INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMI-STATE
NORTH
CLASS 4A
AT ELKHART
CROWN POINT (20-5) VS. FISHERS (26-1), 10 A.M.
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (22-3) VS. MISHAWAKA (20-7), 11:45 A.M.
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
CLASS 3A
AT LOGANSPORT
PERU (16-10) VS. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (18-9), 10 A.M.
DELTA (22-6) VS. FAIRFIELD (20-6), NOON
CHAMPIONSHIP, 8 P.M.
CLASS 2A
AT LAFAYETTE JEFF
NORTH JUDSON (16-9) VS. WAPAHANI (24-2), 10:30 A.M.
WABASH (21-5) VS. FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN (21-6), 12:30 P.M.
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
CLASS A
AT MICHIGAN CITY
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN (17-9) VS. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (12-15), 10 A.M.
ELKHART CHRISTIAN (17-9) VS. FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY (16-9), NOON
CHAMPIONSHIP, 7:30 P.M.
MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES
#3 PURDUE 78 WISCONSIN 70
#12 ILLINOIS 73 IOWA 61
ELSEWHERE:
NEBRASKA 85 MICHIGAN 70
OHIO STATE 73 RUTGERS 51
DRAKE 84 INDIANA STATE 80
INDIANA 65 MICHIGAN STATE 64
PENN STATE 85 MARYLAND 69
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCORES
#3 IOWA 94 NEBRASKA 89 OT
#14 NOTRE DAME 55 #10 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 51
#9 CONNECTICUT 58 MARQUETTE 29
#1 SOUTH CAROLINA 79 #8 LSU 72
#5 USC 74 #2 STANFORD 61
GEORGETOWN 55 #21 CREIGHTON 46
NBA SCOREBOARD
MILWAUKEE 124 LA CLIPPERS 117
INDIANA 111 ORLANDO 97
WASHINGTON 110 MIAMI 108
HOUSTON 112 SACRAMENTO 104
NEW ORLEANS 116 ATLANTA 103
PHILADELPHIA 79 NEW YORK 73
BROOKLYN 120 CLEVELAND 101
OKLAHOMA CITY 124 MEMPHIS 93
LA LAKERS 120 MINNESOTA 109
NHL SCOREBOARD
EDMONTON 4 PITTSBURGH 0
MINNESOTA 4 NASHVILLE 3 OT
CAROLINA 7 CALGARY 2
CHICAGO 7 ARIZONA 4
NY ISLANDERS 6 ANAHEIM 1
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA 9 PITTSBURGH 7
WASHINGTON 7 MINNESOTA 3
NY YANKEES 9 ATLANTA 8
TORONTO 6 BALTIMORE 6
MIAMI 3 HOUSTON 0
BOSTON 7 TAMPA BAY 6
BALTIMORE 11 TORONTO 6
DETROIT 3 NY METS 2
ST. LOUIS 12 MIAMI 8
CINCINNATI 5 CLEVELAND 3
CHICAGO CUBS 5 TEXAS 1
OAKLAND 6 KANSAS CITY 3
LA DODGERS 12 ARIZONA 1
SAN FRANCISCO 5 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4
LA ANGELS 5 SAN DIEGO 4
COLORADO 3 MILWAUKEE 1
SEATTLE 8 SAN FRANCISCO 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
CINCINNATI 0 DC UNITED 0
NASHVILLE 2 LOS ANGELES 2
MONTRÉAL 3 MIAMI 2
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
TENNESSEE 8 ILLINOIS 3
COASTAL CAROLINA 11 MICHIGAN 6
PURDUE 16 ALBANY 6
PURDUE 12 ALBANY 1
VIRGINIA TECH 11 NOTRE DAME 8
SOUTHERN INDIANA 9 BELLARMINE 7
BUTLER 4 PRESBYTERIAN 1
HIGH POINT 6 RUTGERS 2
INDIANA 10 TROY 7
TROY 15 INDIANA 11
HARVARD 6 PENN STATE 5
NEBRASKA 12 S. ALABAMA 7
NORTHWESTERN 6 LOUISVILLE 3
MARYLAND 13 CHARLOTTE 2
MARYLAND 3 CHARLOTTE 2
JACKSONVILLE STATE 6 IOWA 1
VCU 8 MICHIGAN STATE 4
OHIO STATE 5 CAL POLY 3
MISSOURI 20 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 2
WESTERN CAROLINA 18 WESTERN MICHIGAN 6
BOWLING GREEN 14 MIAMI OHIO 10
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 6 OHIO 1
BALL STATE 11 EASTERN MICHIGAN 8
INDIANA STATE 7 FLORIDA A&M 2
MISSISSIPPI STATE 13 EVANSVILLE 3
CITADEL 10 VALPARAISO 6
COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES
TENNESSEE 11 OHIO STATE 0
NOTRE DAME 11 BALL STATE 3
PURDUE 4 WESTERN MICHIGAN 1
MICHIGAN 8 BOWLING GREEN 0
INDIANA 11 IUPUI 2
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 3 MICHIGAN 2
NEVADA 6 RUTGERS 4
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
CLARK SPARKS NO. 3 IOWA’S COMEBACK FOR BIG TEN TOURNEY TITLE 3-PEAT IN 94-89 OT WIN OVER NEBRASKA
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark overcame a cold start to score 30 of her 34 points after halftime and help third-ranked Iowa rally past Nebraska 94-89 in overtime to win a third straight Big Ten Tournament on Sunday.
“It never gets old cutting the net,” Clark said after black and gold confetti covered the court at Target Center to the delight of another sellout crowd packed with Hawkeyes fans. “I feel like we’re pretty good at that.”
Hannah Stuelke had 25 points and nine rebounds for Iowa (29-4), which trailed by 13 points late in the first half while their superstar Clark missed all nine of her 3-point attempts.
“You can maybe keep Caitlin down for a half. You’re not keeping her down for a whole game,” Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder said.
The all-time NCAA leading scorer finished 5 for 17 from deep, had 12 assists and hit the dagger 3-pointer with 51 seconds left in OT for an 89-87 lead just 16 seconds after Logan Nissley’s 3-pointer put the Cornhuskers in front.
“I knew some shots were going to go in,” Clark said. “That’s just how it works.”
Alexis Markowski had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead Nebraska (22-11) in a valiant performance that fell short of a second victory over Iowa this season. The Huskers beat the Hawkeyes 82-79 on Feb. 11.
Nobody else did, but we expected to win,” said Nebraska coach Amy Williams, who had tears streaming down her face at the postgame interview podium as she praised Nissley’s effort after her red-eyed players choked up during some of their remarks.
Natalie Potts had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Huskers, who led 75-67 with 2 1/2 minutes to go in regulation, before Clark drained one of her signature stepback 3-pointers. Her layup in traffic tied the game with 29 seconds left.
Nebraska played for the final shot, and Nissley’s baseline jumper was short at the buzzer. Clark waved her arms at the Iowa-dominated sellout crowd, yelling: “Come on! Five more minutes!”
The Hawkeyes were well aware of Jaz Shelley — who had 16 points and 13 assists — on that last possession of regulation after the Australian hit a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left in their last meeting.
“They tightened things up,” Williams said. “I would’ve, too.”
The Huskers played their fourth game in four days, beating Purdue, Michigan State and Maryland to reach the conference final for the first time in 10 years. Despite the 11 a.m. Central tipoff and the lost hour for the daylight saving time clock change, they sure didn’t lack for energy.
These regional rivals — one fan clutched a clever sign that read, “Iowa has better corn!” — from the conference’s soon-to-be-stretched-way-out western edge played a rugged and fierce game befitting their grind-it-out matchups on the football field. Bodies banged hard against the floor often, and the pushing for position around the basket was intense.
Markowski and Potts, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award winner, played fearlessly inside after Iowa commanded a 54-16 points-in-the-paint advantage on Michigan the day before. Clark mostly found her usual playable looks at the hoop, but the long ball just wasn’t her friend. The Hawkeyes matched every bit of the Huskers’ fire, though, and made sure they stayed within striking range by getting the ball to the basket as much as they could and locking down on defense.
“That’s probably what I’m most proud of, that we found a different way to win,” Clark said.
Clark immediately bit into Nebraska’s 46-35 halftime lead by hitting a stepback jumper from the foul line. Her first deep shot finally fell when she drifted right off the break and swished a pullup from the wing to bring Iowa within 48-42, and she pumped her fist with a slight smile on the way back.
Curling off high screens was a recipe for success. Clark gave the Hawkeyes their first lead since 5-4 when she did just that off a pass from Kate Martin — who hit all three of her 3-pointers after the third quarter — and smoothly drove in for a layup that made it 53-52.
SOUTH CAROLINA’S KAMILLA CARDOSO SHOVES LSU’S FLAU’JAE JOHNSON, IS EJECTED WITH 5 OTHER PLAYERS
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina forward Kamilla Cardoso was one of six players ejected from the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game after she shoved LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson to the floor late in the fourth quarter Sunday.
Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley had stolen the ball from Johnson, who wrapped her up and was called for an intentional foul. Johnson bumped South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins while heading to her bench, and then the 6-foot-7 Cardoso rushed in and pushed the 5-10 Johnson to the ground.
In all, four South Carolina players were ejected and the Gamecocks had six remaining. LSU was left with only five players after two were disqualified. The Gamecocks held on to win 79-72.
“For us playing a part in that, that’s not who we are,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “That’s not what we’re about.”
Cardoso issued an apology on social media shortly after the game, and her remaining teammates celebrated the championship without her.
“My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused,” Cardoso posted on X. “I take full responsibility for my actions and assure you that I am committed to conducting myself with the utmost respect and sportsmanship in the future.”
Cardoso, who averaged 14.2 points and 9.6 rebounds this season, is expected to be one of the top picks in next month’s WNBA draft.
A man identified on the ESPN telecast as Johnson’s brother jumped over the scorer’s table onto the court and briefly made contact with Cardoso before being escorted away by police officers.
The SEC, against the usual practice at its postseason tournaments, closed both locker rooms to reporters. The other players ejected — all for leaving the bench area — were South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts, Tessa Johnson and Sakima Walker, and LSU’s Aalyah Del Rosario and Janae Kent.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Johnson was smart to stop Fulwiley, who would’ve had an uncontested layup otherwise. Mulkey added that she understood emotions getting high at such a critical juncture of the game.
“It’s ugly, it’s not good, no one wants to be a part of that,” she said. “But I’ll tell you this, I wish (Cardoso) would’ve pushed Angel Reese. If you’re 6-8, don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for in my opinion. Let those two girls who were jawing, let them go at it.”
Staley, who was screaming towards the LSU bench during the incident, apologized afterward to the crowd on behalf of the ejected players, saying their emotions got the better of them.
“I know it didn’t come from an ugly place,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks led 73-66 with 2:08 to play when the dustup took place, and the game was delayed for about 15 minutes while officials reviewed video of the incident.
Cardoso, South Carolina’s leading scorer and rebounder, can expect to miss time during the NCAA Tournament. She hit the game-winning 3-pointer, her first as a college player, with 1.1 seconds to play on Saturday in South Carolina’s 74-73 semifinals win over Tennessee.
Cardoso had eight points, six rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes against LSU.
Staley said her young team — the Gamecocks lost seven seniors from a group that reached the past three Final Fours and won the national title in 2022 — is a tightknit group that sticks up for each other.
“That would have never happened with last year’s team, because they would have been so political about it,” Staley said. “Aliyah (Boston, the WNBA rookie of the year) probably would have been the referee and like, ‘No, don’t do that.’ And then you’ve got this team, they’re protectors.”
Staley said that’s an admirable quality, but her team needs a reminder about when to pull back before things get out of hand.
“I hope this is the last of the last,” Staley said.
NO. 5 USC BEATS NO. 2 STANFORD AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR PAC-12 TITLE
McKenzie Forbes scored 26 points and fifth-ranked Southern California led for all but a few early minutes in defeating No. 2 Stanford 74-61 in the Pac-12 Conference tournament championship game Sunday at Las Vegas.
Kayla Padilla had 13 points and Rayah Marshall added 10 points and 18 rebounds for Southern Cal (26-5), the tournament’s second seed, which won its only other Pac-12 tournament in 2014.
The Trojans won despite getting only nine points from freshman sensation JuJu Watkins. The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, who had 33 points in a double-overtime semifinal victory against UCLA on Friday, shot 2-for-15 from the field, including 0-for-3 on 3-pointers. She also had six of their 12 turnovers.
Watkins had 51 points in a regular-season matchup at Stanford.
Cameron Brink recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds and Kiki Iriafen had 18 points for top-seeded Stanford (28-5), which was battered on the boards. Southern California collected 18 offensive rebounds and had an overall 48-28 edge.
It was the final Pac-12 women’s tournament in the current configuration as most league members will be in other conferences beginning in the summer.
Stanford was unable to increase its record tournament total, so it was stuck on 15 titles.
Forbes shot 11-for-21 from the field and drained four of the Trojans’ nine 3-point baskets.
The Trojans, who won the regular-season matchup in Stanford 67-58, built a 53-37 lead with just under three minutes left in the third quarter. The Cardinal responded with the last seven points of the quarter.
Padilla began the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 12, and the Cardinal never got closer than eight.
Stanford was 4-for-7 on free throws for the game.
Southern California took an early 10-point lead, but Stanford caught up in the second quarter. The Trojans led 40-31 at halftime, with Watkins scoring her only two points of the half on free throws in the final two minutes before the break.
PAIGE BUECKERS STUFFS STAT SHEET AS NO. 9 UCONN DRILLS MARQUETTE
Paige Bueckers poured in 27 points and added 12 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals as No. 9 UConn shut down Marquette 58-29 in a Big East semifinal Sunday in Uncasville, Conn.
The top-seeded Huskies (28-5) will take on the winner of Sunday’s second semifinal, which pitted Georgetown against No. 21 Creighton.
UConn led 31-20 at halftime, paced by 11 points and nine boards from Bueckers, but blew the game open from there. Fifth-seeded Marquette (23-8) went scoreless in the fourth quarter, missing all 13 of its shots from the field, and shot just 18.2 percent in the second half.
The Huskies, who also got 10 points from Ice Brady, shot 47.9 percent for the game, compared to 22.2 percent for the Golden Eagles. Liza Karlen led Marquette with 12 points and nine rebounds.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
BIG TEN ANNOUNCES 2024 TIAA BIG TEN MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced the full bracket for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, set to take place March 13-17 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
All-session tickets for the 27th edition of the tournament are available for purchase at the Target Center box office or online at AXS.com. Single session tickets will go on sale Monday at 12 p.m. CT. All ticket purchases are subject to AXS and facility fees. For more information on this year’s tournament, visit the Big Ten Tournament Central page at bigten.org/MBBT.
All 13 games of this year’s Big Ten Tournament will be broadcast live, with the first-round broadcast on Peacock. Second and quarterfinal round games on Thursday and Friday will air on the Big Ten Network, as well as on the FOX Sports app. The Big Ten Tournament semifinal and championship games will be televised live on CBS and the Paramount+ app.
Purdue (28-3, 17-3 Big Ten) is the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, as the Boilermakers claimed their league-best 26th Big Ten championship. Purdue’s 28 wins are the most in a regular season in school history, while its 17 conference victories are third most in league history behind only Indiana’s 18 in 1975 and 1976.
Illinois (23-8, 14-6) will be the tournament’s No. 2 seed, the ninth time the Illini have earned a top-2 seed since the tournament began in 1998.Illinois is one of only four teams nationally to record 20-win regular seasons each of the last five years, joined by Baylor, Houston and San Diego State.
Nebraska (22-9, 12-8) secured the No. 3 seed with Sunday’s 85-70 win at Michigan, the program’s first-ever win in Ann Arbor. This marks the Huskers’ best Big Ten finish since joining the conference in 2011-12 and the program’s best conference finish since tying for second in the Big Eight in 1992-93. Nebraska’s 22 wins and 12 conference victories also tie for second on the Huskers’ all-time single-season list.
Northwestern (21-10, 12-8) claimed the No. 4 seed in the tournament after tying a program record with 12 conference wins. Northwestern tallied 10-plus league wins in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and secured a .500 or better conference record for the fourth time in the last 56 years. Its 24 Big Ten wins over the last two seasons are their most in consecutive seasons in school history, surpassing 20 wins over the 1930-31 and 1931-32 campaigns.
Each of the tournament’s top four seeds have earned double-byes and will open tournament play in Friday’s quarterfinal round.
The 2024 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, March 13 (First Round)
Game 1 (#12 Maryland vs. #13 Rutgers) – 5:30 p.m. CT (Peacock)
Game 2 (#11 Penn State vs. #14 Michigan) – 25 minutes following Game 1 (Peacock)
Thursday, March 14 (Second Round)
Game 3 (#8 Michigan State vs. #9 Minnesota) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 4 (#5 Wisconsin vs. Game 1 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 3 (BTN)
Game 5 (#7 Iowa vs. #10 Ohio State ) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 6 (#6 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 5 (BTN)
Friday, March 15 (Quarterfinals)
Game 7 (#1 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 8 (#4 Northwestern vs. Game 4 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 7 (BTN)
Game 9 (#2 Illinois vs. Game 5 winner) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 10 (#3 Nebraska vs. Game 6 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 9 (BTN)
Saturday, March 16 (Semifinals)
Game 11 (Game 7 vs. Game 8 winner) – 12 p.m. CT (CBS)
Game 12 (Game 9 vs. Game 10 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 11 (CBS)
Sunday, March 17 (Championship)
Game 13 (Game 11 vs. Game 12 winner) – 2:30 p.m. CT (CBS)
NOTES: All times are approximate and subject to change … BTN games are also available on the FOX Sports app … CBS games is also available on the Paramount+ app
EDEY HAS 25 POINTS, 14 REBOUNDS AS NO. 3 PURDUE TOPS WISCONSIN
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Zach Edey had 25 points and 14 rebounds in his home finale, becoming the first Big Ten player to exceed 2,200 career points and 1,200 boards, and No. 3 Purdue beat Wisconsin 78-70 on Sunday.
Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and Braden Smith added 10 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds for the Boilermakers (28-3, 17-3), who won their fifth straight overall and a second consecutive Big Ten title by at least three games.
Purdue’s seniors won their 59th conference game, matching the league record for victories over a four-year span set by Indiana from 1972-76.
John Blackwell scored 18 points for the Badgers (19-12, 11-9). Tyler Wahl had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and AJ Storr also scored 17.
Before the game, coach Matt Painter presented Smith, a second-year guard, with a ceremonial ball for breaking Purdue’s single-season assists record, which stood for nearly 50 years. Moments later, Purdue’s pep band played “O Canada” as a Senior Day tribute to the 7-foot-4 Edey, who’s from Toronto.
With Purdue ahead 17-9 midway through the first half, Edey limped gingerly to the bench with an apparent left leg injury. He finished the half on the bench because of foul trouble.
And after Loyer’s four-point play helped stake Purdue to a 40-26 lead, Smith appeared to hurt his right ankle on a non-contact play. He went to the locker room but returned 75 seconds later as the Boilermakers made it 44-33 at the half.
Edey and Smith remained on the floor without apparent difficulty in the second half as the Badgers twice cut the deficit to four. But the Boilermakers answered with 3-pointers each time, first by Smith and then by Caleb Furst.
BIG PICTURE
Wisconsin: The Badgers head into this week’s Big Ten Tournament as the league’s mystery team. They were ranked most of the season and climbed into the top 10 before losing four straight. They’ve now lost eight of 11.
Purdue: It’s time for the Boilermakers to focus on unfinished business following last year’s stunning first-round NCAA Tournament exit. Sure, there’s a conference tourney still ahead and the possibility of reclaiming the No. 1 ranking. But Painter’s squad had one major goal this season — and that quest begins next week.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Boilermakers are all but certain to extend the longest active streak of weeks ranked in the top five to 35.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin: Awaits its opening Big Ten tournament game.
Purdue: Heads to Minneapolis with the Big Ten’s No. 1 seed, a double bye and a Friday quarterfinal game.
NO. 12 ILLINOIS ROLLS PAST IOWA
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a game-high 25 points and No. 12 Illinois never trailed on the way to a 73-61 Big Ten road victory over Iowa in the teams’ regular-season finale Sunday night in Iowa City.
Quincy Guerrier added 14 points and 13 rebounds for Illinois (23-8, 14-6 Big Ten) while Marcus Domask recorded eight of his 11 points after Iowa chopped a 21-point deficit to four with 11 minutes to play.
Payton Sandfort paced Iowa (18-13, 10-10) with 23 points and seven rebounds and Josh Dix notched 13 points. Tony Perkins, the Hawkeyes’ No. 2 scorer and one of three players honored before the game on Senior Night, hit just 1 of 10 shots and finished with two points as Iowa scored its fewest points of the year and tied its worst field-goal percentage (35.4 percent).
Illinois and Iowa could face each other again Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. The Illini own the No. 2 seed and a double bye while the Hawkeyes are the No. 7 seed and face No. 10 seed Ohio State (19-12, 9-11) in the second round Thursday.
Iowa, which entered the game ranked No. 9 nationally in offensive efficiency per KenPom.com, came up empty on its first 10 possessions. The Hawkeyes missed nine shots and committed one turnover in the first five minutes as Illinois broke to a 10-0 lead.
Sandfort got Iowa off the schneid with a runner at the 14:58 mark, but Illinois extended its lead to 22-4 on Shannon’s drive in transition for a three-point play with 11:50 left in the half.
Iowa switched to a zone defense at that juncture, but the Illini kept rolling. Guerrier and Shannon cashed 3-pointers, then Shannon slashed through three defenders for a layup. When he added one free throw on Illinois’ next possession, he owned 13 points — two more than Iowa in an 31-11 game.
Sparked by freshman backup point guard Brock Harding, the Hawkeyes responded with a 14-2 run. Harding’s 3-pointer from the wing pulled Iowa within 33-25 with 3:28 left in the half.
Illinois carried a 39-29 lead into the break. The Illini extended their margin to 14 early in the half on Shannon’s driving layup and 3-pointer, but Iowa chipped away as Sandfort heated up. He drilled two 3-pointers and a jump hook to help the Hawkeyes cut the deficit to 51-47 with 11:15 to go.
That’s when Domask’s game-long struggles ended. He drove for a short pullup, sank a 20-foot fadeaway as the shot clock sounded and fed Dain Dainja for a layup and a dunk to reel off eight straight points and restore a 12-point margin.
BIG 12 COACHES PICK HOUSTON GUARD JAMAL SHEAD AS PLAYER OF YEAR AND TOP DEFENDER
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Houston senior point guard Jamal Shead was voted by Big 12 coaches as the conference’s player of the year after helping lead the top-ranked Cougars to the regular-season title in their inaugural season in the league.
Shead, also tabbed as the top defensive player, was the only unanimous pick on the first team announced Sunday. He goes into the postseason averaging 13.2 points, 6.2 assists and 2.3 steals.
The other first-team picks were Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson, the Michigan transfer who was also newcomer of the year, along with Iowa State sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey, Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. and Texas forward Dylan Disu.
Kelvin Sampson of the Cougars (28-3) was named by his Big 12 peers as coach of the year.
Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter was picked as freshman of the year.
The Associated Press will release its All-Big 12 teams and individual awards Tuesday.
MISSOURI STATE DISMISSES BASKETBALL COACH DANA FORD
Missouri State basketball coach Dana Ford won’t return to the program for the 2024-25 season.
Athletic director Kyle Moats announced Sunday that the school dismissed Ford after a 17-16 season, 8-12 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Ford, 39, was hired on March 22, 2018, and had a 106-82 record (64-48 MVC) in six seasons. Under Ford, the Bears’ best finish came in 2021-22, when they tied for second in the conference and earned an NIT invitation.
He coached Tennessee State (2014-18) to a 57-65 record before being hired at Missouri State.
The Bears’ season ended Friday with a loss to top-seeded Indiana State in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
“Dana has been an amazing role model for our players and a great ambassador for our university and our program,” Moats said in a news release. “Likewise, he has given so much of his time in support of youth programs, charities and other community endeavors. That’s why this decision was not easy.
“I want to thank coach Ford and his staff for their hard work and professionalism during their tenure at Missouri State.”
Moats said a national search for Ford’s successor would begin immediately.
WILLIAM & MARY FIRES COACH DANE FISCHER
William & Mary fired men’s basketball coach Dane Fischer on Sunday after a 10-23 season.
The Tribe were 4-14 in Coastal Athletic Association play and ended their season Saturday with a 67-56 loss to Towson in the second round of the conference tournament.
Fischer, 44, was 56-91 (32-50 CAA) in five seasons as head coach. In his first season, Fischer was named CAA Coach of the Year after the Tribe finished 21-11.
The team was under .500 in each of the following four seasons.
“Coach Fischer is a person of high character and integrity, and I am grateful for all he has done for our student-athletes. However, the time has come for change in our program,” athletic director Brian D. Mann said in a news release. “As a university, we hold ourselves to the highest standards and are committed to competitive excellence in all our varsity athletics programs. My focus now turns to identifying the right person to uphold those standards as our next men’s basketball coach.”
The university said the search for the next coach will begin immediately.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: ANTHONY DAVIS LIFTS LAKERS PAST WOLVES
Anthony Davis scored 27 points to go along with a season-high 25 rebounds, LeBron James added 29 points and the host Los Angeles Lakers finished off a 120-109 victory over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.
Austin Reaves scored 19 points, Rui Hachimura had 15 and D’Angelo Russell added 13 as the Lakers improved to 5-2 since Feb. 28.
Davis added five assists, seven steals and three blocks to become the first player in NBA history with at least 25 points, 25 rebounds, five assists, five steals and three blocks in a game.
Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards each scored 25 points for the Timberwolves, who were without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) for a third consecutive game. Minnesota was also missing big man Rudy Gobert (hamstring) and Kyle Anderson (shoulder).
Bucks 124, Clippers 117
Damian Lillard scored 35 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 34 to lead Milwaukee past host Los Angeles.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo each finished with seven rebounds and double digits in assists. Malik Beasley added 17 points.
With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard out with injuries, the Clippers were led by Norman Powell with 26 points. Ivica Zubac added 18 and Amir Coffey scored 16 while grabbing 10 rebounds.
Pelicans 116, Hawks 103
Trey Murphy III came off the bench to score 28 points and Zion Williamson added 27 to lead New Orleans past host Atlanta for its fourth consecutive victory.
Murphy scored 20 points in the first half to help New Orleans build a 20-point lead that the Hawks could never overcome. He was 10-for-18 from the floor for the game with six 3-pointers and seven rebounds. Murphy has scored 26-plus points in four of his past six games.
Atlanta got 25 points from Bogdan Bogdanovic, who made seven 3-pointers, and 23 points and 11 assists from Dejounte Murray. Clint Capela finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds for his 26th double-double of the season.
Wizards 110, Heat 108
Kyle Kuzma scored a game-high 32 points and added nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks as Washington upset host Miami.
It was the Wizards’ second straight win after a franchise-tying 16-game losing streak.
The Heat have lost three consecutive games, Miami’s worst skid since dropping seven straight in January.
Pacers 111, Magic 97
Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam scored 20 points apiece as visiting Indiana took control in the second half to beat Orlando.
T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin added 17 points each for Indiana, which trailed by 15 early in the second quarter. Aaron Nesmith scored 16 points and Myles Turner finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 19 points. Cole Anthony scored 16 points, Franz Wagner finished with 13, Wendell Carter Jr. chipped in with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Joe Ingles added 11 points.
Rockets 112, Kings 104
Fred VanVleet posted team highs of 22 points and nine assists while Jalen Green chipped in 19 points, including a key 3-pointer down the stretch, as visiting Houston held off Sacramento.
The Rockets claimed their third consecutive road win while sweeping the three-game season series from the Kings, who were led by Domantas Sabonis (25 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, two blocks) and Malik Monk, who scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. De’Aaron Fox added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Kings.
Alperen Sengun came down with an apparent right knee injury after committing the foul and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair.
76ers 79, Knicks 73
Kelly Oubre Jr. collected 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to fuel visiting Philadelphia past New York.
Paul Reed scored 13 points and Tobias Harris recorded 11 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, who snapped a three-game skid by defeating the Knicks for the first time in three tries this season. The teams reconvene in New York on Tuesday.
New York shot just 32.5 percent from the floor and 22.5 percent (9 of 40) from 3-point range and had 21 turnovers to finish with the NBA’s lowest point total for a game this season. The Knicks were on the positive end of the previous season-low point total in their 98-74 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday.
Nets 120, Cavaliers 101
Cam Thomas scored 29 points and Brooklyn pulled away in the second half to beat host Cleveland.
In his second game back from a six-game absence due to an ankle injury, Thomas helped the Nets rebound nicely from a pair of sub-par performances in losses to the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets. His big night pulled Brooklyn within 3 1/2 games of the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers fell to 9-8 this season without Donovan Mitchell, who missed his sixth straight game with a bruised left knee. Cleveland also was without Max Strus (knee), Evan Mobley (ankle) and Dean Wade (personal).
Thunder 124, Grizzlies 93
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points to lead Oklahoma City past visiting Memphis.
The Thunder stayed hot at home, stretching their winning streak on their home court to nine, the longest active home streak in the NBA.
Rookie GG Jackson led the Grizzlies with a career-high 30 points.
GOBERT FINED $100K FOR MONEY GESTURE, CRITICIZING REFS
The NBA fined Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert $100,000 for directing an “inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” toward an official as well as “publicly criticizing the officiating,” the league announced Sunday.
The league took into account the Frenchman’s previous criticism of referees when assessing its punishment.
The incident occurred late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s 113-104 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After Gobert was called for his sixth foul, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year was subsequently issued a technical foul for making a money sign gesture at a referee.
Gobert doubled down on his actions postgame, implying that sports gambling is influencing how officials call the game.
“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert told reporters following the loss. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”
NFL NEWS
REPORTS: RUSSELL WILSON SIGNING 1-YEAR DEAL WITH STEELERS
After reportedly meeting with the Steelers on Friday, quarterback Russell Wilson will sign a one-year deal with Pittsburgh, multiple media outlets reported Sunday night.
Wilson, 35, also reportedly sat down with the New York Giants before apparently deciding to team up with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Per an ESPN report, Wilson — a former Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback — will sign a team-friendly deal that will result in his former employer, the Denver Broncos, paying $38 million of his salary.
Upon the reports surfacing on Sunday, Wilson posted a video of Steelers fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with the caption, “Year 13. Grateful.”
Wilson would join Kenny Pickett, the Steelers’ 2022 first-round pick, as the team’s only quarterbacks under contract. Mason Rudolph started three games and led Pittsburgh to the playoffs in 2023 but is headed to free agency.
Earlier this week, the Broncos gave Wilson permission to seek a new employer before they officially release him when the 2024 NFL league year begins on Wednesday. The Broncos are facing a huge dead-cap hit of $85 million but can save some money if the veteran lands a new deal.
Wilson was benched for the last two games of the 2023 season to avoid an injury that would trigger guarantees in his contract. He posted an 11-19 record in 30 starts across two seasons with the Broncos.
Wilson took Seattle to a pair of Super Bowls during a decorated decade with the Seahawks, winning a championship at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
He won 104 regular-season games as the starter in Seattle and has passed for 43,653 yards with 334 touchdowns and 106 interceptions in 188 career contests. He has added 5,307 rushing yards and 29 scores.
REPORTS: 49ERS DL ARIK ARMSTEAD SET TO BECOME FREE AGENT
Veteran defensive lineman Arik Armstead will be heading to free agency after he and the San Francisco 49ers failed to reach a deal, ESPN and Bleacher Report reported Sunday.
San Francisco attempted to restructure Armstead’s contract, but the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement, per ESPN’s report. Armstead is now expected to be released.
If the 49ers were to immediately release Armstead, they would face a $25.86 million dead-money charge and would save only $2.492 million against the cap. San Francisco could work around this, though, but it would have to add a post-June 1 designation, which would allow the team to save over $18 million by dispersing the dead money over future years.
Armstead, 30, had five sacks and 27 tackles in 12 games (all starts) last season, his ninth with San Francisco after he was selected with the No. 17 pick in the 2015 draft.
In 116 career games (97 starts), Armstead has recorded 33.5 sacks, 302 tackles and three forced fumbles.
REPORT: WR KENDRICK BOURNE RETURNING TO PATRIOTS ON 3-YEAR DEAL
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has agreed to re-sign with the New England Patriots on a three-year deal, ESPN reported Sunday.
Bourne’s new contract could be worth up to $33 million, and it also features a $4.2 million signing bonus, per the report.
Bourne, 28, was limited to eight games (five starts) last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a loss to the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 29. He had 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns before having his campaign cut short.
In 99 career games (25 starts) with the San Francisco 49ers (2017-20) and Patriots, Bourne has amassed 264 receptions for 3,409 yards and 21 TDs.
PATRIOTS AGREE TO TRADE QB MAC JONES TO THE JAGUARS FOR A 6TH-ROUND DRAFT PICK, AP SOURCE SAYS
Booed and benched the past two years in New England, quarterback Mac Jones is headed home to become a backup.
The Patriots and new coach Jerod Mayo agreed Sunday to trade Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick in next month’s NFL draft, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins Wednesday and after Jones passes a physical.
The move brings Jones home — he was born and raised in Jacksonville — and provides competition behind starter Trevor Lawrence.
Jones will vie with 30-year-old C.J. Beathard for the team’s backup spot. Jones will count $4.96 million against the team’s salary cap in the final year of his rookie contract. Beathard is scheduled to count $2.4 million in the final year of his deal.
The Jaguars are unlikely to keep both on their 53-man roster to start the season.
Jones, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft, flamed out spectacularly last season and was eventually replaced by Bailey Zappe. Jones went 2-9 in 11 starts in 2023, throwing for 2,120 yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
He has 46 TD passes and 36 INTs in three NFL seasons. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021, but he regressed in his second year with former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia calling plays.
The Patriots are expected to select a quarterback with the third overall pick in the draft. LSU’s Jayden Daniels, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy could be options there.
The Jaguars were looking for a younger option behind Lawrence. Beathard won his lone start last season, but he also injured his non-throwing shoulder in an earlier appearance and was so banged up late in the season that Jacksonville nearly had to start journeyman Matt Barkley off the street.
Adding Jones is one of a few changes Jacksonville is making to its offense in 2024. The team re-signed left guard Ezra Cleveland, renegotiated a reduced cap number for right guard Brandon Scherff and plan to bring in a veteran center to compete with third-year pro Luke Fortner. Receiver could be a top target in the draft if the Jags lose Calvin Ridley in free agency.
General manager Trent Baalke and coach Doug Pederson have been adamant that Lawrence is their guy, and they hope to sign him to a long-term deal — maybe even before next season.
REPORT: BUCS, MAYFIELD NEARING 3-YEAR, $100M DEAL
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finalizing a three-year, $100-million contract to retain quarterback Baker Mayfield, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The agreement includes $50 million in guaranteed money and will carry a maximum value of $115 million with incentives, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Mayfield signed a one-year, $4-million contract with Tampa Bay as a free agent and had the unenviable task of stepping in under center following the retirement of Tom Brady in 2023.
He went on to set career highs with 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in his first campaign with the Bucs as Tampa Bay captured the NFC South title and earned a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round.
“I wanted a chance to come back,” Mayfield told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I love coach (Todd) Bowles and the staff. I’m happy to be here and I want to win more in the postseason.”
After spending his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He was released by Carolina later that season and claimed by the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bucs have now retained two key offensive starters after they re-signed receiver Mike Evans to a two-year, $52-million deal. All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield is also expected to remain with the organization after the team franchise tagged him earlier this month.
Mayfield was one of the notable Bucs starters poised to hit the free-agent market next week. Linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White are some of the other key players set to hit the market.
REPORT: BEARS SIGNING BYARD TO 2-YEAR, $15M DEAL
The Chicago Bears are signing free-agent safety Kevin Byard to a two-year contract, a source told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
Byard’s contract is worth $15 million, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Philadelphia Eagles released the defensive back on March 1 after acquiring him in a midseason trade with the Tennessee Titans last October.
Byard began his career with the Titans as a 2016 third-round pick, and quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s premier ballhawks.
He spent seven-and-a-half seasons in Tennessee, racking up 27 interceptions – including an NFL-high eight picks in 2017 – and earning two first-team All-Pro nominations.
Byard will fill the void at the back of the Bears’ defense created by longtime starter Eddie Jackson’s release.
REPORT: FALCONS MAJOR CONTENDERS FOR COUSINS
The Atlanta Falcons are major contenders to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency, sources told Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly still attempting to retain Cousins, who spent the last six seasons with the NFC North club.
Minnesota expects Cousins to inform the team of his decision to explore free agency Sunday night, sources told Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
Cousins’ contract doesn’t void until the new league year begins Wednesday. The Vikings have until then to extend him before his $28.5-million dead-money hit is officially on the books. The early free-agent tampering period starts Monday at 4 p.m. ET.
The veteran passer’s 2023 campaign ended after eight games due to a torn Achilles.
Cousins is considered the top quarterback set to become available on the open market, and he said in January that he’s targeting a return to action during OTAs.
The Vikings reportedly aren’t willing to give him the fully guaranteed deals he’s commanded in the past. He inked a three-year, $84-million fully guaranteed pact with the club as a free agent in 2018.
The Falcons desperately need an established quarterback: Poor play from both Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke held the team out of the playoffs in 2023.
Cousins was in the midst of one of his best seasons before going down with injury, throwing for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions.
EAGLES ALL-PRO DT FLETCHER COX RETIRES AFTER 12 SEASONS
Six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, announced his retirement on Sunday over social media.
Cox, 33, is one of the most lauded defensive players in franchise history. He helped the Eagles win their lone Super Bowl title in the 2017 season.
“After much reflection, I have made the decision to retire from the game of football,” Cox wrote in a social media post. “I gave everything I had to this team and to this city. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I do know that I’m forever grateful for my time here in Philadelphia and with the Eagles organization. Go Birds!”
He started 182 of 188 games for the Eagles. He totaled 519 tackles, including 88 tackles for loss and 70 sacks, along with 173 quarterback hits, 16 forced fumbles, 14 fumble recoveries and three returned for touchdowns.
Last season, Cox recorded 33 tackles, five sacks, three tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits in 15 games.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl in the 2015 through 2020 seasons, and was first-team All-Pro in 2018.
He thanked family members, his girlfriend, Eagles fans, the city of Philadelphia, the organization, current and former head coaches and several teammates in his statement.
The Eagles selected him 12th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State.
“April 26, 2012 was a special day that changed my life forever when Andy Reid called me to say I would be drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles,” Cox wrote. “I fulfilled a lifelong dream by making it to the NFL. But what I didn’t know at the time was how much of an honor and privilege it would be to represent the city of Philadelphia and the Eagles organization for the next 12 seasons.”
Cox set the franchise record for most sacks (70) and Pro Bowl honors (six) for a defensive tackle, and is second behind longtime teammate Brandon Graham (195) for career regular-season games.
“What made Fletcher truly special is that his influence extends even further behind the scenes,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “The six-time team captain was a key figure in establishing a championship culture in our building. As nasty as he was on the field, he was a master of his craft while also serving as a big brother and mentor to so many young players over the years.
“He had a tremendous amount of respect for the game of football and the legacy he would one day be leaving behind, and that was reflected in the way he set the standard every single day whether on the practice field or in the locker room. That standard will live on for many years thanks to his leadership and the respect he earned from everyone in the building.
“We are incredibly thankful for everything he gave to our organization and to the City of Philadelphia over the years, and we wish him all the best as he embarks on the future.”
REPORT: JETS RE-SIGN S CHUCK CLARK TO 1-YEAR DEAL
The New York Jets are bringing back safety Chuck Clark on a one-year deal, ESPN reported Sunday.
Clark, 28, was set to become a free agent on Wednesday. Financial terms were not available.
The Jets acquired Clark last March from the Baltimore Ravens for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He tore his ACL in the team’s offseason program and missed the season.
Clark was a sixth-round pick in the 2017 draft by Baltimore, where he played six seasons.
In 96 regular-season career games (63 starts), Clark had 384 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five interceptions, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two touchdowns (one on an interception return, one on a fumble return).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
REPORT: EX-ARIZONA STATE, NOTRE DAME QB DREW PYNE TRANSFERS TO MISSOURI
Former Arizona State and Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne committed to Missouri, ESPN reported Sunday.
Pyne entered the NCAA transfer portal in December and re-enrolled at Notre Dame for the spring semester to earn his degree in American Studies. When he transferred to Arizona State, he was one semester short of graduation.
As a graduate transfer at Missouri, he’ll be eligible to play immediately and will have three years of eligibility remaining after factoring in a medical redshirt and the extra year granted by the NCAA for the pandemic-impacted season.
He’ll be joining a quarterback room headed by Brady Cook, who led Missouri to a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State in December and is returning for his final season of eligibility.
Backup quarterback Sam Horn will miss the upcoming season following Tommy John surgery.
Pyne, 23, began his college football career in 2020 at Notre Dame. He saw limited action the first two seasons, redshirting as a freshman, and started 10 games in 2022 with an 8-2 record, including 4-1 against top 25 teams.
The Connecticut native transferred to Arizona after the 2022 season but played in just two games for the Sun Devils because of a lingering hamstring injury and other injuries.
In his career, Pyne has appeared in 19 games, completing 61.6 percent of his passes for 2,530 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
MLB NEWS
SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: RYAN WEATHERS HELPS MARLINS SHUT OUT ASTROS
Ryan Weathers pitched five shutout innings — striking out seven and walking none — as the visiting Miami Marlins blanked the Houston Astros 3-0 Sunday afternoon in a split-squad game in Palm Beach, Fla.
Weathers (1-0) gave up three hits in lowering his spring ERA to 1.32 over four games and 13 2/3 innings. Teammates Trey Mancini and Nick Gordon each had two hits; Mancini homered in the second inning.
Houston was held to six hits by Weathers and two relievers. The Astros used eight pitchers, with the first reliever — Ryan Pressly (0-1) — taking the loss after giving up Mancini’s solo shot in the second inning.
The Marlins won despite getting one fewer hit than the Astros.
Cardinals 12, Marlins 8
Thomas Saggese went 4-for-4 and drove in six runs to power visiting St. Louis past Miami’s split squad in Jupiter, Fla.
Saggese had only one extra-base hit in his barrage — a three-run double in the eighth inning. He is batting .391 this spring.
Miami scored four runs in the third inning, two on Josh Bell’s homer to center.
Tigers 3, Mets 2
Brant Hurter surrendered one run over the first three innings, and Jace Jung and 22-year-old Colt Keith drove in one run apiece to lead visiting Detroit past New York in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
For New York, Adrian Houser pitched 3 1/3 perfect innings with five strikeouts, and Mark Vientos and Tomas Nido hit solo homers.
All of Detroit’s scoring was done in the final three innings. The Tigers held on after taking a 3-1 lead in the eighth.
Red Sox 7, Rays 6
Bobby Dalbec hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as Boston took a 7-5 lead and held on to defeat Tampa Bay in the finale of the teams’ two-game set in the inaugural Dominican Republic Series in Santo Domingo.
Ceddanne Rafaela hit his second homer of the spring in the fifth inning before Dalbec’s grand slam for the Red Sox an inning later. Garrett Whitlock started and held Tampa Bay to three runs (two earned) on three hits over 3 1/3 frames.
Richie Palacios went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for the Rays, who were swept in the brief series.
Phillies 9, Pirates 7
A fielding error by Pittsburgh second baseman Termarr Johnson allowed Matt Kroon to reach base and Erick Brito and Carson Taylor to score in the top of the ninth inning, and Philadelphia held off host Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.
Kody Clemens hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to tie the game 5-5 for the Phillies, and Garrett Stubbs had two hits to raise his spring batting average to .429.
Oneil Cruz hit a solo homer and a two-run shot and Bryan Reynolds also homered to help the Pirates build a 5-0 lead. The teams combined for 21 hits; Philadelphia had 11.
Yankees 9, Braves 8
Juan Soto’s fourth home run of the spring put the Yankees ahead for good, Jose Trevino had a solo homer and host New York ended a five-game losing streak with a victory over Atlanta in Tampa, Fla.
Oswaldo Cabrera had three hits to pace the Yankees’ 17-hit attack. Trevino, who added a second RBI on a sacrifice fly, was making his spring debut after being out with a calf injury.
Atlanta banged out 11 hits and led 4-0 after the first inning, buoyed by Sean Murphy’s three-run double. Luke Williams and Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. homered for the Braves.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 6
Alan Roden went 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs to help Toronto tie host Baltimore in Sarasota, Fla.
For the Orioles, Adley Rutschman had a leadoff homer, and starting pitcher Corbin Burnes gave up five runs and six hits in three innings to increase his spring ERA to 12.71. He walked one and struck out two.
Both teams entered the game with winning streaks — the Orioles at four games and the Blue Jays at three.
Orioles 11, Blue Jays 6
Anthony Santander had two home runs and four RBIs and Ryan McKenna went 2-for-3 with a homer to lead Baltimore over host Toronto in Dunedin, Fla., in the second of two split-squad games between the teams.
The Orioles finished with 14 hits, including five home runs. Jackson Holliday and Michael Perez also went yard.
Alejandro Kirk hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who wound up with nine hits.
Nationals 7, Twins 3
Riley Adams and James Wood had two hits and two runs apiece as visiting Washington beat Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.
Nationals starter Joan Adon (1-0) threw three scoreless innings with two hits and a walk.
Max Kepler hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to lead the Twins. Starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (0-2) gave up four runs (three earned) and five hits in four innings.
MEN’S GOLF
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, WITH HOT PUTTER, DEMOLISHES THE FIELD TO WIN AT BAY HILL
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler figured the simple solution to his putting struggles was to quit trying so hard. That’s what he did at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and it wasn’t a fair fight.
The best in the world from tee to green, Scheffler didn’t miss a putt inside 15 feet on the weekend. On a tough Sunday at Bay Hill, he played bogey-free in the final group and closed with a 6-under 66, by two shots the best score of the final round.
The result was a five-shot victory, the largest at Bay Hill since Tiger Woods in 2012.
“It would be borderline unfair if he starts putting really good,” U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark said after finishing second. “I never want to wish ill on anybody, but if starts putting positive each week it’s going to be really hard to beat.”
The positive was in reference to the “strokes gained” statistic, regarded as the most accurate measure. Scheffler usually is on the negative side, no tournament more glaring than the Memorial last year. He lost 8.5 shots to the field in putting and missed a playoff by one shot.
“His ball-striking is, honestly, on another level compared to everyone else right now,” Rory McIlroy said. “We knew if he started to hole putts, then this sort of stuff would happen.”
Scheffler was simply unstoppable.
He holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, built a three-shot lead at the turn and then poured it on as a Clark, Shane Lowry and Will Zalatoris were simply trying to survive Bay Hill.
Scheffler hit wedge to 8 feet for birdie on No. 10. He hit another wedge to 6 feet on No. 11. He made key par saves, and then poured in a 35-foot birdie on the 15th, letting out a yell with a light fist pump.
“Part of the problem is just trying too hard,” Scheffler said. “It’s frustrating to not have the best of myself, just because I know that I can putt really well. It’s not like I’ve been a bad putter my whole career. I’ve just gone through a stretch where it’s been tough.
“I think this week I did a really good job of not letting the misses get to me.”
Scheffler finished at 15-under 273 and won $4 million from the $20 million purse of this signature event. It was his seventh career win, all against some of the strongest fields.
And it came a week before Scheffler defends his title at The Players Championship, which had been his last official PGA Tour win.
All that held him back over the last year was the putter. Scheffler switched to a mallet model this week, but far more important was keeping quiet between the ears, thinking more about the stroke than the outcome.
Both were superb.
“I just stayed in my own little space and tried to keep pushing,” Scheffler said.
Scheffler had spoken earlier in the week about learning to quiet the mind. The trick was not to block out the noise — in this case, endless questions about his putting — and focus on something positive. He also made sure not to let putting take away from the fact he was playing golf like no one else from tee-to-green.
“He showed today why he’s world No. 1,” said Lowry, who started the day tied for the lead and never had a chance. Lowry finished with three birdies and seven pars over the last 10 holes for a 72 to finish third.
Clark did the best at trying to stay close, and he was two shots behind through eight holes. But it all turned so quickly. Clark drove into the rough and made bogey on the ninth hole and then didn’t make another birdie until the par-5 16th.
Clark birdied the 18th for a quite the consolation prize. He earned $2.2 million as the runner-up.
Zalatoris and Russell Henley each had a 72 and tied for fourth. Zalatoris secured a spot in the British Open for having the lowest score among players not already exempt.
Scheffler’s lead atop the world ranking got even larger over McIlroy, who had a chance to overtake him with a victory at Bay Hill. McIlroy started the final round four shots behind and promptly shot 41 on the front nine. He shot 76 and tied for 21st.
“This is a super tough golf course and to be 6 under today going out with the lead and just sort of lapping the field is super impressive,” McIlroy said. “But we all knew that he had this in him.”
This should at least stop questions about Scheffler’s putting. He led the field in the most vital putting statistic on Sunday and ranked fifth for the week. This came after he indicated earlier in the week how much the constant questions were grating on him.
“If I get asked constantly about putting, sometimes it feels like I’m not playing well. But I’m playing pretty darn good,” he said on Monday while at the TPC Sawgrass.
Bay Hill was the perfect reminder.
“It had been awhile since I won,” Scheffler said. “There had been a lot of chatter about my game and the state of where it was at, and so it was nice to kind of come in here with a good mental attitude and to perform well under pressure.
“And I think today’s round was really special for me going forward.”
ABRAHAM ANCER BEATS CAMERON SMITH, PAUL CASEY IN PLAYOFF TO WIN LIV GOLF TOURNAMENT IN HONG KONG
HONG KONG (AP) — Abraham Ancer regained just enough of the composure that helped him pull out to a five-stroke lead after two rounds to beat Cameron Smith and Paul Casey in a playoff and win the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Ancer’s comfortable lead at the start of the final round gradually disappeared with the Mexican struggling to keep pace with the chasing pack after a 2-over round of 72 at the Hong Kong Golf Club course.
Casey’s 6-under 64 final round, which led his Crushers GC to the team title, pulled him even with Ancer while Smith shot 4 under to secure a place in the playoff with the trio finishing at 13 under for the tournament.
With heavy rain falling, Ancer rediscovered his touch to find the fairway with his opening drive of the first playoff hole on the 18th while Casey and Smith pushed theirs right and left, respectively. His spectacular approach shot set up a short birdie putt that he converted while Casey and Smith both finished with bogeys.
“I made that so hard on myself,” said Ancer. “The ball striking wasn’t there but mentally I was really strong so I felt really good, I felt like I was not going to give up.
“That round could have gone south really quickly and hit some good bunker shots, some good putts that I needed to and just get myself in it and hit the right shot at the right time there in the playoff.”
Joaquin Niemann, who won the Jeddah tournament in Saudi Arabia last week for his second LIV victory in three starts, finished a stroke back of the playoff group after a sparkling 7 under in his final round.
The Hong Kong tournament is the second of three LIV Golf events that are part of the Asian swing, with the third in early May in Singapore. The week before Singapore, the LIV series will be in the Pacific region with a second consecutive tournament at The Grange in Adelaide, Australia from April 26-28.
Next up on the LIV tour will be Miami from April 5-7.
WOMENS’ GOLF
BAILEY TARDY SETS RECORD AT BLUE BAY FOR FIRST LPGA TOUR VICTORY
American Bailey Tardy captured her first LPGA Tour victory on Sunday, winning the Blue Bay LPGA by a record six strokes at 19-under-par 269 in Hainan Island, China.
Tardy, in her second year on tour, tied for the low round of the day with a 7-under 65 at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course. But her round started unremarkably with pars on the first seven holes before she sank a 51-foot eagle putt on the par-5 eighth hole.
A birdie on the par-4 ninth hole followed for 33 on the front nine, then Tardy rebounded from her lone bogey at the par-4 No. 10 with a birdie run at Nos. 11, 12 and 13. More birdies were carded at Nos. 15 and 17 as she pulled away from the field for a four-stroke victory.
Sarah Schmelzel (69) finished in second place at 15-under.
“I got off to a little slow start on the front nine, and then just really stayed patient out there,” said Tardy, 27, a former University of Georgia player. “I can’t say that I woke up today knowing I was going to shoot 65 or knowing I needed to go that low to win. I just knew it was going to be a tough day. I thought that everybody was going to play really well. The leaderboard was stacked and the conditions were windy, so just really proud of myself and how I handled myself.”
Tardy started the final round sharing the lead with Lydia Ko of New Zealand and American Schmelzel.
Ko, a 20-time winner, tied for fourth at 13 under after a 71. A win would have given her the 27th and final point she needed to qualify for the LPGA’s Hall of Fame.
Schmelzel, who also broke Minjee Lee’s tournament record set in 2016, registered her best result on the LPGA Tour, bettering her third-place finish at the 2022 LPGA Drive on Championship.
Like Tardy, Schmelzel was playing in the Blue Bay LPGA for the first time. She started fast on Sunday with three birdies, then made three bogeys over the next six holes, bookended around a birdie. The back nine was better with birdies at Nos. 14 and 18 for a round of 69 — her fourth consecutive round in the 60s.
Japan’s Ayaka Furue, who also carded a 65 on Sunday, was alone in third place at 14-under par.
Ruixin Liu (70 on Sunday) finished in seventh place at 12-under 276 — the lowest score for a player from China — in her 2024 season debut.
“It’s been amazing week for me,” she said. “You know, the crowd is amazing, super supportive, and every putt I sink they went crazy. So I totally enjoyed it. I’m a little exhausted after coming back from three months break. You know, it gives me a lot of confidence moving forward since I’m not full status. We’re going to see how reshuffle going to take me after this week.”
Defending champion Gaby Lopez tied for 12th at 8-under 280 after a 69 in the final round.
NHL NEWS
FLYERS COACH TORTORELLA SUSPENDED 2 GAMES FOR REFUSING TO LEAVE BENCH AFTER GAME MISCONDUCT.
NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella was suspended for two games and fined $50,000 by the NHL on Sunday for unprofessional conduct directed at the officials by refusing to leave the bench area after a game misconduct.
Tortorella reluctantly left the bench Saturday night after receiving the game misconduct and a bench minor early in the Flyers’ 7-0 loss at Tampa Bay.
On a night that the 2004 Stanley Cup-winning Lightning team that Tortorella coached was honored, he lasted just 10:49 into the game before receiving the penalties right after Philadelphia fell behind 4-0.
Tortorella expressed displeasure toward the officials, and then repeatedly told referees Wes McCauley and Brandon Schrader that he would not leave. He relented after a couple minutes and headed to the locker room. Tortorella was replaced by associate coach Brad Shaw.
Tortorella will miss homes games Tuesday night against San Jose and Thursday night against Toronto.
NHL ROUNDUP: ISLES SINK DUCKS, GET BACK IN WILD-CARD SPOT
Casey Cizikas, Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson scored in the first period on Sunday night for the surging New York Islanders, who moved into an Eastern Conference wild-card spot by beating the host Anaheim Ducks 6-1.
Bo Horvat, Pierre Engvall and Cal Clutterbuck scored in the third for the Islanders, who have won six straight — their longest winning streak since a nine-game run from Feb. 28-March 14, 2021.
The Islanders and Detroit Red Wings have 72 points apiece, but New York has a game in hand in the wild-card race. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who started for the Islanders for the first time since Feb. 22, made 22 saves.
Alex Killorn scored for the fourth straight game for the Ducks, who have lost three of their past four (1-3-0). Goalie Lukas Dostal recorded 13 saves.
Oilers 4, Penguins 0
Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, Darnell Nurse scored twice and Calvin Pickard stopped all 41 shots he faced as visiting Edmonton blanked
Pittsburgh.
Pickard, who briefly left at the end of the second but faced all the Penguins’ shots, picked up his second shutout of the season, the sixth of his career and his first against Pittsburgh.
Mattias Ekholm added a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who had lost two in a row. They have won six straight against Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry made 38 saves for the Penguins, who have lost three in a row and six of seven.
Wild 4, Predators 3 (OT)
Matt Boldy scored the winning goal 3:50 into overtime to lift Minnesota over Nashville in Saint Paul, Minn.
Jonas Brodin, Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman also scored for the Wild, who improved to 3-0-1 in their past four games. Boldy had two assists to go along with his goal.
Mark Jankowski, Luke Evangelista and Ryan O’Reilly each scored for Nashville. By forcing overtime, the Predators earned at least one point for their 12th game in a row (10-0-2).
Hurricanes 7, Flames 2
Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen each produced a goal and two assists as Carolina blew out Calgary at Raleigh, N.C.
Jordan Martinook, Jalen Chatfield, Brent Burns and Seth Jarvis also had goals for the Hurricanes, who won their third game in a row and fifth game in their last six. Chatfield and Jarvis also had assists, and Jordan Staal and Jesperi Kotkaniemi provided two assists apiece.
Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen made 17 saves. Dryden Hunt and Yegor Sharangovich had the Calgary goals and Dan Vladar went the distance in the nets for the Flames, recording 33 saves.
Blackhawks 7, Coyotes 4
Colin Blackwell recorded his first career hat trick and Connor Bedard had two goals and an assist as Chicago beat visiting Arizona.
Blackwell entered with five goals in 34 games this season, but helped fuel Chicago’s comeback from two goals down. He capped his career night with an empty-netter.
Coyotes star Clayton Keller scored twice and ex-Blackhawks player Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists. Arizona has allowed 17 goals while losing three of four.
NASCAR NEWS
CHRISTOPHER BELL PULLS OUT EMOTIONAL VICTORY AT PHOENIX RACEWAY
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Christopher Bell surged into the lead when Martin Truex Jr. was forced to pit and pulled away for an emotional NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s victory comes on the heels of a pair of heartbreaks in the desert.
Two years ago, JGR vice chairman Coy Gibbs was found dead in his hotel room following his son Ty’s Xfinity season championship. Bell made it to the Cup Series championship four in November, but a broken rotor spoiled his championship hopes in the season finale at Phoenix.
Bell’s win in the No. 20 Toyota also ended Chevrolet’s perfect start to the season after winning the first three races. He is the eighth different winner in eight races at Phoenix Raceway’s mile tri-oval.
Chris Buescher finished second and Ty Gibbs was third. Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.
The Phoenix race marked the debut of NASCAR’s new aerodynamics package for short tracks in hopes of producing more passing on tracks of a mile or less and road courses. Goodyear also produced tires with thicker treads designed to retain heat and increase lap-time falloff.
Starting 13th, Bell took advantage of the changes, overcoming two slow pit stops to charge back to the front. Bell moved into the lead with 40 laps to go when leader Truex had to pit for fuel and tires.
Bell led the final 49 laps for his seventh career Cup Series victory — first since Homestead in October.
Truex and his crew made calculated gamble on lap 217, opting to stay out when most of the leaders went into the pits.
The JGR driver stayed in the lead, hoping he would have enough fuel and his tires would hold out long enough to reach the checkered flag. Neither happened and Truex was forced to the pits. He finished seventh.
HAMLIN SPINS
Pole sitter Denny Hamlin took advantage of having the first stall to twice take the lead out of the pits, but ran into trouble with about 100 laps left.
Trying to pass Reddick, Hamlin’s No. 11 car got loose and he spun out, causing a caution that sent most of the cars to the pits. Hamlin dropped to 23rd after a pit stop and finished 11th.
CINDRIC’S BAD LUCK
Austin Cindric had an early end to his day, a week after a spinout knocked him well back in the pack at Las Vegas.
Cindric completed six laps at Phoenix Raceway before being involved in a wreck with Austin Dillon and Derek Kraus. Dillon and Kraus were able to return to the track, but Cindric’s car was damaged too much.
Cindric finished 29th at Las Vegas and was in contention at the Daytona 500 before getting caught up in a late wreck.
“I felt like I got hit twice,” Cindric said. “I knew the 3 (Dillon) was on the inside, but I thought he would fall back but he came back up. It’s just a product of not qualifying well.”
UP NEXT
The Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee next weekend.
INDYCAR NEWS
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, TEAM PENSKE DOMINATE IN ST. PETERSBURG
Josef Newgarden cruised to a convincing victory Sunday at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, IndyCar’s season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The two-time IndyCar Series champion recorded his 30th career victory in the series after driving his No. 2 Penske Chevrolet to a 7.9121-second win over Mexico’s Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren Racing.
Newgarden, who finished the race in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 29.5954 seconds, also led 92 of 100 laps and turned in the quickest lap to boot.
Newgarden, who started from pole position, pocketed 54 points with the win. He won four races last year, including the Indianapolis 500.
O’Ward (1:51:37.5075) received 40 points for his second-place finish.
Team Penske teammates Scott McLaughlin of New Zealand (1:51:38.0531) and two-time series champion Will Power of Australia (1:51:38.6513) finished third and fourth, respectively. Andretti Global driver Colton Herta (1:51:39.8532) ended up fifth and two-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou of Spain (1:51:41.3990) finished in sixth place.
Defending race champion Marcus Ericsson of Sweden lost power midway through the race and ended up in 25th place in the 27-car field.
INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
GAME REWIND: PACERS 111, MAGIC 97
The Pacers used a bit of their own magic to complete the comeback win over Orlando Sunday night.
After being down 15 points on one occasion in the second quarter, Indiana sealed the win with a massive third quarter where they outscored the home team 39-21.
Indiana was led in scoring by Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, who both contributed 20 points on six buckets and seven free throws made apiece. Haliburton neared a triple-double with a team-high eight assists and seven rebounds, while Siakam also contributed seven rebounds.
Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell’s 17 points each helped to supplement Bennedict Mathurin’s absence. The Pacers were also supported by Aaron Nesmith’s 16 points and Myles Turner’s 12 points, eight rebounds and season-high six blocked shots.
Magic forward Franz Wagner recorded Orlando’s first three points, but a layup from Siakam in response put Indiana on the board directly after at 10:48, cutting the deficit to one-point, 3-2.
From there, Indiana’s offense turned ice cold as they missed their next six shots over the course of the following five minutes. Though Orlando’s offense was not at its best either, making just five shots on 13 attempts in the first six minutes of play, they jumped ahead to a 12-2 lead.
Coming out of a timeout, McConnell entered the game for the first time and got the Pacers rolling with a baseline jumper at 6:04 and a layup thirty seconds later. Orlando would soon extend its lead with two buckets from Joe Ingles, putting itself ahead 17-6.
During an Orlando possession directly following a Myles Turner layup, McConnell intercepted a pass, ran down the court and found Obi Toppin at the rim who dunked the lobbed pass, cutting the advantage to seven points, 17-10.
Indiana kept the game from getting away from them by holding Orlando to only four made buckets on 10 attempts in the final six minutes of the quarter. Two made free throws from Siakam and a jumper from McConnell, after having drawn an offensive foul the play before, put the Pacers within four points with 33 seconds remaining in the frame. Orlando gave themselves a six-point buffer with a Cole Anthony bucket as the quarter ended, while the Blue & Gold did not convert in their final possession.
Orlando took a 27-18 lead to start the second frame with the help of three made free throws, while Indiana missed its first four shot attempts. After two minutes of second-quarter play, Aaron Nesmith earned Indiana its first two points of the frame with a pair of free throws.
A 11-4 scoring run for Orlando propelled them to a 15-point lead, 35-20, at 9:23.
The tides soon turned for Indiana as a McConnell layup at 8:53 jumpstarted an eventual 20-8 Indiana scoring run. At 7:31, Haliburton earned himself a defensive rebound and passed the ball to Toppin, who had been sprinting the length of the court, for a layup. Almost a minute later, Haliburton made his first bucket of the night with a 3-pointer and soon after rattled off two free throws to quickly cut the deficit to six points at 6:13.
Indiana and Orlando went basket-for-basket over the next four minutes. At 1:41, Siakam made a layup that shrunk the deficit to three points; the last time the score had been that close was at 9:40 in the first quarter. However, Paolo Banchero quickly responded with a 3-pointer to put Orlando ahead by six.
After Haliburton knocked down a free throw from a technical foul, a hook shot from Siakam brought the deficit back down to three points with 44 seconds remaining in the half. A pair of free throws from Wagner was met with a bucket from Isaiah Jackson to allow the Pacers to head into the locker room trailing by three points, 50-47.
The Pacers tied the score at 50 with their first possession of the half after Haliburton dished out a pass to Nesmith who drained a 3-pointer. Orlando responded with three points, but two buckets from Haliburton earned Indiana its first lead of the game, 54-53, at the 10:44 mark of the third quarter.
While Orlando opened the second half 2-of-6 from the floor, Indiana opened 5-of-7 to propel them to a 60-55 lead at 9:08. Over the next roughly two minutes, each team added only one basket a piece, allowing Indiana to hold a lead of 63-59.
Haliburton drove to the hoop and hit a hook shot at 6:07 to give Indiana an eight-point lead, 67-59.
The final four minutes of the third quarter was where Indiana found its groove, completely reversing the momentum of the game. A 16-6 scoring run, fueled by eight points from Toppin on a 3-of-3 shooting clip from the field, allowed Indiana to take as much as a 15-point advantage.
Indiana shot 15-of-22 from the floor in the third frame while its defense held the Magic to just seven buckets on 21 attempts. The Blue and Gold outscored Orlando 39-21 in the third quarter with the help of nine points from Haliburton and eight points apiece from Nesmith and Toppin.
From down 15 points to up 15 points, Indiana entered the final quarter ahead, 86-71.
Orlando hit the ground running to start the fourth frame, going 5-of-6 from the floor to cut the deficit to ten points, 93-83. Anthony’s seven points played a large part in the offensive push.
Though the Magic made a run, the Pacers kept themselves a comfortable distance away. Indiana earned itself its largest lead of the game when McConnell picked up a deflected pass, ran down the court and handed the ball off to Toppin, who finished the play with a layup to put Indiana ahead, 96-83, with 7:46 to play.
Orlando’s only point for roughly three minutes came from a free throw. The Magic scored six unanswered points over the next two minutes to cut the deficit to single digits, 99-90, at 4:45. Orlando would continue to try to chip away at Indiana’s lead, cutting it to seven points with 2:02 to play, but the Blue & Gold held on by scoring seven unanswered points to close out the game.
For Orlando, Banchero led the Magic with 19 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. ended the night with 13 points and 15 rebounds. In addition, Anthony recorded 16 points and Wagner pitched in 13 points.
Inside the Numbers
Indiana had six players end the night in double figure scoring, with five of them scoring at least 16 points. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam led the way with 20 points each.
T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin led the Pacers reserves with 17 points apiece.
Myles Turner totaled a season-high six blocks.
Aaron Nesmith logged his 300th career 3-pointer in the third quarter.
Both teams had 46 rebounds.
Indiana held Orlando to 97 points, the lowest amount an opponent has scored against them all season.
Indiana scored 21 points off of Orlando’s 13 turnovers.
The victory in Orlando gave Indiana its 12th win this season when trailing by at least 10 points at one time in the game.
The Pacers dished out 20 assists. Haliburton led the team in assists with eight, while McConnell followed behind with six.
The Pacers outscored the Magic 39-21 in the third quarter, as they shot 15-of-22 (68.2 percent) from the floor to Orlando’s 7-of-21 (33.3 percent).
You Can Quote Me On That
“There just was a level of determination that we needed to have. Even in the first quarter when we were struggling to score, you know, we held them to 24 points. That’s a number you can work with even if you’re having trouble getting the ball in the basket. Everyone was committed to sitting down and trying to keep these guys off the rim, out of the paint as much as possible, and then I think our rebounding picked up in the second half.” – Head Coach Rick Carlisle on the comeback effort
“Where we are right now in the season, they’re all really important. So just taking it one game at a time and being locked in for the full 48 [minutes]. I mean that’s just the message that I’m trying to send across. And that’s the message we’re all sending to each other. Just to be locked in for the entirety of the game because at this point in the season all of [the games] are important, especially for where we are trying to go.” – McConnell on staying locked in for the rest of the regular season
“A lot of different guys contributed protecting the rim. I thought Myles was amazing protecting the rim. I thought he did a great job coming down helping rebound, but also blocking shots. The way they play is so rim oriented, so we just made a big focus on protecting the rim, having a tight paint, kinda spreading out just keeping guys in front.” – Haliburton on defense
“They’re one of the better teams that get in the paint and finish at the rim. We try to make an emphasis to try to cut that down some. They’re a physical team and they try to assert themselves, but I think we did a good job of taking on the challenge and getting things done.” – Turner on Orlando’s front court
“When we lock in defensively, that leads us to the thing that we’re most elite at, the transition. We were locked in on that end and got some steals and we were able to get out and run it. It opened the game for us in the third [quarter].” – McConnell on defense
“Because they had the lead we let them dictate the pace. And when we were able to get stops and get a lead in the third quarter, we then dictated the pace. When we’re dictating the pace of a basketball game, we’re really hard to play against. There’s not many teams out there that want to play our style of basketball, getting up and down that fast.” – Haliburton on offensive pace
“These are all playoff games. You need your best competitors in the game as early as possible […] We needed [T.J. McConnell] tonight, and truthfully it was hard getting him out of the game, he played so well. I’m a big believer in involving the bench early and we needed everyone tonight.” – Carlisle on bench players getting more minutes tonight
Stat of the Night
After trailing by 15 points in the second quarter, the Pacers used a massive third quarter to eventually take over the game and lead the Magic by 15 points at the end of the third frame. Nine points from Haliburton and eight points apiece from Nesmith and Toppin fueled the offensive effort in outscoring Orlando 39-21 in the third frame.
Noteworthy
With the win, the Pacers earned their first win over the Magic this season after falling to them in both previous matchups at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana has now won six of its last seven games at the Kia Center.
Doug McDermott missed his sixth game while recovering from a right calf strain. The Pacers were also without Bennedict Mathurin for the first game since being announced that he will miss the remainder of the season to heal a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Orlando’s Jalen Suggs (right thigh contusion) and Markelle Fultz (left knee sparin) did not play tonight.
Tickets
The Pacers will be back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to tip off a three-game homestand against DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, March 13 at 7:00 PM ET.
INDY FUEL HOCKEY
FUEL FALL TO FORT WAYNE ON SUNDAY NIGHT
FORT WAYNE- The Fuel headed to Fort Wayne after a night off to finish their weekend against their division rivals, the Komets. Ultimately, the Fuel could not come back in time after giving up two goals in the first period and fell to the Komets, 4-3.
1ST PERIOD
At 3:17, Marcel Marcel took a holding penalty that resulted in a power play for Fort Wayne. The Komets were able to capitalize with a goal from Alexis D’Aoust to make it 1-0 at 5:00.
Fort Wayne kept pressure on through the next ten minutes but Mitchell Weeks stood strong in net, making the stops.
Chris Cameron took the next penalty of the game which was a cross checking minor at 15:50, however the Fuel were able to kill it off.
At 18:40, Marc-Antoine Pépin took a delay of game penalty giving the Fuel their first power play of the game. The Komets ended up scoring shorthanded, however. A goal by Ture Linden made it 2-0 before the period was over.
At the end of the first period, Indy was being outshot 13-6 but would start the second period still on the power play.
2ND PERIOD
Fort Wayne killed off the penalty before going to a power play of their own again at 4:16 after Colin Bilek took a tripping call.
Indy killed off that penalty before gaining some momentum and having a few good chances with the puck.
Jack Dugan took a tripping penalty at 8:51, giving the Fuel another power play chance but they did not score.
There was a goal review after it appeared Fort Wayne may have put the puck behind the pads of Weeks in net, but after it was looked at, it was not considered a goal.
Time expired a few minutes later without another score in the game though the Fuel outshot the Komets in the second period, 14-9.
3RD PERIOD
Andrew Bellant kicked off the scoring in the third period with a goal to get the Fuel on the board at 2:03. DJ King and Bryan Lemos claimed the assists on that goal.
Cameron Supryka took the game’s next penalty at 4:04 after some extracurricular activities with Seamus Malone in front of the Fort Wayne goal.
The Komets killed it off, but just ten seconds later Jon Martin tied the game at 2-2 for the Fuel. Marcel Marcel and Chris Cameron assisted Martin’s 21st goal of the season.
Less than three minutes later, Colin Bilek scored to give Indy their first lead of the game with a goal at 8:48. Marcel and Matt Cairns claimed assists on that goal to make it 3-2.
At 11:54, Santino Centorame took a hooking penalty to give Fort Wayne a power play that they quickly capitalized on with a goal by Ethan De Jong to tie it up on the power play.
Anthony Petruzzelli took an interference penalty at 14:29 to put Fort Wayne back on the power play and Linden scored his second goal of the night to give the Komets a 4-3 lead at 15:30.
The Fuel had many attempts as time ticked down on regulation but could not complete the comeback, even with pulling Weeks from goal with about thirty seconds to go.
After time expired, both teams engaged in a large pushing and shoving match that left Bilek and Ethan Keppen with roughing penalties at the 20:00 mark.
The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Friday, March 15 for Faith & Family / USAC Racing and All You Can Eat Night against the Tulsa Oilers.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
IU OUTLASTS SPARTANS, 65-64, ON SENIOR DAY
Kel’el Ware had 28 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana to a 65-64 home win over Michigan State on Sunday in the Big Ten regular-season finale for both teams.
Malik Reneau added 16 points for Indiana (18-13, 10-10), which has won four straight.
Tyson Walker scored a game-high 30 points for Michigan State (18-13, 10-10).
Indiana broke a tie at 64-64 with 17.4 seconds left when Ware split a pair of free throws.
Following a timeout, Michigan State put the ball in the hands of Walker, but he couldn’t hit a runner to the right of the basket.
The rebound was tapped away from the rim and Indiana ran out the clock.
With the game knotted at 62-62, Ware hit a basket in the paint to give Indiana the lead with 1:55 remaining.
Walker answered with a layup with 1:29 left to again tie the game.
Trailing 55-48 with 9:48 remaining in the game, Indiana went on an 8-0 run to take a 56-55 lead with 7:58 left to play. The last six points came on 3-pointers by Mackenzie Mgbako and Xavier Johnson.
Michigan State trailed 34-21 with 1:41 left in the first half, but closed the half on an 8-0 run to cut Indiana’s lead to 34-29 at halftime.
The Spartans carried that momentum into second half, going on a 14-2 run to take a 43-36 lead with 15:23 remaining in the game.
Indiana got off to a terrific start, scoring 12 of the game’s first 15 points and then taking a 24-7 lead with 8:50 remaining in the first half.
Indiana had to play most of the game without senior guard Trey Galloway, who went out in the first half with an apparent left knee injury and didn’t return.
Indiana was winning 20-5 when Galloway left the game.
INDIANA BASEBALL
SUNDAY SPLIT WITH TROY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Baseball team (9-6) settled for a doubleheader split on Sunday afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field, winning the opening game 10-7 before falling in a slug fest, 15-11, to close out the weekend series.
IU scattered 24 hits across the two games including four in the first game from junior third baseman Josh Pyne and three on the day from junior outfielder Nick Mitchell. Senior pitcher Jack Moffitt (W, 1-0) was awarded the win in game one after pitching 3.2 innings while conceding just one run (unearned) and two hits.
The Hoosiers took a 7-5 lead in the opening game with a five spot in the bottom of the third inning and wouldn’t trail the rest of the contest. After going down by four runs in the second game, IU battled back to tie it at 10-all through five innings but Troy scored four of the final five runs of the game to win the series.
A brutally tough beginning to the season continues on Tuesday evening in Nashville as IU travels south to take on No. 9 Vanderbilt in a mid-week clash. IU will come back home on Wednesday to face Illinois State before a three-game set with Belmont next weekend.
INDIANA WATER POLO
NO. 13 HOOSIERS DEFEAT NO. 8 PRINCETON, LA SALLE TO SWEEP ACTION AT AZTEC INVITATIONAL
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – No. 13 Indiana picked up its first Top 10 win since 2020 in a victory over No. 8 Princeton and convincing victory over La Salle as it swept action in the final day of the Aztec Invitational on Sunday.
KEY MOMENTS VS. PRINCETON
Princeton took a two-goal lead in the first before Indiana knotted things up back-to-back goals from junior Skylar Kidd, including a five-meter attempt. The Hoosiers had chances to take the lead late in the frame but came up empty to keep a 2-2 tie going to the second.
Falling behind two-goals, IU was able to convert on a penalty shot from graduate student Zoe Crouch with 4:58 remaining. She scored again a minute and a half later to bring the game to 4-all, where it would stay at the break.
The two teams went even again in the third, both scoring three goals. Crouch, sophomore Nicole Tyner and senior Kallie White all deposited shots into the cage with the game at 7-7.
Sophomore Grace Klingler started off the fourth with a sprint win, as she would score for the first time with 6:32 left on the game clock to pull Indiana ahead by one. Kidd completed her hat trick with just under four minutes to play and Tyner added her second to make it a three-goal lead, 10-7.
The Tigers got a pair back late in the game, but a huge save by sophomore goalie Jasmine Higgs on a final shot attempt helped seal the victory.
KEY MOMENTS VS. LA SALLE
Senior Kiki Mein and Crouch scored quickly to open things up against the Explorers, as it scored for unanswered through the first four and a half minutes of play.
It would be a 5-2 lead after one for Indiana, as six different players scored goals in the first half to help it build an 8-2 halftime lead.
Offense was flowing for Crouch in the second half, scoring three more goals to finish with a team-high five in the win. White also turned in a hat trick in the third and fourth quarters to guide the Hoosiers to a clean sweep at the Aztec Invite.
NOTES
Indiana’s victory over No. 8 Princeton was the first Top 10 win for the Hoosiers since 2020 when it knocked off No. 9 UC Davis.
The Hoosiers improved to 18-3 on the season with four victories in San Diego.
Kidd and Crouch led the way against Princeton as they each recorded a hat trick. Tyner also added a multi-goal performance with two goals while White and Klingler each added one.
Crouch finished with four points as she also added an assist, two steals and two blocks in the effort.
Higgs recorded eight saves in goal in the win over the Tigers.
IU’s win over Princeton is the first win in the series since 2016 and was the first ever meeting against La Salle.
Crouch and White combined for eight of IU’s 16 goals against La Salle. Mein added a pair while six others all chipped in one.
Hathaway and Kidd each finished with a team-high four points as the duo dished out three assists each along with a goal apiece.
Higgs and senior Haley Hunter split time in goal against the Explorers, combining for 12 saves. Hunter made a season-high eight saves. Higgs tied a team-high two steals.
UP NEXT
Indiana will face UC Davis on Thursday in Davis, Calif. in non-con action followed by an MPSF meeting at Cal on Saturday.
INDIANA SOFTBALL
BASSETT BLAST TWO HOME RUNS IN WIN OVER IUPUI
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––––– An early deficit was turned around quickly as the Indiana softball program used an eight-run bottom of the first inning to set the tone for an 11-2 victory over IUPUI in five innings on Sunday (March 10) at Andy Mohr Field.
Indiana won its second game at the Indiana Invite to improve to 17-4 overall and 6-0 at home in 2024.
INDIANA 11, IUPUI 2
KEY MOMENTS
• IUPUI took an early lead with a pair of first-inning unearned runs. A pair of IU errors aided the Jaguars.
• With two outs in the first inning and two runners on base, Sophie Kleiman entered the game and struck out the final two batters of the inning to limit the damage.
• The Hoosier offense responded with an eight-run bottom of the first inning to race in front on its way to the run-rule victory. IU scored the eight runs on just three hits, with the big swing from Cora Bassett, a three-run home run to cap the scoring.
• Three more runs in the fourth inning gave IU the edge it needed with Basset hitting her second home run to lead off the frame.
NOTABLES
• Cora Bassett posted her team-best eighth multi-hit game of the year and reached base in all three plate appearances with two home runs and one hit-by-pitch.
• Bassett produced a career-best four RBIs with three runs scored.
• With two home runs, Bassett equaled her career-best effort, doing so twice in the 2022 season (last vs. Houston, 3/18/2022).
• Taylor Minnick moved her reached base streak to 12 games with a 1-for-3 day at the plate.
• Sarah Stone logged three RBIs and scored one run as part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
• Kleiman (5-0) struck out six over 3 2/3 innings of work to post her fifth win of the season.
• Macy Montgomery made her eighth appearance of the season and threw the fifth inning scoreless with one strikeout.
• Indiana stole six bases in the game to mark the seventh time in 2023 with five-plus stolen bases.
• The Hoosiers walked four times, reached via one hit-by-pitch and struck out just once.
UP NEXT
Indiana wraps up the Indiana Invite on Monday (March 11) with a pair of games. The Hoosiers will play Oakland at noon and Dayton at 3 p.m. The Monday schedule begins at 9:30 a.m. with a contest between Dayton and Oakland.
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
HOLMES NAMED TO 2024 WOMEN’S NATIONAL BALLOT FOR THE JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD
LOS ANGELES – Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes has been named to the 2024 Women’s National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award® presented by Principal® and announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Sunday.
Selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board, the National Ballot consists of 15 student-athletes who are candidates for the Wooden Award All American Team and Wooden Award Trophy as the most outstanding college basketball player in the United States.
Holmes repeats as a national ballot honoree for the second-straight season as she was a Top 5 finalist for the award in 2023. A unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection this season, the Gorham, Maine native leads Indiana (and second in the Big Ten) in scoring with 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and shooting a nation’s-best 66.7 percent from the floor in 29 games. She has scored in double figures in 27 of those 29 outings and a team-high six double-doubles. Nationally, Holmes also ranks 14th in field goals made (238) and 22nd in points per game.
All balloted players have been certified by their university to meet or exceed the qualifications for the Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden when the Award was established. The qualifications include: candidates must exhibit strength of character, both on and off the court; candidates must be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; candidates must be making progress toward graduation and have a cumulative 2.00 grade point average since enrolling in their school; candidates must contribute to team effort; candidates must excel in both offense and defense; and candidates should be considered on their performance over the course of the entire season.
Voting will take place from March 19th to March 26th, and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2024 Wooden Award presented by Principal will be announced on April 2nd.
INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS
INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS DROPS MATCH AGAINST NO. 24 WISCONSIN, 6-1
KEY MOMENTS
• The Badgers earned the doubles point with victories in No. 2 and 3 doubles.
• They clinched the win after winning the next four singles matches in straight sets.
• Freshman Magdalena Swierczynska was victorious in the No. 5 singles match. She split the first two sets with Wisconsin’s Kaja Jacobson, 3-6, 6-1 before winning a 10-point tiebreaker, 1-0 (10-7) to put the Hoosiers on the board.
• Sophomore Nicole Teodosescu started out strong in No. 1 singles claiming the first set 7-5, but would fall 6-2 in the second. She fell 10-6 in the 10-point tiebreaker.
NOTABLES
• Swierczynska earned her second conference win of the season. She leads the Hoosiers with a 2-1 record in singles.
• The Hoosiers fall to 6-10 on the season and 0-3 in conference play.
INDIANA 1, WISCONSIN 6
SINGLES
1. Maria Sholokhova (WISC) def. Nicole Teodosescu (IND) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
2. Alina Mukhortova (WISC) def. Elisabeth Dunac (IND) 6-0, 6-4
3. Taylor Cataldi (WISC) def. Li Hsin Lin (IND) 6-0, 6-3
4. Xinyu Cai (WISC) def. Lene Mari Hovda (IND) 7-5, 6-0
5. Magdalena Swierczynska (IND) def. Kaja Jacobson (WISC) 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-7)
6. Ariel Johnson (WISC) def. Sarah L’allier (IND) 6-0, 6-3
DOUBLES
1. Lara Schneider/Nicole Teodosescu (IND) vs. Maria Sholokhova/Xinyu Cai (WISC) 4-5, unfinished
2. Rosie Garcia Gross/Taylor Cataldi (WISC) def. Saby Nihalani/Lene Mari Hovda (IND) 6-4
3. Ava Martin/Alina Mukhortova (WISC) def. Sarah L’allier/Li Hsin Lin (IND) 6-2
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles: 6, 3, 2, 4, 5, 1
Doubles: 3, 2, 1 unf.
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will head to Loyola Marymount on Friday, March 15.
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
#3 PURDUE BEATS WISCONSIN TO WRAP UP UNBEATEN HOME SCHEDULE
[3] Purdue 78, Wisconsin 70 (Postgame Notes)
No. 3-ranked Purdue defeated Wisconsin 78-70 to improve to 28-3 overall and finish the Big Ten regular season with a 17-3 mark. The win was Purdue’s first season sweep of Wisconsin since the 2015-16 season.
The Purdue senior class ended their careers with 59 victories in Big Ten play, tied for the most for any class in Big Ten history (tied with Indiana 1977, 1978).
Purdue’s 28 wins are the most in a regular season in school history.
The 17 Big Ten wins are the most in school history and tied for the third most in Big Ten history (18 by Indiana in 1975 and 1976).
Purdue went 16-0 at Mackey Arena, marking its fourth unbeaten home season (1968-69, 2010-11, 2018-19, 2023-24) in Mackey Arena history. Purdue’s 17-game home winning streak is the sixth-longest streak in the country.
With its 10-0 Big Ten home record, Purdue has now recorded the league’s best home record in five of the last eight seasons (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024).
The victory was Purdue’s 10th win of the season against teams ranked in the NCAA NET rankings top 25.
The win was Purdue’s 11th quad-1 win of the season and 18th in the first two quads.
Purdue will become the first team since Indiana (1975, 1976) to win the Big Ten by at least three games in consecutive seasons.
Zach Edey scored 25 points to finish the season by averaging 25.4 points per game in league play. He will likely become the first player to lead the league in scoring, be a Big Ten champion and win Big Ten Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.
Purdue is 32-8 in Big Ten play over the last two seasons. Entering tonight’s game with Iowa, Illinois has the league’s next best record at 24-15.
Purdue’s 104 wins since the start of the 2020-21 season are the third most for a class in school history. The Boilermakers are 104-27 (.794) in that span.
Purdue went 9-of-18 (.500) from long distance and is now shooting 41.1 percent from long distance on the season. Over the last three games, Purdue is 28-of-54 (.519) from 3-point range.
Purdue has won 23 games in a row when shooting 48 percent or better from the field.
Edey scored 25 points with 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks for his 22nd double-double of the season and 61st of his career.
Edey moved into seventh place on the school’s single-season scoring list with 749 points.
Edey now needs just 41 points to surpass Rick Mount (2,323 points) as the school’s all-time leading scorer, currently with 2,282 points.
Edey’s 2,282 career points rank eighth in Big Ten history.
Edey moved into third on Purdue’s single-season rebounds list with 364. Edey owns the school record from a year ago (438).
Edey joined Navy’s David Robinson as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field.
Edey recorded his 37th career 20-10 game, the most by 12 games over the next-closest player in the Big Ten in the last 15 years (Luka Garza – 25).
Fletcher Loyer scored 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. His 15 points on 100 percent efficiency are the 11th-most points on 100 percent efficiency in school history.
Over the last three games, Loyer is averaging 15.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 16-of-26 (.615) from the field and 8-of-11 (.727) from deep. Purdue is now 25-1 in his career when he dishes out three or more assists.
Braden Smith recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and one steal. His seven games of 10 or more assists are the most in a season in school history.
Smith becomes the first Boilermaker since 1990 (Tony Jones) to lead the Big Ten (league games only) in assists per game (7.6 per game). Smith averaged 12.5 points, 7.6 assists and 6.4 rebounds in Big Ten games.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Zach Edey had a banner day.
The 7-foot-4 Purdue senior withstood a physical onslaught from Wisconsin in his home finale, persevered and received a surprise reward: seeing his jersey number, 15, added to the Mackey Arena rafters.
Edey played through an injured left leg, finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, became the first Big Ten player with 2,200 points and 1,200 rebounds in a career, and led No. 3 Purdue past Wisconsin 78-70 on Sunday. And then the Boilermakers surprised him by retiring his jersey.
“It’s real cool,” Edey said before addressing the emotions of the day. “I had all my friends here from Toronto for like the first time. It’s my last game in Mackey.”
And there was plenty to celebrate for Edey and Purdue (28-3, 17-3), winners of five straight.
Afterward, Edey stood arm-in-arm with his mother before addressing the crowd.
Before the game, coach Matt Painter presented point guard Braden Smith with a ceremonial ball for breaking Purdue’s single-season assists record, which stood for nearly 50 years. Moments later, Purdue’s pep band played “O Canada” as a senior day tribute to Edey, who is from Toronto.
“I’ve been trying to get them to do that for four years,” Edey joked.
Edey needed less than five minutes to grab the three rebounds needed to reach 1,200. It took a little longer for the Boilermakers’ six-player senior class to match Indiana’s record for conference wins, 59, over a four-year period. Indiana did it from 1972 to ’76.
Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and Smith had 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds for the Boilermakers, who won a second consecutive Big Ten title by at least three games.
John Blackwell scored 18 points for the Badgers (19-12, 11-9). Tyler Wahl had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and AJ Storr also scored 17.
“I thought we did a lot of good things offensively,” Badgers coach Greg Gard said. “That’s a tough team. I would say you can’t get a consistent diet of things in the paint just because of his presence.”
Purdue certainly tried to fight off Edey near the basket, fouling him 11 times. And it looked like Edey’s presence might be short-lived when he limped gingerly to the bench with an apparent left leg injury and Purdue leading 17-9. He finished the half on the bench because of foul trouble.
And after Loyer’s four-point play helped stake Purdue to a 40-26 lead, Smith appeared to hurt his right ankle on a non-contact play. He went to the locker room but returned 75 seconds later as the Boilermakers made it 44-33 at the half.
Edey and Loyer remained on the floor without apparent difficulty in the second half as the Badgers twice cut the deficit to four. But the Boilermakers answered with 3-pointers each time, first by Smith and then by Caleb Furst.
“You can tell he loves the game, you can tell he respects the game,” forward Mason Gillis said when asked about Edey. “The people around know what he does. He looks out for everybody. He’s a good guy in the gym. I don’t think we could ask for a better national player of the year.”
PURDUE BASEBALL
#3 PURDUE BEATS WISCONSIN TO WRAP UP UNBEATEN HOME SCHEDULE
[3] Purdue 78, Wisconsin 70 (Postgame Notes)
No. 3-ranked Purdue defeated Wisconsin 78-70 to improve to 28-3 overall and finish the Big Ten regular season with a 17-3 mark. The win was Purdue’s first season sweep of Wisconsin since the 2015-16 season.
The Purdue senior class ended their careers with 59 victories in Big Ten play, tied for the most for any class in Big Ten history (tied with Indiana 1977, 1978).
Purdue’s 28 wins are the most in a regular season in school history.
The 17 Big Ten wins are the most in school history and tied for the third most in Big Ten history (18 by Indiana in 1975 and 1976).
Purdue went 16-0 at Mackey Arena, marking its fourth unbeaten home season (1968-69, 2010-11, 2018-19, 2023-24) in Mackey Arena history. Purdue’s 17-game home winning streak is the sixth-longest streak in the country.
With its 10-0 Big Ten home record, Purdue has now recorded the league’s best home record in five of the last eight seasons (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024).
The victory was Purdue’s 10th win of the season against teams ranked in the NCAA NET rankings top 25.
The win was Purdue’s 11th quad-1 win of the season and 18th in the first two quads.
Purdue will become the first team since Indiana (1975, 1976) to win the Big Ten by at least three games in consecutive seasons.
Zach Edey scored 25 points to finish the season by averaging 25.4 points per game in league play. He will likely become the first player to lead the league in scoring, be a Big Ten champion and win Big Ten Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.
Purdue is 32-8 in Big Ten play over the last two seasons. Entering tonight’s game with Iowa, Illinois has the league’s next best record at 24-15.
Purdue’s 104 wins since the start of the 2020-21 season are the third most for a class in school history. The Boilermakers are 104-27 (.794) in that span.
Purdue went 9-of-18 (.500) from long distance and is now shooting 41.1 percent from long distance on the season. Over the last three games, Purdue is 28-of-54 (.519) from 3-point range.
Purdue has won 23 games in a row when shooting 48 percent or better from the field.
Edey scored 25 points with 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks for his 22nd double-double of the season and 61st of his career.
Edey moved into seventh place on the school’s single-season scoring list with 749 points.
Edey now needs just 41 points to surpass Rick Mount (2,323 points) as the school’s all-time leading scorer, currently with 2,282 points.
Edey’s 2,282 career points rank eighth in Big Ten history.
Edey moved into third on Purdue’s single-season rebounds list with 364. Edey owns the school record from a year ago (438).
Edey joined Navy’s David Robinson as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field.
Edey recorded his 37th career 20-10 game, the most by 12 games over the next-closest player in the Big Ten in the last 15 years (Luka Garza – 25).
Fletcher Loyer scored 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. His 15 points on 100 percent efficiency are the 11th-most points on 100 percent efficiency in school history.
Over the last three games, Loyer is averaging 15.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 16-of-26 (.615) from the field and 8-of-11 (.727) from deep. Purdue is now 25-1 in his career when he dishes out three or more assists.
Braden Smith recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and one steal. His seven games of 10 or more assists are the most in a season in school history.
Smith becomes the first Boilermaker since 1990 (Tony Jones) to lead the Big Ten (league games only) in assists per game (7.6 per game). Smith averaged 12.5 points, 7.6 assists and 6.4 rebounds in Big Ten games.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Zach Edey had a banner day.
The 7-foot-4 Purdue senior withstood a physical onslaught from Wisconsin in his home finale, persevered and received a surprise reward: seeing his jersey number, 15, added to the Mackey Arena rafters.
Edey played through an injured left leg, finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, became the first Big Ten player with 2,200 points and 1,200 rebounds in a career, and led No. 3 Purdue past Wisconsin 78-70 on Sunday. And then the Boilermakers surprised him by retiring his jersey.
“It’s real cool,” Edey said before addressing the emotions of the day. “I had all my friends here from Toronto for like the first time. It’s my last game in Mackey.”
And there was plenty to celebrate for Edey and Purdue (28-3, 17-3), winners of five straight.
Afterward, Edey stood arm-in-arm with his mother before addressing the crowd.
Before the game, coach Matt Painter presented point guard Braden Smith with a ceremonial ball for breaking Purdue’s single-season assists record, which stood for nearly 50 years. Moments later, Purdue’s pep band played “O Canada” as a senior day tribute to Edey, who is from Toronto.
“I’ve been trying to get them to do that for four years,” Edey joked.
Edey needed less than five minutes to grab the three rebounds needed to reach 1,200. It took a little longer for the Boilermakers’ six-player senior class to match Indiana’s record for conference wins, 59, over a four-year period. Indiana did it from 1972 to ’76.
Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and Smith had 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds for the Boilermakers, who won a second consecutive Big Ten title by at least three games.
John Blackwell scored 18 points for the Badgers (19-12, 11-9). Tyler Wahl had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and AJ Storr also scored 17.
“I thought we did a lot of good things offensively,” Badgers coach Greg Gard said. “That’s a tough team. I would say you can’t get a consistent diet of things in the paint just because of his presence.”
Purdue certainly tried to fight off Edey near the basket, fouling him 11 times. And it looked like Edey’s presence might be short-lived when he limped gingerly to the bench with an apparent left leg injury and Purdue leading 17-9. He finished the half on the bench because of foul trouble.
And after Loyer’s four-point play helped stake Purdue to a 40-26 lead, Smith appeared to hurt his right ankle on a non-contact play. He went to the locker room but returned 75 seconds later as the Boilermakers made it 44-33 at the half.
Edey and Loyer remained on the floor without apparent difficulty in the second half as the Badgers twice cut the deficit to four. But the Boilermakers answered with 3-pointers each time, first by Smith and then by Caleb Furst.
“You can tell he loves the game, you can tell he respects the game,” forward Mason Gillis said when asked about Edey. “The people around know what he does. He looks out for everybody. He’s a good guy in the gym. I don’t think we could ask for a better national player of the year.”
PURDUE SOFTBALL
DOUBLES LEAD PURDUE TO 4-1 VICTORY VS. WMU
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Doubles led to all four of Purdue’s runs scored as Purdue softball (11-11) fought back from a 0-1 deficit to beat Western Michigan, 4-1. Freshman pitcher Julia Gosset picked up her fourth win of the season with the result, sealing it with a double play as she made the catch and throw to first for the final two outs.
Designated player Kate Claypool is credited with the game-winning at-bat, sending a double to right center field for the two-run go-ahead in the sixth inning. Ashlynn Campbell and pinch runner Kiersen George each scored after executing a double-steal to advance in scoring position during Calypool’s at-bat. On the day, Claypool earned two walks in addition to the double.
Tyrina Jones recorded an RBI double in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Khloe Banks. Sage Scarmardo followed the at-bat with a single, which scored Jones from second.
In total, Purdue out-hit Western Michigan, 8-5. Purdue committed one error, which allowed the Broncos’ lone run to be scored. Western Michigan committed one error as well.
Gossett (4-3) secured two strikeouts, including one looking during her complete-game victory. The freshman allowed three walks in 29 batters faced.
Purdue’s home-opener is set for Thursday at Bittinger Stadium, as the Boilermakers open a three-game series vs. Nebraska Omaha. The Thursday through Saturday series will mark the final non-conference weekend before Big Ten play begins.
PURDUE BASEBALL
BIG INNINGS POWER PURDUE TO ANOTHER DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Matching seven-run innings in game one and five-run frames in the nightcap powered a 28-run Sunday as Purdue Baseball swept a doubleheader for the second day in a row to complete a four-game series sweep of UAlbany.
The Boilermakers (12-4) won game one 16-6 and the nightcap 12-1. They’ve now scored 59 runs in their five Sunday victories this season. Both games ended in seven innings due to a 10-run rule being in place for the weekend.
While completing the first four-game series sweep in the history of Alexander Field, Purdue scored 45 runs in 29 innings at the plate and racked up 43 strikeouts in 32 innings on the mound. Sunday, the Boilermakers scored seven times in the first and third innings of game one, and five times in the third and fourth innings of the nightcap. Jonathan Blackwell (5 IP, 4 H, R, 0 BB) led the way with a career-high nine punchouts in the nightcap, teaming up with Davis Pratt and Easton Storey to strikeout 14 of the 28 batters to come to the plate.
SUNDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue swept a weekend series of at least three games for the first time since March 2022 and posted its third four-game series sweep of the head coach Greg Goff era (2020-present).
• The Boilermakers scored 40-plus runs in a four-game series for the fourth year in a row. They also registered 39 runs in each of their first two weekends this season.
• Mike Bolton Jr. (9-for-14, 4 BB), Luke Gaffney (8-for-13, 2 BB, HBP) and Camden Gasser (5-for-11, 5 BB) each hit safely in all four games of the series while teaming up for a combined .680 on-base percentage.
• Gaffney (10 RBI, 6 R) also drove in a run and scored a run in all four games of the weekend. Couper Cornblum (4 R), Bolton (8 R) and Gasser (7 R) scored a run in all four games. Bolton and Gasser combined to go 11 of 11 in stolen bases.
• Cornblum connected for an opposite-field triple in both games of the doubleheader, including a bases-clearing three-bagger in the first inning of game one.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Connor Caskenette – 21-game on-base streak at Home (since 3/31/23)
• Couper Cornblum – 17-game on-base at Home (since 4/15/23)
• Logan Sutter – 16-game on-base streak (every game of 2024)
• Camden Gasser – 14-game on-base streak (every game he’s played in 2024); 7-game hit streak
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 7-game hit streak
BENCHMARKS ACHIEVED BY MARCH 10
• Logan Sutter connected for a double in both games of the doubleheader, including a three-run gapper in the nightcap. He continues to lead the Big Ten with 11 two-baggers and became the fastest Boilermaker to reach the 10-double mark by date on the calendar.
• Luke Gaffney (21 RBI) and Connor Caskenette (20) reached the 20-RBI mark for the season Sunday. They’ll enter the new week ranked 1-2 in the Big Ten. In Purdue history, they’re also now tied for second in terms of fastest to the 20-RBI mark via date on the calendar. Only Paul Toetz (March 5) got there faster, accomplishing the feat last season during an All-Big Ten season.
Along with Sutter and Cornblum, Brody Chrisman (two-run double in G1), Corbin Malott (double in G1), Jo Stevens (two-run triple in G2) and Gaffney (RBI triple in G2) also connected for extra-base hits Sunday.
Blackwell struck out the side in order vs. UA’s 5-6-7 hitters in the fourth inning. Pratt also struck out three in a row vs. 4-5-6 in the top of the sixth, working around a leadoff double. Kyle Iwinski worked four innings of one-run ball as the starter in game one, continuing to impress at home after being Purdue’s top pitcher at Alexander Field a year ago.
The Boilermakers continue their 13-game homestand Wednesday when they host Northern Illinois at 4 p.m. ET. The $3 midweek deals on general admission tickets, beers, hot dogs, popcorn and nachos return for another season.
PURDUE WOMEN’S GOLF
BOILERS BACK IN ACTION AT BRIAR’S CREEK INVITATIONAL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Inching closer to cracking the Top 25 of the national rankings, Purdue Women’s Golf returns to tournament play for the second straight week. The Boilermakers battle 16 other teams at the Briar’s Creek Invitational in John Island, South Carolina (March 11-12).
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, March 11: Rounds 1 and 2 (8:30 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
Tuesday, March 12: Round 3 (8:30 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
THE LINEUP
Ashley Kozlowski – Sr.
Playing in her 36th tournament as a Boilermaker, totaling 100 rounds, more than anyone on the current team
Holds a 72.45 stroke average and is nationally ranked at No. 140
Has appeared in the lineup in all seven tournaments this season and has led the Boilermakers in three different events, a team high
Has recorded a team-best 63 birdies
Last time out, tied for seventh to lead Purdue at The Show (73-70-71—214); led the field in par-4 scoring (-4) and ranked second in birdies (13)
Paced the Boilermakers with a 208 (72-70-66) at the Schooner Fall Classic, the seventh-best 54-hole total in program history; her final round 66 was a new career low and the fifth-lowest for a Boilermaker
Led Purdue to a win in the Mary Fossum Invitational, finishing runner-up individually for the second time in her career with a 214 (73-71-70)
Appeared in 11 of the 12 tournaments a season ago, ranking second on the team with a 73.75 stroke average
Stars in the classroom as an aeronautical and astronautical engineering major, earning several academic honors: WGCAA All-American Scholar Team, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten
Momo Sugiyama – Jr.
Making her 20th appearance as a Boilermaker after playing in all 12 tournaments a season ago and all seven tournaments so far this season
Holds a team-best 72.15 stroke average and is No. 135 in the national rankings
Has recorded the team-low round seven times this season, more than any other Boilermaker
Has finished in the Top 20 in all three spring tournaments, most recently placing 13th at The Show (71-74-72—217)
Her two-round 145 (75-70) at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational was the seventh-best 36-hole total in school history
Began the spring by leading the Boilermakers at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic, placing eighth with a career-low 211 (67-73-71) that featured a personal-best round of 67 (-5)
Tied for ninth at the Boilermaker Classic with a 1-under 215 (73-69-73) to help Purdue claim the tournament title to start the season
2022-23 Second Team All-Big Ten
Tied Purdue’s single-season record with six rounds in the 60s last year, while leading the team in stroke average (73.31), team-low round (14), rounds in the 60s (6) and pars (410)
Held a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout the 2022-23 school year, collecting several academic accolades: WGCAA All-American Scholar Team, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten
Natasha Kiel – Jr.
Making her eighth appearance as a Boilermaker, but playing in her 20th collegiate tournament
Only Boilermaker with two eagles this season
Holds a 73.55 stroke average and is 294th in the national rankings
Has appeared in the lineup in all seven tournaments this season
Tied for 20th at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational (76-70—146)
Tied for 29th at the Schooner Fall Classic with a 213 (71-72-70), her best 54-hole total as a Boilermaker
Ranked second in par-4 scoring (-1) and tied for ninth (73-72-73—218) to help the Boilermakers win the Mary Fossum Invitational
Transferred to Purdue after two seasons at Vanderbilt
Last season, played in eight tournaments and produced a 74.4 stroke average
Jade Gu – Jr.
Competing in her 13th tournament as a Boilermaker, playing in the lineup for the second time this season
Has played in four tournaments throughout this season, including three as an individual
Last time out, tied for 37th at The Show (73-78-74—225)
Tied for third at the Saluki Invitational with the help of a final round 69 (73-78-69—220)
Played in eight tournaments last season, cracking the lineup five times and tallying a 76.54 stroke average
Was a star in the classroom last year, earning several academic honors: WGCAA All-American Scholar Team, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten
Jocelyn Bruch – Sr.
Making her 28th appearance as a Boilermaker, second most on the team
Ranked 226th in the nation and holds a 73.25 stroke average
Has appeared in the lineup in all seven tournaments this season
Fired a career-low 209 (69-70-70) at the Schooner Fall Classic for the 10th-best three-round total in school history
Eight of her 20 rounds have been par-or-better, including a team-high three rounds in the 60s
Paced the field in par-4 scoring (-3) to help the Boilermakers win the Mary Fossum Invitational, tying for seventh on the individual leaderboard for her second career Top 10 (76-70-71—217)
Cracked the Top 10 for the first time in her career, tying for sixth with a 4-under 212 (69-69-74) to help Purdue win the Boilermaker Classic
Two-time Academic All-Big Ten
Jasmine Kahler – Fr. (Competing as an individual)
Making her fifth collegiate tournament appearance
Has played in four tournaments throughout this season, all as an individual
Holds a 75.87 stroke average
Tied for seventh at the Saluki Invitational (71-73-82—226)
In her Purdue debut, tied for 22nd as an individual in the Boilermaker Classic (73-72-76—221)
In high school, won the San Diego Section CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) at Torrey Pines and led her team to a fifth-place finish at the CIF State Championship to become the 2022 CIF San Diego Player of the Year
THE FIELD
Boston College
Campbell
College of Charleston (Host)
#10 Florida
Georgetown
Illinois
Maryland
Miami (FL)
Michigan State
Nebraska
NC State
Old Dominion
Penn State
Purdue
Rutgers
#17 UCF
Wisconsin
THE COURSE
The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek is a par 72 layout that will measure 6,152 yards for the tournament.
Designed by Rees Jones, the course covers 800 acres of Johns Island, South Carolina.
The course even features a 50-yard 19th hole but obviously will not be played during the event.
RANKED BOILERMAKERS
Purdue enters the Briar’s Creek Invitational ranked 26th in the national rankings after a strong fall that featured a pair of tournament titles.
Two Boilermakers, Momo Sugiyama (135) and Ashley Kozlowski (140), are ranked in the Top 200 of the national rankings.
LAST TIME OUT
Entering the final round of The Show in sixth place, Purdue fired a 2-over 290 to move up the leaderboard and finish tied for fourth alongside No. 23 Pepperdine at 12-over.
The Boilermakers made a combined 21 birdies during the final round, averaging more than four per golfer and nearly doubling their total for the entire tournament. Purdue’s 46 birdies over three rounds ranked second in the field.
Ashley Kozlowski led the Boilermakers, tying for seventh for her second Top 10 finish of the season. The senior made 13 birdies throughout the tournament, ranking second in the 77-player field and ending the tournament 2-under par (73-70-71—214) following a final round 71 (-1). Kozlowski dominated the par 4s, playing those holes 4-under to lead the field.
Momo Sugiyama added another Top 20 to her Purdue resume, ending The Show 1-over par (71-74-72—217) to tie for 13th.
100 ROUNDS AS A BOILERMAKER
Ashley Kozlowski reached a milestone completing The Show last week. The senior played her 100th round as a Boilermaker, firing a 1-under par 71 to pace the Boilermakers and secure a Top 10 finish (T-7th) on the individual leaderboard.
Kozlowski’s 100 career rounds are a team high, with 31 of those rounds at par-or-better.
Her lowest round was a 66 at this year’s Schooner Fall Classic, tied for the fifth-best round by a Boilermaker in program history.
Kozlowski has played in 35 tournaments (and counting) throughout her Purdue career, producing 11 Top 20 finishes and seven Top 10 performances.
TOP 20 MOMO
Since the flip of the calendar to 2024, Momo Sugiyama has been a fixture in the Top 20 of tournaments.
The junior placed eighth at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic to begin the spring before tying for 16th at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational. She led Purdue in both events.
Last week, Sugiyama finished 13th at The Show to make it three straight Top 20 performances.
Sugiyama has cracked the Top 20 in five of Purdue’s seven tournaments this season, a team high.
FLYING HIGH WITH BYRD
Victorious in two of their four fall tournaments, the Boilermakers have won multiple tournaments in a season for the first time in seven years.
Winning the Boilermaker Classic and the Mary Fossum Invitational, Purdue won back-to-back tournaments for the first time since the 2012-13 season. The last time Purdue won its first two tournaments of the season was the start of the 2005-06 campaign.
Purdue already has three tournament titles in just the second season under head coach Zack Byrd; the Boilermakers won three tournaments over the previous six seasons before Byrd’s arrival.
Eleven of the 50 lowest team rounds in program history have occurred under Byrd, including the school record 270 (-18) at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic as well as the second-best round, a 274 at the Schooner Fall Classic.
This season, the Boilermakers have produced two of the lowest five team totals (54 holes) in school history, a program-best 837 at the Schooner Fall Classic and an 852 (fifth) at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic.
SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON
Entering the final round eight shots back of host Michigan State, Purdue flipped the script and fired a final round 284 (-4) to win the Mary Fossum Invitational by 10 strokes.
Purdue was 6-under (290-284-284—858) on the par 72 West Course at Forest Akers GC, the only team to finish under par and just one shot off the tournament record. The Boilermakers defeated a field of 14 other teams that included five Big Ten programs. The three-round total also cracked the Top 10 for one of the lowest 54-hole scores in program history.
The Boilermakers played the par 4s a combined 5-over to lead all teams, including 16 shots better than Michigan State. Purdue also paced the field in par-3 scoring (-2) and birdies (47).
Four Boilermakers finished in the Top 10 of the individual leaderboard. Ashley Kozlowski led the way, ending the tournament at 2-under to place runner-up for the second time in her career. Jocelyn Bruch tied for seventh (+1) for her second Top 10 of the 2023-24 campaign.
HOME COURSE PROTECTED
Purdue protected its home course, starting the 2023-24 season by beating 14 other teams to win the Boilermaker Classic (Sept. 4-5).
The Boilermakers finished the 54-hole event 12-under par (296-270-286—852) on the Kampen-Cosler Course at the Birck Boilermaker Complex, six shots ahead of runner-up Alabama.
fired a 270 (-18) in the second round to break the program record for team-low round by five strokes, besting the previous record of 275 shot by the 2011 Boilermakers at the Administaff Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate.
Jocelyn Bruch cracked the Top 10 for the first time in her career. She placed sixth with a 212 (69-69-74).
Momo Sugiyama finished another tournament in red figures, firing a 215 (-1) with a 69 sandwiched in between rounds of 73. Starting her second season as a Boilermaker, she tied for ninth on the individual leaderboard.
NEXT ON THE TEE
Up next, Purdue closes out a busy month. The Boilermakers return to The Bruzzy Challenge at Dornick Hills Country Club in Oklahoma (March 30-31) for the second straight season, competing in their third tournament during the month of March.
PURDUE WOMEN’S TENNIS
BOILERMAKERS DROP HOME MATCH AGAINST MINNESOTA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 48 Purdue women’s tennis team fell to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-1 on Sunday.
Sophomore Calissa Dellabarca made her doubles debut as a Boilermaker at No. 3 with Juana Larrañaga. Once the double point was clenched for the Golden Gophers, Carmen Gallardo Guevara/Tara Katarina Milic were battling Mia Liepert/Zeyneb Sarioglan. The match was left unfinished at 5-5.
Carmen Gallardo Guevara put the Boilermakers on the board with her two straight set victory over Minnesota’s Mia Liepert at No. 1. At No. 5, Ashlie Wilson was robbed of her chance to earn a win after the Minnesota clenched the match in her third set with an unfinished score of 2-2. Kennedy Gibbs was about to best the Golden Gophers’ Anali Kocevar in two sets when the match went unfinished at 5-4.
Up Next
The Boilermakers will travel to Charleston, S.C. to battle Charleston Southern on Friday, March 15 at noon.
Purdue (7-5)- 1, Minnesota (9-5)- 4
SINGLES
1. Carmen Gallardo Guevara (PUR) def. Mia Liepert (MIN)- 6-3, 6-4
2. Kennedy Gibbs (PUR) vs. Anali Kocevar (MIN)- 7-6(1), 5-4 (Unfinished)
3. Aiva Schmitz (MIN) def. Juana Larrañaga (PUR)- 6-2, 6-4
4. Emma Belluomini (MIN) def. Tara Milic (PUR)- 6-1, 6-4
5. Ashlie Wilson (PUR) vs. Sofia Pizzoni (MIN)- 6-4, 2-6, 2-2 (Unfinished)
6. Sofia Pinto (MIN) wins by default.
DOUBLES
1. Carmen Gallardo Guevara/Tara Katarina Milic (PUR) vs. Mia Liepert/Zeyneb Sarioglan (MIN)- 5-5 (Unfinished)
2. Anali Kocevar/Emma Belluomini (MIN) def. Kennedy Gibbs/Ashlie Wilson (PUR)- 6-4
3. Sofia Pizzoni/Aiva Schmitz (MIN) def. Juana Larrañaga/Calissa Dellabarca (PUR)- 6-2
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles- 1, 4, 3, 5 (Unfinished), 2 (Unfinished)
Doubles- 3, 2, 1 (Unfinished)
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
IRISH ARE ACC CHAMPIONS!
The University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team earned its sixth Atlantic Coast Conference championship and first since 2019 with a 55-51 victory over NC State on Sunday afternoon. The Irish closed out the title game with a 12-2 run while the Wolfpack managed to connect on just one of their last nine field goal attempts.
Hannah Hidalgo led Notre Dame with a game-high 22 points while Maddy Westbeld scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half. Sonia Citron joined Hidalgo and Westbeld in playing all 40 minutes of the game and chipping in 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals.
Citron started 3-3 from the floor, including a 3-pointer, as the Irish earned an early lead in the game. The Wolfpack had an answer for her, and the game turned into a track meet with no fouls and a combined 24 points before the media break. Offense was harder to come by for the final 4 minutes of the quarter, which ended 15-14 in favor of NC State.
Despite scoring 14 in the second quarter, Notre Dame had to work for every point. Five players scored in the quarter, with Hidalgo leading the way with 5. She drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving Notre Dame its largest lead of the day at 28-22. The Wolfpack closed out the half just 2-10 from the floor.
Notre Dame struggled to rebound coming out of the locker room. River Baldwin started to dominate in the paint, but she also had three fouls midway through the third quarter.
The Wolfpack built a six-point lead with 7:09 remaining in the game but the Irish rallied with back-to-back 3-pointers from Westbeld and two buckets from Hidalgo to take a 2-point lead with 1:28 remaining. Single free throws from Citron and Hidalgo cemented the victory in the game’s final minute.
Notre Dame will now have just under two weeks off before NCAA Tournament play. The Irish will find out their seed on March 17.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
NINTH-INNING RALLY NOT ENOUGH FOR IRISH IN 11-8 LOSS
BLACKSBURG, Va. – A ninth-inning rally fell short for Notre Dame as the Irish (9-5) took an 11-8 loss to Virginia Tech (11-3) in the series finale Sunday. The Irish scored four runs in the ninth inning, but were unable to push for the lead before the game ended.
RHP Matt Bedford (1-2) noted the loss, as RHP Bennett Flynn pitched 3.1 innings with five strikeouts in an attempt to keep the Irish in the game.
INF Connor Hincks had a standout weekend for Notre Dame, posting a .417 batting average with five hits, two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI. Three of his hits, two RBI and one run came in Sunday’s game. He started all three games at first base for Notre Dame and played a role in two double plays, including an unassisted double play Saturday. In total, Hincks noted 22 putouts, two assists and zero errors on the weekend.
INF Jack Penney and OF David Glancy also made impacts at the plate over the series, with Penney going 3-for-5 on Sunday with two runs scored, and Glancy posting two hits, including a homer, and three runs scored.
C Joey Spence hit his first home run of the season to lead off the ninth-inning comeback attempt. It was the second homer of his career.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penney led off the game with a single, but three quick outs sent the Hokies up to bat. Virginia Tech drew a HBP to lead off, and a failed pickoff attempt allowed the runner to take second. A subsequent home run scored two for the Hokies, and Bedford and the Irish allowed another hit before closing the inning and stranding the runner at third.
Both teams went scoreless in the second inning. Notre Dame went three up, three down in the third, and after a Virginia Tech walk, the Hokies sent a triple and a groundout to score two more runs. Flynn entered to pitch with one out, and struck out the next two batters to end the inning down four runs.
In the top of the fourth, Hincks sent a one-out double to the outfield, and after another out, INF Simon Baumgardt singled to bring Hincks home, giving the Irish their first run of the game. Flynn and the Irish defense sat the Hokies down in order in the fourth, as Flynn added two strikeouts.
Notre Dame sat down in order in the fifth, and Virginia Tech led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer to extend the lead to 5-1. With a walk and HBP placing two runners on base, Flynn struck out the next batter. Hincks then took a ground ball near first, turned to Penney at second and received it back at first for the double play to end the inning.
Penney led off the sixth with another single, and Glancy followed with a double. Hincks sent a single to left field, scoring Penney. OF Tito Flores then sent a grounder to shortstop, forcing a fielder’s choice and scoring Glancy, as Hincks was tagged out on the play. Notre Dame added a walk, but another fielder’s choice ball and groundout produced the last two outs, stranding two on base for Notre Dame.
Virginia Tech responded in the bottom of the inning, delivering a two-out solo homer to add to the lead. After a walk, RHP Nate Hardman entered to pitch. Virginia Tech sent a two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-3.
C Carson Tinney entered as a pinch hitter to lead off the seventh inning, and the Irish went down in order. Spence entered to catch the seventh, and after an out and a walk, Virginia Tech hit a ground-rule double to place two runners in scoring position. RHP Radek Birkholz entered to pitch, as a sac bunt scored one for the Hokies, and a subsequent triple brought in another run before the inning ended on an impressive outfield snag at the wall from OF Brady Gumpf.
Glancy led off the eighth with a solo homer, Notre Dame’s fourth run. After two outs, Baumgardt singled and pinch hitter INF Casey Kmet walked, but a fly ball ended the inning, stranding the two on base. Birkholz struck out the leadoff hitter in the eighth, but after two walks, a single scored a run for the Hokies, sending the game to the ninth with an 11-4 lead for Virginia Tech.
Spence led off the ninth inning with a solo homer, his first home run of the season and second of his career. After two singles, Glancy forced an error to score INF Estevan Moreno, and Hincks singled, his third hit and second RBI of the day, to score Penney. Flores followed with an RBI double, scoring Glancy and putting the Irish within three. The Irish would be halted, however, as two strikeouts and a groundout gave Virginia Tech the series sweep.
UP NEXT
The Irish stay out east and will travel to Radford for a two-game midweek stint March 12-13 before heading to Tallahassee for a three-game series at Florida State March 15-17. The games at Radford will be broadcast on ESPN+, while the games at Florida State will be aired on ACCNX.
NOTRE DAME TRACK
MARKEZICH AND SHOAF EARN ALL-AMERICAN HONORS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
BOSTON, Mass. – The final day of the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships concluded on Saturday, March 10 as Olivia Markezich and Michael Shoaf capped off the weekend with two All-American performances.
Shoaf took home sixth with a throw of 19.43m in the men’s shot put, earning All-American honors for the second year in a row.
After a fantastic run in the final leg of the women’s DMR the day prior, Markezich finished as a national runner-up in the women’s 3000m race with a time of 8:46.71. She still leads the NCAA this season with a run of 8:40.42 in the 3000m at the Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
BUTLER BASEBALL
BULLDOGS BEAT PRESBYTERIAN 4-1
MEMPHIS – Butler recorded a 4-1 win over Presbyterian in the final game of the Grind City Classic. Grant Brooks earned the win on Sunday against the Blue Hose and the save went to Ben Whiteside. With the victory, the Bulldogs improve to 6-7 on the year.
Presbyterian scored first with their lone run of the ballgame coming in the bottom of the third inning, but the Bulldog arms would keep the Blue Hose off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Ryan Drumm tied the game with an RBI double down the line in the fourth to score Lewis and Butler took the lead in the top of the fifth with a sac fly from Jack Moroknek that scored Dorighi.
Ian Choi stayed hot from the plate and delivered an RBI single in the top of the ninth to extend the lead. Butler’s final run came home on a bases loaded hit by pitch.
Carter Dorighi had two of Butler’s five hits on the day and scored a run. Kade Lewis scored two runs and Joey Urban had an extra base hit.
BU starter Grant Brooks struck out four over five full and only walked one. PC scattered just four hits over the diamond with him on the bump. Crumbley and Kilfoyle would keep the lead intact for BU until Whiteside could come in to close. Whiteside recorded the final five outs to grab his second save of 2024.
Butler will now travel to Winter Haven, Fla. for a three-game series against Bradley. Game one is set for Thursday, March 14.
IUPUI SOFTBALL
JAGS’ OFFENSE HEATS UP IN FINAL DAY ON INDIANA INVITE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The IUPUI softball team closed out the Indiana Invite on Sunday, March 10 with back-to-back games. The Jags’ offense totaled 22 hits for 13 runs on the day but fell in both contests. IUPUI dropped game one to host Indiana in five innings, 11-2 then fell to Dayton, 14-11.
In game one on Sunday, the Jags faced the Indiana Hoosiers. IU took the win in five innings, 11-2. IUPUI jumped on the board first, scoring the first two runs of the game in the top of the first inning.
Rachael Gregory started the game with a lead-off single to centerfield and would eventually come around to score on a single by freshman Paige McPhearson to give the Jags the early 1-0 lead. McPhearson later stole home to extend the Jags’ lead to 2-0.
The Hoosiers quickly responded with eight runs on three hits and one IUPUI error in the bottom of the first inning to take an 8-2 lead. They added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs on three hits and one Jaguar error, 11-2. IUPUI couldn’t score in the top of the fifth to keep the game alive as IU took the run rule win.
Jasmin Speth took the loss on the mound for the Jags giving up eight runs (four unearned) on three hits and three walks. Gregory, Kendal Calvert, McPhearson, Kennedy Cowan and Kelli Riordan all recorded hits in game one.
The Jags had a rematch with Dayton for game two on the day. Despite the Jags outhitting the Flyers, Dayton took the win, 14-11.
IUPUI once again took the lead early with five runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, Calvert tripled to right field to get the Jags’ started. McPhearson then singled up the middle to score Calvert. With runners on first and third, Kasie Keyes singles to center field to score one extended the Jags lead to 2-0.
Kennedy Cowan walked to load the bases for Isabelle Waggner. Waggner knocked a single to score Emma Wheatley while Keyes scored on an error by the Flyers’ right fielder. The Jags scored one more run in the first inning when Kayla Freiberg singled to third base to score Cowan, 5-0.
Dayton answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the Jags’ lead to 5-3. The Flyers then took the lead in the bottom of the third inning with seven runs on four hits and one IUPUI error, 10-5.
The Jags added on run in the fourth with a solo home run from Kinsey Pfeiffer cutting Dayton’s lead to 10-6. The Flyers quickly added insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning with three runs on three hits, 13-6.
IUPUI made things close in the fifth inning with five runs. McPhearson collected two more RBI on the day with a single to score Riordan and Gregory. Calvert scored on a wild pitch while Victoria Sivert collected her first RBI of the day on a single up the middle, scoring McPhearson. Frieberg hit a sacrifice fly to score Sivert to the Jags’ final run of the game, 13-11.
The Flyers added one more insurance run in the sixth inning to secure the victory at 14-11.
Carly Mertcalf took the loss on the mound giving up 12 runs (seven unearned) on seven hits and seven walks in three innings of work. The Jags combined for a total 17 hits in the loss with Calvert leading the way with one double and two singles. Gregory, McPhearson, Pfeiffer, Keyes and Waggner each added two hits. Sivert, Cowan, Freiberg and Riordan all added one hit each.
The Jaguars will now return to Indy to start Horizon League play when they host Cleveland State this next weekend. Due to weather the schedule could change, follow iupuijags.com to stay up-to-date.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
CARDINALS TOP EAGLES WITH STRONG STARTING PITCHING AND CONSISTENT OFFENSE
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team rode a winning pitching performance from Merritt Beeker and an offense that scored runs in five innings to an 11-8 triumph over Eastern Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
The Cardinals (10-6, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) salvaged the series finale with the Eagles (5-10, 2-1 MAC) with 5.2 innings of one-run ball and 10 strikeouts from Beeker, who improved to 2-2 on the year with the decision. The lefty struck out multiple batters in three innings, including three in the fourth.
Nick Gregory hit a leadoff home run to right field, and Michael Hallquist followed with a solo shot of his own that gave Ball State a 2-0 edge after the first inning. The Cardinals tacked on a single run in the third on a Hunter Dobbins sac fly and two in the fourth on a Matthew Kamins RBI single and Decker Scheffler sac fly to extend the advantage to 5-0.
After the Eagles plated a run in the fifth, the Cardinals had five runners cross the plate in the sixth inning, highlighted by a Dylan Grego RBI double and run-scoring triple by Kamins, to put them ahead 10-1, and they would cruise from there.
Hallquist hit 4-for-5 on the day and scored twice, while Grego went 3-for-4 with three runs to pace the Ball State offense, which scored in double figures for the fourth time this year.
Eastern Michigan starter Nick Chittum (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings. Zach Kwasny came in to get the last out of the game and pick up his first collegiate save.
The Cardinals are scheduled to host Purdue Fort Wayne at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in their lone midweek game of the week.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL FALLS TO MARSHALL ON A WALK-OFF HOME RUN
Marshall 5, Indiana State 4
HUNTINGTON, W.Va- Indiana State falls to Marshall with a score of 5-4 on the final day in the Marshall March Madness. The Sycamores led the entirety of the game until Bella Gerlach connected on her second home run of the game to take the victory. Indiana State went 0-4 this weekend with losses to Ball State, Notre Dame (twice) and Marshall and now hold an 11-12 record on the 2024 season.
Indiana State scored three of their runs in the first inning to take the lead, when Isabella Henning singled up the middle to drive in a run from Abi Chipps. Abby Robakowski and Livi Colip were walked and with bases loaded, Kenzie Cornwell connected on a 2 RBI single to drive in two more runs to take the 3-0 lead over Marshall.
Marshall scored one run in the second inning with a solo home run by Bella Gerlach to cut the Sycamores lead to 3-1.
The Sycamores added their final run in the second inning when Isabella Henning recorded a RBI double to drive in a run from Danielle Henning to advance the Sycamores lead to 4-1.
Marshall rallied in the third inning where they connected on three hits and scored two runs to cut Indiana State’s lead to 4-3.
The Sycamores led 4-3 entering the final frame, before Rielly Lucas connected on a single, and Gerlach hit a walk-off 2-run home run to take the 5-4 victory over the Sycamores.
Isabella Henning led the Sycamores in Sunday’s game where she went 3-4 with two doubles, and 2 RBIS. Kenzie Cornwell went 2-3 against Marshall with 2 RBIs. Other hits from the Sycamores came from Danielle Henning, Kennedy Shade, and Sophie Esposito.
Lauren Sackett started in the circle for the Sycamores where she allowed five hits and three runs scored, while striking out one. Hailey Griffin (2-2) took the loss in the circle for Indiana State after taking over the ball in the third inning, where she allowed three hits and two runs scored.
Up Next:
Indiana State will travel to Evansville, Ind. this week on Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 13 to kickoff MVC action. Both games will begin at 6 p.m ET!
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
SYCAMORES COMPLETE WEEKEND SWEEP AT FLORIDA A&M
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Big innings propelled Indiana State past Florida A&M in both games of Sunday’s doubleheader as the Sycamores completed the weekend sweep with 7-2 and 15-0 victories over the Rattlers.
Game One: Indiana State 7, Florida A&M 2
Indiana State rallied back from an early deficit and Luis Hernandez and Grant Magill both drove in two runs apiece as the Sycamores secured the series win over the Rattlers with the 7-2 win in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.
Trailing 2-0 after the first inning, the Sycamores scored seven runs over their next two at-bats highlighted by Hernandez’s two-run single in the second and Magill’s two-run base hit in the third to provide starter Luke Hayden (2-1) all the support he would need in the win.
Randal Diaz, Dominic Listi, and Josue Urdaneta also drove in runs on Sunday afternoon, while Mike Sears and Adam Pottinger both scored two runs apiece in the win. Listi added ISU’s lone extra-base hit, a double in the third inning, to highlight the Sycamore offense.
Hayden settled in after a rough first inning in going 5.0 innings in his fourth start in the Sycamore Blue & White. The junior right-hander allowed five hits and two runs while striking out six in the shortened game.
Kyle Cortner and Simon Gregersen went the final two innings in relief with Gregersen highlighting the afternoon with four strikeouts over 1.2 innings to close out the contest.
Joseph Pierini drove in both of FAMU’s runs with a single in the first inning and finished with the Rattlers’ lone multi-hit contest. Broedy Poppell added a double in the loss.
Tre Simmons (1-2) took the loss allowing two hits and four runs while walking three in 1.2 innings pitched. Cody Williams and Tanner Walker went the rest of the way for FAMU.
How They Scored
Joseph Pierini connected on an early two-run single scoring Janmikell Bastardo and Broedy Poppell to give FAMU the 2-0 lead after the bottom of the first inning.
The Sycamores took the lead in the top of the second with a four-run frame highlighted by Josue Urdaneta’s RBI single, Dominic Listi’s bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, and Luis Hernandez’s two-run single to put ISU ahead 4-2.
ISU added three more runs in the top of the third on Grant Magill’s two-run single and Randal Diaz’s sacrifice fly to provide the final 7-2 margin.
Game Two: Indiana State 15, Florida A&M 0
Indiana State’s offense exploded for 13 hits and 15 runs on Sunday afternoon as the Sycamores completed the weekend sweep with the 15-0 win over Florida A&M at Moore-Kittles Field.
Mike Sears connected on his first grand slam of the season and drove in a season-high six RBIs in the contest, while Luis Hernandez went 4-for-4 with four runs scored to pace an ISU offense that had nine different players record hits. Joe Kido added a two-hit game for the Sycamores, while Jordan Austin doubled to highlight the ISU at-bats.
The Sycamores struck first with three runs in the top of the third to provide all the run support starter Brennyn Cutts (2-1) would need in picking up his second win of the season. Cutts went six scoreless innings allowing four hits while striking out seven in the win. The junior right-hander retired six in a row at one point and allowed just one runner in scoring position in the victory.
Jacob Spencer worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh to shut down the Florida A&M offense in his Sycamore debut on the mound.
Jacob Granger (1-1) went the first 4.0 innings allowing nine hits and seven runs (six earned), while striking out one in taking the loss. Josh Scragg, Grant Harrison, Logan Sharpton, and Raylan Wagner closed out the game.
How They Scored
Indiana State took control of the game early scoring three runs in the top of the first. Luis Hernandez opened the scoring with an RBI single, while Parker Stinson (RBI single) and Jordan Austin (RBI double) both connected to put ISU ahead 3-0 in their first at-bats.
Mike Sears connected on a one-out grand slam over the wall in center field in the top of the third inning bringing home Stinson, Adam Pottinger, and Hernandez to make it a 7-0 Indiana State lead.
Austin drew a bases-loaded walk scoring Hernandez and Sears connected on an RBI groundout scoring Adam Pottinger to make it a 9-0 ISU lead in the sixth inning.
The Sycamores send 12 batters to the plate and scored six runs highlighted by Keegan Garis’ pinch-hit two-run single to take the 15-0 lead in the seventh.
Up Next
Indiana State makes its home debut on Tuesday, March 12, as the Sycamores welcome Illinois to Bob Warn Field for a 4 p.m. ET first pitch. It’s Fan Appreciation Day at the ballpark with free general admission to all fans, while autographed MVC/Regional Championship posters will be handed out to the first 100 fans. It’s also Two for Tuesdays with fans able to purchase two hot dogs for $5 at the concession stand.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
ISU FALLS IN MVC TOURNAMENT TITLE GAME DESPITE ERASING 18-POINT DEFICIT IN SECOND HALF
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – No. 1 Indiana State’s rallied back from an 18-point second half deficit to take it down to the wire on Sunday afternoon at the Enterprise Center, but the Sycamores were unable to fully complete the comeback attempt against No. 2 Drake as ISU fell in the Arch Madness Championship Game, 84-80.
Trailing 67-49 with 10:08 to play, the Sycamores (28-6) embarked on a 24-5 run over the next six minutes to erase the deficit and take their first lead since the 18:07 mark in the first half. Jayson Kent started the stretch with a tough layup and followed up with a dunk before Isaiah Swope took the game over.
Swope scored 10 consecutive points at one point during the stretch and capped the run getting fouled on a made three-pointer. The junior guard hit the ensuing and-one opportunity to give Indiana State the 73-72 lead with 4:08 remaining on the clock.
After Drake’s Darnell Brodie (two) and Swope (three) traded free throws, the Sycamores led 76-74 with 3:36 to play. DU’s Tucker DeVries answered with a turnaround jumper in the paint to even the score, before Connor Enright followed up an ISU turnover with a three-pointer and Brodie converted a layup to put Drake back ahead 81-76.
Jayson Kent scored off an offensive rebound to cut the deficit back down to 81-78, but Brodie and DeVries both converted free throws down the stretch to secure the Bulldog win.
Drake opened up the contest hitting their first seven three-pointers in building an early double-digit lead over the Sycamores. Atin Wright (15) and DeVries (14) both scored double-digits over the opening half as the Bulldogs went by as many as 14 points at 37-23 with 7:36 remaining over the opening 20 minutes.
The Sycamores cut the lead down to seven points twice in the first half with Ryan Conwell scoring seven consecutive points to cut the margin to 37-30, while Jayson Kent put back a layup at the 4:24 mark to cut it down to 39-32. The Bulldogs scored the final six points to take the 45-32 lead into the halftime break.
All five Sycamore starters scored double-digits in Sunday’s championship game paced by Kent’s 22-point, nine-rebound performance. Swope finished with 19 points (all in the second half), while Robbie Avila contributed 15 points and seven rebounds. Conwell (13 points, seven rebounds) and Julian Larry (10 points, five assists) were also in double-digits.
DeVries scored a game-high 27 points to pace Drake with Wright and Brodie finishing with 17 points apiece for Drake.
DeVries was named the 2024 Arch Madness Most Outstanding Player. The remainder of the team was filled out by Indiana State’s Robbie Avila and Ryan Conwell, Bradley’s Connor Hickman, and Drake’s Atin Wright.
News & Notes
Indiana State’s seven-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday afternoon as the Sycamores finished Arch Madness with a 28-6 record.
The Sycamores move to 31-41 all-time in Arch Madness including a 3-3 mark overall in the championship game.
The Sycamores failed to reach 20 assists for the first time in the tournament finishing with 12 overall on Sunday.
All five starters scored for the 11th time in the 2023-24 season with ISU falling to just 9-2 overall when accomplishing the feat.
Sunday marked ISU’s second loss when scoring 80 or more points this season.
The Sycamores shot 68.6% inside the arc, the seventh-best effort this season of 34 games.
Jayson Kent shot a season-best 90% (9-for-10) from the field (min. 5 attempts).
Up Next
Indiana State will await its postseason fate next week with the unveiling of the 2024 NCAA March Madness postseason bracket.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
PURDUE FORT WAYNE WBB CLASHES WITH GREEN BAY IN #HLWBB SEMIFINAL REMATCH
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team is set to play Green Bay in the Barbasol Horizon League Championship semifinal. It is a rematch of last year’s semifinal matchup between the Mastodons and Phoenix.
Purdue Fort Wayne students will get in free with a student ID, curtesy of Purdue Fort Wayne Student Affairs.
Game Day Information
Who: Green Bay Phoenix
When: Monday, March 11 | 2:30 PM
Where: Indianapolis, Ind. | Indiana Farmers Coliseum
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Link
Listen: 1380 The Fan
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Green Bay | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
Green Bay is 25-6 and finished the Horizon League regular season at 17-3 to earn the No. 2 seed. The Phoenix dominated Youngstown State 94-57 in the quarterfinal round to advance to Indianapolis. The Phoenix are led by All-Horizon League First Teamer Natalie McNeal. She is averaging 13.0 points and 6.8 boards for Green Bay.
The Series
The 11-game series against Green Bay includes the matchup in the Horizon League Championship semifinal last season. Green Bay won that game 69-65. The Mastodons are still seeking their first win against the Phoenix in the series dating back to January 7, 1984.
Shut Down The Titans
In the Mastodons’ quarterfinal matchup against Detroit Mercy, Purdue Fort Wayne held the Titans to just 35 points. That is the fewest a Division I has ever scored against the Mastodons, besting the Mastodons’ defensive effort against Robert Morris earlier this season, when RMU scored just 36. The 35 from the Titans also marked the second-best defensive effort in a Horizon League Championship game in over 20 years.
Playoff Aud
Audra Emmerson has a career scoring average of 12.2 points per game in postseason play.
In A League of Their Own
Purdue Fort Wayne had five All-Horizon League selections this season. Amellia Bromenschenkel earned a spot on the First Team, Shayla Sellers was a Third Teamer, Erin Woodson and Renna Schwieterman were All-Freshman honorees, and Audra Emmerson was an Academic All-League selection.
The ‘Dons are *Fire Emoji*
Purdue Fort Wayne has won 10 of its last 13 games and has an average margin of victory of 15.8 in that span. In that stretch, Erin Woodson is 91.7 percent (11-of-12), Shayla Sellers is 87.5 percent (14-of-16), and Renna Schwieterman is 88.2 percent (15-of-17) from the free throw line.
Closing In…
Shayla Sellers needs 16 points to break into the program’s top-10 in scoring.
10. Rhonda Unverferth – 1,293 (1982-85)
11. Shayla Sellers – 1,277 (2019-present)
Recency Bias
Over the last eight games, Shayla Sellers is shooting 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from 3-point range.
More Winning Ways
The Mastodons’ 21 victories is the most in the history of the Mastodons’ Division I era (2001-present). With the win over Detroit Mercy in the Horizon League Championship, the Mastodons passed the previous best of 20 set in 2010-11.
Money Millie
This season, Amellia Bromenschenkel has scored in double-figures in all but seven games. She is 132nd in the nation and fifth in the league in percentage, shooting 46.0 from the floor. She is top-200 in the country in scoring with 424 points this season.
How Many Ways Can We Say We Like Threes?
The Mastodons have made 10 3-pointers in 14 games this season. In the Division I era (2001-present), the Mastodons have hit double-digits 3-pointers 14 times in just two seasons: 2013-14 and 2023-24.
Carving Out a Spot in the Record Book
Purdue Fort Wayne set a new program record with 279 3-pointers this season. The previous record was 271, set in 2013-14. Last year, the ‘Dons hit 253 triples.
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne throttled Detroit Mercy on Thursday (March 7) 66-35. The ‘Dons got 25 combined points from Audra Emmerson and Destinee Marshall.
Coming Up
With a win, the Mastodons move on to the championship of the Barbasol Horizon League Championship on Tuesday (March 12) to play the winner of Cleveland State and Wright State.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
JUSTIN OSTERHOUSE HITS SIXTH HOME RUN IN LOSS AT MISSOURI
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Purdue Fort Wayne freshman Justin Osterhouse hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning of Purdue Fort Wayne baseball’s 20-2 loss at Missouri on Sunday (March 10) afternoon.
Following a scoreless first, Missouri scored eight runs in the second. Trevor Austin, Brock Daniels and Jackson Lovich each had a home run in the game for Missouri. The Tigers recorded 19 hits in the contest.
Sophomore Brody Fine (0-3) got the ball for Purdue Fort Wayne and took the loss. Logan Lunceford started for the Tigers and threw five scoreless innings in a winning effort.
Osterhouse’s sixth home run of the season came in the sixth and drove in Camden Karczewski.
Missouri improves to 8-8. The ‘Dons fall to 6-11. Purdue Fort Wayne is at Ball State on Tuesday (March 12).
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
OFFENSE COMES ALIVE AS UE PICKS UP TWO WINS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On Sunday, the University of Evansville softball team erupted for 36 runs in two games to defeat St Bonaventure and Bellarmine. With the performance, the Purple Aces have won four of their last five games.
Game 1 – UE 19, St. Bonaventure 4
Evansville scored 10 runs in the first inning and never looked back, cruising to a 19-4 victory over St. Bonaventure in the first game of the day. Marah Wood got things rolling with a 3-run home run. Hits by Alexa Davis and Brooke Voss set the table to Jenna Nink, who brought both in on a 2-run single.
Kayley Batts was hit by a pitch before Zoe Frossard singled to load the bases for Hannah Hood. She came through with a grand slam to left that capped the 10-run start. Batts and Nink each had RBI hits while Jess Willsey added a sac fly in a 3-run second inning before Brooke Voss had a 2-run shot in the third to give the Purple Aces a 15-3 lead.
Four more runs would score in the fifth as Lacy Smith, Taylor Howe and Callie Meinel picked up RBI hits to complete the scoring and a 19-4 UE win. Mikayla Jolly made the start. She pitched three innings with three runs scoring. Elle Jarrett threw the final two frames. Voss and Nink picked up three hits apiece while Hood led the way with four RBI. Voss added a team-high four runs scored.
Game 2 – UE 17, Bellarmine 7
Another nice start saw Evansville pick up three runs in both the first and second innings on its way to a 17-7 victory. Marah Wood and Abby Bode each had RBIs in the first while Bode struck again with a 2-run single in the top half of the second.
Two more runs crossed the plate in the third as Hannah Hood picked up a sacrifice fly and Jess Willsey picked up an RBI single to extend the lead to 8-2. Evansville put a 5-spot on the board in the fifth. Kayley Batts and Willsey each picked up 2-RBI hits in the frame while Hannah Hood notched an RBI single.
Following scoreless 5th and 6th innings, the Aces were back at it with a 4-run seventh with all four scoring with two outs. After Hood led the inning off with a double, two quick fly outs brought Abby Bode to the plate. She launched a 2-run homer to bring in hood. Alexa Davis reached on a dropped fly ball to bring up Brooke Voss, who hit a homer of her own to make it a 17-7 game and that would be the final.
The Aces accumulated 17 runs on 16 hits in the game as Willsey led the way with three hits. Bode notched a team-high five RBI while Willsey notched three. Frossard and Hood scored three runs apiece. Sydney Weatherford made the start, giving up five runs in 2 1/3 innings. Megan Brenton threw the final 4 2/3 with two runs scoring on four hits.
Missouri Valley Conference action begins this week with UE facing Indiana State at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James & Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
TWO-OUT MAGIC PROPELS MISSISSIPPI STATE PAST UE, 13-3
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Mississippi State baseball team scored seven two-out runs on Sunday, as the Bulldogs swept a three-game series from the visiting University of Evansville Purple Aces with a 13-3 victory at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
“We just ran into a heckuva ballclub,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “This entire weekend, they just outplayed us in all three facets of the game. Their three-hole hitter is pretty special, and we couldn’t figure out how to get him out all weekend long.
“Overall, I am disappointed that we weren’t able to get it done today, but we have to rebound. This is a very important week for us as a club, beginning Wednesday night against Southeast Missouri State. We have to find a way to bounce back and get things righted before Missouri Valley Conference play begins in two weeks.”
The Bulldogs took control of the contest in the first inning thanks to a pair of home runs. With one out, outfielder Dakota Jordan launched his third home run of the series with a two-run blast to left-center field to open the scoring. Jordan went 1-for-2 on the day and was intentionally walked three times, as he finished the series going 7-for-9 with two doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI.
The two-out magic then began for Mississippi State, as a two-out single and walk preceded a three-run home run to dead center field by outfielder Connor Hujsak just outside of the reach of UE center-fielder Ty Rumsey to push the lead to 5-0 after one inning.
Rumsey would get Evansville back into the contest briefly in the fourth inning, as he launched a three-run home run to right field to trim the MSU lead to 5-3. That would be as close as Evansville would come though, as the Bulldogs would score a run in the fourth inning, before scoring two two-out runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to push the lead to 10-3. Mississippi State scored three runs in the eighth inning to enact the mercy rule.
Rumsey led Evansville by going 2-for-3 with his second home run of the year and three RBI. Junior second baseman Cal McGinnis also went 2-for-4 for the Purple Aces. Shortstop Dylan Cupp led Mississippi State by going 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.
With the victory, Mississippi State has now won nine games in a row, as the Bulldogs improve to 12-4 overall. Evansville, meanwhile, drops to 7-8 with the loss. The Purple Aces will return home briefly to German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium on Wednesday night to host Southeast Missouri State at 6 p.m.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL
EAGLES FALL IN SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER, NEWMAN RECORDS 400TH CAREER STRIKEOUT
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Softball opened its 2024 Ohio Valley Conference campaign on the road at Tennessee Tech University on Sunday, but the Screaming Eagles fell victim to a doubleheader sweep by final scores of 2-1 and 5-0.
The series opener saw Southern Indiana (6-11, 0-2) get a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings, but the Screaming Eagles could not advance either runner home. Tennessee Tech (9-6, 2-0) took advantage with three two-out singles in the bottom of the second inning to strike first, 1-0.
Following scoreless middle innings, USI tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the sixth inning on a two-out RBI double by senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) that scored senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) from first base. However, Tennessee Tech scored a go-ahead unearned run in the bottom half of the sixth after a pair of defensive errors by USI, allowing the Golden Eagles to take the first game.
USI scored one run on five hits, as Fair led Southern Indiana with a 2-2 game at the plate. Tennessee Tech tallied its two runs off eight hits.
USI junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) took the hard-luck loss to move to 5-5 this season. Newman tossed a full six innings, giving up two runs – one earned – with four strikeouts. In the process, Newman picked up her 400th career strikeout. The right-hander is sixth in USI’s all-time history. Tennessee Tech’s senior pitcher Lennon Spicer moved to 2-3 with the win, surrendering one run in 6.1 innings, and freshman Emily York recorded the save.
In the back half of Sunday’s doubleheader, Tennessee Tech quickly took a 2-0 lead with a sac fly in the first inning and a bases-loaded RBI single in the second frame.
Just like the first game, USI had a couple of opportunities with a runner in scoring position early on but had trouble stringing together the necessary at-bats to drive a run across home plate.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Tennessee Tech capitalized off back-to-back walks to lead off the inning and later put together three consecutive RBI at-bats – two singles with a sac fly sandwiched in between – to add three insurance runs, giving the Golden Eagles the double-dip sweep on Sunday.
In the second game, three of USI’s five hits came from the top three in the batting order. Kihega and senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) recorded a hit in each game Sunday. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles scored its five runs in game two across nine hits.
USI junior pitcher Whitley Hunter (Nashville, Indiana) was charged with the loss in the late cap, dropping to 1-3. Hunter went four innings, allowing two runs. Tennessee Tech junior pitcher Payton Wagner moved to 3-1 with the win, hurling five shutout innings on Sunday. York closed out the second game also for Tennessee Tech, earning her fourth save with two scoreless frames.
Southern Indiana will seek to salvage the series finale Monday at 11 a.m. from Cookeville, Tennessee. The Spin 95.7 FM will have radio coverage of the contest. Live stats and coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
USI HOLDS OFF BELLARMINE TO OPEN SERIES
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball held off Bellarmine University, 9-7, to open a three-game series Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky. USI is 5-8 in the non-conference season, while Bellarmine goes 1-12.
USI opened the scoring in its first at bat when senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) scored on a RBI ground out by senior designated hitter Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) for the 1-0 a lead. The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the frame when the Knights picked up the tying for 1-1 score after one.
The game would remain tied, 1-1, until the top of the fourth when the Screaming Eagles plated a trio of runs. The Eagles manufactured the three runs on a fielder’s choice, a sac bunt, and a RBI-single after loading the bases on a single and a pair of walks.
USI increased its lead to six runs, 7-1, with three more tallies in the top of the fifth. Junior first baseman Thomas Emerich (Ava, Missouri) highlighted the three-run fifth with two-run single, while graduate second baseman Nolan Cook (Evansville, Indiana) had a RBI-single to cap off the inning.
Following a three-run frame of its own, Bellarmine narrowed the gap to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth.
The Eagles pushed the margin back to five, 9-4, when Ebest hit a two-run home run to right field. The home run was Ebest’s team-best third of the season and his second in as many games.
The Knights would make another run at the Eagles in the final two innings. Bellarmine pulled to within three, 9-6, with two in the eighth before scoring once in the ninth. USI shut the door on the Knights with the tying run at the plate.
On the mound, USI freshman right-hander Grant Parson (Owensboro, Kentucky) posted his second win of the year. Parson (2-0) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out five.
Junior right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) earned his second save of the year after getting USI through the ninth. Hutson gave up the one run on two hits, while striking out two.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI and Bellarmine conclude the three-game series Monday when they play a morning doubleheader at Knights Field. First pitch for game one is set for 10 a.m. (CDT).
VALPO BASEBALL
VALPO POSTS A DOZEN HITS IN SETBACK AT THE CITADEL
Five hitters in the Valparaiso University batting order enjoyed multi-hit games, but host The Citadel prevailed 10-6 on Sunday to fend off the series sweep in Charleston, S.C. Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) homered to contribute to an offense that racked up 12 hits in the series finale.
How It Happened
The Citadel scratched out two runs in the opening inning.
Valpo got one back in the top of the second thanks to a run-scoring single by Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran).
The Beacons grabbed the lead in the top of the third, an inning that started with a string of three straight singles including Connor Giusti’s (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd [Wisconsin Oshkosh]) base knock, which drove in Valpo’s second run. Carson Husmann (Hanna, Ind. / South Central [Bradley]) later stroked a go-ahead single to put the guests in front for the first time in the game at 3-2.
The Citadel responded with two in the bottom of the third including an RBI triple and took a 4-3 lead, but it could have been worse as the Bulldogs had two more on base with nobody out before a strikeout and a 4-3 double play retired the side.
The Bulldogs picked up a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth to boost the lead to two.
The Citadel threatened by packing the sacks with two down in the fifth, but Bryce Konitzer (Mukwonago, Wis. / Mukwonago [Oakland]) induced a ground ball back to the mound to end the inning and keep the deficit at two.
The Beacons mounted a threat of their own in the sixth when the first two batters reached via a walk and a hit by pitch, but The Citadel made a quick pitching change and the new hurler sent down three straight to keep the hosts ahead 5-3.
The Citadel tacked on three in the bottom of the sixth to boost the advantage to 8-3.
After missing time with an injury, Griffin McCluskey (Normal, Ill. / Normal Community) returned to the mound on Sunday, facing the minimum in his first frame as he came out of the bullpen to work the seventh.
A two-run bomb off the bat of Schmack traveled 416 feet in the eighth, climbing Valpo to within three at 8-5. Maifield added a run-scoring single later in that frame to make it 8-6.
The Citadel scored twice in the bottom of the eighth including a solo homer to increase the lead back to four at 10-6, which stood as the game’s final score.
Inside the Game
Schmack’s home run was the 23rd of his career, allowing him to climb into a tie for fourth in program history with Joe Gersna (1982-1985). He has hit more home runs than any Beacon since 2003.
Schmack, Maifield, Husmann, Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo) and Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) all posted multi-hit efforts. Schmack had his team-leading seventh multi-hit game.
Hannahs has reached safely in all 14 games this season including an active seven-game hitting streak.
Valpo followed its season-high 18 hits in Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader with 12 hits, tied for the team’s second-highest total this year, in Sunday’s series finale. The team’s top three hit totals of the season have all come in the last four games.
The Beacons have also shown patience at the plate, working seven walks or more in four straight games.
Up Next
Valpo (6-8) will visit Gardner-Webb for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch on Tuesday in Shelby, N.C. The game will air on ESPN+ with links to live video, audio and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.
VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
HOOPS IN THE HEARTLAND KICKS OFF THURSDAY EVENING AGAINST UIC
Valparaiso (5-24, 4-16 MVC)
Hoops in the Heartland – First Round
Game #30 – March 14, 2024 – 6 p.m.
vs. UIC (17-14, 10-10 MVC)
Vibrant Arena at The MARK (12,000) – Moline, Ill.
Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valpo women’s basketball team heads to Hoops in the Heartland in Moline, Ill. as the 10th seed for the MVC Tournament. The Beacons will have to win four games in four days to claim the tournament championship, starting on Thursday evening against seventh-seeded UIC.
Previously: Valpo celebrated Senior Day at the ARC Saturday, recognizing Olivia Brown, Jill Harris, Ava Interrante and Emma Tecca in their final home game, but visiting Missouri State proved to be a rude guest, as the Lady Bears defeated the Beacons, 77-66. Leah Earnest paced Valpo with 17 points and five rebounds.
Following Valpo Basketball: Streaming Video: ESPN+ – Brad Wells and Kelly Burke
Radio: WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso
Streaming Audio: TuneIn app
Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com
Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her sixth year at the helm of the program in 2023-24 and owns a record of 60-115. Evans has made an impact on the program in her first five years, raising the team’s level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. The 2022-23 season saw Evans lead Valpo to the first win in program history over perennial MVC power Missouri State. The Beacons also won three consecutive road games in Valley play, the first time the program accomplished that feat against three different opponents since 2007.
Series Notes: Valpo renews acquaintances with the most common opponent in program history on Thursday night, as the Beacons match up with UIC for the 56th time – the Flames hold a 30-25 edge in the series. The MVC marks the fourth different conference the two programs have shared affiliation in, as Valpo and UIC were both previously together in the North Star Conference (1988-92), the Mid-Continent Conference (1992-94) and the Horizon League (2007-17).
This season, the Beacons and Flames split the regular season series – Valpo won a thriller in Chicago in early February, 71-70, on a Leah Earnest layup at the buzzer, while UIC got its revenge at the ARC later in the month, earning an 82-59 win.
Thursday will be the sixth time the two programs have met in conference tournament play across their four conferences:
– 3/7/91 – North Star – Valpo 81, UIC 73
– 3/11/93 – Mid-Con – UIC 101, Valpo 100
– 3/10/94 – Mid-Con – UIC 65, Valpo 62
– 3/11/13 – Horizon – Valpo 67, UIC 57
– 3/9/23 – MVC – UIC 72, Valpo 47
UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL
GREYHOUNDS REPEAT AS #1 SEED FOR DII REGIONAL
INDIANAPOLIS – For the second straight season, and fourth time overall, the UIndy men’s basketball team has earned the top seed and hosting rights for the 2024 NCAA DII Midwest Regional to be played in Nicoson Hall from March 16-17 and 19.
The Greyhounds, who won the GLVC regular season title, enters as the No. 1 seed with a 22-8 record. UIndy will face familiar foe in eighth-seeded William Jewell, which earned the GLVC’s automatic-qualifying bid on Sunday afternoon by winning the conference’s tournament title. The Cardinals have the Greyhounds number this season, winning two of the teams’ three matchups, including this past weekend in the GLVC semifinals.
Jesse Bingham and Kendrick Tchoua were named to the All-GLVC First Team, as well as the league’s All-Defensive team, while Paul Zilinskas earned second-team honors.
Ferris State (GLIAC) and Walsh (G-MAC) also won their respective conference tournaments, earning an automatic-qualifying bid to the regional. The seeds can be found below.
1. UIndy
2. Kentucky Wesleyan
3. Walsh
4. Northern Michigan
5. Ferris State
6. Lake Superior State
7. Upper Iowa
8. William Jewell
UINDY BASEBALL
BASEBALL COMPLETES SERIES SWEEP OF MINERS
ROLLA, Mo. – After an unsatisfactory start to their 2024 campaign where the UIndy baseball team opened with a 2-6 mark, the Greyhounds flipped the switch to start GLVC-conference action, sweeping the Missouri S&T Miners on their home turf, securing three of the four victories on Sunday.
The Hounds opened Sunday business with a continuation of the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader, starting in seventh inning with a UIndy lead of 10-8. Despite a big push from the Miners in the bottom of the ninth, the Hounds held on to seal that victory 12-11.
The close contests continued into Sunday as the Hounds picked up wins three and four via just a combined three-runs. Dakota Sill and Caleb Vaughn were the offensive leaders for the Hounds in the final three games of the set, with Sill notching seven total bases for a .462 average across the contests and Vaughn nabbing three RBIs on a .700 slugging percentage.
Big-moment pitching returned for the Hounds in the last two contests as E.J White grabbed his second and third saves and Austin Bestul grabbed his first of the year, calming the storm of the Miners in the series finale with a crucial strikeout.
GAME 1 | UIndy 12, S&T 11 – Continued from Saturday
The Miners, after being crushed in the first game of the series, came out swinging as an RBI groundout and a deep right-center triple put them up 2-0 after just the first frame. The bats for the Greyhounds stayed alight as they scored in every inning from the second to the end of the contest. The big punch came in the second where a four spot, highlighted by a Vaughn two-run bomb gave the Hounds a lead they never looked back from.
Carter Nowak, making his first start of the season, maintained his team-leading ERA as he went five and two thirds strong for the Hounds, only giving up two earned runs and punching out four in the process.
White grabbed his first K of the day in the bottom of the sixth, right before the halting, and picked right back up the next day, surviving an error to leave the game with a save.
GAME 2 | UIndy 5, S&T 3
With the first “scheduled” contest on the docket, it was Logan Peterson set to start for the Hounds as the senior went four innings of two-hit baseball, leaving with a season high in strikeouts. His offense rewarded excellence, etching across a pair in the second inning, the second coming via a Bryce Goodwine RBI double. Sill later in the third was the beneficiary of some poor Miner defense as an E5 with bases loaded brought the Hounds lead to 3-0.
A big two-run double in the fifth and a solo shot in the sixth by the home team evened up the score. But as the long ball tied it for the Miners, small ball would regift the Hounds the lead as with runners on first and third, Zack Williams laid down a beauty of a bunt that allowed the speedster Easton Good to score from third. That turned the eyes to the basepaths as a double steal by Williams and Drew Donaldson elicited a poor throw by the catcher, allowing another run to score and the Hounds to take a two-run lead.
White yet again played hero ball, working into and out of trouble in the bottom of the seventh to leave with his second-straight save.
GAME 3 | UIndy 12, S&T 11
The Miners, fighting to avoid the sweep, controlled the action early in the contest, scoring five in the first three innings. It was finally in the bottom of the third when Payton Plym, the Black Hawk transfer, came in and shut it down. A pickoff and a fly left a runner on to end the third and then a one-two-three fourth lit a fire under the offense, kicked off by an oppo single by Sill. Will Spear and Goodwine kept passing the baton, each scoring singles into the right side of the field, the later scoring Sill from third as the Hounds dug into the Miner lead.
Another run in the sixth was the trailer for the big inning the Hounds were chasing in the seventh as a Goodwine RBI triple brought the lead down to one. Situational hitting by Good scored Goodwine from the third and tied the ballgame. Donaldson later hammered a ball into right, scoring his fellow middle infielder and landed himself on second base, giving the Hounds their first lead of the battle. Baserunning continued to be a strength of the Hounds as a delayed double steal by Williams and Donaldson resulted in the fourth run of the frame.
Already with the lead, the Hounds let it rain in sunny Rolla, Mo. as they scored five more in the eighth, the big one coming off the bat of Cole Hampton as a double down the left field line scored two and made it 12-5.
The Miners did not quit, answering the offensive onslaught with one of their own, scoring three in both the bottom eighth and ninth. With the winning run at the dish and the tying run at second, the Hounds called for Bestul, who ended the ballgame with a punchout and secured the four-game sweep.
UP NEXT
The Hounds return home for another weird “doubleheader.” They welcome in the Lake Erie storm to Greyhound Park for two contests, the first of which is the culmination of a halted game from their season opening series dating back to mid-February. That game will be followed by a full nine-inning ballgame with the Storm following a brief intermission. Game one’s first pitch is scheduled currently for noon.
UINDY SOFTBALL
CASEBOLT PERFECT AS HOUNDS START SPRING BREAK WITH A BANG
JAN PHYL VILLAGE, Fla – No. 8 The UIndy softball team started its time at THE Spring Games with standout performances against D’Youville and Saint Anselm. The Greyhounds were able to shut out both teams and improved their record to 15-2.
The day was highlight by eight home runs by the UIndy offense and Jayden Casebolt’s historic performance in the circle in game one, good for the first perfect game by a Greyhounds in a dozen years.
GAME 1 | UIndy 8, D’Youville 0 (5 innings)
Casebolt was untouchable Sunday. The Newburgh, Ind., native saw the minimum 15 hitters, sitting them all down in order. She struck out five and did not allow a single walk. She puts her name alongside Jennifer DeMotte (2012) and Megan Russell (2010), the only Greyhounds with a recorded perfect game this century.
At the plate, the Greyhounds got on the board quickly with three runs in the first inning. The inning was highlighted by a two-run homer hit by Emily O’Connor. The Hounds tacked on another three runs in the second. This inning also included a two-run bomb, this time by Megan Nichols, her first of the season. By the end of the second UIndy led D’Youville, 6-0.
In the third, UIndy was able to reach eight runs to activate the run rule later in the contest. To get there, Tori Angles hit a double into left-center which allowed Shelby Cook and Nicole Pearce to score.
During the contest, three Greyhounds finished with a double to their name – Cook, Angles, and Nichols. Nichols also led the team in hits and RBIs with three.
Game 2 | UIndy 11, Saint Anselm 0 (6 innings)
After hitting two bombs in the first game, the UIndy bats delivered a jaw-dropping six more round trippers versus St. Anselm. O’Connor had three on her own, recording the first three-homer run by a Hound since single-game records became available in 2001.
The offense was particularly unstoppable in the fifth, scoring six big runs. It included O’Connor’s second solo homer of the game. Megan Nichols also sent the ball over the fence and secured two ribbies. Two more runners were brought in by doubles hit by Jocelyn Calvin and Cook.
The Greyhounds enacted the run rule with a four-run sixth inning. All scoring opportunities were caused by home runs, as Calvin, Nichols and O’Connor went back-to-back-to-back.First up was Calvin who brought herself and Grace Mosele home. Nichols and O’Connor followed with solo home runs for their second and third, respectively, of the game.
In the circle, Kenzee Smith continued to be undefeated this season with her seventh win in as many decisions. Smith had a clean game, allowing only two hits while finishing the day with 11 strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds will continue their time in Jan Phy Village with games against Pitt. Johnstown and region-rival Lake Erie. The first matchup will be against Pitt. Johnstown at 10:15 a.m. with Lake Eire to follow at 12:15 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
FOOTBALL HISTORY
March 11, 1892 – The first public basketball game was played between the students and the faculty of Springfield College in Massachusetts. Basketball’s inventor, James Naismith taught at the school and also on staff was Amos Alonzo Stagg. The headline from the local newspaper the next day displayed on the Forums realgm reads “Basket Football Game.” The article says over 200 fans watched the contest where the students prevailed by the score of 5-1. That one bucket by the faculty was made by our football hero Coach Stagg according to author Jennifer Taylor Hall in he book Amos Alonzo Stagg; Football’s Man in Motion. The author goes on to say that in the hoops game, Coach Stagg fouled every single one of the student players! It may have truly been a Basket Football Game!
March 11, 1941 – Bronko Nagurski defeated Ray Steele in Minnesota, to become the National Wrestling Champion. Steele stripped Nagurski of the Wrestling Title on March 7, 1940 so in this victory Bronko took the belt back from Steele per the Legacyofwrestling.com. We have learned much about Bronko as a football player from his birthday post on our November 3 blog but many don’t realize that he was quite successful at wrestling as well. According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s website Nagurski as a member of the Chicago Bears in the late 1930’s approached six-time World Champion Wrestler Lou Thesz about grappling in the football offseason. Bronko attracted large crowds and even gained the World NWA Title on several occasions in the years before World War II. Bronko Nagurski became a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009 to add to his enshrinements of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames.
March 11, 1986 – NFL adopts instant replay rule according to an article on Sound Vision. The adoption was by no means what we are used to today as it was experimental and very limited. That first season there was only 374 total plays or an average of 1.6 per game with only 10% being overturned from what was called on the field. This version was dropped by an owners vote in 1992 when a majority 17 teams were against continuing the practice.The debate over instant replay continued and a new system was approved for testing in 1996. In 1999, NFL owners voted 28-3 to reinstate instant replay using the new and improved system which included coaches challenges. The article goes on to say that the NFL’s earliest experiments with instant replay date back to 1976, which led to tests being conducted on a wider scale in 1978, starting with the Hall of Fame game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins.
HOF Birthdays
March 11, 1893 – Nashville, Tennessee – Colgate University Quarterback from the 1910 to 1913 era, Ellery Huntington Jr. was born. Check out more on this gridiron legend by clicking his name.
March 11, 1941 – Florence, Arizona – Rex Mirich the great defensive tackle from 1960 through the 1963 season for Northern Arizona arrived into life.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1901 John McGraw, manager of the new American League’s Orioles, signs Charlie Grant, trying to pass off the black infielder as a Cherokee Indian named Tokohoma. The skipper’s scheme to secretly integrate the major leagues unravels in Chicago when White Sox president Charles Comiskey objects to Baltimore’s new player after recognizing the team’s second baseman’s true identity.
1933 A significant earthquake during an exhibition game in L.A. sends the Cubs and Giants scurrying to second base until the tremors stop. The seismic event, which takes place along the 46-mile-long Newport-Inglewood Fault, is estimated at a magnitude of 6.3.
1933 Rogers Hornsby returns to the Cardinals as a player after being fired as the Cubs’ manager last August. After a six-year absence, the ‘Rajah’s’ return to the Redbirds will be short-lived when he is claimed on waivers in July by the crosstown AL’s Browns, who make him the skipper of the last-place club, replacing the recently-resigned Bill Killefer.
1953 Braves’ owner Lou Perini proposes a ban on any major league franchise shift to an existing minor league city until October 1st. Boston, who owns the Milwaukee minor league franchise, had invoked its territorial privilege last week to block the Browns’ attempt to shift their franchise to Milwaukee.
1953 The Dodgers defeat the A’s, 4-2, in the first game played in Holman Stadium, their Grapefruit League ballpark at the team’s spring training complex in Vero Beach, better known as Dodgertown. Fifty-five years later, Carl Erskine, the game’s starting pitcher, will return to play the national anthem on his harmonica as an 81-year-old at the club’s last game at the storied facility.
1957 Representative Emanuel Celler, chair of a congressional committee investigating baseball, calls Commissioner Ford Frick a czar. The New York congressman takes exception when the baseball boss cautions the major league owners about commenting on the Supreme Court’s recent decision concerning pro football coming under antitrust rules.
1958 American League president Will Harridge informs the circuit’s umpires that wearing a helmet is mandatory for batters this season, reinforcing the mandate passed by the owners’ 7-1 vote at their December meeting in Colorado Springs. The Red Sox dissent, knowing their slugger Ted Williams adamantly opposes wearing headgear, asserting the protective equipment will interfere with their hitters’ timing.
1961 At Palm Springs, former president Dwight Eisenhower is a no-show at the Angels’ first-ever exhibition game, an 8-3 victory over the Cubs. Ike had been scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch but decided to go fishing instead.
1973 “I didn’t think I’d have to tell them everytime I cross the street. He made his point and he was right. I made a mistake. I should have told him.” – WILLIE MAYS, commenting on his fine for leaving the Mets during spring training. Mets manager Yogi Berra fines Willie Mays $500 for leaving the club without permission and missing the Saturday’s workout. The aging superstar left the team for two days during spring training without notice and flew to California to be with his wife.
1988 California Angels manager Gene Mauch, citing health issues, takes a leave of absence and is replaced by Cookie Rojas. The Halos’ skipper will officially announce his retirement in two weeks, leaving the game with a managerial record of 1,902 wins and 2,037 losses during his 26-year tenure in the dugout with the Phillies, Expos, Twins, and California.
2001 Preston Wilson, the franchise’s first 30-30 player, signs a $32 million five-year contract with Florida. The 26-year-old Marlin center fielder, the stepson and nephew of former major leaguer Mookie Wilson, was obtained from the Mets in the Mike Piazza deal in 1998.
2002 The Boston replaces Joe Kerrigan, the once-popular skipper fired last week, with Grady Little, who will manage the team for two years, compiling a 188-136 (.580) record and making one appearance in the postseason as the AL wild card. The Red Sox do not renew their new manager’s contract when he becomes the target of fans’ angst for not replacing Pedro Martinez in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, a contest the team loses in the eleventh on Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run.
2004 The first contest played at Petco Park, the Padres’ new home, establishes the record for the best-attended game in college baseball history when 40,106 fans watch Tony Gwynn’s San Diego State Aztecs beat the University of Hawaii, 4-0. The previous mark of 27,673 was established in 2002 when state rivals LSU and Tulane met in New Orleans’s Superdome.
2006 First baseman Nick Johnson (.289, 15, 74) and the Nationals agree to a $16.5 million, three-year contract extension. The 27-year-old first baseman, who signed a $3.2 million, one-year deal in January to avoid arbitration, has often been injured since making his big league debut with the Yankees five years ago.
2010 Todd Helton and the Rockies agree to a $9.9 million contract extension that takes the first baseman through the 2013 season. The 38-year-old fan favorite, who has played his entire career in Colorado, hit .325 with 15 home runs, driving in 86 runs last season after undergoing back surgery at the end of the 2008 season.
2018 Taking a significant pay cut, unsigned free-agent Mike Moustakas signs a one-year contract to stay with the Royals, the team he set a franchise record for home runs (38) last season. The 28-year-old All-Star third baseman agrees to 6.5 million, having turned down a qualifying offer of $17.4 million at the start of the off-season.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1937 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)
Off the field…
On May 6th, the German blimp “Hindenburg” burst into flames two-hundred feet over its intended landing spot at New Jersey’s Lakehurst Naval Air Station. Thirty-five people on board the flight were killed (thirteen passengers and twenty-two crewmen), along with one crewman on the ground. The giant flying zeppelin measured eight-hundred three feet in length and weighed approximately two-hundred forty-two tons, but still managed a top speed of just over eighty miles per hour. As it reached its final destination in New Jersey, it hovered over its landing spot and was beginning to be pulled down to the ground by landing lines by over two-hundred crewmen when disaster struck. A small burst of flame started just forward of the upper fin, then blossomed into an inferno that quickly engulfed the dirigible’s tail.
Once again, tragedy struck in the skies as America’s first female pilot pioneer, Amelia Earhart, was lost over the Pacific during her attempt to make an around-the-world flight along the equator. The flight, which began in Miami, had made it around the world to Lae before she and her Lockheed Electra mysteriously vanished. Her last communication by radio was “we are flying northeast.”
In the American League…
On July 25th, Mel Almada of the Washington Senators tied a Major League record by scoring five runs himself in the first game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns. Almada added four more in the second game setting another Major League record for most individual runs in an eighteen inning period.
Harlond Clift of the St. Louis Browns equaled an American League record with nine assists in a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. By the end of the season, the third baseman went on to set a new Major League record for total chances and the still-standing mark of four-hundred five assists.
On December 6th, the Boston Red Sox acquired the contract of an up-and-coming nineteen year-old named Ted Williams. Signed at the age of seventeen by his hometown San Diego Padres, Williams produced adequate numbers in the tough Pacific Coast League but improved beyond his years (and peers) while playing for the American Association in Minneapolis.
In the National League…
On May 3rd, the New York Giants tied an unusual Major League record after playing an entire nine inning game against the Boston Bees without a single chance for their outfielders. The Bees outfield managed only three chances themselves and went on to win 3-1.
En route to a 21-10 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at the Baker Bowl, Cincinnati Reds catcher Ernie Lombardi matched the modern Major League record with six hits (five singles and a double) in six consecutive times at bat.
Mickey Owen, the catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, became only the third backstop to ever pull off an unassisted double play as the “Redbirds” went on to beat the Boston Bees 5-2 at Sportsman’s Park III on August 3rd.
Around the League…
In January, Cincinnati fell victim to its worst flooding disaster ever as rising water overwhelmed the lower city limits and Crosley Field. At its peak, river water covered the infield diamond and lower grandstands with as much as twenty-one feet of water. Taking advantage of a photographic opportunity, Reds pitchers Gene Schott and Lee Grissom rowed a boat out from the center field wall for a once in a lifetime image that appeared in newspapers across the country.
The American League All-Stars topped the Nationals 8-3 in the Midsummer Classic. However, the biggest story of the contest was a bizarre play that marked the beginning of the end of Dizzy Dean’s spectacular career. With two out, Earl Averill cracked a low line drive that caught Dean directly on the front of his foot. Later, in the clubhouse, it was discovered that Dean’s toe was broken. Anxious to get back in the game, Dean and the Cardinals management decided he would return to the mound before the toe was fully healed. Their impatience proved costly as the injury affected his delivery, which eventually injured his arm, and ultimately ended his glory days at the tender age of twenty-six.
TODAY IN NBA HISTORY
March 11, 2000
Rolando Blackman, then a holder of 24 Dallas Mavericks records, was honored by the team when it retired his No. 22 jersey during halftime of Dallas’ game against Phoenix at Reunion Arena. Blackman joined Brad Davis (No. 15) as the only Mavericks to be so honored.
March 12, 1956
Dick Farley of Syracuse fouled out after playing just five minutes, the fastest disqualification in NBA history, in a game against St. Louis. Farley’s record stood for more than 41 years until Bubba Wells of the Dallas Mavericks fouled out in three minutes against the Chicago Bulls December 29, 1997.
March 12, 1972
It was Bill Russell Day at Boston Garden, and uniform No. 6 was retired in afternoon ceremonies.
March 12, 1985
Larry Bird scored a Celtics-record 60 points as Boston beat Atlanta 126-115 in New Orleans.
March 12, 1992
Golden State coach Don Nelson became the first man in NBA history to participate in 2,500 NBA games as a player and coach (regular season and Playoffs), as he led the Warriors against Detroit at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. The Pistons ended up ruining the occasion by posting a 119-112 win over the Warriors.
March 12, 1992
Milwaukee’s Moses Malone scored 17 points in the Bucks’ 106-100 setback against visiting Phoenix, moving him into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list at the time — behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Elvin Hayes — with 26,715 points.
March 12, 1998
Hakeem Olajuwon joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history with at least 24,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 2,500 assists.
March 12, 1998
Basketball Hall of Famer and former NBA player Buddy Jeannette passed away after suffering a stroke at age 80.
March 12, 2015
Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers score 57 points in a 128-125 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
March 12, 2020
The 2019-20 season is suspended by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The NBA used this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. That same day, the NBA G League suspends its 2019-20 season as well.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
March 11
1922 — Cornell wins the first IC4A indoor track meet held at the 2nd Regiment Armory in New York.
1947 — Harry Boykoff of St. John’s sets a Madison Square Garden scoring record with 54 points in the Redmen’s 71-52 win over St. Francis, N.Y.
1958 — Manhattan upsets top-ranked West Virginia 89-84, in the first round of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. Jack Powers leads the Jaspers with 29 points. Manhattan holds sophomore Jerry West to 10 points in the Mountaineers’ second loss of the year.
1963 — Chicago Loyola blows out Tennessee Tech 111-42 for the largest margin of victory (69) in the history of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.
1979 — St. John’s and Penn post two of the biggest upsets ever in the NCAA tournament in the second round of the East regional in Raleigh, N.C. St. John’s, the 40th and last team selected, beats No. 2 seed Duke 80-78, and Penn comes from behind to beat No. 1 seed North Carolina 72-71.
1991 — Steffi Graf’s streak of 186 weeks ranked as the No. 1 women’s tennis player ends as she is replaced by Monica Seles.
2001 — Jana Kostelic, Croatia’s 19-year-old skiing sensation, becomes the second youngest woman to win the overall World Cup title. She finishes 21st, but she captures the title when Renate Goetschl of Austria skied off the course in the first run in Are, Sweden.
2003 — The longest winning streak in women’s Division I history ends at 70 games when No. 18 Villanova hands No. 1 Connecticut its first loss since the end of the 2001 season, 52-48 for the championship of the Big East Conference tournament.
2007 — Chris Simon of the New York Islanders is suspended for an NHL-record 25 games, missing the rest of the regular season and playoffs as punishment for his two-handed stick attack to the face of Ryan Hollweg.
2009 — Mike Singletary leads Texas Tech to the biggest rally in Big 12 tournament history, scoring all 29 of Texas Tech’s points during a second-half surge that pushed the Red Raiders to a 88-83 win against the Aggies. The Red Raiders erase a 21-point deficit. Singletary, who outscored A&M 29-18 to give Tech the lead for the first time, finishes with 43 points.
2009 — Wesley Matthews scores 20 points and Marquette snaps a four-game losing streak by holding St. John’s to a Big East tournament-record 10 points in the first half on the way to a 74-45 victory.
2012 — Vanderbilt rallies to beat No. 1 Kentucky 71-64 in the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game, ending the Wildcats’ 24-game winning streak.
2014 — FIU senior Jerica Coley becomes the 10th female player in NCAA Division I history to eclipse the 3,000-point barrier, doing so with a 20-point showing in FIU’s 85-65 win over Rice in the first round of the Conference USA tournament.
2017 — Jayson Tatum takes over in the final three minutes, making key plays on both ends of the floor, and Duke becomes the first team to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with four wins in four days by rallying past Notre Dame for a 75-69 win.
2020 – NBA suspends 2019-20 season until further notice after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tests positive for COVID-19.
TV SPORTS MONDAY
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)
6 p.m.
CBSSN — Coastal Athletic Tournament: TBD, Semifinal, Washington
7 p.m.
ESPN — Southern Tournament: TBD, Championship, Asheville, N.C.
ESPN2 — Sun Belt Tournament: TBD, Championship, Pensacola, Fla.
ESPNU — Horizon League Tournament: Cleveland St. vs. Oakland Semifinal, Indianapolis
8:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Coastal Athletic Tournament: TBD, Semifinal, Washington
9 p.m.
ESPN — West Coast Tournament: Santa Clara vs. Saint Mary’s (Cal), Semifinal, Las Vegas
9:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — Horizon League Tournament: Milwaukee vs. N. Kentucky, Semifinal, Indianapolis
11:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — West Coast Tournament: San Francisco vs. Gonzaga, Semifinal, Las Vegas
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)
1:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Summit League Tournament: TBD vs. S. Dakota St., Semifinal, Sioux Falls, S.D.
2 p.m.
ESPNU — Sun Belt Tournament: TBD, Championship, Pensacola, Fla.
2:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — Big 12 Tournament: Iowa St. vs. Oklahoma, Semifinal, Kansas City, Mo.
4 p.m.
CBSSN — Summit League Tournament: TBD vs. N. Dakota St., Semifinal, Sioux Falls, S.D.
5 p.m.
ESPN2 — Big 12 Tournament: Kansas St. vs. Texas, Semifinal, Kansas City, Mo.
7 p.m.
FS1 — Big East Tournament: TBD, Championship, Uncasville, Conn.
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: Pittsburgh vs. Boston, Fort Myers, Fla.
4 p.m.
MLBN — Spring Training: LA Dodgers vs. Cleveland, Goodyear, Ariz.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
7 p.m.
SECN — Florida at Alabama
NBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
NBATV — Golden State at San Antonio
10:30 p.m.
NBATV — Boston at Portland
NHL HOCKEY
7 p.m.
NHLN — New Jersey at NY Rangers
SOCCER (MEN’S)
4 p.m.
USA — Premier League: Newcastle United at Chelsea
TENNIS
2 p.m. TENNIS — Indian Wells-ATP/WTA Early Rounds