 overtime win
Last Time Out
– It was a record-breaking night on Nov. 9 when the Aces defeated UHSP by a 116-46 final at the Ford Center
– The scoring output was tied for the most by UE in its Ford Center history
– All 15 UE players to see the floor found their way into the scorebook
– Freshman Braylon Jackson was the leading scorer, registering 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the win
Freshman Award
– On Monday, Chuck Bailey III was recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week
– In Evansville’s first two games, Bailey averaged 10.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game
– His top effort came against UHSP where he scored 12 points along with three boards and two assists
Inside the UHSP Win
– UE erupted for 116 points against UHSP on Nov. 9, tying the highest point total in regulation since the program joined the Division I ranks in 1977
– It tied the program Ford Center mark of 116, which came in 2014 versus Earlham
– Hauling in a total of 65 rebounds, the Aces finished with more than 60 for the first time since recording 61 caroms against SIU Edwardsville in 2008; the single-game program record for rebounds was 87 against St. Joseph’s in the 1958-59 season
Scouting the Opponent
– Southeast Missouri State is coming off a season that saw them go 19-17 while winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship
– The Redhawks played in the first four, falling to Texas A&M Corpus Christi by a score of 75-71
– This year, SEMO has opened the season with a pair of road losses at Grand Canyon (67-88) and Butler (56-91)
– Adam Larson is their leading scorer with 12.0 points per game and has connected on 8 of his 13 shot attempts (61.5%)
– Kobe Clark anchors the defense with 6.0 rebounds through the first two outings
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
ACES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO FINISH TRI-STATE CHALLENGE AGAINST EKU
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Evansville women’s basketball returns home for the final game of the Tri-State Challenge on Wednesday night.
Evansville’s first road game ended up being an offensive battle against the SIUE Cougars in a 91-83 loss. The Aces had a strong game from behind the arc, shooting 52.4% from three-point range while also shooting 42.9% from the floor. UE’s strong game from three-point range now has them in the national rankings. Evansville’s 11 made three-pointers on Sunday is the most in a year for the Aces since making 14 last season against Eastern Kentucky. Following Sunday’s game the Aces are shooting 40.5% from behind the arc, ranking them 39th in the nation and third in the MVC.
UE will look to continue its strong three-point shooting against Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night. The Colonels come into tomorrow’s game with a perfect 3-0 record following an 86-75 win over Northern Kentucky at home. EKU also played SIUE last week, prevailing in overtime at First Community Arena on Thursday 74-72. Leading the Colonels is senior guard Alice Recanati who is averaging 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Recanati’s 62 points through three games is eighth in the NCAA behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark as of Monday afternoon.
Four players for Evansville had double-digit outings on Sunday against the Cougars. Sophomore point guard Kynidi Mason Striverson led the team with a career-high 24 points followed by freshman Maggie Hartwig with 23 points including making
4 of 4 three-pointers. Guard Alana Striverson and forward Nevaeh Thomas also had strong performances with 13 and 11 points. Mason Striverson currently leads the team in offense averaging 18.5 points a game for fourth in the MVC.
With 23 points and nine rebounds on Sunday against SIUE, freshman Maggie Hartwig had UE’s best performance by a freshman since Abby Feit in 2019-20 against Brescia. It was the best freshman performance against a Division I team since Sarah
Dickey scored 30 points against Southern Illinois in 2019. Hartwig in two games for UE is averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.
SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
EAGLES BATTLE FOR POSTSEASON BID IN SEASON FINALE
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (12-15, 8-8 OVC) has an opportunity to clinch an Ohio Valley Conference Championship berth but will need to take on the University of Tennessee at Martin (8-18, 6-10 OVC) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 2 p.m. in its final regular season matches. With a win, the Screaming Eagles can etch their name into the playoffs which will go from Monday, November 20 through Wednesday, November 22, and will be hosted by the highest seed which is to be determined.
Game Coverage
Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com.
Tickets
Admission is free, courtesy of Tri-State Orthopaedics.
Screaming Eagles Headlines:
Eagles Tame Lions. The Screaming Eagles took down the Lions of Lindenwood on the road with a pair of 3-1 victories. USI is now 7-1 all-time against Lindenwood and snapped their three-match winless streak going into the final week.
You Have To #OVCit. USI can clinch the postseason but will have the tall task of taking on UT Martin. The Eagles are tied for sixth and hold the tiebreaker over four of the tournament-eligible teams. USI will need to bounce back after last year’s bout with the Skyhawks, dropping both matches on the road.
Magic Number 1. USI’s number to clinch a tournament spot is just one as the Eagles only need to be a top-eight team in the conference to earn a berth. To clinch a tournament berth, USI will need to either: 1) win one against UT Martin, 2) have SIUE/ Little Rock split, or 3) hope Western Illinois loses out. The Eagles could finish as high as the three seed or as low as the eight seed if they clinch.
Anderson Nets Offensive POTW. Senior Leah Anderson was voted as OVC Offensive Player of the Week after her dominating performance against Lindenwood. Anderson posted a season-high 24 kills on Thursday before pounding down a team-high 18 kills on Friday. The contests resulted in her 11th double-double and seventh-straight double-digit kill performance.
1,000 Ways to Assist. Junior Carly Sobieralski surpassed 1,000 assists this season and became the sixth USI setter to earn this feat since 2000. Earlier this season, Sobieralski nabbed 1,000 career assists and is inching her way into the record book.
Throwing It Down(ing). Junior Paris Downing has etched her name into the all-time USI Volleyball records. She now stands 25th all-time in total blocks with 209.
Anderson’s Double Life. Senior Leah Anderson has earned 11 double-doubles this season and has posted six double-doubles in her last seven matches. She has also nabbed 24 double-digit kill matches and 12 games with double-digit digs.
USI By The Set. The Eagles are 12-15 in the first set and 10-17 in the third set this season. However, USI has boasted an 18-9 record in the second frame along with going 11-7 in the fourth. The Eagles have yet to win a fifth set, dropping all five opportunities.
OVC Leaderboard. In conference matches, USI stands third in aces/set (1.54) and hitting percentage (.207). In all matches within the OVC, USI ranks fourth in aces/set (1.61) and fifth in blocks per set (2.08), opponent hitting percentage (.199), and digs per set (15.96).
OVC Leaders. Senior Leah Anderson has her name in three categories, nabbing second in points/set (4.42) and third in kills/set (3.70) and aces/set (0.43). Senior Abby Bednar sits in fifth in aces/set (0.39) and eighth in points/set (3.87) and kills/set (3.12). Junior Carly Sobieralski ranks fourth in assists/set (9.54) while junior Paris Downing and sophomore Keira Moore round out the leaders with Downing posting the second-most blocks/set (1.08) and Moore standing eighth in digs/set (4.01).
About UT Martin. The Skyhawks go into the final week 8-18 overall and 6-10 in OVC play. UT Martin is on a four-match winless streak after dropping both matches to Little Rock last weekend. The Skyhawks are also looking to clinch a playoff spot and will need to sweep USI and have SIUE/Little Rock split their matches. The Skyhawks will need to continue their defensive abilities to win as they hold the second-fewest opponent aces/set (1.30) and fourth-most digs/set (16.30).
Leading the Skyhawks. Haeleigh Paulino leads the pack in the passing game with 569 assists and a 5.93 assists/set margin for ninth best in the OVC. Paulino also leads the team in aces with 23. Kayla Carrell boasts a 4.23 digs/set split which is seventh most in the conference. Olivia Saunders stands atop the Skyhawks in a pair of categories with 244 kills and 90 blocks.
More Information. For more information about USI Volleyball and Athletics, go to USIScreamingEagles.com or follow USI Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
USI GETS 1ST WIN OF THE SEASON
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball got into the win column for the first time this season with a 68-65 victory over Tiffin University Tuesday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles rise to 1-3 to start the campaign.
The Eagles had command of the first five minutes of the game and built a 16-8 advantage with 14:15 left in the opening stanza. The Dragons, who as a Division II team considered the contest an exhibition game, closed the gap multiple times before grabbing a 28-27 lead with 1:45 remaining and took a 31-29 advantage into the break.
USI sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) was making his presence known in the opening half with a team-best eight points and seven rebounds, while junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) followed with seven points to lead the squad.
The second half began with the Eagles and Dragons trading buckets before Hernandez gave USI back the lead, 40-38, with a three-pointer and ignited a 20-8 run that extended the lead to a game-best 11 points, 57-46. Hernandez had eight of the 20 points during the run, while Smith dropped in another six.
Tiffin attempted another comeback as it did in the first half, but USI stiffened defensively. The Dragons would close to within three points twice in the final 10 seconds before the Eagles sealed the 68-65 win on a pair of free throws by Hernandez with eight seconds left.
Overall in the game, USI won the battle of the boards for the first time this season, 36-30, and outshot the Dragons 45.8 percent (27-59) to 43.1 percent (25-58) from the field.
Hernandez led the Eagles in the scoring column with his second-straight career-best of 24 points. The junior guard, who had 18 points Monday night against Chicago State University, was seven-of-12 from the field, including a three-pointer, and nine-of-10 from the stripe.
Smith followed with 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for this second-straight double-double. Junior guard Jordan Tillmon (Pine Bluff, Arkansas) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
Next Up For USI:
USI hits the road for nine days, starting Thursday, when it plays in the Duke Blue Devil Challenge. The Eagles begin action in the challenge at La Salle University Saturday at 1 p.m. (CST) before continuing at Bucknell University November 20 at 5 p.m. (CST). The squad finishes the nine-day road swing at #9 Duke University November 24 at 5 p.m. (CST).
Fans can follow USI Basketball action on the road by visiting USIScreamingEagles.com.
La Salle is 3-0 to start the year, posting a 67-61 win over Drexel University and a 79-74 win over Northeastern University at home. The Explorers started their portion of the Duke Blue Devil Challenge at home tonight with a 69-57 over Bucknell for the third win of the year.
The Bison of Bucknell are 1-3 after tonight’s loss at LaSalle. Bucknell opened the season with losses at home to the University of Delaware, 78-57, and the University of Pennsylvania, 80-61, before getting a road-win at Niagara University, 73-64.
Duke opened the season with a 92-54 win over Dartmouth University and a loss to #12 University of Arizona, 78-73, at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils raised its record to 2-1 with a 74-65 win over #18/#19 Michigan State University tonight in the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago, Illinois.
Bucknell plays Duke Thursday, while La Salle takes on the Blue Devils November 21, prior to USI’s visit to Cameron on November 24.
VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL
STRONG SECOND HALF LIFTS VALPO PAST GREEN BAY
When the stakes were highest, the Valparaiso University men’s basketball team got the job done on Tuesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. After a setback on Friday night in which they led for the entire first half before seeing the opponent pull away late, the Beacons flipped the script on Tuesday. They took their first lead of the game with 9:04 remaining and outscored visiting Green Bay by 10 in the second half to assemble a 64-59 victory.
How It Happened
The two teams exchanged baskets early with Green Bay scoring and Valpo following by tying the game up until 8-8. Jaxon Edwards (Indianapolis, Ind. / Cathedral) had two of the four early Beacon buckets.
Green Bay hit the game’s first 3-pointer at the 12:35 mark, and from there the guests held the lead until a driving layup by Edwards tied it at 16 with 7:23 to go in the half.
After a 5-0 run by the Phoenix, Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Vallye Southwest [Link Year]) hit Valpo’s first 3 of the game at the 4:53 mark to trim the deficit to two. The gap was whittled to one after a layup by Ola Ajiboye (Chicago, Ill. / Evanston Township [Central Michigan / Bosco Institute]) with 1:07 to go in the half, but the Phoenix boosted the lead back to five by the break at 31-26.
Each team had just one 3-point make in the first half as the teams combined to go 2-for-16 from long range.
The Phoenix stretched the lead to eight by the 15:36 mark of the second half, leading 38-30. Valpo scored the next seven points to shrink the margin to one at 38-37 with 12:40 left in the second half.
The Beacons took their first lead of the game with 9:04 remaining as Sherman Weatherspoon IV (Bowie, Md. / Bethesda-Chevy Chase [Golden State Prep]) knocked down a jumper. This came after a steal and fastbreak layup by Edwards had cut the lead to one.
The Brown & Gold extended the advantage to four at 48-44 with 7:27 to go as Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Crispus Attucks [John A. Logan / Southern Indiana]) hit a key 3. Edwards knocked in another big trey with 4:55 on the clock to make it 54-48, then it was Stafford again from long range with 2:29 left to make it 60-52.
Green Bay fought to within two with 14 seconds to go, but Valpo made its free throws and got a stop to hold on for the five-point win.
Inside the Game
Valpo blocked nine shots in the game, the team’s most since Dec. 30, 2019 vs. Loyola (also nine).
A pair of Beacons rejected four shots apiece – Edwards and Ajiboye. This is the first time in over a decade that two different Valpo players had four blocks each in the same game.
Valpo took impeccable care of the basketball, turning it over just five times. This marked Valpo’s fewest turnovers since also having five on Feb. 21, 2021 at Southern Illinois. The last time Valpo had fewer than five was Nov. 28, 2014 vs. Drake (four).
Point guard Darius DeAveiro (Kanata, Ottawa, Canada / Orangeville Prep) tallied five assists against no turnovers.
Edwards paced the team in scoring with a career-high 19, while Stafford turned in 18.
Ajiboye led the team on the glass with nine rebounds. Edwards and Palm squeezed eight apiece.
The 3-point line proved to be a frozen tundra for the Phoenix, who went just 2-of-18 (11.1 percent) from long range. This was Valpo’s best 3-point defense since Dec. 18, 2022 vs. Elon (3-of-27, also 11.1 percent).
This marked the first game between the two former Horizon League foes since Valpo joined the Missouri Valley Conference prior to the 2017-2018 campaign.
Valpo became the first team in the nation this season with nine or more blocks and five or fewer turnovers in the same game. That combination was achieved by only seven teams in the nation during the 2022-2023 season.
Postgame Press Conference
Up Next
The Beacons (2-1) will play head coach Roger Powell Jr.’s alma mater on Friday night in the first road game of the season as they head to No. 23 Illinois. The game will air on B1G+.
VALPO VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL AIMS FOR TOURNAMENT BYE IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE WEDNESDAY
Valparaiso (18-12, 10-7 MVC)
Wednesday, Nov. 15 – at UIC (19-11, 10-7 MVC) – 6 p.m.
Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: A lot is on the line for the Valpo volleyball team on Wednesday evening as the Beacons travel to UIC for their regular season finale. With a win, Valpo would finish in third place in the Valley regular season standings – matching its best finish since joining the MVC – while with a loss, the Beacons would be dependent on other results to learn whether they secured a first-round bye.
Previously: Valpo closed the 2023 home campaign last weekend at the ARC against the top two teams in the Valley, falling 3-1 to Drake on Friday evening and 3-1 to UNI on Saturday night.
Looking Ahead: The MVC Tournament begins Sunday, Nov. 19 at Missouri State. Should Valpo earn a first-round bye, its first tournament match would be Monday, Nov. 20.
Following the Beacons: Wednesday’s match will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for the live video and stats are available via ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Carin Avery: In her 22nd season as head coach at Valparaiso, Carin Avery is the all-time winningest head coach across all sports in the history of Valpo Athletics. She has won 489 matches (489-240, .671) at the helm of the program and has led Valpo to three league regular season and tournament titles. The program has made six postseason appearances under Avery, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to the championship match of the 2021 NIVC. Avery has coached 60 All-League recipients over her tenure at Valpo, which has spanned three different conferences. She is Valpo’s all-time leader in both victories and winning percentage, and owns a 544-264 (.673) record overall as a head coach.
Series History: Valpo owns a 31-28 overall record against the most-common opponent in program history and is a commanding 22-9 against the Flames under Coach Avery. But it is UIC which has earned victories in all four meetings since the Flames joined the Valley, including a 3-1 decision at the ARC earlier this season. Emma Hickey had a match-high 30 digs in that contest, in the process surpassing 1,000 career digs, while Elise Swistek tied for match-high honors with 14 kills.
Scouting the Opposition: UIC comes into Wednesday’s regular season finale tied with the Beacons at 10-7 in MVC action and with a 19-11 overall record, most recently picking up a four-set win over Drake on Saturday. Becca Oldendorf leads all Valley players with a .441 hitting percentage on 2.16 kills/set, while Martina Delucchi paces the Flames attack with 3.80 kills/set. Defensively, Zahria Woodard ranks second in the MVC with 1.42 blocks/set.
Valpo Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll: Valpo has been picked to finish in sixth place in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2023, according to preseason polling of the conference’s head coaches. The Beacons accumulated 73 points in the polling to come in at sixth position, outpacing Illinois State by two points. UNI claimed seven of 12 first-place votes and nipped Drake by two points for the top spot in the poll.
Looking Back at Last Season: The Beacons enjoyed another successful season in 2022, finishing the campaign with a 22-11 overall record. Valpo posted a 9-9 mark in MVC play to finish in sixth place in the newly-expanded 12-team conference and won a match at the MVC Tournament for its fourth straight appearance. The Beacons earned an at-large bid to the 2022 NIVC, their third showing in the tournament in the last five seasons. After a record-setting rookie campaign, freshman libero Emma Hickey was named a Second Team All-MVC and MVC All-Freshman Team honoree.
What’s Back: Valpo returns plenty of experience from last year’s squad, as 11 letterwinners are back this year, including four starters plus the libero. In all, 98% of the assists, 89.3% of the digs, 62.7% of the blocks and 60.9% of the kills from last season are back in 2023.
Who’s New: Joining the 11 returnees on this year’s team are six players looking to make an impact in their first season as Valpo. The sextet includes four true freshmen and two transfers – one fifth-year grad transfer and one sophomore.
What’s On the Line: There’s plenty to play for on Wednesday as Valpo and UIC – two of the three teams currently in a three-tie for third place in the MVC Standings – face off, given that the top four teams in the Valley standings earn a first-round bye in the MVC Tournament. Valpo would secure the third seed with a victory, which would match the program’s top regular season finish since joining the Valley. The Beacons could still earn a bye with a loss if Southern Illinois loses to Missouri State. If Valpo loses and SIU beats Missouri State, Valpo will be the fifht seed for the tournament.
Top of the Charts: With Valpo’s win over Purdue Fort Wayne to close out nonconference action, head coach Carin Avery surpassed Valpo Athletics Hall of Fame member Emory Bauer for the most wins by a Valpo head coach across all sports in department history.
Bauer amassed his victories over three different sports, collecting 361 wins in 28 seasons as head coach of the baseball program, 109 victories in 22 years guiding the football team and eight wins in one season as men’s basketball head coach.
Avery’s record total, meanwhile, has obviously come all at the helm of the Valpo volleyball program. In her 22nd season as head coach, Avery’s teams have averaged better than 22 wins per year in her first 21 years guiding the program. Under Avery, Valpo has posted the six winningest seasons in program history, including a program-best 29 wins in 2004.
Winning Tradition Continues: Valpo secured a winning 2023 season when it defeated Bradley on the road two weekends ago, the 20th winning season in 22 years under head coach Carin Avery. The Beacons are also just two wins shy of the 20-win milestone, which would be the 18th 20-win campaign in Avery’s 22 seasons.
Top Half Finishes: Last weekend’s results around the conference guaranteed the Beacons no worse than a fifth-place finish in the final MVC regular season standings. Valpo has now finished in the top-half of the Valley standings in each of its seven years in the conference, the only MVC program to accomplish that feat. Going back further, Valpo has posted top-half conference finishes in 21 of Avery’s 22 seasons – as well as qualifying for the conference tournament in each of her 22 seasons – and 30 of the last 31 years overall.
Road Warriors: Valpo’s last road loss came way back on Sept. 30 at Drake. Since then, the Beacons have posted a perfect 6-0 record on the road, earning road wins at Indiana State, Evansville, Southern Illinois, Missouri State, Bradley and Illinois State. It is the program’s first time winning any six true road matches in a row since the 2014 season. It is the first time Valpo has won six consecutive conference road matches since the 2004 team went a perfect 7-0 away from home in Mid-Continent Conference play.
Another Milestone Hit: Junior outside Elise Swistek entered last weekend just 23 digs shy of 1,000 for her career and picked up 22 on Friday versus Drake, setting herself up to reach the milestone with her very first dig on Saturday against UNI. Remarkably, Swistek is the third Beacon this season to hit the 1,000-dig milestone, joining Emma Hickey and Victoria Bulmahn. Valpo now has 26 players all-time with 1,000 or more digs, four of whom are currently active – Swistek and Bella Ravotto are two of 13 outside hitters in program history to reach the mark, Hickey is one of six liberos and Bulmahn is one of seven setters.
Climbing the Digs Chart: Both fifth-year outside Bella Ravotto and sophomore libero Emma Hickey continue to climb the program’s career digs chart. Ravotto, who moved into the top-10 in program history for career digs last month, enters the regular season finale with 1,624 career digs – just 29 shy of Sarah Dooms in seventh position. Meanwhile, Hickey – who became the fastest player in program history and MVC history to 1,000 career digs earlier this season, and is the only current D-I sophomore already over 1,000 digs – now owns 1,314 career digs, already up to 14th in program history.
All-Tournament Team Honorees: Six different Valpo players made nine All-Tournament Teams in the season’s first four weekends:
Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational – Emma Hickey, Mallory Januski
Stacheville Challenge – Januski, Miranda Strongman
Popcorn Classic – Bella Ravotto (MVP), Olivia Blackketter, Januski
EIU Volleyball Invitational – Strongman, Sam Warren
Three Times the Fun: Parse the previous list and you’ll see senior middle Mallory Januski picking up a trio of All-Tournament Team honors this season. It is the first time a Valpo player has earned spots on three All-Tournament teams in the same season since Allison Ketcham did so in 2018. But, one of Ketcham’s honors came in the postseason at the MVC Tournament – Januski is the first Valpo player in the Carin Avery era to receive three All-Tournament Team spots from solely early-season, preconference tournaments.
A Balanced Attack: Last year’s Valpo team was notable for its balance on the attack, and this year’s squad has been no different. Elise Swistek’s 2.48 kills/set leads the Beacons, but ranks just 23rd overall among Valley players. Five regulars are averaging between 1.84 and 2.48 kills/set.
Capturing Crowns: The Beacons’ triumph in the Popcorn Classic added yet another crown to the program’s trophy case. Valpo has now won 34 in-season tournament titles in head coach Carin Avery’s time at the helm of the program. The team has won at least one tournament in 17 of her seasons, and multiple tournaments 11 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states.
Another 20-Win Campaign: It’s a milestone that has become routine for the program, yet still impressive in its totality – Valpo finished with 22 wins in 2022 and has now won 20 or more matches in 17 of Carin Avery’s 21 seasons as head coach. Even more remarkably, one of the four seasons Valpo didn’t reach 20 wins was the shortened spring 2021 campaign, when the program played just 20 matches total. The Beacons also secured their 19th winning season in Avery’s 21 seasons at the helm.
Digging Deep: Valpo continued its long tradition of strong back row play last fall, finishing 10th nationally and leading the MVC with 17.27 digs/set. The program has ranked among the top-30 nationally in digs/set in each of the last 12 seasons, highlighted by the 2017 campaign in which it led the nation with 20.03 digs/set. Other top finishes include third nationally in the spring 2021 season (20.37/set), a fourth-place rank in 2010 and a sixth-place finish in 2015. Since the move to 25-point scoring, only seven teams have averaged more than 20 digs/set over the course of a season, and Valpo is the only program to have done it twice. 2018 saw Valpo lead the nation with 2,613 total digs – a mark which set a program single-season record and a Division I record in the 25-point era.
Hickey Sets New Standards: Emma Hickey made an immediate impact on Valpo’s backcourt and the record books in her rookie season. She set Valpo and MVC freshman record for digs in a season, finishing with 735 total digs, and led the Valley and ranked fourth nationally with 5.70 digs/set. No D-I freshman was within 200 digs of her season total, while it was tied for the second-most digs by a D-I freshman in the last 12 seasons. Her 735 digs are tied for fourth overall on Valpo’s single-season chart and rank sixth in MVC history as well.
Januski Runs the Middle: Senior middle Mallory Januski bided her time behind a pair of All-Conference middles in her first two seasons at Valpo, but given the opportunity in 2022 to run with a starting role, Januski took full advantage. She led Valpo and ranked fourth in the Valley with a .353 hitting percentage, a mark which smashed the program’s single-season record. Januski also ranked seventh in the Valley with 0.98 blocks/set, tallying 122 total blocks — seventh-most by a Valpo player in the 25-point era. That total includes a monster 13-block performance at Murray State, a program record for the 25-point era.
VALPO FOOTBALL
SEEKS PROGRAM’S LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN 20 YEARS ON SATURDAY
Valparaiso (3-7, 2-5 PFL)
at St. Thomas (7-3, 6-1 PFL)
Game #11 Saturday, Nov. 18, 1 p.m. CT
O’Shaughnessy Stadium (5,025) – St. Paul, Minn.
This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will close out the 2023 season on Saturday afternoon with a visit to St. Paul, Minn. to take on defending Pioneer Football League champion and 2023 preseason favorite St. Thomas. The Beacons hope to play the role of spoiler as the Tommies can clinch a share of the 2023 PFL crown with a win and a Drake loss. Valpo has an opportunity to end a season on a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2000 and possess its first three-game winning streak at any point in the calendar since 2003.
Previously: Special teams played a big role in Valpo’s 23-20 overtime victory vs. Stetson on Senior Day at Brown Field, as Max Samuel blocked a pair of punts and Ryan Hawk connected on a 34-yard field goal in overtime that proved to be the difference. Samuel’s first blocked punt was recovered by Micah Mackay in the end zone for a touchdown, while his second also led to points as Jeffery Vercher recovered and ran it 51 yards to the Stetson six-yard line before Jeffrey Jackson punched it in from a yard out. Evan Annis had a huge sack in overtime on the game’s penultimate play to highlight a nine-tackle performance that featured three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Series Notes: This will be the third all-time meeting between Valpo and one of the Pioneer Football League’s newest teams, former Division-III powerhouse St. Thomas. Valpo very much held its own during its last trip to Minnesota, falling 20-13 on Oct. 9, 2021. The Beacons lost to a nationally-ranked St. Thomas squad 34-7 on Nov. 5 of last season.
Following the Beacons: Saturday’s game will be broadcast on Midco Sports Plus, a subscription-based platform. The hometown radio call with Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (analyst) will air on 95.1 FM WVUR, The TuneIn Radio App and ValpoAthletics.com. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on Twitter. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Landon Fox: Landon Fox (17-34) is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program in 2023. Over the last three seasons, Fox has led Valpo to 12 Pioneer Football League victories, the most in a three-year period in program history. The program finished with a PFL record of .500 or better for a third consecutive season in 2022, the first time that has occurred since 1998-2000. Prior to that, Valpo had not had a stretch of three straight years with a league record of .500 or better since 1961-1964. The program won four PFL games in the same season just once in the 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, the program has reached that threshold in three straight seasons and three of the first four years under his direction (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2022). During his four years in charge of the program, Valpo has boasted 43 All-PFL honorees and 22 academic all-PFL selections. During his second season at the helm in Spring 2021, Fox was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award – which is presented annually to the FCS National Coach of the Year – after guiding Valpo to its best winning percentage since 2003 and tying for the squad’s best winning percentage since 1999. He led his team to Pioneer Football League runner-up honors, the program’s highest finish in the league standings since the PFL championship season of 2003. Fox’s defensive roots paid dividends on that side of the football in his second year at the helm, as the team enjoyed its best defensive season in four decades. Valpo held opponents to 283.3 yards per game, the program’s best total defense in the last 40 years. In Year 1 of the Fox Era in 2019, Valpo ranked in the Top 5 in the PFL in scoring defense (32.0, fifth), total defense (381.6, fourth), rushing defense (184.2, fourth) and passing defense (197.3, fifth). After spending the previous 11 seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Dayton, Fox was named the head football coach at Valpo prior to the 2019 season. He helped the Flyers finish with 10 winning seasons in his 11 years on staff and guided a defensive backfield that produced one All-American, four Academic All-Americans, two PFL Special Teams Players of the Year and three corners who were invited to NFL Rookie Minicamp. Prior to joining Dayton’s staff, Fox served as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2005-2007. He also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University (2004), Dayton (2002-2003) and Lakeland College (2001). Fox began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden, Ohio during the 2000 season. During his playing days, Fox was a team captain and all-conference performer at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio from 1995-1999 and graduated with a degree in physical education and health in May 2000 before earning his master’s degree in education from Lakeland in May 2002.
As Easy as “One, Two, Three”?
After beating Dayton (21-7 on Nov. 4) and Stetson (23-20 in overtime on Nov. 11) over the last two weeks, Valpo will look to extend its winning streak to three on Saturday at St. Thomas.
This would be Valpo’s longest winning streak since capturing three in a row in 2003 at Dayton (W 33-28), vs. San Diego (W 41-34) and vs. Drake (W 51-45 OT).
This would mark the first time Valpo won each of its final three games of a season since 2000 – Oct. 28 at San Diego (W 32-10), Nov. 4 vs. Dayton (W 16-15) and Nov. 11 vs. Aurora (W 23-10).
This would mark the first time ever that Valpo has won each of its final three PFL games. The league was founded in 1993.
The last time Valpo won each of its final three league games of a season was 1971, wins over Evansville, DePauw and Butler in Indiana Collegiate Conference play.
Valpo will look to end a fall season with a win for the first time since 2017. The team did close out the Spring 2021 campaign in victorious fashion.
The last time Valpo finished the season with a road win was 2005 at Aurora.
Block Party
Freshman Max Samuel blocked two punts in the Nov. 11 win over Stetson, the first of which was recovered in the end zone by Micah Mackay for a touchdown and the second of which was returned 51 yards to the Stetson six-yard line and eventually resulted in a touchdown.
Mackay received credit for a punt return touchdown, Valpo’s first since Jamari Booker in 2019. He was the 26th player in program history with a punt return TD.
Samuel became only the eighth player in the FCS nation to block multiple kicks in a single game this season and the 11th in all of Division-I football (FCS and FBS). Owen Goss of Colgate is the only player nationally to block three kicks in one game this season.
Samuel has three blocked kicks this season, including two on Nov. 11 vs. Stetson. He is now tied for fifth in program history for blocked kicks in a single season, joining Brett Bittner (Fall 2021) and Adam Rundh (2008).
For his efforts in the win over the Hatters, Samuel was named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the second straight Beacon to earn the award. Evan Matthes did so the previous week for his punting efforts in the win over Dayton.
Record Book Watch
Entering Saturday’s season finale at St. Thomas, Evan Matthes owns a punting average of 42.9. That would rank fourth in program history for single-season punting average behind Greg Wood (2010; 43.6), Ben Niesner (Spring 2021; 43.6) and Niesner again (Fall 2021, 43.2).
Valpo has five blocked kicks as a team, one more would tie for fourth in program history for single-season blocked kicks.
Solomon Davis has 1,333 career receiving yards. Despite essentially playing only two seasons, he will not finish far outside of the program’s single-season top 10 for career receiving yards. The threshold to enter the top 10 would be 1,580 with all of the top 10 three- and four-year players.
Fox on Valpo’s Wins List
The Nov. 4 game vs. Dayton was Landon Fox’s 50th as Valpo head coach.
The win over the Flyers allowed Fox to have an identical record to his predecessor Dave Cecchini through 50 games at Valpo. Cecchini beat Butler 35-17 in his 50th game on Oct. 13, 2018.
The win allowed Fox to tie for the most victories by a Valpo head coach through the first 50 games of a tenure since the late Bill Koch coached his 50th game on Sept. 18, 1982 at Wisconsin Eau Claire.
The win over the Flyers also helped Fox surpass Stacy Adams on Valpo’s all-time wins list. The following week vs. Stetson, he moved into a tie for seventh in program history with Cecchini with 17 wins at Valpo.
Among PFL and National Leaders
Tyler Geiman leads the nation in passes defended per game at 1.8. He is tied with Eastern Illinois’ Russell Dandy with 18 passes defended apiece. Both Dandy and Geiman have 17 pass breakups and one interception.
Sam Hafner ranks second in the nation for total tackles by a defensive lineman. Eric O’Neill of LIU leads the FCS nation in tackles by a defensive lineman with 71, while Hafner is second with 62.
Valpo leads the league and ranks 11th nationally in kickoff return average at 23.50.
Jashon Butler ranks second in the PFL and seventh nationally in combined kickoff return yards at 615. He is first in the league and fourth in the nation in kickoff return average at 30.8.
Evan Matthes leads the league and ranks 19th in the nation in punting average at 42.9.
Valpo is tied for second nationally in blocked kicks with five, one of six teams in the country with five or more blocked kicks.
Valpo is allowing just 320.8 yards per game, ranking second in the PFL and 23rd nationally in total defense.
Scouting the Tommies
Coming off a 20-14 win at San Diego last week after downing Marist 49-14 on Oct. 28 in their most recent home game.
Can clinch a share of the PFL title with a win and a Drake loss.
Are not eligible for the PFL’s automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs as they are completing the transition cycle from Division-II.
Preseason favorites to win the PFL.
UINDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BECKER’S 34-POINT GAME GUIDES GREYHOUNDS TO FIRST WIN
SAINT MARYS-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. – The UIndy women’s basketball team won their first game of the 2023-24 with a 98-87 win over Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Liv Becker led the charge with 34 points in the contest.
Becker was 12-for-16 from the field and four-for-five from beyond the 3-point arc. The junior also had five rebounds on the day. Becker is the second Hound to have a 30-point game this season, following Elana Wells last Saturday against No. 1 Ashland.
INS & OUTS
The Greyhounds quickly displayed dominance with a 26-3 run for the first seven minutes of the contest. Becker contributed 17 of these points. The Hounds’ defense only allowed the Pomadores nine points in the first quarter.
To end the first half, UIndy went on a 14-5 run for the final five minutes. Jodi Mullins was the star of this run with nine points. The Greyhounds held a 28-point lead against St. Marys going into halftime.
The Pomadors had a small resurgence in the third quarter adding 33 points to their score. The Hounds keep driving the ball in the second half adding 42 points of their own score.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Jada Patton and Mullins also made it into double-digits in terms of points. They score 16 and 15, respectively.
– Patricia Chikamba led the teams in rebounds with 10. Patton was not far behind with eight.
– Wells remained on the court for 37 minutes, a team high for the day.
– UIndy was 33-for-68 (348.5%) from the field and 7-for-22 (31.8%) in three-point territory.
UP NEXT
UIndy will host their first home game of the 2023-24 season on Tues. Nov. 21. The Greyhounds will battle Purdue Northwest at 5:30 p.m. in Nicoson Hall.
MARIAN WRESTLING
WRESTLING’S ANDREW JUST EARNS FIRST CAREER WHAC WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
INDIANAPOLIS – After winning his second consecutive tournament title, Marian wrestling’s Andrew Just has been named the WHAC Wrestler of the Week. The freshman’s honor is the first of his career and the first of the season for the Knights program.
Just won each of his six matches at the Grand View Open in the 285 weight class freshman/sophomore division, earning victory by decision in each match. Just’s closest victory of the day came in the round of 16 with a 4-2 victory, while in the championship match he earned an 8-3 win by decision to take his title.
Just is now 11-0 on the young season after wrestling in his first two tournaments as a Knight.
The Marian team will continue their season on Saturday November 18, as the backups for the Knights team will wrestle at the Lindenwood Open, gaining more experience in the early stages of the season.
MARIAN VOLLEYBALL
EMMA LYONS LIBERO OF THE YEAR HONOR HEADLINES MARIAN VOLLEYBALL’S ALL-CROSSROADS LEAGUE HAUL
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2023 Volleyball All-League honors on Tuesday, just days after No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan completed a sweep of the regular season and tournament championships.
The Marian volleyball team, who finished third in the Crossroads League, were well represented, with five players earning a combined seven honors, with Emma Lyons Crossroads League Libero of the Year honor leading the Knights. Marian had two players on both the first and second teams, one on the honorable mention team, and one on the all-freshman team.
Emma Lyons had a dominant season for the Knights in her first year as the starting libero, earning the Crossroads League Libero of the Year honor in addition to her First Team All-Crossroads Leauge Team award. Lyons led the Knights and the Crossroads League with 5.02 digs per set in CL matches, posting a total of 326 digs. The sophomore carried a reception percentage of .974, and was the top libero in the conference in assists per set, averaging 1.17 on the season. Lyons also had 15 service aces and two kills in Crossroads League action. The sophomore’s honor of Libero of the Year is the fourth overall for the Marian volleyball program, as she joins the list of Megan Hawley (2019), Vanessa Lay (2017), and Adrienne Freiburger (2004).
Gabby Fish also made First Team All-Crossroads League, as she earned All-CL honors for the first time in her career. Fish averaged 2.56 kills per set in Crossroads League action, and carried a hitting percentage of .270 to lead the team. Fish’s 159 kills are third most on the roster in CL matches, as the junior had a career-season coming off her injury-plagued sophomore campaign.
Mikayla Christiansen earned All-Crossroads League Second Team honors, as the transfer had a strong season as a six-rotation player. Christiansen led Marian in kills per set in league matches with an average of 2.66, and had 162 kills on the year. Christiansen added 13 service aces, 161 digs, and 31 total blocks on the season, as she aided the Knights on both the offensive and defensive ends of the net.
Khori Dryden also made All-Crossroads League Second Team, as the freshman had a stellar rookie season. In addition to her second team honor, Dryden was also named to the All-Crossroads League Freshman Team, as she led the Knights in conference matches with 167 total kills, posting a 2.61 kills per set clip. The Freshman had a hitting percentage of .270, and defensively got it done for the Knights, adding 68 digs and 14 blocks to go with her reception percentage of .911. Dryden is the first Knight to make the all-freshman team since 2021.
Marian’s final honor came from outside hitter Madison Brooks, who was named to the Honorable Mention Team. Brooks had a strong season on the outside for Marian, posting a kills per set rate of 1.95 with her 117 kills. The junior was third on the team in league matches in blocks, posting 40 total blocks in the 17 league matches she appeared in.
The Knights will go on the road for the NAIA Opening Round for the first time since 2017, as the Knights will fly to Miami Gardens to take on St. Thomas this Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Philadelphia | 8 | 2 | .800 | — | 6-1 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 6-2 | 8-2 | 1 L | ||
| Boston | 8 | 2 | .800 | — | 5-0 | 3-2 | 5-1 | 8-1 | 8-2 | 3 W | ||
| Brooklyn | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2.5 | 3-3 | 3-2 | 0-2 | 5-4 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| New York | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3.0 | 3-2 | 2-3 | 0-2 | 3-4 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| Toronto | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3.0 | 3-2 | 2-3 | 0-3 | 2-4 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| Central Divison | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Indiana | 7 | 4 | .636 | — | 5-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 | 5-4 | 6-4 | 1 W | ||
| Milwaukee | 6 | 4 | .600 | 0.5 | 5-1 | 1-3 | 2-1 | 6-4 | 6-4 | 1 W | ||
| Cleveland | 4 | 6 | .400 | 2.5 | 1-3 | 3-3 | 0-2 | 2-3 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| Chicago | 4 | 7 | .364 | 3.0 | 3-3 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 3-3 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| Detroit | 2 | 10 | .167 | 5.5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 2-5 | 1-9 | 9 L | ||
| Southeast Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Miami | 7 | 4 | .636 | — | 3-1 | 4-3 | 3-0 | 4-3 | 6-4 | 6 W | ||
| Atlanta | 6 | 4 | .600 | 0.5 | 2-2 | 3-2 | 2-2 | 4-3 | 6-4 | 1 W | ||
| Orlando | 5 | 5 | .500 | 1.5 | 3-1 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| Charlotte | 3 | 7 | .300 | 3.5 | 1-4 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 3-5 | 3-7 | 2 L | ||
| Washington | 2 | 8 | .200 | 4.5 | 1-2 | 1-6 | 1-3 | 1-8 | 2-8 | 3 L | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| Northwest Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Denver | 9 | 2 | .818 | — | 7-0 | 2-2 | 2-1 | 8-2 | 8-2 | 1 W | ||
| Minnesota | 8 | 2 | .800 | 0.5 | 5-0 | 3-2 | 2-0 | 6-0 | 8-2 | 7 W | ||
| Oklahoma City | 7 | 4 | .636 | 2.0 | 4-3 | 3-1 | 0-1 | 2-4 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| Utah | 4 | 7 | .364 | 5.0 | 3-2 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 4-4 | 4-6 | 2 W | ||
| Portland | 3 | 7 | .300 | 5.5 | 1-2 | 2-5 | 0-1 | 1-5 | 3-7 | 4 L | ||
| Pacific Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Sacramento | 5 | 4 | .556 | — | 4-1 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 4-4 | 5-4 | 3 W | ||
| LA Lakers | 6 | 5 | .545 | — | 5-0 | 1-5 | 3-1 | 5-3 | 6-4 | 3 W | ||
| Golden State | 6 | 6 | .500 | 0.5 | 1-4 | 5-2 | 2-1 | 5-4 | 5-5 | 4 L | ||
| Phoenix | 4 | 6 | .400 | 1.5 | 1-4 | 3-2 | 1-2 | 2-5 | 4-6 | 2 L | ||
| LA Clippers | 3 | 7 | .300 | 2.5 | 3-1 | 0-6 | 0-1 | 2-5 | 3-7 | 6 L | ||
| Southwest Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Dallas | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | 4-1 | 4-2 | 3-1 | 4-2 | 7-3 | 1 L | ||
| Houston | 6 | 3 | .667 | 1.0 | 6-1 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 5-2 | 6-3 | 6 W | ||
| New Orleans | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3.0 | 3-3 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 3-5 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| San Antonio | 3 | 8 | .273 | 5.0 | 1-4 | 2-4 | 1-1 | 3-4 | 3-7 | 6 L | ||
| Memphis | 2 | 9 | .182 | 6.0 | 0-5 | 2-4 | 0-2 | 2-7 | 2-8 | 1 L | ||
NFL STANDINGS
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Miami Dolphins | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 285 | 225 | 4-0-0 | 2-3-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Buffalo Bills | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 1.5 | 262 | 184 | 4-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-5-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 L | |
| New York Jets | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 2.0 | 144 | 172 | 2-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-4-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| New England Patriots | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 4.5 | 141 | 238 | 1-5-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-4-0 | 2-2-0 | 3 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 0.0 | 208 | 143 | 4-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 5-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 2.5 | 172 | 205 | 4-1-0 | 1-4-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 3.0 | 239 | 215 | 2-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 3.0 | 196 | 248 | 2-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-4-0 | 1-2-0 | 3 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 0.0 | 270 | 157 | 3-2-0 | 4-1-0 | 4-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 1 L | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.5 | 156 | 182 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Cleveland Browns | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.5 | 214 | 170 | 4-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 2 W | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 1.5 | 182 | 192 | 3-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 196 | 190 | 2-3-0 | 4-0-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Houston Texans | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 1.0 | 217 | 192 | 3-1-0 | 2-3-0 | 3-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 1.5 | 242 | 248 | 1-4-0 | 4-1-0 | 4-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 3.0 | 154 | 180 | 3-1-0 | 0-5-0 | 2-4-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | 0.0 | 252 | 195 | 4-0-0 | 4-1-0 | 6-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 2.0 | 269 | 165 | 4-0-0 | 2-3-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 4.5 | 217 | 274 | 1-3-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-5-0 | 0-3-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Giants | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 6.5 | 118 | 266 | 1-3-0 | 1-5-0 | 2-4-0 | 1-2-0 | 3 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 252 | 143 | 3-1-0 | 3-2-0 | 4-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 200 | 201 | 4-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 5-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 3.0 | 178 | 204 | 1-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 2-4-0 | 2-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 4.5 | 176 | 263 | 2-3-0 | 0-5-0 | 2-5-0 | 0-3-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 0.0 | 241 | 203 | 3-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 1.5 | 233 | 209 | 2-3-0 | 4-1-0 | 6-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 5 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 4.0 | 179 | 182 | 2-2-0 | 1-4-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | 4.5 | 204 | 255 | 2-3-0 | 1-4-0 | 2-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| New Orleans Saints | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 214 | 198 | 2-2-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 0.5 | 178 | 173 | 2-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 1.0 | 189 | 217 | 3-2-0 | 1-4-0 | 3-4-0 | 2-0-0 | 3 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 3.5 | 153 | 242 | 1-3-0 | 0-5-0 | 0-6-0 | 0-2-0 | 2 L | |
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 51 | 30 | 6-0-1 | 6-1-1 | 7-1-2 | |
| Florida Panthers | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 10 | 49 | 43 | 6-1-0 | 4-3-1 | 8-1-1 | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 55 | 49 | 5-2-2 | 3-3-0 | 4-4-2 | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 55 | 54 | 5-4-0 | 3-1-2 | 5-3-2 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 6 | 53 | 59 | 4-2-2 | 2-4-2 | 4-4-2 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 45 | 55 | 5-5-0 | 2-2-2 | 4-5-1 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 46 | 52 | 4-5-0 | 3-3-1 | 5-4-1 | |
| Ottawa Senators | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 50 | 44 | 4-5-0 | 2-2-0 | 4-6-0 | |
| Metropolitan Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| New York Rangers | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 10 | 47 | 31 | 5-1-0 | 6-1-1 | 9-0-1 | |
| Washington Capitals | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 35 | 37 | 5-3-1 | 3-1-1 | 7-2-1 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 51 | 49 | 4-0-0 | 5-6-0 | 6-4-0 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 51 | 37 | 3-4-0 | 5-2-0 | 6-4-0 | |
| New Jersey Devils | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 51 | 55 | 3-3-1 | 4-3-0 | 5-5-0 | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 15 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 48 | 46 | 3-4-0 | 4-3-1 | 4-6-0 | |
| New York Islanders | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 33 | 44 | 3-3-3 | 2-3-0 | 3-5-2 | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 44 | 58 | 3-5-1 | 1-3-3 | 1-6-3 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| Central Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Dallas Stars | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 10 | 52 | 39 | 4-2-0 | 7-1-1 | 7-3-0 | |
| Colorado Avalanche | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 48 | 44 | 4-2-0 | 5-3-0 | 5-5-0 | |
| Winnipeg Jets | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 55 | 50 | 4-3-1 | 4-2-1 | 6-2-2 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 42 | 36 | 6-2-0 | 2-3-1 | 6-4-0 | |
| Arizona Coyotes | 15 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 52 | 46 | 4-2-0 | 3-4-2 | 4-4-2 | |
| Minnesota Wild | 15 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 50 | 64 | 3-3-1 | 2-5-1 | 3-6-1 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 34 | 45 | 1-3-0 | 4-5-0 | 4-6-0 | |
| Nashville Predators | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 44 | 52 | 3-4-0 | 2-6-0 | 3-7-0 | |
| Pacific Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 9 | 58 | 35 | 8-1-1 | 4-2-0 | 6-3-1 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 66 | 33 | 5-0-1 | 6-3-0 | 8-1-1 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 8 | 56 | 42 | 1-3-3 | 7-0-0 | 6-2-2 | |
| Anaheim Ducks | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 47 | 43 | 4-4-0 | 5-2-0 | 8-2-0 | |
| Seattle Kraken | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 40 | 58 | 2-5-0 | 3-3-3 | 4-4-2 | |
| Calgary Flames | 15 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 39 | 53 | 2-3-0 | 3-5-2 | 3-6-1 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 39 | 52 | 2-4-1 | 2-5-0 | 3-6-1 | |
| San Jose Sharks | 16 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 72 | 2-6-1 | 0-7-0 | 2-8-0 | |
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
9 – 12 – 49 – 22 – 53 – 14 – 8 – 15 – 39 – 23 – 18 – 23 – 13
November 15, 1946 – Boston Red Sox legend, Number 9, Ted Williams was selected as the American League MVP
November 15, 1951 – New York Yankee Number 12, Gil McDougald wins American League Rookie of Year
November 15, 1959 – Cleveland Browns’ halfback Number 49, Bobby Mitchell set the franchise record for longest run from scrimmage (90-yards), beat Wash 31-17
November 15, 1960 – Elgin Baylor, Number 22 of the LA Lakers scored 71 points vs New York Knicks
November 15, 1961 – Roger Maris, Number 9 of the New York Yankees, was voted AL MVP
November 15, 1962 – Don Drysdale, the LA Dodgers Number 53 won the Cy Young Award
November 15, 1964 – Ajax soccer star Number 14, Johan Cruyff debuted against GVAV
November 15, 1967 – Boston’s Number 8, Carl Yastrzemski won the American League MVP
November 15, 1972 – Chicago White Sox Number 15, Dick Allen won the American League MVP
November 15, 1978 – Pirates outfielder Number 39, Dave Parker won the National League MVP
November 15, 1983 – 75th hat trick in Islander history was registered by future Hall of Famer, Number 22, Mike Bossy
November 15, 1988 – LA Dodgers outfielder Number 23, Kirk Gibson won the National League MVP
November 15, 1989 – Bret Saberhagen, Number 18 of the Kansas City Royals won the American League Cy Young Award
November 15, 2018 – LeBron James (Number 23) passed Wilt Chamberlain (Number 13) for 5th on the NBA’s all-time career scoring list with 44 points for the LA Lakers in 126-117 victory over Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples Center, Los Angeles
TV WEDNESDAY
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Dallas at Washington | 7:00pm | Bally Sports NBCS-WSH |
| Boston at Philadelphia | 7:30pm | ESPN |
| Milwaukee at Toronto | 7:30pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| New York at Atlanta | 7:30pm | MSG Bally Sports |
| Orlando at Chicago | 8:00pm | NBCS-CHI Bally Sports |
| Minnesota at Phoenix | 9:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Sacramento at LA Lakers | 10:00pm | ESPN |
| Cleveland at Portland | 10:00pm | Bally Sports Root Sports |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Philadelphia at Carolina | 7:30pm | TNT |
| Seattle at Edmonton | 8:30pm | Root Sports Sportsnet |
| Anaheim at Colorado | 9:00pm | Bally Sports ALT |
| NY Islanders at Vancouver | 10:30pm | TNT |
| COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Buffalo at Miami (OH) | 7:00pm | ESPN2/U |
| Central Michigan at Ohio | 7:00pm | ESPN2/U |
| MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Campbell at Virginia Tech | 6:00pm | ACCNX |
| UAlbany at Seton Hall | 6:30pm | FS1 |
| Merrimack at Ohio State | 7:00pm | BTN |
| Saint Peter’s at Fairleigh Dickinson | 7:00pm | YES |
| Princeton at Duquesne | 7:00pm | ATTSN-PIT |
| Radford at VCU | 7:00pm | MASN |
| Coppin State at Louisville | 7:00pm | ACCNX |
| Richmond at Boston College | 7:00pm | ACCNX |
| Keiser at Kennesaw State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| SUNY Delhi at Columbia | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Westfield State at Dartmouth | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Roberts Wesleyan at Buffalo | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Canisius at Cleveland State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Binghamton at Loyola Maryland | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at South Florida | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Utah Valley at Charlotte | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| USC Upstate at East Carolina | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Cornell at George Mason | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Evansville at Southeast Missouri | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Rice at Texas | 8:00pm | LHN |
| Eastern Illinois at Illinois State | 8:00pm | MARQ |
| Stony Brook at Nebraska | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| U. of Arts & Sciences (OK) at A&M-Commerce | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Xavier (LA) at Southern Miss | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Louisiana Christian at Louisiana | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| FIU at Houston Christian | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgetown at Rutgers | 8:30pm | FS1 |
| Tennessee State at Portland | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southeastern Louisiana at BYU | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| LIU at UCLA | 10:00pm | PAC12N |
| Pacific at Nevada | 10:00pm | KNSN |
| Northern Arizona at Seattle U | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Morgan State at Fresno State | 10:30pm | MWN |
| COLLEGE HOCKEY | TIME ET | TV |
| UMass Lowell vs Merrimack | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Women’s Champions League: Paris vs Häcken | 12:45pm | DAZN |
| UEFA Women’s Champions League: Bayern München vs Roma | 12:45pm | DAZN |
| Friendly: Belgium vs Serbia | 2:45pm | FS2 |
| UEFA Women’s Champions League: Ajax vs PSG | 3:00pm | DAZN |
| UEFA Women’s Champions League: Real Madrid vs Chelsea FC | 3:00pm | DAZN |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin | 6:00am | TENNIS |
| ATP Finals Singles Round Robin | 8:30am | TENNIS |
| ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin | 12:30pm | TENNIS |
| ATP Finals Singles Round Robin | 3:00pm | TENNIS |
| WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Lindenwood vs Cincinnati | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Akron vs Robert Morris | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Hampton vs North Carolina | 11:00am | ACCNX |
| Illinois-Springfield vs Indiana State | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Lindenwood vs Cincinnati | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Richmond vs Gardner-Webb | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Alabama State vs Oklahoma | 11:30am | ESPN+ |
| Delaware State vs Hofstra | 11:30am | FloSports |
| East Tennessee State vs Radford | 11:30am | ESPN+ |
| New Orleans vs Mississippi State | 12:00pm | SECN+ |
| Saint Peter’s vs Illinois | 12:00pm | B1G+ |
| SIUE vs Illinois State | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Incarnate Word vs TCU | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Pittsburgh vs George Mason | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| American University vs George Washington | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| La Salle vs Drexel | 6:00pm | FloSports |
| Marist vs Lafayette | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Carolina A&T vs Wake Forest | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Columbia International vs Presbyterian | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Longwood vs James Madison | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Rider vs NJIT | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Loyola (MD) vs UMBC | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Rutgers vs Seton Hall | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Marquette vs IUPUI | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Chattanooga vs Tennessee Tech | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Sacred Heart vs Monmouth | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Mount St. Mary’s vs Navy | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Coppin State vs Syracuse | 7:00pm | ACCNX |
| William & Mary vs Virginia | 7:00pm | ACCNX |
| Northwestern vs Notre Dame | 7:00pm | ACCN |
| Eastern Kentucky vs Evansville | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Providence vs Brown | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Elon vs NC State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Purdue Fort Wayne vs Southern Illinois | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Wichita State vs Belmont | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Temple vs Mississippi | 7:30pm | SECN+ |
| Western Kentucky vs Vanderbilt | 7:30pm | SECN+ |
| Missouri State vs Saint Louis | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UTSA vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Concordia College vs North Dakota | 8:00pm | Summit |
| North Dakota State vs Minnesota | 8:00pm | B1G+ |
| UCF vs St. Thomas | 8:00pm | Midco Sports+ |
| Benedictine vs Northern Arizona | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Hannibal-LaGrange vs Western Illinois | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Alaska-Fairbanks vs Southern Utah | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Long Beach State vs California Baptist | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Florida vs Gonzaga | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UC Santa Barbara vs Idaho State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| La Sierra vs UC San Diego | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Missouri State vs Southern Illinois | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Evansville vs Indiana State | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Buffalo vs Akron | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Miami (OH) vs Bowling Green | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ohio vs Kent State | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ball State vs Toledo | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Butler vs Xavier | 6:00pm | FloSports |
| Iowa State vs Texas | 7:00pm | LHN |
| Auburn vs Mississippi State | 7:00pm | SECN+ |
| Iowa State vs Texas | 7:00pm | LHN |
| Western Illinois vs Eastern Illinois | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Lindenwood vs Southeast Missouri State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UT Martin vs Southern Indiana | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Belmont vs Murray State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Drake vs Northern Iowa | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Illinois State vs Bradley | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Valparaiso vs UIC | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Baylor vs Kansas | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Arkansas vs Mississippi | 8:00pm | SECN |
| Ohio State vs Illinois | 9:00pm | BTN |
What to Watch: Wednesday, 11/15/23
| COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Central Michigan at Ohio | 7:00pm | ESPN2/U |
Central Michigan Chippewas leads all time series 27-5-2 versus Ohio Bobcats. Last time the Bobcats and Chippewas played was in 2021 which Central Michigan won 30-27 on the road versus Ohio. Since 2011 the Chippewas are 6-1 overall versus the Bobcats. Last time Ohio won at home versus Central Michigan was in 2000.
| NBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Boston at Philadelphia | 7:30pm | ESPN |
The Boston Celtics finished second in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 57-25. The Philadelphia 76ers finished third in the Eastern Conference in the 2022-23 season with a record of 54-28. The Celtics lead 2022-23 regular season series 3-1 versus the 76ers. Last season Boston was 25-16 on the road and Philadelphia was 29-12 at home.
| Sacramento at LA Lakers | 10:00pm | ESPN |
The Sacramento Kings finished third in the Western Conference last season with a record of 48-34. The Los Angeles Lakers finished seventh in the Western Conference in the 2022-23 season with a record of 43-39. The Kings lead 2022-23 regular season series 3-1 versus the Lakers. Last season the Kings was 25-16 on the road and Lakers were 23-18 at home.
| NHL | TIME ET | TV |
| Seattle at Edmonton | 8:30pm | Root Sports Sportsnet |
The Seattle Kraken finished fourth in the Pacific division last season with 100 points. The Edmonton Oilers finished second in the Pacific division in the 2022-23 season with 83 points. Last season Seattle was 26-11-4 on the road and Edmonton was 23-12-6 at home. Last season the Oilers were 3-1 versus the Kraken during the regular season.
| NY Islanders at Vancouver | 10:30pm | TNT |
The New York Islanders finished fourth in the Metropolitan division last season with 93 points. The Vancouver Canucks finished first in the Pacific division in the 2022-23 season with 111 points. Last season NY Islanders was 17-18-6 on the road and Vancouver was 19-20-2 at home. Last season the Islanders and Canucks regular season series was tied 1-1.