THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2025

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

HOMESTEAD.COM

ADAMS CENTRAL	51	NORTHFIELD	38
ALEXANDRIA	63	DALEVILLE	46
ATTICA	64	BELIEVE CIRCLE CITY	38
AUSTIN	61	CLARKSVILLE	23
AVON	67	PERU	16
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE	83	MOORESVILLE	61
BELLMONT	70	FORT WAYNE DWENGER	61
BLOOMFIELD	47	NORTHEAST DUBOIS	41
BOONE GROVE	65	DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN	59
BOONVILLE	64	TELL CITY	26
BREMEN	49	TRITON	43
BROWNSBURG	48	CENTER GROVE	22
CALUMET	67	HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH	47
CARROLL (FLORA)	57	WESTERN	48
CASCADE	64	SOUTHMONT	49
CENTRAL NOBLE	56	LAKEWOOD PARK	42
CHARLESTOWN	68	SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)	50
COLUMBIA CITY	65	FORT WAYNE LUERS	62
COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN	66	INDIANA DEAF	50
COLUMBUS EAST	72	GREENSBURG	36
CONCORD	64	JOHN GLENN	22
COVENANT CHRISTIAN	65	BETHESDA CHRISTIAN	48
COWAN	57	UNION (MODOC)	41
CRAWFORD COUNTY	64	SALEM	61
CROTHERSVILLE	88	LANESVILLE	81
CROWN POINT	76	HAMMOND MORTON	57
CULVER ACADEMY	55	ILLIANA CHRISTIAN	42
DEKALB	57	HERITAGE	46
DECATUR CENTRAL	69	BEECH GROVE	50
EAST CENTRAL	49	SWITZERLAND COUNTY	46
EAST NOBLE	67	ANGOLA	49
EASTBROOK	49	SOUTHWOOD	39
EASTSIDE	59	HAMILTON	45
EDGEWOOD	51	BROWN COUNTY	23
EDINBURGH	66	SOUTH DECATUR	55
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL	52	EVANSVILLE MATER DEI	49
EVANSVILLE DAY	71	WASHINGTON CATHOLIC	13
EVANSVILLE NORTH	57	EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL	55
FISHERS	86	NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS)	56
FOREST PARK	58	EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN	41
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK	55	LEO	28
FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY	64	LAKELAND CHRISTIAN	60
FRANKTON	46	SHENANDOAH	39
GARY 21ST CENTURY	84	KANKAKEE VALLEY	44
GOSHEN	54	WEST NOBLE	43
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN	69	TRINITY LUTHERAN	39
GREENWOOD	67	BLOOMINGTON NORTH	52
GUERIN CATHOLIC	73	UNIVERSITY	47
HAGERSTOWN	60	TRI	48
HAMILTON HEIGHTS	71	RUSHVILLE	40
HAMMOND CENTRAL	67	ANDREAN	59
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN	59	PARK TUDOR	53
HOBART	94	WHITING	37
INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS	47	CARMEL	39
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL	55	ZIONSVILLE	47
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD	51	INDIANAPOLIS TECH	47
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER	66	MONROVIA	42
INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE	71	INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL	25
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI	64	LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC	54
IRVINGTON PREP	78	GEO NEXT GENERATION	50
JAY COUNTY	68	WINCHESTER	57
JENNINGS COUNTY	56	SCOTTSBURG	54
JIMTOWN	48	ELKHART	42
KNOX	48	CULVER	28
LAVILLE	51	SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON	50
LAFAYETTE JEFF	82	BOWMAN ACADEMY	36
LAPEL	70	NEW CASTLE	63
LAWRENCE NORTH	70	HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN	60
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN	62	EASTERN HANCOCK	56
MADISON-GRANT	63	MUNCIE BURRIS	39
MANCHESTER	78	WHITKO	53
MARION	71	FORT WAYNE NORTHROP	57
MILAN	67	SHAWE MEMORIAL	46
MITCHELL	50	SHOALS	42
MONROE CENTRAL	57	UNION CITY	34
MORGAN TWP.	43	CAREER ACADEMY	38
MUNSTER	62	HANOVER CENTRAL	57
NEW ALBANY	66	BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL	61
NOBLESVILLE	83	MISSISSINEWA	32
NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG)	100	DUGGER UNION	19
NORTH MONTGOMERY	67	NORTH PUTNAM	50
NORTHRIDGE	66	FAIRFIELD	34
NORTHVIEW	64	MARTINSVILLE	41
OAK HILL	55	NORTHWESTERN	45
OLDENBURG ACADEMY	60	SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE)	41
ORLEANS	51	EASTERN GREENE	46
PAOLI	60	NORTH HARRISON	42
PARKE HERITAGE	61	LINTON	50
PENN	72	MISHAWAKA	42
PIKE	56	WARREN CENTRAL	49
PORTAGE	81	HEBRON	49
PRINCETON	63	HERITAGE HILLS	52
PROVIDENCE	63	NEW WASHINGTON	18
RIVER FOREST	64	KOUTS	55
ROCHESTER	70	OREGON-DAVIS	26
ROCK CREEK ACADEMY	60	WEST WASHINGTON	58	OT
SEYMOUR	51	SHELBYVILLE	42
SOUTH BEND ADAMS	70	ELKHART CHRISTIAN	51
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH	93	PLYMOUTH	62
SOUTH KNOX	60	PIKE CENTRAL	55
SOUTH VERMILLION	67	SULLIVAN	56
TECUMSEH	74	PERRY CENTRAL	38
TIPTON	54	LEWIS CASS	35
TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN	65	CENTRAL CHRISTIAN	39
TRI-WEST	49	BREBEUF JESUIT	42
TWIN LAKES	71	NORTH NEWTON	25
UNION COUNTY	47	RANDOLPH SOUTHERN	46
VICTORY CHRISTIAN	68	MARQUETTE CATHOLIC	66
VINCENNES LINCOLN	69	WHITE RIVER VALLEY	37
WARSAW	62	TIPPECANOE VALLEY	55
WASHINGTON TWP.	69	WHEELER	47
WES-DEL	65	SOUTHERN WELLS	34
WEST VIGO	54	SHAKAMAK	39
WESTERN BOONE	52	FOUNTAIN CENTRAL	35
WESTFIELD	62	MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)	58	OT
WESTVIEW	67	FREMONT	37
WESTVILLE	53	SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)	47
WOODLAN	60	PRAIRIE HEIGHTS	38

USA BOYS BASKETBALL POLLS

CLASS 4A

1. FISHERS (24-0) (13) 130

2. GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (20-3) 99

3. WESTFIELD (18-3) 97

4. ANDERSON (20-2) 73

5. AVON (19-3) 72

6. JEFFERSONVILLE (16-5) 66

7. CROWN POINT (18-2) 63

8. NOBLESVILLE (17-5) 33

9. WARSAW (22-4) 25

10. LAWRENCE NORTH (17-6) 17

11. NEW ALBANY (17-3) 12

12. NORTHRIDGE (19-3) 10

13. SOUTH BEND RILEY (17-4) 5

14. BEN DAVIS (15-7) 4

15. MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (16-5) 3

CLASS 3A

1. INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (19-4) (9) 117

2. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (19-3) (3) 114

3. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (20-2) (1) 107

4. NEW PALESTINE (20-3) 75

5. GUERIN CATHOLIC (20-4) 72

6. SILVER CREEK (20-3) 64

7. INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (16-6) 56

8. FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (20-3) 41

9. PRINCETON (21-2) 35

10. NORTHVIEW (22-1) 19

11. NORTHWOOD (18-4) 9

12. SOUTHRIDGE (19-2) 4

13. SHELBYVILLE (17-6) 3

14. EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (17-4) 2

CLASS 2A

1. WAPAHANI (21-1) (10) 126

2. SOUTH RIPLEY (20-1) (1) 106

3. PARKE HERITAGE (19-4) (1) 87

4. MANCHESTER (19-2) (1) 72

5. NORTHEASTERN (21-1) 69

6. FORT WAYNE LUERS (17-6) 66

7. LINTON (18-5) 52

8. GARY 21ST CENTURY (16-6) 49

9. PROVIDENCE (15-4) 30

10. LAPEL (18-5) 27

11. PAOLI (19-2) 14

11. SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) (17-5) 14

13. WESTVIEW (16-6) 2

CLASS 1A

1. CLAY CITY (20-1) (12) 129

2. HAUSER (19-3) 107

3. ORLEANS (18-3) 98

4. CLINTON PRAIRIE (19-2) 88

5. KOUTS (18-4) 72

6. INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN (17-7) (1) 58

7. BARR-REEVE (16-5) 46

8. BLOOMFIELD (15-7) 39

9. TRITON (18-4) 36

10. CARROLL (FLORA) (17-4) 20

11. WASHINGTON TWP. (18-4) 9

12. WOOD MEMORIAL (16-6) 1

12. CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (14-8)

INDIANA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL STATE FINALS

SESSION 1

9:30 AM ET | PUBLIC GATES OPEN

10:30 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (25-4) VS. BORDEN (22-5)

APPROX. 12:45 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (26-2) VS. SOUTH KNOX (27-2)

FIELDHOUSE CLEARED

SESSION 2

5 PM ET | PUBLIC GATES OPEN

6 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
NORWELL (22-6) VS. GREENSBURG (27-0)

APPROX. 8:15 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
WARSAW COMMUNITY (26-1) VS. LAWRENCE NORTH (18-8)

INDIANA BOYS SWIMMING STATE FINALS

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

FRIDAY, FEB. 28, 2025
GATES OPEN AT 4:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM CT
6 PM ET / 5 PM CT | SWIMMING PRELIMINARIES | HEAT SHEETS | PSYCH SHEET

SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025
GATES OPEN AT 7:30 AM ET / 6:30 AM CT
9 AM ET / 8 AM CT | DIVING PRELIMINARIES, SEMIFINALS
1 PM ET / 12 PM CT | CHAMPIONSHIP/CONSOLATION FINALS IN ALL SWIMMING EVENTS; DIVING FINALS

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

#2 DUKE 97 MIAMI FLORIDA 60

#21 MARQUETTE 82 PROVIDENCE 52

GEORGIA 88 #3 FLORIDA 83

OKLAHOMA STATE 74 #9 IOWA STATE 68

#11 WISCONSIN 88 WASHINGTON 62

#5 TENNESSEE 65 LSU 59

#6 ALABAMA 111 #24 MISSISSIPPI STATE 73

#14 MISSOURI 101 SOUTH CAROLINA 71

#19 LOUISVILLE 71 VIRGINIA TECH 66

BOWLING GREEN 65 EASTERN MICHIGAN 60

NORTH ALABAMA 93 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 70

MARSHALL 83 OLD DOMINION 66

CENTRAL MICHIGAN 73 BUFFALO 69

VCU 78 RICHMOND 60

ST. LOUIS 57 DAVIDSON 56

WESTERN MICHIGAN 82 OHIO 73

CINCINNATI 69 BAYLOR 67

GEORGIA TECH 73 PITTSBURGH 67

AKRON 87 BALL STATE 82

MIAMI OHIO 87 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 58

KENT STATE 105 TOLEDO 65

NORTHWESTERN 75 MINNESOTA 63

MURRAY STATE 85 INDIANA STATE 75

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 88 ILLINOIS STATE 79

COLORADO STATE 77 AIR FORCE 55

ILLINOIS 81 IOWA 61

UNLV 77 SAN JOSE STATE 71

NEVADA 84 WYOMING 61

GONZAGA 95 SANTA CLARA 76

SAN DIEGO STATE 73 NEW MEXICO 65

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

NBA SCOREBOARD

BOSTON 111 TORONTO 101

CLEVELAND 122 ORLANDO 82

MEMPHIS 151 PHOENIX 148 OT

HOUSTON 100 MILWAUKEE 97

NEW ORLEANS 109 SAN ANTONIO 103

LA LAKERS 107 DALLAS 99

GOLDEN STATE 128 CHARLOTTE 92

NHL SCORES

COLUMBUS 6 DALLAS 4

CALGARY 3 WASHINGTON 1

MONTRÉAL 4 CAROLINA 0

TORONTO 5 BOSTON 4 OT

BUFFALO 3 ANAHEIM 2

PHILADELPHIA 6 PITTSBURGH 1

TAMPA BAY 4 EDMONTON 1

NY RANGERS 5 NY ISLANDERS 1

ST. LOUIS 7 SEATTLE 2

DETROIT 3 MINNESOTA 2

FLORIDA 4 NASHVILLE 1

UTAH 2 CHICAGO 1

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING

HOUSTON 8 NY METS 5

ATLANTA 6 BOSTON 1

ATLANTA 2 PITTSBURGH 1

BALTIMORE 8 DETROIT 7

PHILADELPHIA 5 TAMPA BAY 4

MINNESOTA 5 NY YANKEES 4

TORONTO 3 ST. LOUIS 2

WASHINGTON 14 MIAMI 7

MILWAUKEE 9 CLEVELAND 6

SEATTLE 11 LA DODGERS 5

CHICAGO CUBS 4 ARIZONA 2

KANSAS CITY 15 TEXAS 6

VEGAS 7 SAN FRANCISCO 5

LA DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO 1

COLORADO 14 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

COLLEGE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD

#12 WAKE FOREST 9 ELON 6

#13 CLEMSON 20 WINTHROP 7

#4 ARKANSAS 14 GRAMBLING 3

#5 NORTH CAROLINA 9 VCU 4

#20 SANTA BARBARA 13 PEPPERDINE 2

#3 TENNESSEE 7 N. ALABAMA 5

#24 OLE MISS 15 #22 SOUTHERN MISS 8

CAMPBELL 9 #17 DUKE 6

#21 TROY 6 #18 MISSISSIPPI STATE 5

#10 VIRGINIA 6 VMI 4

#16 OKLAHOMA 15 TEXAS SOUTHERN 4

#14 VANDERBILT 16 TENNESSEE TECH 3

#8 FLORIDA 6 STETSON 1

#25 TCU 4 TARLETON 2

TEXAS STATE 7 #1 TEXAS A&M 3

#15 TEXAS 6 INCARNATE WORD 0

RUTGERS 12 ST. JOSEPH’S 6

DELAWARE 13 MARYLAND 10

ILLINOIS 19 AURORA 8

UCLA 8 ARIZONA STATE 4

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 5 FULLERTON 3

OHIO STATE – KENT STATE POSTPONED

BOWLING GREEN – BUTLER CANCELED

WRIGHT STATE 11 MIAMI OHIO 10

ILLINOIS STATE 11 BALL STATE 1

KENTUCKY 24 EVANSVILLE 3

INDIANA STATE 12 BETHUNE COOKMAN 4

COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD

#21 SOUTH CAROLINA 10 CHARLOTTE 2

#20 SAN DIEGO STATE 6 CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 2

COLLEGE MEN’S LAX SCOREBOARD

#3 CORNELL 22 HOBART 9

MICHIGAN 16 CANISIUS 2

COLLEGE WOMEN’S LAX SCOREBOARD

#3 NORTHWESTERN 12 #5 SYRACUSE 8

#4 YALE 21 CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 0

#11 JOHNS HOPKINS 19 GEORGETOWN 10

COLLEGE HOCKEY SCORES

#9 CONNECTICUT 2 #10 BOSTON 2 OT

TOP NATIONAL PRESS RELEASES/HEADLINES

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TOP 25 ROUNDUP: GEORGIA HOLDS ON TO UPSET NO. 3 FLORIDA

Silas Demary Jr. hit four 3-pointers en route to 21 points to help Georgia hold off a furious rally from visiting No. 3 Florida in an 88-83 Southeastern Conference win Tuesday in Athens, Ga.

Asa Newell added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Tyrin Lawrence had 14 points off the bench as the Bulldogs (17-11, 5-10 SEC) saw its 26-point lead evaporate before finishing the game on a 10-3 run.

Blue Cain chipped in 12 points for Georgia, including the go-ahead triple with 47 seconds remaining. RJ Godfrey had 10 points for the Bulldogs, who snapped their four-game losing streak.

Will Richard led Florida (24-4, 11-4) with 30 points, followed by Walter Clayton Jr.’s 18. The Gators saw their six-game winning streak come to an end.

No. 2 Duke 97, Miami 60

Isaiah Evans hit 5 of 6 3-pointers in the first half, scoring all 16 of his points before the break to lead the Blue Devils to the Atlantic Coast Conference win.

Kon Knueppel had a game-high 20 points for Duke (25-3, 16-1 ACC), and Cooper Flagg added 16 points and six assists. The Blue Devils, though, saw Tyrese Proctor exit with a left knee injury; Duke has already lost Maliq Brown with a separated shoulder.

Lynn Kidd had 17 points for Miami (6-22, 2-15) and Jalil Bethea finished with 13.

No. 5 Tennessee 65, LSU 59

Zakai Zeigler scored 17 points and Felix Okpara had 15 to lead a balanced scoring effort as the Volunteers held off the Tigers in Baton Rouge, La.

Chaz Lanier added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Volunteers (23-5, 10-5 SEC), who won for the sixth time in seven games after enjoying advantages of 44-28 in rebounds, 27-8 in second-chance points and 32-20 in points in the paint.

Vyctorius Miller scored 17 points and Cam Carter added 12 to lead the Tigers (14-14, 3-12).

No. 6 Alabama 111, No. 24 Mississippi State 73

Chris Youngblood scored a season-high 27 points and matched his career best of seven 3-pointers to help the Crimson Tide demolish the Bulldogs in Southeastern Conference play in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Mark Sears made five 3-pointers while recording 21 points and 10 assists to help the Crimson Tide (23-5, 12-3 SEC) register a season best for points and 3-point baskets. Alabama has reached the century mark eight times this season. Aden Holloway scored 13 points and Mouhamed Dioubate and Labaron Philon added 10 points apiece as Alabama defeated the Bulldogs for the eighth consecutive time.

Josh Hubbard scored 21 points and KeShawn Murphy added 18 points for Mississippi State (19-9, 7-8), which lost its second straight game.

Oklahoma State 74, No. 9 Iowa State 68

Abou Ousmane scored 25 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and the Cowboys held on to beat the Cyclones in a Big 12 matchup in Stillwater, Okla.

Arturo Dean added 14 points for Oklahoma State (14-14, 6-11 Big 12), which bounced back from a 32-point loss against then-No. 23 Kansas in its previous game three days earlier. Bryce Thompson contributed 11 points and Marchelus Avery chipped in 10 off the bench.

Joshua Jefferson scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead Iowa State (21-7, 11-6), which lost its second straight after winning the previous four. Nate Heise scored 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range, while Curtis Jones finished with 11 points.

No. 11 Wisconsin 88, Washington 62

John Blackwell scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half as the Badgers battered the Huskies in Madison, Wis.

John Tonje added 13 points, and Steven Crowl and Xavier Amos chipped in 12 apiece for Wisconsin. Blackwell, who went 8 of 11 in the first half, finished the night at 9 of 16 and contributed 10 rebounds and two steals as Wisconsin took advantage of the last-place Huskies (13-15, 4-13).

Great Osobor led Washington with 11 points. Franck Kepnang collected seven points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the Huskies, who shot 44.8 percent, had 10 turnovers and were no match for Wisconsin.

No. 14 Missouri 101, South Carolina 71

Caleb Grill scored 22 points as the Tigers tromped the Gamecocks in Columbia, Mo.

Anthony Robinson II had 14 points and eight assists for the Tigers (21-7, 10-5 SEC), who improved to 18-1 at Mizzou Arena this season. Mark Mitchell and Tony Perkins each scored 13 points for Missouri. Tamar Bates scored 11 and Jacob Crews added 10.

Collin Murray-Boyles scored 27 points and Jamarii Thomas added 17 for the Gamecocks (11-17, 1-14), who turned the ball over 15 times and missed 21 of 23 shots from 3-point range.

No. 19 Louisville 71, Virginia Tech 66

The Cardinals avoided an upset on the road, holding off the Hokies in Blacksburg, Va.

Chucky Hepburn scored 15 points and dished out six assists to offset six turnovers, which tied a season high. James Scott added 13, going 6-for-7 from the field, and Terrence Edwards Jr. also scored 13 as the Cardinals (22-6, 15-2 ACC) won their sixth straight game.

Louisville won despite one of its poorer shooting performances this season. The visitors went just 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) from beyond the 3-point line but mitigated that by forcing the Hokies (12-16, 7-10) into 22 turnovers, which the Cardinals converted into 26 points. Brandon Rechsteiner led the Hokies with 18 points off the bench.

No. 21 Marquette 82, Providence 52

Kam Jones celebrated his 23rd birthday with 17 points and seven assists to lead the Golden Eagles to the Big East victory.

Ben Gold added a career-high 17 points for Marquette (21-7, 12-5 Big East), which made a season-best 17 3-pointers en route to its third win in four games. The Golden Eagles led by 31 points, holding Providence (12-16, 6-11) to just 25.8 percent shooting in the second half, during which time Marquette outscored the Friars 39-20.

Jayden Pierre had 13 points to pace Providence, which lost for the sixth time in seven games.

NBA NEWS

NBA ROUNDUP: LUKA DONCIC PUTS UP TRIPLE-DOUBLE AS LAKERS TOP MAVS

Luka Doncic paired 19 points with 15 rebounds and 12 assists against his former team, three weeks after a blockbuster trade, and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled out a 107-99 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

LeBron James scored 27 points and secured 12 rebounds, Austin Reaves added 20 points and Rui Hachimura had 15 as the Lakers improved to 3-2 with Doncic on the court. Los Angeles won its third consecutive game and improved to 13-3 since Jan. 21.

Doncic delivered his first triple-double with the Lakers, his fourth of the season and the 81st of his career to only heighten the sentiment of an unpopular trade in Dallas.

Kyrie Irving scored 35 points and Klay Thompson added 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Mavericks, who dropped to 5-6 since Jan. 31. Max Christie, who was part of the package from the Lakers for Doncic, added 10 points in his ninth game with Dallas.

Grizzlies 151, Suns 148

Jaylen Wells scored seven points in overtime as Memphis held off visiting Phoenix.

Ja Morant shook off a rough shooting night to finish with 29 points and eight assists to lead the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 28 before fouling out in the fourth quarter and Desmond Bane scored 25 with nine assists.

Five Suns, led by Devin Booker, had 20 or more points. Booker finished with 28 and 10 assists and Kevin Durant contributed 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Bradley Beal had his first double-double of the season with 24 points and 11 assists. Bol Bol scored 23 and grabbed eight boards and Grayson Allen scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Celtics 111, Raptors 101

Jaylen Brown scored eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and visiting Boston defeated Toronto.

Jayson Tatum added 19 points and 11 assists for the Celtics, who have won six in a row. Derrick White contributed 22 points, five assists and three steals, reserve Payton Pritchard scored 20 points and Sam Hauser scored 10.

RJ Barrett scored 22 points to lead the Raptors, who have lost seven of nine. Scottie Barnes added 21 points, Gradey Dick scored 12 and Immanuel Quickley had 10.

Cavaliers 122, Magic 82

With Ty Jerome scoring 20 points off the bench, Cleveland cruised to its eighth straight win and its 12th victory in 13 games.

Evan Mobley added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who never trailed in Orlando.

Paolo Banchero had 26 points to pace the Magic, who saw Cole Anthony leave in the third quarter with a hyperextended left knee.

The Cavs built a 34-16 lead by the end of the first quarter, then outscored Orlando 65-39 in the second half to pick up the win.

Rockets 100, Bucks 97

Jalen Green logged 25 points, including two free throws with 8.1 seconds left, and Houston escaped with the home win over Milwaukee.

Damian Lillard missed two free throws with 3.7 seconds to go and then an ensuing 3-point attempt as Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak game to a close.

Alperen Sengun had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Houston, which won for the fourth time in six games, and Dillon Brooks had 16 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 27 points, 10 boards and six assists for the Bucks, and Lillard added 22 points.

Pelicans 109, Spurs 103

Trey Murphy III scored 24 points and host New Orleans overcame a double-digit deficit to beat San Antonio for the second consecutive game.

Zion Williamson had 18 points, CJ McCollum added 13, and Jordan Hawkins finished with 12 off the bench. Yves Missi had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, who overcame a 19-point deficit two nights after they rallied back from a 17-point hole to beat the Spurs 114-96.

Devin Vassell paced San Antonio with 20 points, Harrison Barnes and De’Aaron Fox each had 15, and Chris Paul recorded 12 points and 10 assists.

Warriors 128, Hornets 92

Buddy Hield scored 16 points to lead seven Golden State players in double figures as the Warriors ran their winning streak to four games with a romp over Charlotte in San Francisco.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green had 15 points apiece for Golden State, while Gary Payton II added 14. With Moses Moody (13 points), Kevin Knox II (12) and Brandin Podziemski (10) also scoring in double figures, Golden State, in recording the franchise’s 3,000th win, ran up its largest margin of victory since beating Utah by 41 points in October.

KJ Simpson matched Hield’s game-high point total with 16 to pace the Hornets, who rested LaMelo Ball on the second night of a back-to-back. Seth Curry finished with 14 points for Charlotte, which suffered its fourth straight defeat. The last three losses have come by an average of over 43 points.

NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: LIGHTNING BEAT OILERS FOR 6TH STRAIGHT WIN

Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman scored second-period goals, and the host Tampa Bay Lightning secured their season-best sixth straight win in a 4-1 thrashing of the slumping Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

Hagel notched the go-ahead marker before Hedman hit the net on the power play as the Lightning took control in the frame against the Oilers, who lost their season-worst fourth straight match while playing for the third time in four nights.

In addition to its winning streak, the surging Atlantic Division club stretched its point streak to eight games (7-0-1) and is 20-7-2 on home ice.

Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl notched his NHL-best 43rd marker, extending his point streak to nine games and goal streak to six. After posting a 10-3-1 record in January, the Oilers have slipped to 2-5-0 this month.

Panthers 4, Predators 1

Sam Bennett had a goal with an assist and Justin Sourdif scored for his first career point as visiting Florida beat Nashville.

Gustav Forsling and Mackie Samoskevich also scored, Aleksander Barkov added two assists and Spencer Knight (18 saves) was solid in net for Florida, which has won six of eight. Bennett has four goals and three assists in the last six games.

Michael McCarron scored late for Nashville, which has been outscored 9-1 in losing two straight after winning two in a row. Predators captain Roman Josi did not play in the third period after taking a questionable hit into the boards from Bennett just past the halfway mark of the second.

Red Wings 3, Wild 2

Simon Edvinsson scored a pair of goals, including the go-ahead score with 8:25 remaining, to lift Detroit over Minnesota in Saint Paul, Minn.

Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for Detroit, which won its second game in a row. The Red Wings avenged a 4-3 overtime loss against the Wild over the weekend. Cam Talbot turned aside 22 of 24 shots to defeat his former team.

Marco Rossi and Jakub Lauko scored one goal apiece for Minnesota. Filip Gustavsson surrendered three goals on 16 shots.

Flames 3, Capitals 1

First-period goals by Martin Pospisil and Matt Coronato held up as visiting Calgary upset red-hot Washington to open a six-game road trip, despite another goal by Alex Ovechkin.

Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames, who have won consecutive games and moved into the Western Conference’s second wild-card position.

As for Ovechkin, the Capitals captain scored 4:52 into the third period to make it a 2-1 game. It was his 883rd career goal, leaving him 11 behind Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

Rangers 5, Islanders 1

Jonny Brodzinski led an impressive effort by the fourth line by posting his first career two-goal game for the visiting Rangers, who damaged the Islanders’ playoff hopes in a battle of New York teams in Elmont.

Brodzinski, a center, entered Tuesday with 19 goals in 184 career games. Fourth-line winger Matt Rempe scored a rare goal late in the second while third-line defenseman Urho Vaakanainen opened the scoring in the first for the Rangers, who are two points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

J.T. Miller also had a goal in the second for the Rangers, who won despite being outshot 37-18. They have 10 goals on just 34 shots in their last two games, both wins.

Flyers 6, Penguins 1

Noah Cates had two goals and an assist as Philadelphia dominated visiting Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia’s line of Cates, Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster was on the ice for four of the team’s six goals. Brink finished with a goal and three assists while Foerster chipped in one goal and set up two others.

Samuel Ersson made 23 saves for the Flyers, who won for the third straight time. Alex Nedeljkovic allowed all six goals on 38 shots as the Penguins dropped their fourth in a row.

Blue Jackets 6, Stars 4

Kirill Marchenko collected two goals and an assist to fuel host Columbus past Dallas, ending the Stars’ three-game winning streak.

Ivan Provorov and Adam Fantilli each recorded a goal and an assist while Elvis Merzlikins made 19 saves for the Blue Jackets, who have won two in a row following a four-game winless skid (0-3-1).

Defenseman Zach Werenski, however, was held off the scoresheet to halt his home point streak at 22 games. Dallas’ Jason Robertson followed up his hat trick on Sunday by scoring his team-leading 24th goal of the season.

Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 0

Sam Montembeault made 20 saves for his fifth career shutout and fourth of the season, while Patrik Laine and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and two assists as Montreal shut out visiting Carolina.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson also scored for the Canadiens in their first home game in 15 days. It was Montreal’s first regulation win over Carolina since Dec. 13, 2018.

Frederik Andersen made 14 saves for the Hurricanes in his first start since Feb. 6.

Maple Leafs 5, Bruins 4 (OT)

Mitch Marner scored his second goal with 51.3 seconds left in overtime to lead visiting Toronto to a come-from-behind win over Boston.

Morgan Rielly led the Leafs with a goal and three assists, Nick Robertson had a goal and a helper, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had two helpers. Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz stopped 32 shots. Pontus Holmberg scored an extra-attacker goal with 46 seconds left in regulation.

David Pastrnak posted two goals and an assist to extend his NHL season-long point streak to 15 games for Boston, which is on a four-game skid (0-2-2). Brad Marchand added a goal and an assist, Morgan Geekie also scored, and Mason Lohrei had two helpers. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves.

Blues 7, Kraken 2

Zack Bolduc scored twice as St. Louis rolled over visiting Seattle.

Cam Fowler and Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and two assists each for the Blues, who extended their point streak to four games (3-0-1). Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours (goal, assist) and Colton Parayko (two assists) also had multi-point games for St. Louis. Jordan Kyrou scored the Blues’ other goal and Jordan Binnington made 25 saves.

Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz scored for the Kraken, who fell to 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. Joey Daccord allowed five goals on 21 shots before giving way to Nikke Kokko.

Sabres 3, Ducks 2

JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch and Henri Jokiharju scored third-period goals to help Buffalo rally past visiting Anaheim.

Dylan Cozens assisted on all three goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 16 saves for the Sabres, who have won six of seven after rallying from a 2-0 deficit to start the third period. Buffalo has also won six in a row at home for the first time in seven years.

Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson scored power-play goals for the Ducks, who had won seven of nine coming into the night. Lukas Dostal finished with 32 saves.

Utah 2, Blackhawks 1

Lawson Crouse’s third-period goal led Utah to a win over visiting Chicago in Salt Lake City.

Utah is 5-2-0 in its last seven games, keeping the team afloat in the crowded Western Conference playoff race. Clayton Keller scored Utah’s first goal, equalizing the score at 19:16 of the second period. Keller has seven points (three goals, four assists) during a five-game points streak. Karel Vejmelka stopped 21 of 22 shots to earn his 15th win in 36 games this season.

The Blackhawks are on a four-game losing streak and have just three victories (3-9-5) in their last 17 games. Chicago is second to last in the NHL with 41 points. Arvid Soderblom stopped 34 of 36 Utah shots, playing well in the losing effort.

TOP INDIANA PRESS RELEASES/HEADLINES

INDIANA PACERS

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS RAPTORS

After splitting a pair of contests to open a stretch of five games in seven days, the Indiana Pacers can restart their winning streak Wednesday when they host the Toronto Raptors at Gainbrige Fieldhouse.

While trending in opposite directions in the Eastern Conference standings, the Raptors (18-39) have proven a tough matchup for the Pacers (32-23) this season.

Toronto, sitting in 13th place in the East, is 2-0 against the fourth-place Pacers for 2024-2025. If the Raptors win, it will be their first regular season sweep over the Pacers since 2015.

The Pacers (32-24) started this week with a 129-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday before falling to the Denver Nuggets 125-116 the next day, snapping a three-game Blue & Gold winning streak.

Against Denver, the Pacers trailed by 17 points after three quarters before getting as close as six points in the final frame. Myles Turner led the Blue & Gold with 23 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 15 assists, and Pascal Siakam recorded 19 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

Despite the loss, the Pacers still have the best record in the East since Jan. 1 at 16-6.

The Raptors will be on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday after hosting the second-place Boston Celtics on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena.

Indiana will look to take advantage of Toronto’s quick turnaround, as the Raptors are 2-8 in games with zero days rest this season.

RJ Barrett leads the Raptors at 21.9 points per game while Scottie Barnes is putting up 19.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists nightly. In a 122-111 win over the Pacers on Dec. 3, Barnes scored a career-high 35 points, and Barrett dropped 29.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Monday the Raptors are a big, physical team and that has presented challenges in recent games.

Indiana is 16-8 at home this season and Toronto is 5-21 away from Canada.

After hosting the Raptors, the Pacers will go to Miami on Friday before welcoming the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

Projected Starters

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

Raptors: G – Immanuel Quickley, G – Gradey Dick, F – RJ Barrett, F – Scottie Barnes, C – Orlando Robinson

Injury Report

Pacers: T.J. McConnell – questionable (right ankle sprain), Isaiah Jackson – out (torn right Achilles tendon)

Raptors: Gradey Dick – probable (right thigh contusion), Jakob Poeltl – questionable (right hip pointer), Brandon Ingram – out (left ankle sprain)

Last Meeting

Dec. 3, 2024: Scottie Barnes scored a career-high 35 points as Toronto beat Indiana 122-111 at Scotiabank Arena.

In the loss, the Pacers fell behind 65-48 at halftime before storming back to make it a one-possession game midway through the fourth quarter. Down the final stretch, however, the Blue & Gold failed to get back in front.

Tyrese Haliburton topped the Pacers with 30 points, Benedict Mathurin added 17 points, Myles Turner scored 16 and Obi Toppin chipped in 15.

RJ Barrett also had a big night for the Raptors, scoring 29 points, while center Jakob Poeltl recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto.

Toronto outshot Indiana 54.3 to 45.2 percent as a team, won the rebounding margin 42-34 and were outscored 56-48 in the paint.

With the loss, the Pacers finished 0-4 in NBA Cup Group B play.

Noteworthy

T.J. McConnell missed Monday’s game against the Denver Nuggets due to an ankle sprain on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Myles Turner is 12 defensive rebounds away from passing George McGinnis (3,332 defensive rebounds) for sixth place in Pacers franchise history.

Indiana forward Pascal Siakam was drafted by Toronto in 2016 and won a championship with the Raptors in 2019. Siakam was traded to the Pacers on Jan. 17, 2024.

Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard and Raptors forward RJ Barrett played together for Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

FanDuel Sports Network – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

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

Tickets

The Pacers wrap up a four-game homestand by welcoming Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 PM ET.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – GAME 28 VS. PENN STATE

Opening Tip

• Indiana University continues Big Ten Conference play in its 125th season of competition in men’s basketball against Penn State at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will be broadcasted on BTN with Kevin Kugler (pxp) and LaPhonso Ellis (analyst) on the call.

• The Nittany Lions enter the game on a two-game winning streak and a record of 15-13 (5-12 Big Ten) under second-year head coach Mike Rhoades. Penn State is led by 13.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game from fifth-year senior guard Ace Baldwin Jr. Junior center Yanic Konan Niederhauser has added 12.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks per night.

Game Information

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 • 8:30 p.m. ET

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.

TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, LaPhonso Ellis)

Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)

Series History: Indiana leads, 44-17

Last Meeting: IU 77, PSU 71 on Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia

Series History

• The Hoosiers have prevailed in 44-of-61 matchups between the two programs, including wins in each of the last two meetings away from Bloomington. IU took down PSU by a score of 61-59 in the second round of the 2024 Big Ten Championships, and by a final tally of 77-71 at the Palestra on Jan. 5, 2025.

• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo compiled a double-double with game highs in points (25) and rebounds (13) in the previous matchup this season. Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako ignited the Indiana offense with a personal 8-0 run to open the second half. He finished with 20 points on 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line.

Last Time Out

• Indiana topped archrival and No. 13/14 Purdue by a score of 73-58 on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall behind a dominant effort in the paint. IU outscored the visitors by a margin of 44-18 in the lane and shot 68.6% (24-of-35) from inside the 3-point line.

• Five Hoosiers reached double figures in the scoring column led by 15 points each from junior forward Malik Reneau and redshirt senior guard Trey Galloway. Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo and redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice each added 12 points while senior forward Luke Goode tallied 11.

• Indiana trailed 37-25 at the halftime break but flipped the script to outscore the visitors by a tally of 48-21 in the second half. IU seized control of the game in the opening 10 minutes of the second stanza with a 28-3 extended run.

Following the Gallo-Way

• Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway has dished out more than 100 assists in each of the last two seasons. He is the first Hoosier to achieve the feat since Kevin “Yogi’ Ferrell handed out 100-plus assists in four-straight seasons (2012-16). Current Team and Recruiting Coordinator Jordan Hulls added back-to-back 100-plus assist seasons from 2011-12.

• The Culver Academies alum has handed out at least five helpers in 36 career games and at least eight dimes in seven contests. The Hoosiers hold a record of 6-1 in those games.

• He is one of four B1G players (Brock Harding, Iowa; Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State; Tre Holloman, Michigan State) to average at least 4.0 assists in under 30.0 minutes per game.

• Galloway posted 15 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and just two turnovers against No. 13/14 Purdue (Feb. 23). He is one of eight players to post that stat line or better against a ranked opponent this season.

Reneau for Two

• Junior forward Malik Reneau has averaged 12.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game across 22 contests. He has shot 55.4% (112-of-202) from the floor and 73.3% (55-of-75) from the free throw line in 23.0 minutes per game. He became the 55th player in program history to score 1,000 career points on Feb. 23.

• In his last three appearances, Reneau has posted 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on 57.4% (27-of-47) shooting from the floor.

• He posted 19 points (16 in the second half) to pair with 12 rebounds in an upset victory over No. 11/11 Michigan State (Feb. 11). The double-double marked the second of his season and fourth of his career. Over the last two seasons, Reneau has averaged 22.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last three road games in which he has played at least 20 minutes against Associated Press Top 15 teams.

• The Miami, Fla., native scored 15 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting from the floor to go along with six rebounds and four assists against No. 13/14 Purdue (Feb. 23). He is one of two players this season (Aday Mara vs. Wisconsin) to produce a perfect shooting night on at least seven attempts against a ranked opponent.

• Reneau has tallied 15-plus points 29 times in his career, including 10 games this season, and topped the 20-point threshold nine times. IU holds a record of 20-9 in games Reneau scores at least 15 points throughout his career.

Big Fella Ballo

• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo has averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per contest and has shot 64.3% (133-of-207) from the floor. He is one of four major conference Division I men’s basketball players (Johni Broome, Auburn; Hunter Dickinson, Kansas; Julian Reese, Maryland) to average 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots per night, and the only player to post those numbers on 60.0% shooting or better.

• Ballo is one of five active players to score 1,600 career points and grab 1,100 career rebounds. He joins Johni Broome (Auburn), Norchad Omier (Baylor), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), and Nelly Junior Joseph (New Mexico) on the exclusive list. He recorded his 42nd career double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) at No. 11/11 Michigan State (Feb. 11). Ballo has posted seven double-doubles across his last 14 contests. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.3 points and 9.4 rebounds.

• The 7-footer is second among Big Ten players (Danny Wolf, Michigan) and ranks 25th nationally in boards per game. Ballo has strung together 12 games with double-digit boards, including a season-high 18 against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 6.

UCLA Outlasts Indiana in Bloomington

• UCLA topped Indiana by a score of 72-68 on Friday, Feb. 14, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the first game between the two sides in Bloomington since December of 1956.

• A trio of Hoosiers, led by senior forward Luke Goode (16 points), reached double figures in the contest. Junior forward Malik Reneau and sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako each scored 14 points.

PURDUE SWIMMING

BOILERMAKERS RETURN TO THE TWIN CITIES FOR BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEET INFORMATION

Purdue Men’s Swimming & Diving at the Big Ten Championships

Wednesday, Feb. 26 to Saturday, March 1 / All Sessions Streaming on B1G+

Opening Night Relays & Team Diving at 6 p.m. ET

Swimming Prelims at 11 a.m. Prelims / Diving Prelims at 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. Finals Sessions

Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center / Minneapolis, Minn.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Men’s Swimming & Diving makes its second trip to the Twin Cities in just under a month, this time joining the rest of the league in the heart of the Upper Midwest for the Big Ten Championships.

Action is set for Wednesday evening through Saturday at Minnesota’s Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, which is hosting the men’s edition of Big Tens for the first time since 2018. Swimming prelims begin at 11 a.m. ET and diving prelims at 1 p.m. Finals sessions begin at 6 p.m. ET with the diving consolation final. The meet opens Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET with a pair of relays plus the exhibition team diving event.

EVENT SCHEDULE AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS – 7-SESSION FORMAT

Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

200 Medley Relay

Team Diving (Exhibition)

800 Free Relay

500 Free

200 IM

50 Free

1-Meter Diving

200 Free Relay

100 Fly

400 IM

200 Free

100 Breast

100 Back

3-Meter Diving

400 Medley Relay 1650 Free

200 Back

100 Free

200 Breast

200 Fly

Platform Diving

400 Free Relay

Diving Prelims Begin Daily at 1 p.m. ET | 1,650 Free & Relays are Finals Only

Diving Consolation Finals are First Event of Finals Sessions

First Heat of 1,650 Free at approx. 4:30 p.m. ET | Saturday Finals Open with Fastest Heat of 1,650 Free

Seniors Brady Samuels, Jordan Rzepka and Sam Bennett all represented Purdue at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis two years ago. Samuels earned honorable mention All-America accolades in the 100 backstroke. Four weeks ago, the Boilermakers took their full travel roster to the Twin Cities for the annual two-day Big Ten Triple Duals the weekend of Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

At the Toyota U.S. Open in December, Samuels eclipsed his own team record in the 100 butterfly and improved on his second-fastest time in team history in the 50 freestyle. He won gold in both events and completed a golden trifecta with a victory in the 100 free. Blake Rowe eclipsed the Purdue freshman record at the same meet after he had initially reset the first-year mark at the Purdue Invitational two weeks earlier. Also at the Purdue Invite, Rzepka became just the fourth Boilermaker ever to post a 500-point list in platform diving. A few weeks later, he rallied to win silver in the event at the USA Diving Winter Nationals.

TOP 5 TIMES/SCORES IN TEAM HISTORY POSTED THIS SEASON

• Brady Samuels – 45.27 in 100 Fly (Team Record)

• Brady Samuels – 19.33 in 50 Free (2nd)

• Brady Samuels – 1:33.74 in 200 Free (2nd)

•Pat Broderick – 9:05.95 in 1000 Free (3rd)

•Jordan Rzepka – 502.50 in Platform Diving (4th)

•Blake Rowe – 1:42.38 in 200 Back (4th, Freshman Record)

•Max Miller – 429.75 in 1-Meter Diving (5th)

•Jordan Rzepka – 456.53 in 3-Meter Diving (5th)

•Evan Mackesy – 9:10.66 in 1000 Free (5th)

Among active Boilers, Rzepka and Samuels are the team’s most accomplished performers at Big Tens. Rzepka is a four-time medalist, winning a pair (on 3-meter and platform) in both 2022 and 2024. He’s a perfect 9-for-9 in top-10 finishes during his career. Samuels won a pair of relay medals as a freshman and is a six-time A finalist individually at Big Tens. Both have scored in all three of their individual events all three years, accounting for a combined 419 team points in the process.

Classmate Idris Muhammad also scored in all three of his individual events at Big Tens last season and has an opportunity to join Rzepka and Samuels as four-year scorers this week.

Rzepka and Samuels also represent Purdue’s top candidates to become the program’s first Big Ten champion since Brandon Loschiavo (platform diving) in 2021. However, the Boilers enjoyed a seven-year streak with at least one Big Ten champion from 2015 to 2021. Those titles were in platform diving (four), 200 breaststroke (three) and 3-meter diving (two).

Steele Johnson (3-meter) and Loschiavo (platform) both won Big Ten titles the last time Minnesota hosted in 2018. In fact, Purdue has had at least one Big Ten champion each of the last five times the championships have been held in Minneapolis dating back to 1998. Head diving coach David Boudia also swept the springboard events and won silver on the tower in his final collegiate meet as the Gophers hosted the 2011 NCAA Championships. Johnson won an NCAA title on 3-meter in Minneapolis in 2018; it also proved to be his final collegiate meet after an injury kept Johnson from competing in NCAA meets during the 2018-19 school year.

ACTIVE BOILERS TO WIN MEDALS AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Jordan Rzepka – Silver on Platform, Bronze on 3-Meter in 2024; Silver on 3-Meter & Platform in 2022

• Brady Samuels – Bronze in 200 & 400 Free Relays in 2022

ACTIVE CAREER SCORING LEADERS AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Boilermaker Career Points 2024 2023 2022

Jordan Rzepka 228 81 71 76

Brady Samuels 191 65 67 59

Sam Bennett^ 62 DNC 47 15

Idris Muhammad 56 22 30 4

Holden Higbie^ 40 40 NA NA

Dylan Burau^ 28.5 27 1.5 NA

Connor McCarthy 18.5 14.5 4 —

Max Miller 17 17 NA NA

Pat Broderick 13 13 NA NA

Nathaniel Thomas 7 7 NA NA

Raymond Whittaker 3 3 — NA

^ — Will not compete at Big Tens this week due to injury

NOTABLE LIFETIME BESTS TO MOVE UP/JOIN PURDUE RECORD BOOK AT 2024 BIG TENS

(Current All-Time Rank in Team History)

• Dylan Burau – 1:41.53 in 200 Back (1st)

• 400 Medley Relay – 3:06.94 (3rd)

…Samuels, Witty, King, Muhammad

• 200 Medley Relay – 1:24.07 (3rd)

…Samuels, Witty, King, Muhammad

• 800 Free Relay – 6:25.31 (4th)

…Shaw, McCarthy, Frollo, Kelly

• 400 Free Relay – 2:53.18 (5th)

…McCarthy, Samuels, Muhammad, Thomas

• Dylan Burau – 47.06 in 100 Back (6th)

• 200 Free Relay – 1:17.80 (T-6th)

…Samuels, Muhammad, Thomas, McCarthy

• Pat Broderick – 15:16.70 in 1650 Free (7th)

• Maxwell Blume – 1:56.93 in 200 Breast (8th)

• Maxwell Blume – 53.53 in 100 Breast (10th)

• Raymond Whittaker – 1:58.20 in 200 Breast (10th)

• Nathaniel Thomas –19.74 in 50 Free (11th)

• Connor McCarthy – 43.56 in 100 Free (12th)

• Connor McCarthy – 1:36.66 in 200 Free (T-13th)

• Raymond Whittaker – 53.95 in 100 Breast (15th)

• Mason Kajfosz – 1:47.82 in 200 IM (NA)

PURDUE’S ACTIVE SWIMMERS TO RACE ON RELAYS AT BIG TENS LAST SEASON

• Brady Samuels – 200 & 400 Free, 200 & 400 Medley

• Idris Muhammad – 200 & 400 Free, 200 & 400 Medley

• Connor McCarthy – 200, 400 & 800 Free

• Nathaniel Thomas – 200 Free & 400 Free

• Andy Kelly – 800 Free

YEAR 10 OF THE CURRENT SCORING BREAKDOWN

• A Final: 32-28-27-26-25-24-23-22

• B Final: 20-17-16-15-14-13-12-11

• C Final: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (and 17th through 24th in Diving Prelims)

• Relays: 64-56-54-52-50-48-46-44-40

PURDUE’S MOST RECENT BIG TEN CHAMPIONS

• Diving: Brandon Loschiavo – Platform, 2021

• Swimming: Marat Amaltdinov – 200 Breast, 2017

• Relay: 400 Medley (Sutherland, Kovacs, Brown, Ullom), 1997

PURDUE MEDALISTS AT BIG TENS WHEN MINNESOTA HAS HOSTED (Since 1992)

2018

• Steele Johnson – Gold on 3-Meter, Bronze on 1-Meter

• Brandon Loschiavo – Gold on 10-Meter

• Joe Young – Bronze in 100 Back

2011

• David Boudia – Gold on 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter

• J.P. Perez – Bronze on 3-Meter

2005

• Louis Paul – Gold in 200 IM, Bronze in 200 Back

• Giordan Pogioli – Bronze in 200 Breast

• Steven LoBue – Bronze on Platform

2001

• Tamas Bessenyei – Gold in 100 Breast

• 200 Medley Relay Team – Bronze

…Rodela, Bessenyei, Sayce & Duncan

1998

• Vilmos Kovacs – Gold in 200 Breast

• Ross Croasdell – Silver in 200 Free

• 200 Free Relay Team – Silver

…Smardo, Weis, Larsen, Ullom

• 400 Free Relay Team – Bronze

…Croasdell, Larsen, Cornehl, Ullom

1995

• Matt Brown – Silver in 200 IM

1994

• John Klinge – Bronze in 200 Back

1992

• Brian Daly – Gold in 200 Back, Silver in 100 Back

NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL

EYE OF THE TIGER

CLEMSON, S.C. – After a crushing loss to SMU on their own home court, Glenn & Stacey Murphy Notre Dame Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry met with his guys and asked them all to acknowledge if they were two feet in. If so, let’s ride. The Irish then found their fight and defeated Pitt this past Saturday, 76-72.

However, more tough tests await – two straight road games against NCAA Tournament-caliber teams. Up first is one of the hottest teams in collegiate basketball – No. 13/14 Clemson. The Tigers sit at 22-5 overall and 14-2 in ACC play. They are 13-2 at home this season.

The Irish lead the overall series against the Tigers, 9-3, and are 4-2 at Clemson. One year ago at this exact time, the Irish capped off their home season with two magical victories over Wake and Clemson. Notre Dame emerged with the 69-62 victory a season ago, in which they were led in scoring by Markus Burton and his 21 points. Tae Davis was another star of the match who scored all 18 of his points in the second half.

Can the Luck of the Irish strike again on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network?

BURTON – A WALKING BUCKET

Grab your popcorn because Markus Burton is a walking bucket. After 39 days away rehabbing his knee injury, Burton returned on Jan. 4 and has been playing his best ball since. The sophomore fired off five consecutive games with 20 or more points in January, which hadn’t been done by an Irish player since Ben Hansbrough in February of 2011. In fact, Burton has produced 20+ points in 11 of his 14 games since his return.

Case in point, on Feb. 12 at BC, Burton dropped a career best 32 points, marking the fourth highest point total by a Notre Dame player in an ACC game.

With all that said, Burton is now averaging 21.2 ppg in ACC play which ranks 2nd in the league behind Duke’s Cooper Flagg (21.8).

Overall on the year he’s averaging 20.3 ppg which places him 10th nationally. For perspective, the last Irish player to finish a season with a 20.0+ ppg average was Luke Harangody (21.8 ppg) in the 2009-10 season.

CHASING ACHIEVEMENTS

Burton is quickly approaching 1,000 career points. He enters Saturday’s matchup with 983. He is currently on pace to become the seventh fastest Irish player to reach 1,000 career points, putting his name alongside the all-time greats:

Austin Carr – 35 games

Adrian Dantley – 44

Tom Hawkins – 44

Bob Arnzen- 47

John Shumate – 47

Troy Murphy – 48

Markus Burton – ??? — currently at 53

Gary Brokaw – 58

He would become the program’s 68th 1,000-point scorer which would move Notre Dame into fourth place for most 1,000 point scorers behind UNC, Duke and Louisville.

There’s another rare list Burton can write his name on as well. He is currently averaging 20.3 ppg and a team best 3.0 apg. If those averages hold, he’ll join David Rivers as the only Irish players to average 20+ points and 3+ assists in a season.

However, Burton isn’t the only one who can cement his name in the Irish record books this season. Grad transfer Matt Allocco owns a 3.67 assist-to-turnover ratio – the highest in program history for a season was 3.16 by Martin Inglesby back in 2000-01.

BURTON BALLIN’

In ACC play, the sophomore sensation currently ranks second in scoring, sixth in steals (1.7), 10th in threes per game (2.0), 10th in free-throw percentage (.859) and 13th in FG% (.437).

Offensively speaking, Burton worked really hard in the offseason on his three-point shot and it shows. He went from a 30.0 percent shooter from three last year to 36.6 percent this season. He’s tied his career high of four made triples three times since returning Jan. 4 In fact, he’s converting 37.3% from deep in ACC play.

With that said, Burton is most dangerous attacking the basket and utilizing his quickness. He’s shooting 48.3 percent from two-point range overall. More specifically he’s 46.7 percent from the midrange and 46.9 percent from the paint.

Burton is also the team’s best free-throw shooter, converting 85.9 percent from the stripe.

BAD LUCK FOR BRAEDEN

After a zero-point showing vs. Virginia Tech on Feb. 8, Braeden Shrewsberry bounced back with 49 points over the next three games. The sophomore recorded 16 points at BC, 12 points vs Louisville and a team-high 21 points vs. SMU. Braeden averaged 16.3 ppg over that three-game span on 16-39 shooting (.410), plus 11-24 from beyond the arc (.458). And just when Braeden was finding a groove offensively, the injury bug hit with a lower abdomen strain.

CERTA-FIED BUCKET

With both Matt Allocco and Braeden Shrewsberry out with injuries for the Pitt game, Coach Shrews needed some other guards to step up and fill the void. Insert freshman guard Cole Certa who brought the home crowd to its feet when he drained three triples in a 125-second span, including one in which he sent a Pitt defender crashing into the ND bench before draining a corner three. Certa tallied all 12 of his points in the second half.

Speaking of second-half heroes vs. Pitt, you can’t not talk about J.R. Konieczny as well. The senior guard was absolutely clutch from the free-throw line, going 6-6 in the in the final 40 seconds. The Irish needed every single one of them as they ulimately emerged with the 76-72 W. He tallied all 10 of his points in the second half as well.

FINDING A 2ND HALF GEAR

Notre Dame men’s hoops developed a certain narrative over the ACC season of building double-digit first-half leads, only to falter down the stretch and lose close. Virginia Tech, Florida State, Miami, Syracuse and NC State all followed the same script.

Three losses have been by one possession. Over the whole 2024-25 season, the Irish are 4-6 in games decided by six or fewer points.

What was great to see in the Boston College double-overtime win on Feb. 12 was the fact that Notre Dame flipped the script. They trailed the Eagles by 14 points with 14 minutes left in the game. However, this time around they were the team clawing back, they were the team giving the other fits. Even in double OT when a player was ejected and BC retook the lead, the Irish remained calm, dug deep and gutted out the 97-94 win.

BEST TWO GUARDS / BEST BIG THREE

With Burton averaging 20.3 ppg and Shrewsberry checking in at 14.0, we were curious where that stacked up amongst guard combos in the ACC. The answer – first. Their combined 34.7 tops Duke’s Flagg/Knueppel (32.7) and Pitt’s Lowe/Leggett (32.8).

So then that got us thinking, where do ND’s big three of Burton, Shrewsberry and Davis (15.8 ppg) stack up amongst other ACC big threes – regardless of position. The answer was yet again number one.

The Irish trio are a combined 50.5 ppg, which tops Stanford’s trio of Raynaud/Blakes/Sellers and their 47.6.

THE TAE-KOVER

Tae Davis should be a candidate for Most Improved in the ACC. He’s averaging a career best 15.8 ppg, up from last year’s 9.2 ppg. His scoring average ranks 12th amongst ACC players. The Indy native is shooting a career best 50.2 percent, which ranks fifth in the league in overall games. He’s also shooting a career best 75.2 percent from the free-throw line.

In ACC play, Tae is averaging 15.8 ppg on 49.2 percent shooting – the latter ranks ninth.

The junior has been highly proficient around the rim where he’s 96-of-142 (.676).

After recording just 4 points against Georgia Tech on Jan. 28, Tae has responded with seven consecutive games in double figures, including two of 20+. Tae was critical in the 2OT win at BC, dropping 20 points. Also a commonality with the Pitt win was Tae dropping a team-best 21 points.

NOTRE NOTABLES.

According to Haslam Metrics, Notre Dame has a rating of 10.78 vs. the average opponent in potential points allowed off of second chances (ranked 14th in the country).

Also according to Haslam, Notre Dame has done a good job preventing opponents from draining threes this year. They rank 42nd in the NCAA in defensive three-point percentage, allowing the ‘average opponent’ to make just 32.1% of their attempts from afar.

The 14-point comeback at BC was the largest come-from-behind victory in the Coach Shrews era.

Burton’s 32-point performance at BC was not only a career high but the fourth-highest point total for an Irish player in an ACC game.

Notre Dame was a perfect 16-16 from the free-throw line against Virginia Tech on Feb. 8. It marked the third best free-throw shooting percentage game in program history. .

Kebba grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in win at BC and recorded the game-winning putback.

Speaking of Kebba, the junior is averaging 2.6 offensive rebounds/game in ACC play, which ranks eighth.

Sir Mohammed has started in six straight games.

Limited sample size but Sir is shooting 56.3 percent from two-point range.

Garrett Sundra tied his career high of 11 points vs. SMU on Feb. 19.

Sundra has made eight of his last 12 from the field, raising his field goal percentage to 60.0 percent.

Notre Dame earned its first ever win in Charlottesville after a 74-59 victory over Virginia. Coach Shrewsberry has now defeated Virginia twice in three matchups.

BUTLER MEN’S GOLF

BUTLER MEN TAKE SECOND AT WORLD GOLF VILLAGE COLLEGIATE

Butler posted a runner-up finish at the World Golf Village Collegiate. All five Bulldogs finished among the Top 35 in the 100-player field.

The event was shortened to 36 holes with Monday’s suspended play being completed Tuesday morning. The event was played at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.; Eastern Kentucky University served as the host.

Will Horne led the charge for the Bulldogs, finishing in a tie for 11th at four-over 148. Horne’s second round Monday (which was completed Tuesday) featured four birdies on the 7,000-yard King and Bear course.

Leo Zurovac and Logan Sutto were among a group that tied for 21st at 151 (+7). Derek Tabor and Johnny Creamean finished in a tie for 35th at 154 (+10).

North Florida captured the team title at 577 (+1). UNF had the three top finishers in the field, including Brett Schell, who won the event by seven strokes. His 36-hole total was eight-under 136.

Butler put together rounds of 305 and 297 to move into second place. The Bulldogs’ total of 602 (+26) was two shots better than both Embry-Riddle and Bellarmine. There were 16 teams in the field.

THE BULLDOGS:

T11) Will Horne, 74-74—148 (+4)

T21) Leo Zurovac, 77-74—151 (+7)

T21) Logan Sutto, 78-73—151 (+7)

T35) Derek Tabor, 78-76—154 (+10)

T35) Johnny Creamean, 76-78—154 (+10)

The Bulldogs will have several weeks off from competition before next playing in The Indy at Gibson Bay, which will be hosted by Eastern Kentucky University.

BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

REGULAR SEASON FINALE SENDS BUTLER TO VILLANOVA

Butler will wrap up the regular season by playing Villanova at Finneran Pavilion. The 6 p.m. Wednesday night tip will stream on FloSports.com.

GameDay

Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Time: 6:00 PM ET

Location: Villanova, Pa. – Finneran Pavilion

Live Stats: Villanova.com (Statbroadcast)

Watch: FloSports.com

Bulldog Bits

– Hinkle Fieldhouse was sold out when Butler hosted #5 UConn on Feb. 22.

– The contest was the first sold out game in Butler women’s basketball history.

– Butler outscored UConn 25-22 in the third quarter.

– BU made five of their nine 3-pointers against UConn in the third frame.

– Lily Carmody led Butler with five assists against the Huskies.

– Carmody has 13 assists over her last three games.

– Kilyn McGuff and Lily Zeinstra combined to score 26 of Butler’s 47 points against UConn.

– Zeinstra led BU in scoring in each game last week posting 18 vs. Xavier and 13 vs. UConn.

– McGuff has reached double figure scoring in 13 of Butler’s last 15 games.

– McGuff leads the BIG EAST in double-doubles with 10 on the year.

– McGuff’s last double-double came against Villanova when she posted 19 points and 15 rebounds.

– McGuff ranks fourth in the league in rebounds per game (8.0), sixth in minutes (33.4) and ninth in free throw percentage (77.1).

– McGuff has pulled down at least five rebounds against every BIG EAST team this season.

– McGuff ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in made 3-pointers with 55. 39 of her 55 have been made against conference foes.

– McGuff will be in the starting lineup for the 90th time in her career on Wednesday night.

– Carmody set career-high totals vs. Villanova in the first meeting going 8-for-10 from the charity stripe.

– Butler leads the BIG EAST in free throw attempts per game (16.8).

– Cristen Carter has made two or more field goals in each of Butler’s last four games.

BIG EAST Standings

UConn 16-0, 26-3

Creighton 15-1, 23-4

Marquette 11-5, 19-8

Seton Hall 11-5, 19-8

Villanova 10-6, 16-12

DePaul 7-9, 12-17

Butler 5-12, 15-15

Providence 5-12, 12-18

St. John’s 4-12, 14-13

Georgetown 4-12, 11-16

Xavier 1-15, 6-21

Scouting Villanova

The Wildcats lost 63-56 at Providence on Sunday afternoon to move their overall record to 16-12 and 10-6 in BIG EAST play. Maddie Webber led Nova with 17 points against the Friars. Webber and Jasmine Bascoe give head coach Denise Dillon a powerful one-two punch on the offensive end. Bascoe averages nearly 16 points per game, shooting 43 percent from the field and is third on the team in made 3-pointers with 36 on the year. Webber averages 13.4 per contest and leads the team with 48 makes from behind the arc. Villanova had won three-straight before losing to Providence on their Senior Day. The Bulldogs will try to spoil Senior Day for a Wildcat team that will recognize five players on Wednesday night.

All-Time Series

Villanova leads the all-time series against Butler 17-7. Butler’s win over Villanova last year on Feb. 17 was their first against the Wildcats since Feb. 9, 2020. Nova narrowly won at Hinkle Fieldhouse earlier this year to increase their advantage in the series.

Last Game vs. The Wildcats

Jasmine Bascoe connected on a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left in the game to help Villanova defeat Butler 63-59. Bascoe ended the game with 16 points, six rebounds, five helpers and three steals. Maddie Webber scored 19 points while Denae Carter had 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting for the Wildcats. Butler’s Kilyn McGuff went 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-8 from beyond the arc to finish with 19 points. McGuff added 15 rebounds to her stat line. Butler had a 34-30 edge in rebounding.

Take Care of It

Villanova used a full-court press against Butler in the first meeting to create 19 BU turnovers. The Wildcats scored 30 points off BU miscues to help them claim a four-point win. Once they settled in, Butler was credited for 20 assists on their 20 made field goals in the game.

Grand Finale

Butler has not won their regular season finale since March 1, 2021 when they traveled to Chicago to upset #25 DePaul 86-81.

Sold Out Crowd

9,100 fans attended the game between Butler and #5 UConn on Saturday afternoon marking the first sold out game in Butler women’s basketball history! The new attendance record doubled the old record that was set earlier this season when 4,135 fans packed Hinkle Fieldhouse to watch Butler defeat Indiana 56-46 on Nov. 13. Heading into 2024-25, the single-game attendance record for the women’s program was set at 2,772. That was another game against UConn, played on Jan. 12, 2022.

Tournament Talk

The upcoming BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Tournament coverage begins with a first-round tripleheader on Friday, March 7. The title game will be played on Monday, March 10. If the season ended today, Butler would play as the No. 7 seed against No. 10 seed Georgetown, a team that they swept during the regular season.

Path To the Seven Seed

Wednesday’s game is crucial for each team when looking at the conference standings. Villanova is one game behind Marquette and Seton Hall and they have to play at Creighton this weekend. A win for the Bulldogs would get Butler to six conference wins and keep the Bulldogs in line for the No. 7 seed. Providence is battling Butler for the seven seed. They wrap up the regular season on Saturday at Georgetown.

Around the BIG EAST

Here is what we know about tournament seeding heading into the final week of the regular season. UConn and Creighton have each clinched a first round bye and the top-two seeds. Marquette, Seton Hall, and Villanova have also clinched a first-round bye. DePaul is locked into the No. 6 seed and Xavier is the No. 11 seed.

Kilyn Reached 1,000 Career Points

Kilyn McGuff reached 1,000 career points in the second half of Butler’s game at #6 UConn. She scored a team-high 17 against the Huskies to move her career total to 1,006. She has scored 374 points as a Bulldog and had 723 over her previous three years at Belmont.

What’s Missing?

Caroline Strande and Jordan Meulemans are both out for the season. Meulemans was sidelined just days before Butler’s first game and Strande suffered a season-ending injury on Dec. 29 vs. Seton Hall. Strande was a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection last year and became the first Bulldog in program history to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists during the same season. Meulemans made 61 3-pointers last year, shooting 42 percent from behind the arc.

18 3-Pointers

Butler set a single-game program record against Saint Francis by hitting 18 3-pointers. Eight different players made at least one 3-pointer and no Bulldog made more than four. As a team, BU shot 56.3 percent from behind the arc, making 18 of their 32 attempts.

10 Wins

BU recorded 10 non-conference wins for just the second time since joining the BIG EAST. Butler went 6-2 in November, highlighting the month with a 56-46 home win over Indiana. The victory came in front of 4,135 fans.

Up Next

Butler won’t be in action this weekend while they wait for their BIG EAST peers to wrap up regular season play. Fans can check ButlerSports.com four upcoming tournament information.

BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BUTLER AND NO. 7 ST. JOHN’S SET FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT TIP AT HINKLE

The Bulldogs return to Hinkle Fieldhouse to host BIG EAST-leading and No. 7-ranked St. John’s Wednesday night. The contest marks the eighth game of the season for Butler against a Top 25 team. Butler has won four of its last five games; after starting the BIG EAST season 0-6, the Bulldogs are 6-4 over its last 10 BIG EAST contests.

Butler (13-14, 6-10 BIG EAST) vs. #7/7 St. John’s (24-4, 15-2)

Wednesday, Feb. 26 • 9PM

Hinkle Fieldhouse • Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: CBS Sports Network • Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas & Jon Rothstein

Butler Basketball Live (Audio) with @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner): Varsity Network App, SiriusXM 389, XM App 979 & TuneIn

• St. John’s won the first match-up between the teams, 70-62, Jan. 4 in Queens, N.Y.

• Butler enters the game off an 84-72 road win at DePaul Saturday night.

• Butler is 9-0 this season when scoring 80 or more points, including all six of their BIG EAST wins.

• The Bulldogs shot 52 percent from the field in Saturday’s win at DePaul; Butler has shot at least 50 percent from the field in each of its six BIG EAST wins.

• Pierre Brooks II led the Bulldogs with 24 points in Saturday’s win.

• Brooks made nine of his 15 attempts from the field in the win over DePaul; he is shooting 58 percent (45-for-78) from the field over his last six games.

• Finley Bizjack scored 16 points at DePaul, his eighth double-figure scoring outing in the team’s last nine games; Bizjack is shooting 27-for-49 (55 percent) from three-point range over those nine games with multiple made three-pointers in each game; he is averaging 14.6 points per game during that stretch.

• Butler tied a season-low by committing only four turnovers in the win at DePaul.

• The Bulldogs went 10-for-24 from three-point range in Saturday’s win at DePaul; it was Butler’s seventh game this season with at least 10 made three-pointers (three of those occurrences have come in Butler’s last five games).

• Butler is shooting 37.4 percent from three-point range on the season, a mark that is 31st nationally. Butler has shot better than 40 percent from three-point range in four of the team’s last five games.

• Butler is committing only 13.9 fouls per game, which is the 16th-fewest nationally.

• Butler is allowing opponents to shoot only 30.4 percent from three-point range, a defensive effort that leads the BIG EAST and is 34th nationally.

• Butler has led at the half in 11 of the team’s 16 BIG EAST games (and was tied in one of the other five games).

• The Bulldogs have only been out-rebounded once in the team’s last 10 games (Butler has seven games in that stretch with a rebounding advantage and there are two games where the teams have tied on the glass).

• Jahmyl Telfort handed out six assists at DePaul Saturday, his ninth game this season with five or more assists.

• Telfort led the Bulldogs with 20 points at Xavier Feb. 18; it marked his tenth 20-point game of the season and the 12th time he has led the team in scoring this season.

• Boden Kapke pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds in the game at Xavier; it was the second game of his Butler career with double-digit rebounds.

• Patrick McCaffery has hit multiple three-pointers in 17 games this season.

• Butler went 28-for-35 (80 percent) from the free throw line against Georgetown Feb. 15; the 28 makes were the most by Butler in exactly eight years (when the team made 29 in a Feb. 15, 2017 win over St. John’s). Butler’s season average of 16.3 made free throws per game is 42nd nationally.

• The Bulldogs defeated Northwestern and No. 25 Mississippi State in taking the Arizona Tip-Off title over Thanksgiving.

BIG in the BIG EAST

• In BIG EAST games only, Butler offensively ranks second in points scored (75.4 points per game) and first in field goal percentage (making 47.5 percent of attempts from the field).

• On the defensive end, Butler’s three-point percentage defense in BIG EAST games only is leads the conference as Bulldog opponents are hitting only 30.6 percent of their attempts from behind the arc.

Connection Points

• Butler’s Kolby King started his collegiate career at St. John’s, playing his freshman season (2022-23) for the Red Storm.

• St. John’s radio play-by-play voice John Minko is a 1975 graduate of Butler.

• Butler men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach Tyler Watson worked with the St. John’s program during the 2021-22 season before arriving at Butler in 2022.

First Time Around

• St. John’s pulled away in the closing minutes, taking a 70-62 win over Butler Jan. 4 at Carnesecca Arena.

• The game was tied 55-55 with 5:05 to play before St. John’s closed the game by scoring 15 of the final 22 points. That included making nine free throws down the stretch.

• St. John’s forced Butler into a season-worst 21 turnovers, turning those into 19 points and a majority of their 27 fast-break points.

• The Bulldogs went only 9-for-20 (45 percent) from the free throw line, while St. John’s made 17 of their 23 attempts.

• Butler’s defense held St. John’s to 37-percent shooting, including only 1-for-21 from three-point range.

Read About the Red Storm

• St. John’s is among the Top 10 nationally in several categories, including blocks (5.7 per game; sixth), offensive rebounds (14.7 per game, sixth), turnover margin (+4.7; eighth) and turnovers forced (15.9 per game; tenth).

• RJ Luis is fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring at 17.4 points per game; he has eight double-doubles on the season. Zuby Ejiofor is second nationally, averaging 4.2 offensive rebounds per game.

The Series with St. John’s

• All but one meeting in the series has come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season.

• That first meeting came in the 1958 NIT (a 78-68 St. John’s win). Tony Hinkle coached Butler in that game. Lou Carnesecca would join the St. John’s staff as an assistant coach the next season.

Series: St. John’s Leads, 14-11

Streak: St. John’s, W4

At Hinkle: Butler Leads, 8-3

First Meeting: March 13, 1958; St. John’s, 78-68 (NIT; MSG)

Last Meeting: Jan. 4, 2025; St. John’s, 70-62 (at SJU)

BUTLER SWIMMING

2025 #BIGEASTSD CHAMPIONSHIPS WRAP NIGHT TWO

The Bulldogs are up to 197 points after day two of the 2025 BIG EAST Swim and Dive Championships Presented by JEEP. Kate Schilling highlighted Tuesday’s action with a school record swim in the 200 IM, helping Butler stay in front of Providence by 18 points.

Head Coach Maurice Stewart had a clear message to his team after day two. “This is one of the best finals results our team has ever had on the first full night of the BIG EAST Championships,” Stewart stated. “I’m proud that we had multiple swimmers reaching the finals in three individual events.”

500 Free

Both Kayla Wright and Caitlin Herring made the C Final for a second swim. Wright had a season-best time (5:01.76) in the morning and ended up placing 20th. Her time from the prelims was the fourth-fastest time in school history. Herring placed 21st with a time of 5:02.91 in the finals.

200 IM

Kate Schilling broke Butler’s school record in the morning swim to place her in the A Final, where she ended up breaking the school record a second time, clocking in at 2:01.90. She placed fifth overall for BU.

Sadie Brown and Caroline Zimner made the C Final for the Bulldogs. Each swimmer recorded a lifetime-best performance. Brown placed 19th with a time of 2:05.53 and Zimner placed 20th touching the wall at 2:05.71.

50 Free

Butler had three swimmers qualify for the C Final on Tuesday night. Olivia Stotts placed 22nd with a time of 24.00, Ava Whittaker placed 23rd with a time of 24.08, and Alani Hightower-Bend placed 24th with a time of 24.20.

200 Free Relay

Butler’s A Relay Team comprised of Ava Whittaker (24.24), Olivia Stotts (23.67), Caitlin Herring (23.95), and Alani Hightower-Bend (23.27) placed sixth overall by posting the fifth-fastest time in school history.

Day three will commence at 10 a.m. on Wednesday with the prelims of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 100 backstroke.

Women’s Team Scores

1. Villanova – 563

2. UConn – 556

3. Xavier – 368

4. Georgetown – 356

5. Seton Hall – 333

6. Butler – 197

7. Providence – 179

IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL RETURNS HOME TO HOST ROBERT MORRIS ON THURSDAY NIGHT

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team will kickoff the final week of the regular season on Thursday (Feb. 27) when the Jaguars host Robert Morris inside the Jungle at 6:30 p.m. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) describe the action from courtside.

The Jaguars basketball program is coming off an incredibly eventful week, beginning with last week’s road win at Detroit Mercy inside Calihan Hall. That same day, the university broke ground on the future James T. Morris Arena, which will serve as the program and department’s permanent home, beginning in 2026. However, following Sunday’s road loss at Northern Kentucky, the program made national headlines as the team bus caught fire on the return trip to Indianapolis before it was ultimately destroyed by the blaze. Head coach Paul Corsaro’s entire travel party made it off the bus safely and eventually returned to Indianapolis later that evening.

The fire overshadowed the Jaguars’ 71-67 road defeat at Northern Kentucky, merely hours earlier. Junior Sean Craig had 22 points and seven rebounds in the loss and Paul Zilinskas closed with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Alec Millender rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and seven assists while Josh Dilling paced NKU with 28 points, including seven threes.

RMU enters Thursday’s game atop the Horizon League standings and amidst a six-game winning streak. A win would assure the Colonials a share of the regular season title and give them a regular season series sweep of the Jaguars. IU Indy comes in seeking a tenth regular season win and the slim possibility of moving up to the No. 8 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament, which would come with an opening round home game.

QUOTABLE

“We lost some items along the way, but items can be replaced. People can’t,” Corsaro told media following the fire that destroyed the team bus on Nov. 22.

#HLMBB STANDINGS

Robert Morris 14-5 .737 22-8 .733 W6

Cleveland State 13-5 .722 19-10 .655 L1

Youngstown State 13-6 .684 19-11 .633 W1

Milwaukee 12-6 .667 19-10 .655 L1

Purdue Fort Wayne 12-6 .667 19-10 .655 W1

Oakland 10-8 .556 13-16 .448 W1

Northern Kentucky 9-9 .500 14-15 .483 W2

Wright State 7-11 .389 13-16 .448 L3

IU Indy 5-13 .278 9-20 .310 L1

Detroit Mercy 4-14 .222 8-21 .276 L5

Green Bay 1-17 .056 3-26 .103 L2

SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS

RMU checks in at 22-8 overall and 14-5 in Horizon League play. The Colonials score 76 points per game and limit opponents to just 70.4 points per contest and 43.7 percent shooting. RMU relies on a balanced group, paced by Kam Woods (14.4 ppg, 5.2 apg), Alvaro Folgueiras (14.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and Amarion Dickerson (13.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg).

SERIES HISTORY

IU Indy is 2-6 all-time against RMU and just 1-2 in the three meetings in Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

The Jaguars will close out the regular season against Wright State on Saturday (Mar. 1), tipping off that game inside Corteva Coliseum at 2:30 p.m. The program will honor the senior duo of Jarvis Walker and Paul Zilinskas prior to that contest.

BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOOKS TO GET BACK ON THE WINNING TRACK AT CMU WEDNESDAY

Opening Tip:

– Wednesday’s game against Central Michigan will mark the 91st time the teams have met, with the series record being tied, 45-45. The Cardinals have won eight of their last nine meetings against the Chippewas including a 72-61 victory in their last meeting at Worthen Arena on Jan. 4, 2025.

– With the win at Eastern Michigan on Feb 15 the Cardinals secured their spot in the 2025 MAC Tournament in Cleveland (March 12-15). This marks the 35th appearance in the MAC Tournament in program history. Ball State has advanced to Cleveland 23 out of the past 25 seasons. The Cardinals are 24-33 all-time in MAC Tournament play and have advanced to the MAC Tournament finals on six occasions. Ball State defeated Bowling Green in 2009 in the MAC Tournament Championship game. This is the 10th time in current head coach Brady Sallee’s tenure the Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.

– Ball State is looking to get back on the winning track after losing back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Cardinals fell at Toledo (77-63) on Feb. 22 and then against Kent State (60-54) on Feb. 22 in Worthen Arena. Despite the losses, the Cardinals still sit atop of the MAC standings with a 12-2 conference ledger.

– The Chippewas are looking for their third-straight win after beating Eastern Michigan (74-62) on Feb. 19 and Western Michigan (56-43) on Feb. 22. Central Michigan has improved since its first meeting against Ball State this season winning eight of its last 13 contests. With four games remaining, the Chippewas sit in seventh in the MAC standings.

– The Cardinals have been road warriors the past four years during Mid-American Conference action. Ball State owns a 34-11 (.767) ledger when playing league games on the road dating back to 2021 which was their best showing as the Cardinals went 9-1 that year.

– Ball State 13th-year head coach owns a 53-22 (.706) mark against DI schools from the state of Michigan dating back to his first season at the helm of the Cardinals in 2012-13.

– The Cardinals haven’t lost in Mount Pleasant, Michigan., since the 2019-20 season. That year Ball State fell at Central Michigan by a score of 66-39 on Jan. 15, 2020.

The Possibility is Near:

With only four Mid-American Conference games left, Ball State remains atop of the league standings with a 12-2 MAC mark. The Cardinals are on pace to be crowned the MAC Regular Season Champions which hasn’t been done since the 2002-03 season. It will mark only the third time in program history that the Ball State women’s basketball team will have earned the regular season title the other year was in 2001-02.

Scouting CMU:

– The Chippewas picked up right where they left off last season as a MAC leader in rebounding. In NCAA I per-game rankings, CMU is ninth in rebounding margin (+10.0), 12th in offensive rebounding (15.8) and 13th in total rebounding (42.64)—all of which lead the MAC.

– Central Michigan has logged five 50-plus rebound games (Oakland, at Nevada, Concordia, Ohio, at Marshall) and 14 games with a double- digit advantage in the margins, six of which reached a margin of 20 (Concordia, Eastern Michigan, at Western Michigan, at Northern Illinois, Ohio, at Marshall).

– Second-year head coach Kristin Haynie was a member of CMU Hall of Famer Sue Guevara’s staff from 2014-17. The Chippewas went 58-38 (36-18 MAC) in that time with two MAC West titles (2016, 2017), a MAC regular-season title (2017) and a trip to the MAC tournament final (2017).

BALL STATE MEN’S GOLF

KUNTZ & KHAN HELP MOVE CARDINALS UP LEADERBOARD IN FINAL FOUND AT DORADO BEACH

DORADO BEACH, Puerto Rico — Braxton Kuntz fired six birdies and finished four strokes under par Tuesday to lead Ball State in a resurgent final round at the Dorado Beach Collegiate at TPC Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico. Ali Khan finished under par for the third consecutive round and finished in eighth place overall, just four strokes behind tournament champion Jeff Nelson of Winthrop. The Cardinals shot 4-under par as a team on the Tuesday to record the lowest team round of the day.

Khan (69-71-69—209) finished with his first top-10 finish of his senior season. It was his best tournament since a fourth-place showing at the 2004 Mid-American Conference Championships.

Kuntz (74-72-68—214) improved for the third straight day and helped Ball State rise two spots in the standings from 10th, through two rounds, into an eighth-place tie with Temple. His 4-under par showing Tuesday was the Cardinals’ best outing of the tournament and, with Khan, was Ball State’s fourth subpar round of the tournament.

“Man, we had a tough time connecting and weren’t sharp outside of Ali this week in Puerto Rico,” said 27th year coach Mike Fleck, “but I’m really proud of the fight and effort today while posting the low final round team score. Ali had a great top-10 finish and the sub-70 rounds today from he and Braxton were big in allowing us to finish with a strong third round. We still need to find a way to get out of the gate stronger and maintain quality play with competitive counter rounds from start to finish.”

The Cardinals got support outside of Kuntz and Khan on Tuesday, with Kash Bellar (73-73-72—218) shooting even par, and freshman Gavin Hare (75-79-74—228) firing 2-over par — both with their best rounds of the tournament.

Ball State is idle on the links until March 31 when the Cardinals participate in Butler’s Don Benbow Invitational.

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

LATE COMEBACK ATTEMPTS FALLS SHORT FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL AGAINST AKRON

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team fell 87-82 to league-leading Akron after a late comeback attempt fell short on Tuesday night at Worthen Arena in a game presented by Ivy Tech Community College.

The Cardinals (14-14, 7-8 Mid-American Conference) trailed 47-39 at halftime and 82-70 with just over five minutes to play before going on a 12-3 scoring run capped off by a layup from Payton Sparks in the closing seconds to get within three points at 85-82. Akron’s Tavari Johnson, who had a team-best 21 points, clinched the game for the visitors with two free throws for the day’s final scoring.

Ball State was led by Jermahri Hill (26 points, three rebounds) and Mickey Pearson Jr. (24 points, nine rebounds) who both had season highs in scoring. Ethan Brittain-Watts added 11 points and two rebounds for a Ball State offense that went 45.9 percent (28-61) from the field, 45.5 percent (10-22) on 3-pointers and 76.2 percent (16-21) on free throws.

TJ Burch provided a spark off the bench in the second half for the hosts, scoring seven points and adding two assists in 10 minutes. Ben Hendriks went for six points and two rebounds, while Juanse

Gorosito had a career-high nine rebounds along with five points and six assists. The junior guard made his 200th career 3-pointer early in the second half.

Akron (22-6, 14-1) had a single digit decision in MAC play for only the fifth of its 14 wins, with two of those coming against Ball State. The Zips will clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament with one more win or a loss by Miami (Ohio).

The visitors claimed a 35-28 advantage on the glass, and both teams committed eight turnovers. Akron shot 50.7 percent (34-67) on field goals including 30 percent (9-30) from distance while making 76.9 percent (10-13) at the foul line.

Ball State’s next game is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday at Bowling Green, who sits one game back of the Cardinals in the MAC standings with three games to play.

BALL STATE BASEBALL

ON HISTORIC DAY FOR BASEBALL HOME OPENER … HITS DON’T FALL CARDINALS’ WAY

MUNCIE, Ind. — On a sunny day with a light breeze and clear skies, the Ball State baseball team played the earliest home game in program history on Tuesday, hosting Illinois State at The Ball Diamond in front of over 400 sun-starved fans.

Unfortunately, that was just about all the excitement the home fans got on a day in which “they beat us in all facets,” lamented veteran coach Rich Maloney. In what was the first Cardinals’ home game ever played in the month of February, the other red birds beat Ball State 11-1. The Redbirds rapped 13 hits including three home runs, and put runs on the board in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings. It was 9-0 in the seventh before Ball State scratched across its lone run, with designated hitter Houston King scoring on a fielder’s choice by Alex Richter.

The midweek affair, crammed between four games in Sacramento last weekend and five scheduled in Florida next weekend, was designated as a bullpen game. Lucas Letsinger fired the opening frame and allowed one run, but the bullpen took over and lost control in the second inning, issuing four walks that led to three more runs. Illinois State made it made it 8-0 after four innings, and 9-0 through six. The Redbirds tacked on two more in the eighth before coaches agreed to halt the game after eight innings.

Ball State opens a three-game set at North Florida, in Jacksonville, on Friday, Feb. 28, with single games each day. Following an off day March 3, the Cardinals venture to Florida A&M, in Tallahassee, with games slated for March 4 and 5. The Cardinals return to The Ball Diamond on March 7 (2 p.m.) to open play in the Mid-American Conference against Western Michigan. The Cardinals open MAC play with a three-game series slated for March 7, 8 and 9.

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

SYCAMORES FALL TO RACERS; RETURN HOME FOR SENIOR DAY ON SUNDAY

MURRAY, Ky. – Indiana State men’s basketball fell to Murray State on Tuesday night, 85-75, despite trailing by only four points with less than 4:30 to play in the game. The Sycamores move to 13-17, 7-12 MVC while Murray State improved to 15-15, 9-10 MVC.

The Sycamores made its first three baskets all at the rim, with Aaron Gray and Camp Wagner finding K’mani Doughty and Markus Harding, respectively, with two nice passes at the rim. It was the Sycamores who led at the first timeout at 12:58, 16-12, starting 7-of-11 from the field. Four-of-five starters all got into the scoring column (Gray, Wagner, Harding, and Samage Teel).

The teams went back-and-forth on baskets, climbing the score up to 24-23 in favor of the Sycamores with 8:36 on the clock. Teel converted the conventional and-one at the basket and drained a three-pointer at the top of the key in the next possession. With 7:42 on the clock, Doughty finished a layup drawing the foul, marking is perfect 4-for-4 start from the field in the game. He made the free throw to put Indiana State up 28-25.

Murray State took its first lead since the 16:18 mark on a pair of a layup at the 5:12 mark after the Sycamores failed to score in the last 2:30 of play, but Jaden Daughtry broke the drought with a finish off the glass.

At the final media timeout of the half at 3:49, the Sycamores led by one, 33-32, before Gray knocked down two free throws coming out of the timeout.

Daughtry drained a triple off the right wing to cap an 8-0 Sycamore run that put the Trees up 38-32 with just over three minutes to play.

Two free throws with five seconds in the half brought Murray State within a point, as Indiana State led 40-39 at the halftime break.

The Sycamores shot 51.9% from the field (14-for-27), 40.0% (4-for-10) from deep, and 80.0% (8-for-10) from the line. Murray State shot 38.7% (12-for-31) from the field, 30.0% (3-for-10) from three, and 70.6% (12-for-17) from the line. MSU grabbed 22 rebounds in the half, nine on the offensive glass, leading to seven second-chance points.

Doughty opened the half with a three from the wing to remain perfect from the floor, 5-for-5, with two threes. A couple of possessions later, Harding drained a three-pointer to claim the Sycamores’ largest lead of the game so far, 46-39, with 17:47 on the clock.

Bruno Alocen repeated the same two possessions later for his first points of the game, then Teel drove the lane and finished with a reverse layup. MSU followed with a layup, but Indiana State hung on to a six-point, 51-45 lead at the 15:48 media timeout.

Both teams combined to shoot 0-for-8 from the field in the next two minutes of the game, but seven free throw attempts were made as the Sycamores still led 54-49 with 13:45 left in the game.

The Racers took a 9-0 lead forcing the Coach Graves to call a timeout at the 11:40 mark with the Racers leading 58-54, their largest lead of the game.

Through this point in the half, the Sycamores knocked down 3-of-6 from deep but only 1-of-7 from inside the arc versus the Racers going 7-for-13 from the field.

Gray ended the scoring drought for Indiana State finishing an alley op layup from Harding, catching and twisting his body in-air to make the layup. He was fouled and made the ensuing free throw. Teel found Gray under the basket in the next possession to cut the deficit to three, 62-59 at the 10:05 mark.

MSU slowly grew their lead up to eight points, 69-61, with 6:56 remaining in the game.

A layup by Teel, a pair of free throws by Gray, and a Daughtry layup brought the Sycamores within four, 75-71, with 4:23 in the game.

The Racers climbed to a seven-point, 80-73 lead with just over two minutes to play and held that advantage through the rest of the game. Indiana State scored only four points in the remaining time, while MSU scored 10 points (eight from the free throw line) to take the 85-75 victory.

Aaron Gray led the Sycamores in scoring with 16 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 6-for-7 from the line, pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Both K’mani Doughty and Jaden Daughtry scored 15 points. Doughty finished 6-of-7 from the field with a pair of threes and four steals. Daughtry’s 15 points came from a 5-for-8 effort, also grabbing five rebounds. Samage Teel scored 13 points with four rebounds and five assists.

News & Notes

The Sycamores dropped their third-straight game but are hoping to get back on track on Sunday for the final game of the 2024-25 regular season before heading into the MVC Tournament in St. Louis.

Indiana State finished 16-for-19 from the line, 84.2%, marking the sixth time in the last seven games finishing better than 80.0%.

The Sycamores committed eight turnovers, tying for the season low.

The Sycamore defense held Murray State to only seven assists, the most since holding UHSP to four on December 21.

Aaron Gray led the Sycamores in scoring on Tuesday night, only the second time this season to lead the team in points.

Markus Harding scored nine points, his most since January 25 versus UNI.

Samage Teel has scored 5+ assists in six of the last eight games.

Indiana State is now 2-11 on the season when recording 79 or fewer points (11-6 when scoring 80+)

Indiana State finished with 27 rebounds, only the third time since the start of MVC play to record 29 or fewer rebounds.

Indiana State shot better from the field (44.8% versus 44.4%) but were outscored at the free throw line by 16 makes.

The Trees committed 24 fouls, the most since recording 27 at Valparaiso on January 8.

Those fouls led to 41 free throw attempts by MSU, the most since that same night against Valpo (43).

The Racers finished with 15 second-chance points versus the Sycamores’ one.

The 14 offensive rebounds by MSU ties for the most this season by a Sycamore opponent (Iona, 11/30/24). The team grabbed 43 total rebounds, the most since Bradley also recorded 43 on January 15.

Up Next

Indiana State hosts Southern Illinois on Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m. ET. Sunday is Senior Day where Indiana State will recognize K’mani Doughty, Aaron Gray, Samage Teel, and manager Zach Miller. Pregame recognition will occur before the game shortly after 12:30 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to stick around after the conclusion of the game as Director of Athletics Nathan Christensen and head coach Matthew Graves will address the crowd.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF

MASTODON MEN’S GOLF TAKES FIFTH AT WORLD GOLF VILLAGE COLLEGIATE

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golf team took fifth at the World Golf Village Collegiate on Tuesday (Feb. 25).

The tournament was cut from a 54-hole event to just 36 holes after the second round was suspended with two holes left due to darkness. The teams finished the second round on Tuesday morning and did not play a third.

Purdue Fort Wayne shot a 300-305-605, finishing one stroke shy of third and three shots back of second.

Brock Reschly and Nick Holder tied for 16th at 149. Reschly shot 73-76-149 and Holder turned in 74-75-149.

Julian Dugan took 44th after his rounds of 78-77-155. AJ Agnew was two shots back at 75-82-157 to take 59th. Another three shots behind, Nick Bellush shot 83-77-160 for 74th place.

Cody Coleman played as an individual and turned in 83-79-162 and took 84th.

North Florida won the event with a 577 and Brett Schell won the event with an 8-under.

The Mastodons finished ahead of all other Horizon League teams in the field: Oakland (613), IU Indy (616) and Youngstown State (629).

Purdue Fort Wayne will play in the Surf Club Invitational next on March 10-11 in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

EVANSVILLE BASEBALL

ACES BASEBALL STRUGGLES WITH RED-HOT KENTUCKY OFFENSE

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Evansville baseball team fell behind early at Kentucky and couldn’t recover in a 24-3 loss on Tuesday afternoon.

Half of the Purple Aces roster saw the field in a midweek loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. UE used eight pitchers in seven innings as only one stayed on the mound for more than an inning. On offense, two players accounted for Evansville’s four hits as senior center fielder Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) and freshman shortstop Drew McConnell (Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs HS) had two each.

Rumsey had an early hit for the Aces but was the only batter to make it on base in the first. It was a long bottom of the first inning for UE starter freshman RJ James (Toronto, Canada) as Kentucky’s offense loaded the bases with three straight singles. James threw a strikeout to the Wildcats fourth batter and drew a potential ground out from the fifth. But a throwing error from first over to third gave Kentucky enough time to send two runners home.

The Wildcats scored on the next two at-bats with a double down the left line and a home run over the center field wall had UK up by six with six hits in eight at-bats. Kentucky added one more run in the first on a sacrifice fly three batters later before Evansville’s defense ended the inning with a groundout. The Aces brought in junior RHP Owen Byberg (Barrie, Ontario, Canada) in the bottom of the second after the offense went down in order.

Byberg worked quickly in his first inning on the mound by getting the side with two strikeouts and a groundout. UE had a better offensive inning in the top of the third as the first two batters of the inning made it on base on a hit by pitch and a single. With two on, Rumsey connected on his second hit of the afternoon to help put Evansville on the board as catcher Kaleb Wilkey (Manhattan, Ill. / Lincoln-Way West HS) crossed home plate.

The Aces’ next batter right fielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo. / Northeast CC) was walked by the Wildcats starter to load up the bases. Infielder Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley) followed up Taubert’s walk with a sacrifice fly to score McConnell, making it a 7-2 game with two outs. UE ended the offensive half of the inning during the next at-bat.

Byberg added two more strikeouts in the bottom of the third inning. But Kentucky added back a run on a fielding error before the third ended. The Wildcats extended their lead again in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off home run, two doubles, and a sacrifice fly. Right-handed reliever Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe HS) took the mound midway through the fourth allowing a hit and two runs early as it became an 11-2 game. Roberts walked UK’s next three batters but got out of the jam with a strikeout in four pitches.

Evansville got a run back early in the fifth as McConnell hit his first career home run to the Aces bullpen in right field. UE got another runner to first base on a hit by pitch but had three batters either strikeout or groundout to end the top of the fifth. Freshman LHP Jack Wills (Shelbyville, Ky. / Shelby County HS) made his debut on the mound for Evansville in the bottom of the fifth, only an hour southeast of his hometown.

Wills struggled early as the first two batters he faced hit doubles into right center to add another run. The Wildcats widened their lead to 12 runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on three hits while eight batters came to the plate. The Aces didn’t answer in the top of the sixth as they went down in order to a new Kentucky pitcher.

Redshirt junior Parker MacCauley (Paducah, Ky. / Tennessee Tech) took over for Wills in the bottom of the sixth. MacCauley added his fourth strikeout of the year facing his second batter. But UE struggled on the mound after using four different pitchers in the sixth as the Wildcats added nine runs. It would be first baseman Jake McGhee who ended the inning on the mound for Evansville, forcing a flyout and a strikeout while facing four batters.

The Aces went down in order in the top of the seventh inning to end Tuesday afternoon’s game by the run rule. UE fell to 1-6 on the season with the 24-3 loss at UK as they continue on a month-long road trip. Evansville will play a four-game series at Missouri over the weekend starting with a 5 p.m. game on Friday, February 28.

VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL

VALPO TO CELEBRATE DEAVEIRO, SCHMIDT ON SENIOR NIGHT

Bradley (22-7, 13-5 MVC)

at Valparaiso (13-16, 6-12 MVC)

Game No. 30 – Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. CT

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

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team will close out the home portion of the season on an action-packed Wednesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center as Bradley comes to town for a regionally-televised matchup with Valpo looking to extend its winning streak to three. It’s Senior Night at the ARC as senior cheer and dance team members along with players Darius DeAveiro and Tyler Schmidt will be recognized prior to the game. DeAveiro, Schmidt and head coach Roger Powell Jr. will address the audience at the conclusion of the contest. In honor of DeAveiro’s Senior Night, both the Canadian and U.S. National Anthems will be performed prior to tip. In addition, all kids 12 and under will receive free hot dogs at Wednesday’s game, and this is Valpo’s International Night Game.

Last Time Out: Freshman All Wright did not score in the game’s first 12 minutes, but accrued 29 points over the next 28 minutes of game time in Valpo’s come-from-behind 83-79 victory at Southern Illinois on Saturday night. Justus McNair did not score in the game’s first 31 minutes, but provided a key lift during the rally, as all 14 of the freshman’s points came in the final 8:53. Valpo trailed 24-8 with 7:50 left in the first half and was still down 10 at 65-55 with 9:24 to play.

Following the Beacons: Television – MVC TV Network (Gray Media) – Andy Masur (play-by-play) and Adam Emmenecker (analyst) – Live on WMEU 48.1 / WCIU 26.2 in Chicago; Tape Delayed on Chicago Sports Network and will air at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Other markets listed below.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (KCRG 9.2 / MyNet) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Ottumwa, Iowa (KYOU 15.3 / THE365) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Rockford, Illinois (WSLN 19.2 / THE365) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Peoria, Illinois (WHOI 19.4 / CHSN) — Live at 8 p.m.;

South Bend, Indiana (WNDU 16.3 / Antenna TV) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Fort Wayne, Indiana (WPTA 21.3 / MyNet) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Louisville, Kentucky (WAVE 3.3 / THE365) — Live at 8 p.m.;

St. Louis, Missouri (KMOV 32.1 or Charter Spectrum Channel 6 / Matrix Midwest) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Kansas City, Missouri (KCTV/KSMO 62.1 / MyNet) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Nashville, Tennessee (WSMV 4.2 / TVSN) — Live at 8 p.m.

Memphis, Tennessee (WMC 5.3 / WMC+) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Knoxville, Tennessee (WVLT 8.2 / MyNet) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Davenport, Iowa (KWQC 6.3 / Cozie) — Live at 8 p.m.

Quincy, Illinois (WGEM 14.4 / MeTV / MyTV) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Evansville, Indiana (WFIE 14.2 / MeTV) — Live at 8 p.m.;

Streaming – ESPN+ – Game will air live with no blackouts

Radio – WVUR 95.1 FM Valparaiso, TuneIn Radio App, ValpoAthletics.com – Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Austin Amburgey (analyst)

X updates – @ValpoBasketball

Links for video, audio and live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Roger Powell Jr.: Roger Powell Jr. (20-41) is in his second season as the head coach of the Valpo men’s basketball program. After helping guide Gonzaga to a 121-13 record during his four seasons as an assistant coach, Powell returned to Valpo, where he was part of head coach Bryce Drew’s staff from 2011-2016 and led the team to 124 wins in five seasons, including a program-record 30 victories and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title game appearance in 2015-16. He was part of head coach Mark Few’s Gonzaga staff as the Bulldogs reached the 2021 national championship game after winning their first 31 games of the season. During Powell’s first season on staff in 2019-20, Gonzaga was 31-2 at the time the NCAA college basketball season was halted due to COVID-19. The Bulldogs reached the Sweet Sixteen in each of his final three seasons on staff, including two Elite Eight appearances and the aforementioned trip to the 2021 national title game. Prior to his arrival at Gonzaga, Powell served as the associate head coach at Vanderbilt University under Bryce Drew from 2016-2019. During his stint as an assistant at Valpo, he was part of four Horizon League regular-season championships in a five-year period while also leading the 2012-13 and 2014-15 squads to Horizon League tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. A product of Joliet West High School and a native of Joliet, Ill., Powell capped a prolific collegiate playing career at Illinois with a national title game appearance in 2005 before going on to a successful professional playing career.

Series Notes: Valpo is 5-13 all-time against the Braves including an 86-61 setback at the ARC in the lone matchup last season and an 81-75, double overtime defeat in Peoria earlier this season. Bradley has won seven straight showdowns since Valpo’s double-overtime victory on Jan. 28, 2021 (91-85). Prior to the thriller this season, each of the first six games in that head-to-head skid came by double-figure deficits.

Dec. 29 – Bradley 81, Valpo 75 (2OT): The Beacons gave MVC preseason favorite Bradley nearly everything it could handle, but the Braves prevailed 81-75 in double overtime as the curtain closed on the calendar year of 2024 in late December. Kaspar Sepp posted a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds – establishing career highs in both categories – and Cooper Schwieger poured in 21 points, but the Beacons could not complete the upset in an instant classic.

With The Win on Feb. 22 at Southern Illinois, Valpo…

Picked up its 13th victory of the season, moving to within one of doubling last year’s overall win total of seven.

Garnered its sixth Missouri Valley Conference win of the year, doubling last season’s league win total of three.

Snapped a seven-game head-to-head losing streak to Southern Illinois.

Surpassed the team’s 2022-23 conference win total of five and tied with 2021-22 for the team’s highest MVC win total over the last four years.

Won back-to-back games for the first time since rapping off three straight wins to start the calendar year of 2025.

With a Win on Wednesday vs. Bradley, Valpo Would…

Pick up its 14th win of the season, doubling last year’s overall win total.

Achieve its seventh Missouri Valley Conference win, over doubling the team’s league total from Roger Powell Jr.’s first season in 2023-24.

Snag its fourth win in a five-game span.

Snap a seven-game head-to-head losing streak to Bradley.

Surpass the team’s 2021-22 conference win total of six to clinch the team’s highest league win total in the last four seasons and tie with 2020-21 for the team’s highest league win total over the last five years.

Finish with a home record of 11-6, flipping last year’s home mark of 6-11. The Beacons have already clinched their highest home win total since going 12-2 in 2019-20 and locked up a home record of .500 or better for the 31st time in the last 32 years.

Tie for the team’s longest winning streak of the season by owning three straight wins for the third time this year.

Rally Time

The 16-point comeback to Southern Illinois on Feb. 22 marked Valpo’s third double-figure rally this season including the second consecutive game in which Valpo overcame a double-figure deficit.

The Beacons have overcome a deficit of 15 or larger twice this season. Prior to this year, Valpo had not rallied from that far behind since the 18-point comeback in the 2019-20 MVC quarterfinal against Loyola.

The Feb. 22 win over Southern Illinois marked Valpo’s largest comeback in a regular-season conference game since coming from 17 down to beat Illinois State in 2019-20.

According to KenPom, Valpo had a win probability of 4.2 percent when trailing the Salukis 65-55 with 9:24 to play.

Year Opponent Deficit Score

2024-25 Southern Illinois 16 W 83-79

2024-25 Missouri St 10 W 66-64

2024-25 Western Michigan 22 W 76-73

2023-24 UIC 12 W 84-77

2021-22 Evansville 10 W 74-69

2021-22 Eastern Michigan 11 W 67-55

2021-22 Tulane 12 W 68-64

2020-21 Bradley 14 W 91-85 (2ot)

2019-20 Loyola 18 W 74-73 (ot)

2019-20 Bradley 13 W 90-78

2019-20 Illinois State 17 W 65-62

2019-20 Indiana State 11 W 86-77

2019-20 SIUE 10 W 89-76

2019-20 Toledo 14 W 79-77

2018-19 Illinois State 12 W 58-56

2018-19 George Wash. 10 W 82-79

2018-19 UNLV 11 W 72-64

2017-18 Bradley 10 W 77-64

2017-18 UNCW 10 W 79-70

2016-17 Wright State 10 W 84-74

2016-17 Cleveland State 12 W 78-67

2016-17 BYU 12 W 92-89

2016-17 Trinity Christian 16 W 89-75

Valley Point Peaks

After notching the team’s highest scoring output in league play with 101 vs. Belmont on Feb. 12, Valpo turned in its highest road point total since joining the league in the 83-79 victory at Southern Illinois on Feb. 22.

This represented Valpo’s highest road scoring output in a league game since Feb. 24, 2017 at Wright State, an 84-74 win.

This marked the team’s highest point total in any true road game since an 87-72 win at High Point on Dec. 18, 2019.

In an incredibly strange coincidence, High Point was both the last team to give up 83+ to Valpo on the road and the last team to score 83+ at Southern Illinois prior to the Feb. 22 game. High Point went to Carbondale and won 94-81 on Dec. 21 of this season.

The 83 points tied with Bradley this year for the most scored at Southern Illinois by a visiting Valley team since Evansville had 84 on Dec. 28, 2020.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Feb. 22: Valpo 83, Southern Illinois 79

All Wright did not score in the first 12 minutes of the game, so all 29 of his points came in the game’s final 28 minutes. The 29 points marked his second-highest total of the season, behind a Valpo known freshman record 32 on Feb. 5 at Indiana State. He is 24-of-25 at the free-throw line over his last four games including 6-for-6 at SIU.

Wright has scored 20 points or more six times in his last eight games. He scored 16 points in the final eight minutes of the first half, similar to his finish to the second half on Wednesday vs. Missouri State.

Justus McNair’s first basket of the game came with 8:53 remaining, meaning all 14 of his points came over the game’s final nine minutes. He scored in double figures for the first time in the last nine games and had his highest scoring output since 19 on Jan. 14 at Belmont.

When no one else was playing well early in the game, Tyler Schmidt kept Valpo in it. His seven rebounds were one shy of a season high, his four assists tied a season high and his 10 points came on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting.

Cooper Schwieger scored 12 points while pulling down eight rebounds and blocking two shots. This marked his 20th straight game with at least a dozen points and his fourth straight game with multiple rejections. He snagged seven rebounds or more for the sixth time in the last seven games.

With his two blocks, Schwieger climbed into a tie for 10th in program history for blocks in a single season with 51, moving even with Zoran Viskovic’s 1998-99 season.

Darius DeAveiro dished out four assists, increasing his career total to 368 and moving into a tie with Todd Smith (1985-89) for sixth in program history.

Valpo went from shooting 32.5 percent in the first half to 53.3 percent in the second half. After going just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from 3 in the first half, the team went 6-of-10 in the second half. After just one free-throw attempt in the first half, Valpo went 15-of-17 (88.2 percent) after halftime.

The Beacons committed just seven turnovers in the game, the 19th time this season Valpo had 10 turnovers or fewer.

The Beacons scored 52 points in the second half. They have scored 50+ points in a half six times this season – 60 in the second half vs. CCSJ, 57 in the second half vs. Central Michigan, 50 in the second half at Western Michigan, 63 in the first half vs. Concordia Ann Arbor, 56 in the first half vs. Belmont and 52 in the second half at Southern Illinois.

Seeing Scenarios

With two games remaining in the regular season, Valpo has clinched no worse than the No. 11 seed as Missouri State is now locked into the No. 12 seed.

Currently, Murray State and Evansville have eight wins in league play and Indiana State and Southern Illinois have seven wins. The Beacons could finish with as many as eight wins.

The Missouri Valley Conference tiebreaker procedures dictate that head-to-head is used first in a two-team tie. If the two teams split the regular-season series, the tiebreaker will be determined by NET ranking. In a multi-team tie, the teams are ranked based on their record against the other tied teams, and if that is tied, then it goes to NET. However, if the multi-team tie is broken using those procedures and only two teams remain tied, the remaining teams revert to the two-team tiebreaker.

With Valpo two games behind Murray State and Evansville, it is unlikely the Beacons will pass either of those teams since they lost both regular-season matchups to both.

Because Valpo split the head-to-head series with Southern Illinois and Indiana State, head-to-head tiebreakers with those teams will be determined by NET. Current NETs are as follows – Southern Illinois 201, Indiana State 208 and Valpo 230.

Senior Night Storylines

The career arcs of the two seniors being recognized on Wednesday are in stark contrast to one other but equally compelling.

Tyler Schmidt joined the program as a graduate transfer this season after graduating from Olivet Nazarene with a degree in business administration. After four years as an NAIA standout, he had the opportunity to play Division-I in his hometown for his fifth year of college basketball. Schmidt grew up attending Valpo games and attended Valpo kids camps as a child.

On the flip side of Schmidt’s one-year appearance in his hometown, Darius DeAveiro will close out a four-year career at Valpo with his final home game on Wednesday. After playing two seasons for head coach Matt Lottich, he remained with the program and became a team captain under head coach Roger Powell Jr. for his junior and senior seasons.

DeAveiro will play in his 116th game in a Valpo uniform on Wednesday night.

Scouting the Braves

Preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference.

Currently in third place in the MVC standings behind Drake and UNI, pending the outcome of Sunday’s Drake/UNI matchup.

Had a rough patch with a three-game losing streak to UIC, UNI and Belmont in late January and early February, but have righted the ship with four wins in their last five games including an 85-83 overtime victory over Murray State on Saturday in Peoria.

Led in scoring by Duke Deen at 14.1 points per game.

VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STARTS FINAL REGULAR SEASON ROAD TRIP AT BRADLEY

Valparaiso (11-16, 7-9 MVC)

Game #28 – February 27, 2025 – 6 p.m.

at Bradley (11-16, 5-11 MVC)

Renaissance Coliseum (4,200) – Peoria, Ill.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: Winners of its last two games, the Valpo women’s basketball team looks to make it a winning streak on Thursday evening as the Beacons start off the central Illinois road trip with a visit to Bradley.

Previously: It wasn’t always pretty, but Valpo found a way to take care of business Sunday afternoon at the ARC, grinding out a 73-68 victory over Indiana State — its third win in the last four games. Prior to the game, the Beacons celebrated Senior Day, honoring Katie Beyer and Leah Earnest as their collegiate careers start to wind down.

Following Valpo Basketball: Video: ESPN+

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her seventh year at the helm of the program in 2024-25 and owns a record of 71-132. Evans’ first six seasons at the helm have seen Valpo’s six of the top-eight single-season 3-pointers made marks, including each of the top five, while defensively, her teams have racked up steals at a high rate, averaging at least 7.7 steals/game in five of her six seasons. Under her guidance, Valpo players have earned an MVC Sixth Player of the Year honor, five All-Conference accolades, three All-Freshman/Newcomer Team awards and three All-Defensive Team honors.

Series Notes: Bradley leads the all-time series between the two programs by a 12-10 mark, but it has been Valpo coming away with the victory in each of the last seven meetings, sweeping the season series each of the last three seasons and winning the first matchup this year at the ARC. In that 59-52 home win this season, the Beacons got 27 points and eight rebounds from Leah Earnest, while Nevaeh Jackson added 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

@ValpoWBB…

…and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo was picked to finish in eighth place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 193 points to edge out Indiana State.

– The eighth-place projection is two spots ahead of the Beacons’ regular-season finish last year.

– Valpo is in its eighth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– The Valley was ranked 13th in conference NET last season. In Valpo’s time in the MVC, the conference has been ranked as high as seventh in NET (2020-21).

…looking back at last year

– Valpo finished last season with a 5-25 overall record and finished at 4-16 in MVC play, good for 10th in the Valley standings.

– Leah Earnest was a Second Team All-MVC honoree.

– Valpo won three consecutive road games in Valley play, the second straight year the Beacons have accomplished that – prior to that, the program had last accomplished that feat against three different opponents since 2007.

…versus Indiana State

– Indiana State led 19-14 at the end of the first, but Valpo used an 11-2 run midway through the second quarter to take the lead and led 32-30 at halftime.

– The Beacons led by as many as eight in the third quarter, but the advantage was just 47-45 with 10 minutes to play.

– Valpo pushed its lead to six twice in the fourth quarter, but both times ISU scored on each of its next two trips, the latter making it a 65-63 game with 41 seconds to play.

– After Mor Shabtai split a pair from the foul line, the Beacons forced an ISU miss and got possession on a rebound out of bounds.

– Leah Earnest and Nevaeh Jackson put the game away from the charity stripe over the final 27 seconds, combining to go 7-for-8 to keep the Sycamores from ever getting the ball back with a chance to tie.

– The Beacons secured a winning record at the ARC with Sunday’s win, as they sit at 8-5 in home games with two home games to play.

– When talking about grinding out the win, it’s finding a way to win when struggling to shoot the ball. Valpo finished hitting at just a 32.9% clip from the field Sunday — its lowest shooting percentage in a win since Jan. 5, 2018 — and was just 8-of-30 from 3-point range.

– The Beacons did give themselves more opportunities with a season-best 13 offensive rebounds, leading to 70 field goal attempts — the most by a Valpo team in head coach Mary Evans’ tenure. Valpo collected 46 total rebounds, also the most in Evans’ tenure.

– Valpo matched its season high for a second straight game with 16 steals and forced 20 total Indiana State turnovers. The Beacons were a +4 in the turnover margin department and were a +9 (20-11) in points off turnovers.

– Six of those steals were recorded by Maci Rhoades, surpassing his previous career best of five, set against Clemson when she played for Radford.

– Despite struggling shooting the ball from the field, Earnest made plenty of plays to make sure her Senior Day would be a happy one. Earnest finished with a game-high 21 points, including a 10-of-12 mark from the foul line, and a team-best 11 rebounds. It was her 12th game with 20-plus points this year and her eighth double-double.

…versus Evansville

– An 8-0 run midway through the first quarter helped Valpo to a 24-14 lead at the end of the opening period.

– Valpo put together another spurt to open the second quarter, as Katie Beyer finished a 3-point play and Leah Earnest and Maci Rhoades both had driving finishes to force another Evansville timeout, as the lead was up to 31-14 with 7:18 to play in the half.

– The Beacons’ advantage grew as large as 19 points on a pair of free throws by Earnest with 3:04 to play in the half before the Purple Aces closed the stanza on an 8-2 run to close to within 40-27 at intermission.

– Valpo’s lead was 15 with 6:04 to play in the third quarter, but a 10-1 Evansville run brought it to back within single digits. The Beacons held a 53-47 lead with 10 minutes to play.

– A triple by Nevaeh Jackson on Valpo’s first possession of the fourth quarter gave the Beacons a little more breathing room, and after a stretch of over two minutes without a point from either team, Earnest connected from deep to push the lead into double figures.

– Evansville came back with a 3-pointer on its next possession, but Earnest answered immediately with another trifecta. The next two times down the court, it was Valpo’s other senior making plays, as Beyer had first an old-fashioned 3-point play and then a 3-pointer. A fast-break layup from Rhoades forced another timeout from the Purple Aces, as the lead ballooned to 70-50 with under five minutes to play thanks to an 11-0 run.

– Valpo was a +12 in the turnover department, forcing 26 UE turnovers while coughing it up just 14 times, and held a 22-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

– Valpo hit 11 3-pointers in the win, its second straight game with double-digit triples and its sixth of the season.

– Valpo finished with four players in double digits in scoring for the first time since its Nov. 30 win against North Dakota.

– Earnest led the way with 21 points, including three 3-pointers, and tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds. She is now just nine points away from cracking the program’s single-season top-10 for scoring.

– Jackson connected on five 3-pointers Friday, her second-best total of the year, and finished with 18 points. The sophomore also tied her career best, handing out five assists.

– Beyer came off the bench with a 5-of-7 effort from the field to score 14 points and share the team rebounding high with Earnest with seven boards, matching her career best.

– Rhoades was the fourth Beacon in double figures in the scoring department, setting a career high with her 13 points. The junior also set a season best with three steals.

..looking ahead

– Valpo plays its final road game of the regular season Saturday afternoon when it heads over to Normal to face off with Illinois State.

– The Beacons close the regular season at home next weekend with games against Drake and UNI.

…on the road

– Thursday’s game is Valpo’s 15th contest of the year away from home.

– The Beacons sit at 2-10 in true road games.

– Valpo is also 1-1 in neutral site games.

@BradleyWBB

– Bradley enters Thursday’s game at 11-16 overall and 5-11 in MVC play.

– The Braves are coming off a win over Illinois State last time out, their second in the last three games.

– Reigning MVC Newcomer of the Week Soleil Barnes scored 30 points in the win over Illinois State and is averaging a team-best 15.5 points/game thie season.

A One-Sided Series

– Over the last four seasons, the series between these two programs has been all Valpo.

– Valpo has reeled off seven consecutive wins over the Braves, with Bradley’s last win coming at Valpo Feb. 5, 2021.

– Five of the seven wins have come by single digits, including the seven-point win by the Beacons last month at the ARC.

– The seven-game winning streak is Valpo’s longest active streak against a single opponent. It is also the program’s longest winning streak against a conference foe since defeating Centenary in all eight meetings as Mid-Continent Conference opponents in the mid-2000’s.

Hoosier State Crown

– After sweeping the road trip to Indiana State and Evansville earlier this season, Valpo claimed the unofficial Hoosier State crown among the Valley’s three Indiana-based schools last weekend by earning two more wins at home.

– This is the third time since Valpo joined the MVC that it has posted the best record against its in-state foes, also doing so in 2019-20 (4-0) and 2021-22 (3-1).

– Indiana State has finished with the best record three times (2017-18, 4-0; 2018-19, 3-1; 2023-24, 4-0) and Evansville once (2022-23, 3-1), while all three teams went .500 against the other two in 2020-21.

Finally, Some Drama

– Sunday’s win over the Sycamores went right down to the wire, something that hasn’t happened much at all this season for Valpo.

– Prior to the five-point win, Valpo’s closest game of the year had been a seven-point home win over Bradley. The Beacons did play a double overtime game against Detroit Mercy, which ended up being an eight-point final margin.

– Were the season to end today, it would be the first time since 2014-15 that Valpo didn’t have a single game end within three points or less.

Looking to the Tournament

– While there’s still two weeks to play in the regular season, it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the first edition of the Credit Union 1 MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament to be contested at the Ford Center in Evansville.

– Valpo’s pair of wins last weekend means that the Beacons cannot fall below ninth in the final regular season standings.

– Meanwhile, Valpo is currently two games back of a tie for sixth and seventh, but both squads in that spot (UIC and UNI) currently have significantly better NET ratings than the Beacons.

– Should Valpo end up in that 8/9 game, it would tip off the tournament at noon on Thursday, March 13, and with a win, would advance to play the regular season champion the next day at noon as well.

Quite the Turnaround

– Valpo’s nine-point win over UIC was notable given the result when the two squads played in January in Chicago.

– That game ended 60-45 in UIC’s favor, meaning that the Beacons flipped the scoring margin 24 points from one matchup to the next.

– That marks the program’s largest shift from the first meeting of the season to the second meeting since the 2021-22 team fell to Indiana State by 20 the first time out before winning by five the second time around.

22×1,500

– Leah Earnest became just the third player in program history to hit 1,500 career points with a basket midway through the third quarter against UIC.

– The basket also moved Earnest past Sarrah Stricklett for third on the Beacons’ career scoring chart.

– Earnest became the fifth active MVC player with 1,500 career points at the D-I level, joining Katelyn Young (MUR), Katie Dinnebier (DRA), Maya McDermott (UNI) and Jaida McCloud (UIC).

– Currently sitting on 1,567 career points, a jump to second on the program’s career chart night be a tough ask for Earnest, as Dani Franklin currently occupies that position with 1,721 points.

20 Or More For 22

– Leah Earnest reached the 20-point mark for the 12th time this season last time out with a team-high 21 points in the win over Indiana State.

– Notably, Earnest did not hit the 20-point mark in any of the first seven games this year, meaning she has 12 20-point efforts in the last 20 games.

– Highlights include a 29-point effort at Lehigh – the second-highest scoring game of her career – and a 27-point game on 10-of-16 shooting in the win over Bradley.

– Earnest scored 20+ in four consecutive games Dec. 21-Jan. 4, the first Valpo player to do so in at least 15 years – the last time a Valpo player had scored 20+ in even three straight games was Shay Frederick in the 2020-21 campaign.

– Earnest has the most 20-point games by a Valpo player in a single season since Michelle Russell had at least 12 in the 1993-94 season.

Others With 20/20 Vision

– Earnest is far from the only Beacon to hit the 20-point mark this season.

– In all, four Valpo players have combined for 18 games with 21 or more points – compare that to last year, when only two players broke the 20-point barrier in a combined nine games.

– Layla Gold joined Earnest in crossing the 20-point mark versus UDM, finishing with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Earlier this year, Gold more than doubled her previous career best of 11 points with a 23-point night – which included five 3-pointers – at Milwaukee.

– Nevaeh Jackson raced past her previous career high with 26 points at Saint Louis; this coming after 20-point performances earlier in the season in the win over Goshen and against Purdue Fort Wayne.

– Against Trinity Christian, Kayla Preston smashed her previous best, going for 20 points on 7-10 FG and 6-8 FT.

An Eye on the Record Book

– As Leah Earnest’s career winds down, she is making an impact all over the program’s career records, and with the season she is having, she’ll look for spots on the team’s single-season charts as well.

Career

– Games played – 2nd, 140 (Caitlin Morrison, 1st, 141)

– Points – 3rd, 1,567 (Dani Franklin, 2nd, 1,721)

– Rebounds – 2nd, 845 (Tamra Braun, 1st, 870)

– Field goals made – 4th, 561 (Jeanette Gray, 3rd, 595)

– Free throws made – 3rd, 345 (Sarrah Stricklett, 2nd, 494)

– Points per game – t-9th, 11.2

– Rebounds/game – t-7th, 6.0

– Field goal percentage – 9th, .466

Single-Season

– Points – 9th, 468 (Debbie Bolen 1990-91, 8th, 469; Tabitha Gerardot 2012-13, 7th, 481; Dani Franklin 2017-18, 6th, 485; Leah Earnest 2023-24, 5th, 494)

– Rebounds – 204 (10th, 244)

– Field goals made – 158 (10th, 165)

– Free throws made – 6th, 122 (Sarrah Stricklett 1999-2000, 5th, 124; Sarrah Stricklett 1996-97, 4th, 125)

– Points/game – 7th, 17.3

Winning With Defense

– Strong defensive efforts have been a common thread in the Beacons’ victories this season, and their most recent wins have been no different.

– Valpo limited both Bradley (home) and Evansville (road) to 17 first-half points apiece in those victories – the lowest mark by a Valpo D-I opponent at halftime since the Beacons went on the road and limited South Dakota to 17 first-half points on Dec. 10, 2021.

– The Braves scored in single digits in each of the first two quarters, while the Purple Aces hit just one field goal in a three-point second quarter – the lowest-scoring quarter by a Valpo opponent since it held Indiana State scoreless in the second period Feb. 8, 2020.

– Valpo allowed Bradley to shoot just 30.5% from the field – the lowest mark by a Valpo D-I opponent this year and the second lowest by a D-I opponent over the last three seasons.

– It’s actually been quite simple if you look at it: when the Beacons have held their opponent under 60 points this year, they are 10-0; when Valpo’s opponent scores at least 60 points, the Beacons are 1-15.

– Yes, 1-15 – the win over Indiana State last time out was the team’s “worst” defensive effort in a win this year based on points allowed. But while the Sycamores scored 68 points, they shot just 36.4% from the field, were just 4-for-24 from 3-point range and committed 20 turnovers.

Forcing Miscues

– The Beacons rank as the MVC’s best at forcing miscues, averaging 20.0 turnovers forced/game.

– The Beacons have forced more turnovers than they’ve committed in 17 of 27 games.

– Valpo also leads the MVC with 10.2 steals/game and has tallied double-figure steals in 15 games this year.

– Valpo has forced at least 20 turnovers in 11 games so far, highlighted by 29 forced turnovers against Detroit Mercy and 28 in the win at Evansville.

– The Beacons have racked up a season-best 16 steals in each of their last two games, while they tallied 15 steals apiece in wins over Goshen, Western Michigan and Evansville (road).

– In the win over North Dakota, Valpo turned the Fighting Hawks’ 26 turnovers into 33 points and held a massive 33-9 edge in points off turnovers. It was the program’s greatest number of points off turnovers and the highest edge in the category since a Feb. 22, 2020 win at Loyola, when Valpo forced 31 turnovers and owns a 38-4 advantage in points off turnovers.

No Sophomore Slump

– After ranking fourth on the team in scoring (7.2 points/game) as a rookie, sophomore Nevaeh Jackson has cemented herself as a consistent second scorer this season.

– Jackson has nearly doubled her scoring average, entering Thursday’s game second on the team with 13.1 points/game.

– Jackson has scored in double figures in 19 of 27 games, highlighted by her 26-point effort at Saint Louis.

Career Highs

– Five of Valpo’s seven returnees have set career bests in the scoring column this season – the only returnees who haven’t are Saniya Jackson, who is out for the season, and Earnest.

– Joining the trio who had their first career 20-point efforts are senior Katie Beyer and sophomore Raeven Raye-Redmond.

– Raye-Redmond smashed past her previous best of nine with a 15-point night on 6-of-9 shooting at Milwaukee.

– Beyer hit three 3-pointers on her way to a 14-point game in the season opener versus Liberty, and then against North Dakota, surpassed that again with a 16-point effort.

All-Tournament Honors

– Valpo had a pair of players recognized as All-Tournament Team honorees following the conclusion of the Christmas City Classic.

– Leah Earnest averaged 23.5 points, 10 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game over the Beacons’ two contests.

– Katie Beyer earned her selection by virtue of a strong 16-point performance, surpassing her career high, in the win over North Dakota.

Missing Pieces

– Valpo is down two starters for the remainder of the season due to injury.

– Saniya Jackson did not see any game action this year, undergoing successful knee surgery in early November.

– Raeven Raye-Redmond suffered a lower leg injury late in regulation Dec. 21 against Detroit Mercy and will miss the rest of the year as well.

UINDY SOFTBALL

SOFTBALL MOVES TO 16TH IN NFCA DII POLL

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The UIndy softball team dropped a single spot to No. 16 in this week’s NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, released Tuesday. The Greyhounds are coming off a split versus Findlay, one that included a 13-5 run-rule victory—Melissa Frost’s 900th as an NCAA head coach.

Tuesday’s release extends the Hounds’ school record for consecutive top-25 poll appearances to 64 weeks, dating back to the 2021 preseason edition.

NFCA DII COACHES POLL

RK TEAM (1st-place votes) PTS REC PREV

1. UT Tyler (16) 400 15-0 1

2. AUM 380 10-3 2

3. Tampa 356 13-1 3

4. Angelo State 348 14-2 5

5. Augustana 320 5-3 6

6. Wilmington 311 1-1 4

7. West Texas A&M 306 16-0 8

8. Rogers State 301 8-3 7

9. Francis Marion 283 14-2 9

10. Western Washington 256 11-4 10

11. North Georgia 243 11-4 11

12. Trevecca Nazarene 221 11-4 12

13. Central Oklahoma 208 11-2 13

14. Cal State San Marcos 195 14-1 14

15. East Stroudsburg 156 7-3 16

16. UIndy 147 6-4 15

17. Harding 139 14-3 17

18. Oklahoma Christian 128 10-4 20

19. McKendree 106 8-3 21

20. Cal State East Bay 91 12-1 25

21. Nova Southeastern 67 11-6 22

22. Lubbock Christian 65 12-4 23

23. Kutztown 56 9-0 24

24. Cal State Dominguez Hills 45 10-7 18

25. West Alabama 30 11-6 RV

Others receiving votes: Lincoln Memorial (18), Emory & Henry (9), Concordia Irvine (5), Pittsburg State (3), Rollins (3), Chico State (2), Barry (1), San Francisco State (1).

UINDY MEN’S GOLF

YOUNG PLACES FOURTH AT OLDFIELD CLASSIC

OKATIE, S.C. – The UIndy men’s golf team finished fifth overall at the Oldfield Classic hosted by the University of South Carolina Beaufort. The tournament featured 14 teams from NCAA DII and the NAIA at the Oldfield Club.

INS & OUTS

The Greyhounds competed against two in-region teams, Davenport and Arkansas Tech. Arkansas Tech finished second, with Tobey Kim claiming the individual title. The host school, USCB, won the team competition at -5.

UIndy claimed fifth at +20 (297-289-298). The Greyhounds shined in the second round with a +1 round. The Hounds had 20 birdies in the second set of 18 holes.

Cameron Young grabbed a share of fourth after finishing -3 (71-69-73). Young’s best performance was in the second round, where he finished three under. The sophomore had four birdies and only one bogey. Overall, Young had 13 birdies.

Alexander Nestun also had a top -20 finish at t-15th at +3 (72-72-75). Nestun grabbed 10 birdies over 32 holes.

Jackson Watkins (78-75-75) and Joseph Armfield (80-73-75) both tied for 42nd place, finishing at +12. Drew Rowen completed the Hounds’ lineup, finishing tied for 57th at +15 (76-80-75).

UP NEXT

The Greyhounds return to South Carolina in March to compete in the Pawley’s Island Beach Bash with the women’s squad. The men will compete at the Founders Club in Myrtle Beach starting on the 12th and lasting through the 13th.

INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Feb. 26

1935 — Babe Ruth is released by the New York Yankees and signed by the Boston Braves.

1938 — Glenn Cunningham sets a world indoor records in 1500-meter race at the AAU nationals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Cunningham finishes in 3:48.4.

1947 — Brothers Doug and Max Bentley lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 9-7 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Doug Bentley scores four goals and sets up two more goals. Max Bentley scores three goals and assists on another goal.

1960 — Dave Jenkins of the United States wins the figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Calif.

1967 — Mario Andretti, better known for his accomplishments in open-wheel and USAC competition, wins the Daytona 500 pulling away from 1965 champion Fred Lorenzen in the closing laps. It’s Andretti’s his first and only NASCAR Grand National event. He is the only person born outside the United States to win the Daytona 500.

1968 — Thirty-two African nations agree to boycott the Olympics because of the presence of South Africa.

1981 — The Boston Bruins beat the Minnesota North Stars 5-1 in a game marred by fights. The teams set an NHL record with 84 penalties worth 392 minutes, and 12 players are ejected.

1987 — Michael Jordan scores 58 points, the most by a Chicago player in a regular-season game, to lead the Bulls over the New Jersey Nets 128-113. Jordan scores almost half his points from the free throw line, hitting 26 of 27.

1989 — NFL Dallas Cowboys fire coach Tom Landry after a 29-year career.

1989 — Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux becomes the third NHL player to have 100 assists in a season, joining Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux gets three assists and a goal in the Penguins’ 8-6 loss to the Hartford Whalers.

1994 — In Lillehammer, Norway, Vreni Schneider of Switzerland wins the slalom for the fifth medal of her career, the most of any woman in Alpine Olympic history.

2006 — Sweden beats Finland 3-2 to win the Olympic men’s hockey gold. Germany leaves Turin with the most overall medals with 29, 11 of them gold, while the Americans win 25 medals overall, including nine gold.

2007 — Roger Federer reaches a new milestone breaking Jimmy Connors’ 30-year-old mark with his 161st week at the top of the ATP rankings. Connors set his record from July 1974 to August 1977. The ATP rankings began on Aug. 23, 1973. Federer took the No. 1 spot on Feb. 2, 2004.

2012 — Pete Weber wins a record fifth U.S. Open bowling championship, throwing a strike on his final ball to beat Mike Fagan 215-214. Weber surpasses his father, Dick Weber, who won the tournament’s predecessor four times, as did Don Carter.

2012 — In Bansko, Bulgaria, Lindsey Vonn captures her fourth World Cup super-G race of the year and becomes the career leader in the discipline. By winning her 18th super G the American overtakes Austria’s Renate Goetschl for the record.

2017 – 59th Daytona 500: Kurt Busch wins after Kyle Larson runs out of gas on last lap; Jeffrey Earnhardt makes NASCAR history, 1st ever 4th generation driver to compete in Daytona 500.

2018 — The U.S. Open changes to a two-hole aggregate playoff, the last of the four majors to do away with an 18-hole playoff.

2018 — The top-ranked UConn women’s team completes an undefeated regular season for the 10th time in program history with an 82-53 win over No. 20 South Florida. The Huskies (29-0, 16-0 American) are 98-0 in games against American Athletic Conference opponents. They are 86-0 in the regular season and have won all four conference tournaments.

_____

Feb. 27

1918 — The first neutral site game in NHL history is held in Quebec City. Frank Nighbor scores twice in the first period to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

1955 — Boston beats Milwaukee 62-57 at Providence, R.I. in a game which set records for fewest points scored by one team, and by both teams, since the introduction of the 24-second clock.

1959 — The Boston Celtics beat the Minneapolis Lakers 173-139 as seven NBA records fall. The Celtics set records for most points (179), most points in a half (90), most points in a quarter (52) and most field goals (72). Boston’s Tom Heinsohn leads all scorers with 43 points and Bob Cousy adds 31 while setting an NBA record with 28 assists.

1966 — Richard Petty wins the rain-shortened Daytona 500 by more than a lap at a speed of 160.927 mph. Petty holds the lead for the last 212 miles of the scheduled 500-mile event, which is called five miles from the finish. Cale Yarborough finishes second.

1977 — Stan Mikita of the Chicago Black Hawks scores his 500th goal in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

1982 — Florida apprentice Mary Russ becomes the first female jockey to win a Grade I stakes in North America when she captures the Widener Handicap aboard Lord Darnley at Hialeah (Fla.) Park.

1992 — Prairie View sets an NCAA Division I record for most defeats in a season with a 112-79 loss to Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. Prairie View’s 0-28 mark breaks the record of 27 losses shared by four teams.

1994 — Sweden wins its first hockey gold medal, defeating Canada 3-2 in the first shootout for a championship at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Canada is 1:49 away from its first championship in 42 years when Magnus Svensson’s power-play goal ties it at 2. Paul Kariya’s shot is stopped by Sweden’s Tommy Salo after Peter Forsberg puts Sweden ahead on his team’s seventh shot.

1998 — Indiana’s 124-59 victory over Portland marks the first time in the NBA’s 51-year history that one team scores more than twice as many points as the other.

2005 — David Toms delivers the most dominant performance in the seven-year history of the Match Play Championship, winning eight out of nine holes to put away Chris DiMarco with the largest margin of victory in the 36-hole final. The score 6 and 5, could have been much worse as Toms was 9 up at one point.

2006 — Effa Manley is the first woman elected to the baseball Hall of Fame. The former Newark Eagles co-owner is among 17 people from the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues chosen by a special committee.

2010 — Steven Holcomb drives USA-1 to the Olympic gold medal in four-man bobsledding, ending a 62-year drought for the Americans in the event. Holcomb’s four-run time was 3:24.46, with Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz pushing for him.

2015 — Travis Kvapil’s NASCAR Sprint Cup car is stolen early in the day from a hotel parking lot, forcing him to withdraw from a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The team didn’t have a backup car in Atlanta, so it’s forced to drop out when the stolen machine couldn’t be located in time for NASCAR’s mandatory inspection.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

3 – 20 – 11 – 23 – 6 – 41 – 33

February 26, 1935 – The New York Yankees released their legendary slugger Babe Ruth, who wore Number 3 with the club. Ruth hit what was in essence free agency and quickly signed with the Boston Braves and put on the 3 there as well.

February 26, 1961 – Marvin Panch in his Number 20 Pontiac won the Daytona 500 in a 1960 Pontiac owned by Smokey Yunick when race leader Fireball Roberts’ car suffered a blown engine with 13 laps remaining

February 26, 1967 – Mario Andretti in his Number 11 blue Ford shows he can drive almost any type of race car and win as he takes the checkered flag in the Daytona 500. It was his one and only NASCAR Grand National event. In doing so Andretti became the only time driver born outside the US has ever won the Great American Race. That is is if you don’t want to count Jean Girard from the movie Talladega Nights, and trust me we aren’t counting him!

February 26, 1987 – The great Number 23 of this era of the NBA, Michael Jordan, poured in 58 points in one game to set a Chicago Bulls record.

February 26, 1991 – Bill Veeck a pioneer baseball executive and Tony Lazzeri, who early on in his career was known to wear the Number 6 uniform as an infielder for the New York Yankees were selected to have their career stats, stories and numbers entered into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

February 26, 2017 – At the 59th running of the Daytona 500 it was Kurt Busch in the Number 41 Haas Ford who pulled into Victory Lane after the Number 42 Chevy of driver Kyle Larson ran out of gas on last lap.

February 26, 2017 – Jeffrey Earnhardt in the Number 33 Chevy made NASCAR history, as he became the first ever 4th generation driver to compete in Daytona 500.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

1989 – Dallas Cowboys fire coach Tom Landry after a 29-year career. Tom Landry received his first glimpse of coaching as a Giant when Head Coach Steve Owen asked the young Landry to explain the 6-1-4 defense to his teammates when he was still a player in New York. In 1954 and 1955 with Steve Owen out as coach Landry served as a player/assistant coach under new head man Jim Lee Howell. Landry was the defensive coordinator while a man named Vince Lombardi was in charge of the Giants offense. Early in 1960 before they even officially existed, Tom Landry was hired as the Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The first year coach had some tough sledding as his team went 0-11-1. The Cowboys owner, Clint Murchison Jr., had faith in Landry though as he promptly signed him to a 10 year extension. The patience paid off as the team improved and in 1966 the team won 10 games and earned the right to play Lombardi’s Packers in the NFL Championship game. Landry coached teams in Dallas made the Super Bowl 5 times, winning two of them and he was a Bart Starr QB sneak in the Ice Bowl away from a sixth. 1990 Coach Landry was selected to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1991 – The World League Of American Football teams open up Training Camps just days after the league’s first draft had completed! We spoke about the draft of the WLAF on our February 24 post.

1886 – Blue Bell, Pennsylvania – The two way end/fullback from the University of Pennsylvania from 1904 through 1908, Bill Hollenback was born. For more on this legend of the game, simply click his name.

1914 – Cleveland, Ohio – The stud center from the Ohio State University from 1933 through 1935, Gomer Jones celebrated his date of birth.

1930 – Elyria, Ohio – The slick halfback of the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1949 through 1951, Vic Janowicz arrived into this world. The Football Foundation website says Vic is one of the best players to put on pads. As a sophomore defender in 1949, Vic became the hero of the 1950 Rose Bowl, as he picked off two passes, ran one back 41 yards, and helped Ohio State beat California 17-14. The following year, the coaching staff had Janowicz play on both sides of the ball. Vic’s athleticism was on full display from the tailback position of the single-wing formation, where he ran, passed, punted, blocked, and place-kicked. His highlight game of 1950 was against Pitt, where Janowicz threw four touchdown passes in a 41-7 victory. That’s not where his exploits stopped, as he booted a 90-yard punt against Minnesota, scored 46 points against Iowa, went on to become a unanimous All-American, and even won the Heisman Trophy! The National Football Foundation voters selected Vic Janowicz for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976. Vic played Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates a few years and a couple of seasons in the NFL with Washington. A car accident ended his promising pro career in both sports.

1973 – New Orleans, Louisiana – Marshall Faulk, the talented running back for San Diego State University from 1991 through 1993, was born. What can you say about this player? For starters, the footballfoundation.org tells us that he was a First-Team All-American in all three college football seasons. Faulk became the first freshman in history to lead the nation in scoring (140 points) and rushing (158.8 yards per game) in 1991. He was a finalist for the Heisman three times. The NFF selection committee called the name of Marshall Faulk in 2017 for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame. Marshall was the number 2 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons in the NFL, split between the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He amazed 12279 yards rushing for his career and added another 6874 yards receiving on 767 passes caught. Faulk scored 136 TDs and was the League MVP in 2000. Marshall was the first player to earn over 2000 yards of total offense in four consecutive seasons. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, seized the opportunity to put Marshall Faulk in a Gold Jacket in 2011.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1911 General Taylor acquires the rights to a parcel of land known as the Dana Lands, a property once owned by a leader of the Sons of Liberty named Francis Dana, at a public auction for $120,000. The Red Sox minority owner’s acquisition will become Fenway Park, the team’s new home,

1914 In London, the White Sox edge the Giants, 5-4, in 10 innings in the final contest of their World Tour. Chicago won 24 and lost 20 against New York, with two games ending in ties during their five-month global journey that included stops in Japan, Australia, and Egypt.

1935 Babe Ruth is granted his release by the Yankees, allowing the aging superstar to play for the Braves. The 39-year-old outfielder hit 659 home runs and batted .349 during his 15-year tenure with New York.

1943 The Phillies hire future Hall of Famer Bucky Harris to manage the club. The veteran skipper, who compiles a 39-54 record, will be fired by the team’s new owner, Bill Cox, at the end of July and replaced by Freddie Fitzsimmons.

1952 Don Newcombe, who posted a 56-28 record his first three years with the Dodgers, will miss the next two seasons when he is sworn into the Army to serve in the Korean War. The 26-year-old right-hander struggles upon his return in 1954 but returns to form the following season with a 20-5 record, helping the team capture their only world championship while playing in Brooklyn.

1957 The Giants trade right-hander Hoyt Wilhelm to the Cardinals for their former All-Star first baseman/outfielder Whitey Lockman. The knuckleballer will win only one of five decisions for the Redbirds before being selected off waivers by Cleveland in September, with New York’s newest infielder spending two seasons with his old club, hitting .246 in 225 games over that span.

1989 A California court throws out the $12-million breach-of-contract suit brought against Wade Boggs by Margo Adams. During their four-year association, the former Miss Anaheim claimed the Red Sox third baseman had promised her a salary and expenses.

1991 The Veterans Committee select Bill Veeck, considered the P.T. Barnum of baseball due to the imaginative innovations he put in place as the owner of the Indians (1946-50), Browns (1951-53), and White Sox (1959-61, 1975-80), for induction into the Hall of Fame. ‘Sport Shirt Bill’ integrated the American League by signing Larry Doby to play for the Tribe and assembled the 1948 World Champion Indians, a team that drew more than 2.6 million fans, setting an attendance record that lasted over three decades.

1992 Red Sox owner Jean Yawkey dies at 83 after suffering a stroke. The JRY Trust, headed by the club’s CEO John Harrington, inherits her interest in the team, selling the team to John Henry and an investor group in 2002.

2004 At Harry Caray’s restaurant in Chicago with hundreds of onlookers, including a man covered in ivy, singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Michael Lantieri blows up the foul ball made famous by Steve Bartman in the 2003 NLCS. The Oscar Award-winner, a die-hard Cubs fan who has worked on similar special effects in Jurassic Park and Back to the Future, executes the infamous ball’s demise.

2005 Atlanta Braves’ hurler Mike Hampton and his wife offer a $25,000 reward for the safe return of Jessica Marie Lunsford. The nine-year-old, who disappeared from her Florida bedroom four days ago, is in the same grade as one of the Hamptons’ two sons at Homosassa Elementary School.

2006 “He’s an idiot. He’s selfish. That’s why we don’t miss him. And we’ve held it in for far too long.” – KENNY WILLIAMS, White Sox general manager, reacting to his former player’s negative comments. Frustrated with the latest comments from former employee Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams responds by calling his former superstar selfish and an idiot. The former MVP, who signed with the A’s in January, has been very vocal about feeling unappreciated and mistreated by Chicago after spending 16 years with the organization.

2009 Tim Lincecum (18-5, 2.62) signs a $650,000, one-year deal with the Giants. The 24-year-old right-hander, last season’s National League’s Cy Young Award recipient, fanned a big league-leading 265 batters while yielding 182 hits in 227 innings.

2019 Nolan Arenado becomes baseball’s highest-paid position player annually, making $33.5 million per season after signing an eight-year, $260-million extension with the Rockies. Last month, the 27-year-old third baseman set an arbitration record, receiving a $26 million award in a one-year deal with Colorado.

TV SPORTS WEDNESDAY

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks	7:00pm	ESPN NBCS-PHI MSG
Portland Trail Blazers vs Washington Wizards	7:00pm	Rip City MNMT
Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers	7:00pm	Sportsnet FanDuel Sports IND
Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports DET NBCS-BOS
Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports Sun FanDuel Sports ATL
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Brooklyn Nets	7:30pm	YES FanDuel Sports OKC
Los Angeles Clippers vs Chicago Bulls	8:00pm	KTLA CHSN
Sacramento Kings vs Utah Jazz	9:00pm	NBCS-CA KJZZ
San Antonio Spurs vs Houston Rockets	9:30pm	ESPN KMYS SCHN

NBA on TV Thursday, 2/27/2025

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Golden State Warriors vs Orlando Magic	7:00pm	NBCS-BAY FanDuel Sports FL
Denver Nuggets vs Milwaukee Bucks	7:30pm	TNT truTV MAX
Charlotte Hornets vs Dallas Mavericks	8:30pm	FanDuel Sports CHA KFAA
New Orleans Pelicans vs Phoenix Suns	10:00pm	TNT truTV MAX
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers	10:30pm	FanDuel Sports North Spectrum
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Winnipeg Jets vs Ottawa Senators	7:00pm	ESPN+ Sportsnet
New Jersey Devils vs Colorado Avalanche	9:30pm	ESPN+ MSGSN ALT
Vancouver Canucks vs Los Angeles Kings	10:00pm	TNT truTV MAX
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Mercer at ETSU	6:00pm	Nexstar
Boston University at Lehigh	6:00pm	ESPN+
Georgetown vs. UConn	6:30pm	FS1
Michigan State at Maryland	6:30pm	BTN
Duquesne at La Salle	6:30pm	ESPN+
NC State at Syracuse	7:00pm	ESPN2/U
Ole Miss at Auburn	7:00pm	ESPN2/U
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M	7:00pm	SECN
Notre Dame at Clemson	7:00pm	ACCN
Dayton at Rhode Island	7:00pm	CBSSN
UIC at UNI	7:00pm	MVC TV
St. Bonaventure at Saint Joseph’s	7:00pm	Peacock
Fordham at George Mason	7:00pm	ESPN+
Stetson at Jacksonville	7:00pm	ESPN+
Queens at North Alabama	7:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Kentucky at North Florida	7:00pm	ESPN+
South Florida at Temple	7:00pm	ESPN+
Austin Peay at West Georgia	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bellarmine at FGCU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Kansas State at UCF	7:00pm	ESPN+
The Citadel at Furman	7:00pm	ESPN+
Wofford at Western Carolina	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bucknell at Loyola Maryland	7:00pm	ESPN+
Holy Cross at Colgate	7:00pm	ESPN+
Navy at American	7:00pm	ESPN+
Georgia State at Coastal Carolina	7:30pm	ESPN+
Charlotte at Tulane	7:30pm	ESPN+
George Washington at Loyola Chicago	8:00pm	MARQ
South Dakota at North Dakota State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Belmont at Missouri State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Drake at Evansville	8:00pm	ESPN+
Central Arkansas at Lipscomb	8:00pm	ESPN+
Rice at Memphis	8:00pm	ESPN+
Villanova at Seton Hall	8:30pm	FS1
Penn State at Indiana	8:30pm	BTN
Arkansas State at Louisiana	8:30pm	ESPN+
South Alabama at Southern Miss	8:30pm	ESPN+
Texas at Arkansas	9:00pm	ESPN2/U
Virginia at Wake Forest	9:00pm	ESPN2/U
Kentucky at Oklahoma	9:00pm	SECN
Boston College at Stanford	9:00pm	ACCN
St. John’s at Butler	9:00pm	CBSSN
Bradley at Valparaiso	9:00pm	MVC TV
DePaul at Creighton	9:00pm	Peacock
Utah at Arizona	9:00pm	ESPN+
BYU at Arizona State	9:30pm	ESPN+
Utah State at Boise State	10:30pm	FS1
Ohio State at USC	10:30pm	BTN
SMU at California	11:00pm	ESPN2/U
San Francisco at Oregon State	11:00pm	CBSSN
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Serie A: Bologna vs Milan	12:30pm	Paramount+
Coupe de France: Brest vs Dunkerque	1:00pm	FS2 fuboTV
EPL: Manchester United vs Ipswich Town	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Brentford vs Everton	2:30pm	Peacock
DFB Pokal: RB Leipzig vs Wolfsburg	2:45pm	ESPN+
Coppa Italia: Juventus vs Empoli	3:00pm	Paramount+
Coupe de France: Stade Briochin vs PSG	3:10pm	FS2 fuboTV
EPL: Liverpool vs Newcastle United	3:15pm	USA Peacock
Copa del Rey: Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid	3:30pm	ESPN+
UEFA Champions League: PSG vs Brest	3:00pm	Paramount+ fuboTV
CONCACAF Champions Cup: Cincinnati vs Motagua	6:30pm	FS2 fuboTV
SheBelieves Cup: Cincinnati vs Motagua	7:30pm	Peacock Telemundo fuboTV fuboTV
CONCACAF Champions Cup: Real Salt Lake vs Herediano	8:30pm	FS2 fuboTV
Liga MX: Toluca vs Querétaro	10:00pm	VIX
Liga MX: Atlético San Luis vs Guadalajara	10:05pm	VIX
SheBelieves Cup: USA vs Japan	10:30pm	TBS MAX Peacock fuboTV fuboTV
CONCACAF Champions Cup: Seattle Sounders FC vs Antigua GFC	10:30pm	FS2 fuboTV